Bonanza - Book 1 -"The Fight for Sarah"

The Fight for Sarah

The rambling log ranch house was very quiet, for a Friday night. The three Cartwright brothers had gotten 'scrubbed up, and dressed up ', after a long week's ranch work, and gone into town to a dance, for the evening. Even Hop Sing had gone to visit with a friend, for a few hours, leaving Ben and Sarah alone. 

A fire crackled in the fireplace of the great room - the only sound in the room, except the slow 'tick-tock' of the grandfather clock, and the occasional soft 'swish' sound of a page being turned by Ben, as he sat reading, in his high backed, leather chair, by the fireplace. Sarah sat on the couch, engrossed in a jigsaw puzzle, that was spread across the low, rough-hewn timber table, in front of her. She picked up each piece, trying to make them fit together. She sighed at length, as the puzzle was harder than it had looked when she'd bought it earlier in the week. Her Uncle Ben lowered his book, and looked over his glasses at her, and smiled. "What's up, Sarah ? Is that puzzle giving you problems ?" 

She barely took her eyes off her work, and nodded. " I guess it's harder than it looked in the picture on the box." She tried a few more pieces, then decided it was time to pack it in. All the pieces were swept into the box, and she walked it over to the bookcase, and placed it on a top shelf, out of the way. She ambled over to the fireplace, and sat on one of the large, flat, hearth stones, then gazed into the flames.  

Ben sensed there was something troubling his young niece, and quietly marked his page, then closed the book .He stood up, and walked over to the hearth, then sat down beside her. Sarah barely noticed him there, so he reached out one hand, and gently touched her arm. "You seem very quiet just lately, Sarah. What's up - is something wrong?" 

The young girl turned to her Uncle, with sudden tears in her eyes.  

" It's the kids at school, Uncle Ben. They tease me, and say I don't have a REAL Ma, or Pa. Then there's that man in town who keeps saying he's my Ma's brother..." Ben's eyes widened a bit. " What man is that, Sarah ? Where did you see him?" Ben reached into his pocket, and pulled out a handkerchief , which he passed to her. She wiped her eyes, and continued. " I've seen him a few times, on the way to school. He hangs around the schoolyard a lot. Uncle Ben, I didn't know my Ma had a brother ! Between Will, and him - didn't he want me, either, after my Pa died ? " The young girl started to cry again, and Ben took her gently into his arms. " Oh, Sarah. Aren't you happy here ?" She buried her face in his blue shirt, then said quietly, " Yes, I think so, Uncle Ben . It's just I'm really confused." 

Ben smoothed her hair with one hand, and she sat back, again, to look at him. Ben cupped her chin, with one gentle hand. " Sarah, don't be too hard on your brother, Will. He does love you - he just couldn't give you the kind of home a young girl needs." He paused for a moment, as he gazed into his niece's tear stained face and realized, again, just how like her parents she looked . The same dark brown, wavy hair, and fine, delicate features of her deceased mother, but the hazel eyes of his own late brother - those same eyes ! - and he smiled. " Why, WE wanted you - the boys, and I - we're your family, Sarah. Adam, Hoss and Joe - they all look on you like their own little sister - their 'little gal' - and we all love you, very much. Far as that man hanging around the school yard - your Ma didn't have a brother, far as I know. Hmmm.... You leave it to me - I'll sort it all out." He winked at his young niece, and she smiled shyly. 

Just at that moment, the grandfather clock struck ten o'clock. " My, look at the time ! It's past your bedtime, young lady. The morning will be here before you know it, and Adam will be knocking on your bedroom door, to wake you up again ! Off to bed with you, now ". Sarah gave her Uncle a hug, then trotted up the stairs. Ben stood with a sigh, and watched her go, but there was suddenly a dark cloud over him. What if there WAS another Uncle, suddenly, in the picture ? Was there a custody battle in Sarah's, AND their, future ?