www.bonanza.pl

AMG

Czyta to jeszcze ktoś?

“Jist throw it through the window with a stone or something.” Josh handed the crumpled paper to Logan, who pensively turned it over in his hand.

“What if they done found any o’ the bodies?” he finally expressed his doubt.

“Well, they can’t know who shot them, right?” Josh winked. “They won’t find us here, and tomorrow we’ll be gone from here stinking rich.”

Logan glanced at the paper again, the shrugged and mounted, the note tucked safely in a pocket. “See ya, then.”

Josh grinned after him, then threw his prisoner a smug look, but refrained from saying what he was just about to say. He ain’t heard a sound from the man since... well, since ever the guy’d been tied up. He’d expected Cartwright to provide some more stimulating conversation – questions, empty threats, pleas for his life – but the big simpleton plain kept his mouth shut, and it made Josh slightly uncomfortable. He shrugged his shoulders and turned to the coffee pot.
He would have needed an objective observer – of the kind of Adam Cartwright, whom they’d ambushed not two hours before Hoss – to tell him it was plain difficult to bully someone who ignored you, and that what he felt was fear. For himself, the big guy started to be a nuisance – just enough to grate on his nerves with his being there, but not enough to spoil the fun. He’d be dead soon, anyway, and dead people don’t follow you.

Hoss continued to carefully watch the small camp. He thought that in about half an hour he should be done with the ropes on his wrists, and then maybe a quarter of an hour should close it all.

“We feed ‘im?” asked Keith from over his portion of roasted rabbit, but Josh shrugged his shoulders with perfect surprise.

“What for?”

Time went by quickly. Lunch finished, Keith disappeared from the camp to relieve himself of certain excessive body fluids and maybe also of the fiery contents of the little flask on his chest. Only Josh was left, and Hoss began feeling more hopeful of his chances. Even if the ropes snapped with a noise, he might be just quick enough to get the man...

Loud neighing drew Josh to the horses, and away from Hoss. The prisoner’s enthusiasm was slightly dampened.

Then a silent hand squeezed his shoulder, the ropes were cut, a knife transferred to his hand, and a hurried whisper assured him of his father’s presence. Before either of the two kidnappers were back, Hoss was captured in his father’s strong arms.

“Julie...” whispered Hoss, but Ben interrupted him.

“By now she should be safe at home, I think. I saw her,” he forestalled the question, or maybe doubt. “She’ll be fine.”

His huge son heaved a sigh – and caught himself with a glance at the camp. Josh’s voice could be heard, throwing some abuse at the animals.

“They’d ambushed Adam.”

Ben’s lips thinned, eyes clouded, but there was no surprise to see there. So they musta found him.

“He should be home by the time we’re back,” Ben said finally. Hoss nodded and didn’t trust himself to ask further. They turned their attention to the camp in perfect accordance.

“Let them be back,” said Ben quietly. “I’ve got the place surrounded.”

AMG

Sądząc po ilości wyświetleń, albo tyle osób to czyta, albo przynajmniej jedna jest dość zainteresowana :/ Mam nadzieję...

Gdyby były problemy ze słownictwem, proszę pytać. Pojedyncze mogę wyjaśniać, na porządne tłumaczenie całości, niestety, nie mam czasu.

The day had turned humid, oppressive, by the time the two Cartwrights reached the house. The hands from the posse quietly scattered off to various chores, impatient for news, but giving precedence to the immediate family.

They were welcomed by a weary Paul Martin. “He’s up in his room,” he answered the unasked question, plopping down in the chair as if his legs refused to support him any longer. “I’m getting too old for this job,” he mumbled, but half of the sentence was lost on Hoss, who already strode purposely towards his brother’s room. He had to see.

The room was darker than usual. Normally, the panelling and dark furniture crowded the light out well enough. Today, the curtains had been half-drawn. What little light was allowed in, seeped away through the floor boards, and rarely ever a worm of dusty sunlight would crawl over the bedcovers.

The covers had been straightened up with a careful, steady hand to near perfection. Hop Sing left a minute but clear mark of his presence everywhere he made order.

Hoss rested his hands on the footboard of the bed and sighed quietly.

There was a rush of fabric from the window, and he barely had time to turn and catch her in his arms.

“Hoss.” Julie pressed her face into his chest, welcoming him like a dearest brother, like closest family. “I thought you’d been hurt – I was so worried. Thank goodness you’re home.”

He rested his chin on the top of her head. She was so tiny in his arms, he had to stoop a little to do that. He gently reciprocated her hearty embrace, drawing comfort from her care, her love, her warmth. Right then, he wished for nothing else than to remain like that forever, may the world collapse around them.

It was with another shaky sigh that he finally straightened and released his hold, sensing her body pull away. She glanced at the bed, and said with soft concern, “He hasn’t woken so far.”

Hoss followed her line of sight. His brother’s face was undisturbed but for some small scratch to the left. The truth must have been hidden under the covers. So far?

“He woke twice there by the road, but the doctor is afraid he was out ever since.” Julie wrung her hands, yet managed to keep her voice calm and controlled.

“How bad?...”

“Mostly blood loss,” she offered promptly. “We have to wait...”

He gently ran his fingers over the cut on her forehead, seeing it maybe for the first time. “You’re hurt?”

“A few bruises.” She actually smiled, and the room seemed brighter. “And I’m tired – I’ve never walked that far in those shoes. My legs were on fire when I finally saw Uncle Ben.”

“You must sit down – ”

“Oh, I’ve rested since. Uncle Ben brought me back to Adam to watch him, and sent some men with a wagon to get him – us – home.” She looked at the bed. “I have a handsome cousin,” she said, suddenly shy.

“Yeah.” When the everyday tensions were dropped in deep sleep, his oldest brother looked sometimes closer to Hoss’ age than to his own. “What did the Doc say?”

“That we have to wait. And feed him well when he wakes.”

“Figures,” mumbled Hoss to no one in particular.

“He was so weak,” she said suddenly. “And in so much pain. And yet he told me very carefully how to get to the lake, and what to say, and what to do.” She wiped at the sudden tears, an angry, helpless gesture. “He’s got to wake up.”

“He will.”

“I have to tell him I did exactly as he said.”

“You will.”

“I have to tell him – he was so anxious.”

“You’ll tell him.”

“He was so anxious, Hoss – not for himself. For me.” She made an angry wipe at another tear. “He didn’t even know my name, and he was anxious that I be alright.”

“Well, that’s Adam for you.”

Julie swatted the last tear away, and drew herself to her full height, almost reaching Hoss’ chin. “He’ll wake,” she reassured herself, leaning slightly into the support of his chest again.

“He will,” he repeated with quiet certainty, and his arm embraced her shoulders to offer comfort. A worm of light crawled over the hand on the covers, and he strained his eyes to see some movement. Yet for a long time, the only movement in the room was the steady rise and fall of three chests, two of them just next to each other.

ania2784

Więc ten mężczyzna z początku co spadł na Julie to był Adam? Bo nie wiem czy dobrze wszysko ogarniam. Bardzo fajne opowiadanie. Nieśmiało zapytam czy będą następnę? Very Happy

AMG

Prawie dobrze, tyle że odwrotnie - ona spadła na niego Smile

Drobna różnica.

Następne planuję, jeśli tylko będzie zainteresowanie.

ania2784

No tak, rzeczywiście. Tak czułam, że coś pomieszałam Wink

AMG

Ania mnie zawstydziła ilością postów w swoim opowiadaniu, więc czuję się przywołana do porządku i już się poprawiam. Poniżej kolejna część... nauki angielskiego Wink

Joe gave a puff of air, and leaned heavily on the footboard of the bed. Catching Julie’s eye, he said, “They can’t find that Logan fellow. Strange he ain’t made it to the Ponderosa or back to the camp, either.”

“Maybe he noticed Pa and the men.” Hoss finally spoke up, but his gaze never wavered from his oldest brother’s face. Joe perked up slightly; Hoss hadn’t given an indication of ever hearing Joe come in, though the latter hadn’t been any quiet about it. He’d been sitting in the chair, unmoving, focused totally on Adam. His comment somehow restored some normality in the picture.

“Maybe,” said Joe, just to offer something, to acknowledge the response. From what Hoss had said, this Logan guy was not all fired up about the ambushing. Maybe having him out of the picture was not a bad thing. In a few days, the whole matter could be forgotten – as soon as the gallows were finished – if only Adam would wake up...

“He ain’t moved?” Joe toyed with a speck of dust on the board.

“Nope.”

“The Doc said he’s gotta wake soon...”

“I know.”

Syllabic conversation was better than no conversation, figured Joe, but still he smiled hopefully at Julie. His silent attempt met with success, as she showed him the book she was holding.

“I’ve been reading to him. Maybe he’ll wake up on hearing a voice.”

“Whatcha bin reading?” Joe walked over to her chair and bent to see the title.

“Shakespeare’s sonnets.”

“Uh-huh.” He made a face as if an offensive smell had just attacked his nostrils.

“Hoss says Adam likes them.”

“Sure does.” Joe straightened, scratched his head, looked out of the window, then suggested with half-hearted enthusiasm: “Why don’t you take one of my dime novels? They always managed to rouse him.”

A bear-like rumble came from the other side of the bed as Hoss appreciated the idea. “The one about the black unnamed gunman.”

“Yeah,” Joe flashed a true smile for once. “I ain’t finished the first paragraph before he threw me out of the room together with this crap. If anything, that should get a rise out of him.” He started for the door. “I’m sure I have it somewhere in my bottom drawer.”

“Not the top one?” Hoss actually looked up at him. They all knew that Joe’s favourites came in the order of the drawers where they were hidden.

“No, this one really is crap.” At the door, Joe hesitated and turned back to them. “Mrs Flora has just come visiting. I’m gonna take care of Jonas now” - Jonas being her son - “and Julie can take a moment’s rest and meet her... if she wants ta. I can leave Jonas to Charlie later, and spell you with the reading, Cousin. The book ain’t seen none high literature stuff even from far, I’d best read it myself.”

All flustered with the news, Julie excused herself and hurried off to her room to refresh herself a little. She was little used to meeting strangers, and didn’t want to cause any embarrassment to her family. In the few days she’s been on the Ponderosa, she’d come to love Ben almost as much as she’d loved her father, and his sons couldn’t be closer to her if they were her true brothers. The fact put her just in more flutters right now, in the effort to have everything done right and to their taste.

ania2784

Ciekawy ciąg dalszy. Smile

Pomysłowy Joe, próbujący obudzić brata czytaniem najgorszej literatury z możliwych... Ciekawe co będzie dalej... Smile

Czekam na ciąg dalszy.

AMG

W nagrodę dla cierpliwych... więcej pracy nad angielskim.

“I promised to relieve Joe.” Julie smiled at the kind lady, Mrs Flora, whom she’d been introduced to yesterday. Contrary to all her anxious imaginings, the lady was a gentle, down-to-earth soul whose motherly heart shone through in every word she said to Julie. Mrs Flora smiled back at her, assuring her it was no problem, as she was going to go and ask Hop Sing about the pie recipe, anyway.

Evening was approaching, and she was going to sit with Adam for an hour or two before Hoss started his shift. Ben had taken night duty and brooked no opposition on that point. She was dearly hoping her cousin would finally wake up. The longer he remained unconscious, the worse the doctor’s prognosis was. Seeing all the care with which he was surrounded made him dearer to herself, and his own heroic conduct earlier had already elevated him to a pedestal. In short, to her mind, he was too good and too much loved for God to allow him to just waste away.

Hearing a quiet voice inside, she knocked at the door.
“Still reading, Joe?”

“Nah.” He rose from the chair. “I was just telling Adam all the reasons why he should finally wake up.”

Quietly, Hoss’ bulk filled the door behind Julie. “Any change?”

Words sounding wrong, Joe just shook his head in response. “I never thought I’d live to see the day, but I must say that this book,” he tossed the small volume up and caught if deftly, “this book musta been written by someone drunk half-way down the...” he caught himself with a glance at Julie and covered it with a cough and a smile. “It’s awful.”

Julie sighed and bent over Adam, wiping his brow gently. “He doesn’t have any fever.”

“Seems like he escaped infection for once,” hoped Joe, then bit his lip. She voiced his sudden thought, though.

“Then why won’t he wake up?”

Hoss gave a powerful sigh, then relieved some of the tension by hitting the footboard of the bed.

Looking at the brothers, Julie didn’t feel the slight move under her hand.

“Do you... mind?”

She choked on a cry, jumping slightly backwards. Hoss, in turn, was met by a short-lived glare from glazed dark eyes, then the eyelids fell again in exhaustion.

“Adam?” they moved closer in unison.

“Hurts,” he managed, fighting to open his eyes again. “Nex’ time... hit the wall... will ya?”

“Shucks, Adam, I’m sorry.” Hoss grabbed his brother’s fist. “Is it bad?”

Adam finally caught enough breath to respond, and found the strength to open one eye. “Not as bad as Joe’s book.”

The youngest Cartwright let out a surprised, nervous laugh. “I knew this hadta wake ya! It’s awful, ain’t it?”

“And then some.” Adam valiantly fought to focus on the shape beyond Hoss’ massive shoulders.

In response to his efforts to look at her, she quietly suggested, “Shakespeare?”

“Oh, please,” he rasped gratefully. A glass of water appeared at his lips, and he drank thirstily.

“Soup?”

Without waiting for a response, Joe barrelled down the stairs, calling the cook.

“How long?...”

“Too long.” Hoss raised him carefully to a reclining position, wincing at the short cry of pain.

“Bad?...”

“Nah, a flesh wound, but you done left lots o’ blood over by the road. Hurts?”

“I’ll live...” Adam finally focused on the girl and sized her up with kind interest.

“That’s Cousin Julie. She found ya.”

He nodded carefully, lest his head fall off, the way it bobbed left and right against any efforts to keep it upright.

“You sent me to the lake to get your father,” she said quietly, and he nodded again.

“I seem to remember... bits and pieces...”

“I have done everything like you told me.”

“Good.” Resting, he took an openly interested look at her, which caused her to blush and escape with her eyes. “Cousin, huh?”

“From the Stoddard side,” offered Hoss helpfully, growing more joyful at every word from his brother.

“That would explain the proper English... Hi, Pa. Been worrying you, huh?”

“A little.” Ben’s hands wandered over his head, checking for fever and turning Adam’s head to have a look at his eyes. The man in bed bore the ministrations patiently, then quipped, “So, will the patient live?”

“Don’t get smart with me, young man,” Ben let some of his worry fill his concerned frown and add depth to the voice. “You’ve given us a scare.”

“Hadn’t planned... on anythin’ o’ the sort. Sorry.” He took a deep breath, fighting the sudden exhaustion, then watched Hop Sing fill the room with bustling, and clucking, and instructions. He offered a quiet thank-you, eliciting a sunshine smile from the cook.

“You now eat. No more talk nonsense! Mista Catlight, Mista Hoss and Mista Joe let Son Number One eat in peace!”

Julie started, then glanced at Adam’s hand covering her own.

“I can listen while I eat,” he said quietly, with all the kindness and gentleness that she knew from their first meeting by the road, back in his warm voice. “If the offer of Shakespeare still stands, Cousin?”

AMG

I jakoś nikt się nie ucieszył... Sad

Z pedagogicznego obowiązku idziemy dalej.

Mrs Flora gave a final pat to the neatly folded blanket and smiled at Hoss.

“Thank you so much for your help. I was just loathe to draw Julie away from Adam. They understand each other so well, don’t they?”

“Yes, Ma’am.” Hoss stepped back politely to let her pass.

“I wouldn’t be surprised at all if... Oh, but I’m too hasty in judgement.” She smiled at him sweetly. “Still, they seem to like each other’s company.”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

Usually a terrible convalescent, Adam was still confined to his room, but this time he seemed almost too busy with his newly met cousin to be frustrating to the immediate environment.

“I swear I heard her laugh in the morning, and that was the first time she did!” Grateful for a listener, the lady couldn’t help sharing her joy. “It seems she’s become much more relaxed since he woke up. I would be so glad if she could stay. She looks like she needs a good heart to go with hers.”

“Yes, Ma’am,” said Hoss, for she needed a moment to take a breath, and it would have been impolite to leave a gap in the conversation.

“Do I understand correctly that she has no immediate family?”

Faced with a direct question, Hoss had no choice but to offer another “Yes, Ma’am.”

“Such a pity! Such a nice girl. She should not be all alone in the world.”

These were exactly Hoss’ sentiments, but he knew such acknowledgement would only fuel Mrs Flora’s conversational energy, so he kept quiet this time.

“And she comes from New England, right?”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

“Ah, she must be well travelled, and finely educated. No wonder they have so many common topics. Once I heard them talk about New England. They were both so animated, poor Adam had to lie down later, he was just so exhausted.” She laughed at the mental picture, then grew serious. “I can’t understand how people can hurt others so easily... Adam could have been less lucky... And he’s still upstairs, bed-ridden and weaker than I’ve ever seen him. You must all be very grateful he’s getting better now.”

“Yes, Ma’am.” A heartfelt answer for once.

An echo of laughter reached them from upstairs through an open window, and Mrs Flora broke out in happy smiles. “Isn’t it wonderful, Hoss? They sound so happy together.”

Hoss shoved his hands deep into his pockets and looked down at the dusty ground. “Yes, Ma’am.”

Rika

Ależ ktoś się ucieszył Very Happy

, ale ja wolniej czytam, niż ty piszesz. Ale wyrobię się jak jeszcze trochę z takimi czytelnikami wytrzymasz Wink

.
Adam zdrowieje, dziewczyna szczęśliwa, czegóż chcieć więcej. Chyba tylko dalszego ciągu.

AMG

No to dalszy ciąg... w nagrodę za wytrwałą pracę nad angielskim. Na pociechę dla zmęczonych zapewniam, że już prawie koniec.

Evening was approaching, together with stormy clouds. Hoss urged Chubb to a quicker pace, hoping to outrace the storm. Tired as he was – exhausted, more like it – he didn’t look forward to being drenched in addition to his misery.

It was either Chubb missing his warm stall, or his luck plain holding, but they made it home and to the barn safe from the rain. The first raindrops fell in single, isolated droplets as Hoss was crossing the yard. He was but three steps into the door when a deluge poured out of the clouds.

“Mista Hoss eat now.” Hop Sing appeared out of nowhere with a steaming-hot plate of stew, energetic and demanding as ever, as if it wasn’t practically night. “When you done, you go to Mista Adam, he want to see Mista Hoss.”

Hoss shrugged his coat off slowly, hung the hat on a peg, then took off the gunbelt. “He’ll be asleep,” he mumbled, but the cook heard him.

“He say he not sleep until he talk to Mista Hoss. He’ll be waiting. Now you eat!”

He wasn’t hungry, and for a moment he considered going to see Adam first. But then he shook his head and sat heavily at the table. Adam might just as well have fallen asleep while waiting for him, and he himself wouldn’t be any hungrier after they talked.

Swallowing successive spoonfuls, and grateful for the inner warmth they provided, he wondered at himself. Why was he so unwilling to see his brother? He’d been overjoyed when it turned out Adam was alive, and more so, when he finally woke up, with that sharp tongue of his and all. But since then it seemed that all the joy had been spent. He felt ungrateful for the luck they’d all had, and it gnawed at him.

Finally the plate was empty, and gone was the last excuse of seeing his brother.

“You go see Mista Adam now,” he was urged by the cook. “Mista Adam need sleep. He stubborn, he wait!”

Stubborn. Yep. That one sure fitted Adam.

On the landing he briefly considered stopping there and taking a nap for the rest of the night, then common sense prevailed. He harboured some small hope even as he was knocking, but a quiet “Come in” dispelled all of it.

“Hop Sing said ya wanna see me.” A faint echo of the same words woke somewhere deep in his memory and made him even more anxious to leave.*

His brother was sitting against the pillows, clearly determined to wait for him as long as need be. “Yes, I did. First of all, I want to apologise.”

“What for?” The statement took Hoss completely aback.

“For leaving you short-handed.” Adam shrugged his shoulders. “I am aware that someone has to do my job why I can’t. It’s clear you’re busy, I haven’t seen you for like – three days now?”

“Shucks, Adam, it sometimes just happens...”

“And I wanted to talk to you. You seen Pa yet?”

“No. I think he’s asleep.” That sounded like more trouble, and he didn’t like it.

“Then you don’t know that Julie got a letter.”

“Nope.” Trouble. Definitely trouble.

“Her aunt asks her to come back East.”

The world around Hoss collapsed in lightning and thunder. He barely caught Adam’s next words.

“... and I agree with Pa that, between the lines, she wants to conveniently marry Julie off. Julie isn’t sure of her reply yet, but she must see how advantageous the offer is in her situation.”

“What offer?”

“Oh, Hoss, she’s all alone in the world, with no great riches in dowry. If she marries prudently, she gains status, money, respect. And it sounded to me as if her dear aunt may have someone eligible at hand. Otherwise, why the trouble of bringing her back, why the urging for an answer?”

Marry prudently. Marry Julie off. Back East.

“You seen that letter?”

“Yes, Julie showed it to me. She asked for advice.”

“She could stay here.”

“All alone? In an all-male household? Come on. If it wasn’t for Mrs Flora, her reputation might have been in tatters by now.” His older brother rolled his eyes. “There’s enough of old gossips in town to make sure of that.”

“She’s family.”

“She’s my distant cousin. And these are the only blood ties she’s got here.”

Hoss turned abruptly and placed himself by the window.

“I wanted your advice,” continued Adam softly, as his eyes worriedly caressed the familiar bulk.

“About?”

“Why, about how to make her stay, what else.”

Hoss stared hard out of the window, as if the answers were somewhere there, waiting to be caught. “You’re the wise guy here, you tell me,” he said finally.

“Hoss.”

That was the voice he remembered from the earliest of his childhood. Gentle, coaxing, caring, almost pleading. He could not but turn to look at his brother, who couldn’t have been aware of the havoc he was wreaking inside him.

“Hoss, what do you think of Julie?”

The question caught him unaware, and he had to seek hard for a passable answer. “She’s a nice girl.”

“I mean, how do you feel about her?” This time, Adam leant slightly forward, despite the painful side.

“She’s... gentle. Kind. Beautiful.” Almost daring his brother, he looked into the dark eyes.

“She’s the gentlest, kindest-hearted creature I’ve ever known but for you,” said Adam softly, seeking his brother’s face. Seeing a fleeting emotion, he continued even softer. “She’s intelligent. She’s cheerful. Got good taste.”

Right. Shakespeare, proper English. Hoss broke eye contact and turned back to the window. “Adam, I’m kinda tired.”

“Just tell me how to stop her from leaving. Help me here.”

He shrugged his shoulders against what seemed like the weight of the world. “Ask her.” He then turned and reached for the knob. “Adam, I’m real tired.”

“I’m sorry.” His brother’s voice was apologetic, almost meek, and Hoss suddenly wanted to yell at him to shut up. “I should have thought about it. I...” There came a heavy sigh from the bed, then a lame, “I’m sorry. For everything.”

The door closed slightly louder than it should have, and Adam shook his head slowly. “And they say I’m stubborn,” he said to no one in particular, then stared out of the window as if he might have more luck than Hoss finding some answers there.

AMG

Czas pikników, hi hi Smile

Mój wypadałoby już doprowadzić do końca i zrobić więcej miejsca dla Riki Wink

Już niedługo.

Julie flew down the stairs in a rush of skirts, afraid she was late, but not all the seats were taken yet. Hoss followed her at a more sedate pace, but in time to pull out a chair for her. She thanked him still breathlessly, glanced around and couldn’t hide a small sound of disappointment.

“Cousin Adam is not coming down?”

Hoss had already seated himself, but now rose as if to fetch his brother. He looked from Joe to Ben in a mute inquiry, uncertain of what he should do. Yet his father shook his head.

“He said he wanted to be fitter for Sunday. It’s the first I’ve seen him willingly stay in bed,” Ben chuckled.

“Sunday?” Hoss seated himself again.

“Well, we were thinking about throwing a small party to properly welcome Julie to the Ponderosa,” explained Ben, including everyone with a look. “We had to postpone the party due to Adam’s injury and convalescence, but now it seems we don’t have as much time as we first thought.” He glanced at Julie, who was all in blushes at the thought of anyone honouring her with a party, and at the same time felt crestfallen at the letter that had upset all these wondrous plans. But since Adam had promised to help her write the letter on Monday, she had enough time to have at least a leisurely end of the week...

“Therefore,” continued Ben, “we decided to have a special family picnic this Sunday, at the lake, to honour all our guests: Julie, Mrs Flora and Jonas.”

There came a round of joyful cries and hearty congratulations on the idea from around the table. “Hopefully, this time you won’t have your picnic spoiled, my dear,” said Ben to Julie, who only blushed more, happy beyond her dreams. She had wondered for all those days what the picnic might have looked like if it hadn’t been stopped at its very beginning, and now it seemed she would have her wish of a picnic at the lake granted after all.

The breakfast passed in a merry atmosphere, and they were all sorry to see it end. Slightly concerned, Julie excused herself finally to look in at Adam, who had told her yesterday he was planning to join them for breakfast after the enforced rest. Hoss followed quietly, in case his brother needed assistance which she couldn’t offer.

Adam seemed to perk up at the sight of his cousin. He was sitting against the pillows, with the tray in his lap.

“Hello,” he smiled at Julie, and nodded at Hoss.

“You said you’d come down,” she wondered, sitting down in the chair beside him. “You are not feeling worse, are you?”

“I want to be fit on Sunday,” he smiled again. “Pa told you about it?”

“Yes, he did – I think it’s a wonderful idea. But are you up to it?”

“I’m going to be if I rest quietly.” He made a face which caused her to spill some pearly laughter. “A sacrifice for your sake, Cousin.”

Hoss shuffled with his feet, unsure if he should speak up, but Adam glanced at him and nodded slightly in acknowledgement before speaking.

“Hoss, did that black cat have her kittens yet?”

“Yep. A good couple days ago.”

“Could you show’em to Julie? She has told me she has never seen a newborn kitten before.”

The girl turned to Hoss with such light in her eyes that there was only one answer he could give. “Sure thing.”

“That’s fabulous! Could you really?”

“Why don’t you change your skirt, Cousin,” suggested Adam. “You may need to kneel down on the barn floor to look at the kittens.”

She hesitated but for a second. “Will you wait for me a moment, Hoss?”

“Sure thing, Cousin Julie.” He let her through the door, then glanced suspiciously at Adam. “Ya look peaked, brother. None o’ yer breakfast been touched, either.”

The man in bed shrugged his shoulders, toying with a glass. “Help me lie down, will ya?”

“Not hungry?”

“No.”

Hoss put the tray away, then his large hand covered all of Adam’s forehead despite the latter’s attempts to turn his head away. “Ya got some fever. Now don’t tell me you been sitting up all night. Have you?” Silence. “Have ya slept at all?”

Adam glanced at the door cautiously, and answered in a lower voice than usual. “My sleep routine has gone awry with all this daytime sleeping. Just help me lie down, and take Julie to see the kittens. Work can wait, and she may not be staying long, so give her some of your time.”

“The doc needs ta see you.”

“Nah,” Adam flapped his hand, then caught his breath as Hoss lowered him to a horizontal position. “Drat. I’m just weaker’n I thought. If I overdo it, I can forget the picnic.”

“I must write it down in some sorta chronicle.”

“What?”

“That you’re being wise for once when you’re convalescing.”

“Shut up.” Eyes closed, Adam grinned. “Let me sleep. Take care o’ Julie.”

“I will.”

He closed the door quietly, then picked up the tray he’d left on the floor.

“He hasn’t eaten?” Julie caught up with him, concerned again at the sight of the full tray.

“Not much, but I left him a plate on the nightstand in case he changes his mind.” Hoss balanced the tray in one hand, and gallantly offered the other arm to the girl, who took it with a shy smile that made him warm all over.

The cat, ‘Cori’ Hoss had named her, was settled in the far corner of the barn, well away from horses and most chores. Five meowing balls of energy were stepping one over the other in their haste to get to nourishment, and Cori patiently lay there and looked them over as if counting if there were still as many as she’d had. She magnanimously tolerated the quiet presence of a human she knew, gracing him with no more than a glance.

Quietly and gently, as if he were made of air itself, Hoss settled two steps away from the cat, with Julie attached closely to his arm and trying to imitate his soft steps. “Beautiful,” she whispered on a breath, hugging Hoss’ arm even closer. Minutes passed, the kittens content with their mother’s presence and milk, their mother content feeding her young, and the two humans content to just be there, together, in silence and awe.

AMG

Wypadałoby skończyć, nie?...

The weather was gorgeous: sunny but not too hot, with some wind but just enough to cool the skin slightly while giving it the glow of a tan, birds twittering but not screaming... Hop Sing almost surpassed himself with the plenty of food, its texture and taste. Everything was perfect, pure and simple.

Joe glanced after Jonas, who’d run to the shore and into the water, but seeing that Julie was keeping an eye on the boy from the safety of dry land, he rested back against the tree.

“Perfect,” he stated. “Just like I planned.”

His brother gave a snort. “You planned?”

“Well, we did,” Joe consented magnanimously.

“Isn’t.”

“Wha’?”

“Isn’t.”

“Isn’t what?”

“Perfect.”

“How come?”

His brother nodded his head towards the fallen log to their right. Joe followed the direction with his eyes and slumped a little. “Ah... right.”

For the first time in his life, Hoss wasn’t hungry over a full picnic basket with all its enticing aromas. If anyone were to take the basket away, he might not have even noticed. Eyes closed, he listened to Julie’s laughter. He wanted to have a memory to keep.

The call from Joe roused him, and albeit unwillingly, he rose and went towards his brothers, hands in his pockets. “Wha’?”

Joe drew in more air, ready with an answer, but was stopped when Adam sighed wearily and reached something out towards Hoss.

“What...” The man took the small box carefully, opened the lid and abruptly closed it.

“Her size.” Adam’s eyes smiled at him despite the wrinkles of fatigue. “The pure innocence that she is, I even got her to tell me what stone she would have liked, and that without the slightest suspicion on her part.”

Hoss digested it, looked closely at the box, then at his brother, then – deciding neither of his brothers would taunt him so cruelly – he said in a hoarse voice: “I thought you liked her.”

“I do. I like her very much as a sister-in-law. Joe too.”

“Right.” The curly head bobbed as if it was just about to fall off from the eager nodding. “Go a-courtin’, brother. Ain’t been for nuthing I rushed to the jeweller’s yesterday and Adam’s been up...” He yelped, then quickly added with a cheeky grin: “We need at least one of us married to give Pa some grandkids, right?”

The big man blushed up to the roots of his sandy hair. “But...”

“You like her?” Adam asked simply.

“You know I do.” The blue eyes met the dark ones, finally open with the previously hidden emotions.

“Then don’t make me get up and kick you into action. Remember I’m convalescing.”

Joe cackled wildly at the mental image. Hoss glanced from one brother to the other, then tossed up the box to cash it deftly. His grin matched those of his brothers. Wordlessly, he turned and wandered over towards the lake and towards Julie, who was laughing at some antics of Jonas.

“You know, matchmaking is a profession,” said Joe with quite some self-admiration, watching Hoss.

“Don’t even come close to thinking of it.” Adam closed his eyes against the unstably tottering world. Truth be told, he was too weak to be outdoors yet – shucks, too weak to even be up for so long – but he had to be there to see the faces of Hoss and of Julie. Just a few minutes more and he could lie down and get some sleep. Just a minute or two more. Just a short minute. Finding the strength, he opened his eyes to watch Julie’s face change gradually, from surprise to amazement, and then to awe. Joe, quiet for once, was watching the two with baited breath.

Several steps away, Ben put his finger to his lips and he and Mrs Flora turned to look at happiness impersonated in the couple.

The wind rustled quietly through the grass and through the leaves, adding to the softness of the moment. Tired beyond exhaustion, Adam rested the back of his head against the tree and closed his eyes, giving up the fight and any pretence of strength. He’d seen what he’d wanted to see.

AMG

No i najważniejsze...

THE END

Rika

No i wreszcie będą wnuki w Ponderosie! Na Hossa zawsze można liczyć. Tylko jak dwoje takich nieśmiałych wrażliwców będzie miało potomków, to nie wiem, czy Adam i Joe nie będą musieli ich życia uczyć. I znowu wszystko będzie na głowie Adama.

Przebrnęłam. Trochę tylko żałuję, że trudno mi się w klimat wczuwać z moim angielskim. Co się zrobi bardziej romantycznie, to muszę czegoś szukać. Ale i tak warto.