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 Adoré

   A Tale of Romance By The Star*

   Chapter Six - A Family Summer

   "You all ready for the invasion of the Corvallis Steeles?" Adoré asked
Hazel in one of her regular, 'touch base with home' calls.  The school year
was winding down.  Monday would start 'dead week' and finals the week after
that.

   "Sure honey.  We can't wait.  Is Robby walking yet?"

   "Walking?  The little monster runs!  It's all I can do to keep up with
him...  And of course, anything he can pick up in his hand goes into his
mouth."

   Hazel laughed, delighted.  "Sounds just like his daddy.  Marty would eat
anything.  One time I had to take him to the doctor.  He'd swallowed a
balloon...  fortunately, Ad saw him do it, and we didn't waste any time."

   "Uh, Hazel?"

   "What, honey?"

   "Thinking of Robby, our friend Denise wants to come to the ranch this
summer and take care of Robby.  I told her that summers are full-time work,
but I couldn't afford more than half-time pay...  She wants to come
anyway...  I think things are pretty rotten for her at home.  Would it be
too much of an imposition to give her a guest room?  She'll help with the
housework and all that."

   "Sure, Dory.  She'll be welcome.  And we'll help pay her, too."

   "No need.  She'll be thrilled just to be there."

   "If she's working for me, I'll pay her for her work.  I don't want to
hear any more about it...  Did I tell you Rick's bringing someone home?"

   "No.  One of his buddies from school?"

   Hazel chuckled.  "Not quite.  A girl from San Francisco.  He doesn't say
much, but I get the message that he's pretty serious about this one."

   "I'm sure he is.  How many girls has he brought to the ranch?"

   "Total? ...  None."

   They laughed, both happy for Rick...  and desperately hoping some bimbo
hadn't latched onto him.

   It was a small convoy that returned to the ranch two weeks later.  Marty
and Adoré were in their pickup with Robby bouncing on his mother's lap,
towing the horse trailer with Champ behind them.  Following in a little,
battered Chevy, was their friend Denise, with everything she felt she'd
need for the summer stacked in the car around her.

   Marty had rented their house to one of his professors, who would in turn
let a friend who was visiting for the summer from Auburn use it.  Marty
didn't know the visitor, but he knew his prof, and trusted him to make
anything right that the tenant might break.

   When they pulled in, the first order of business was to get Champ
unloaded and into a corral--where he promptly took a good roll, then
whinnied to let the other horses know he was back.

   The next order of business was for Hazel to pluck Robbie from his
mother's arms and give him a big hug, exclaiming how much he'd grown and
telling him how much fun she expected to have with him that summer.

   "Horsie, gramma?" he asked, repeating himself several times.

   "Yes, honey.  I'll take you on the horses, too," Hazel laughed.  The boy
sure took after his parents.

   When Robbie was passed to Ad, for his granddad's welcome, Denise was
re-introduced to Marty's parents.  Ad and Hazel both were impressed with
the quiet girl, whose underlying air of sadness was covered over by her
calm aura of competence.  They had met her before, on an infrequent visit
to Corvallis; they liked her, and welcomed her warmly.

   Rick waited until 'the grandparents' had a chance to welcome his
brother's family.  Seeing that it was winding down, he strolled out on the
porch, hand in hand with Elin.

   Adoré, for a change, spotted a beautiful girl before Marty.  She ran up
the stairs and gave Rick a big hug.  "You rotten oaf!  You've been hiding
this treasure away from your family.  Didn't even tell us about her..."

   When she ran down and let go of him, Rick smiled bashfully.  "Ah shucks,
Dory.  Didn't know she was comin' along until just a bit ago.  Then it was
easier to just bring her.  Phone calls aren't cheap..."

   "Bullshit, Rick.  You just didn't want to admit that some girl had
civilized you enough to make you worth her spending some time with you."

   "Come on, Dory.  I'm not that bad."

   "Yes, you are.  But maybe trainable...  Hi, I'm Dory.  This idiot isn't
going to introduce us, so we'll have to take care of it ourselves--like
women always seem to do."

   Returning her welcoming smile, Elin answered, "Elin Gustafson.  I'm very
happy to meet you, Adoré.  Mrs.  Steele has told me so much about you, I
think I've known you forever."

   "Well, Hazel's one of the good ones.  But she's probably made me out to
be a lot more than I am.  We're all family.  Hazel is an aunt, a couple
times removed, and Marty and I are distant cousins.  Anyway, take it all
with a big spoonful of salt, OK?"

   "Certainly, Adoré.  But I am glad to finally meet you."

   "And I you.  How did you ever meet Rick, anyway?"

   The girls drifted into the house, already deep in conversation.  Marty
ran up the stairs and slugged his brother on the shoulder.

   "Where did you find that, Rick?  She's gorgeous.  I thought all you
dated were those heifer-breasted, corn-fed beauties from Davis?"

   "She literally fell at my feet one afternoon when I was visiting San
Francisco," Rick replied.  "Since she wants me that badly, I just don't
have the heart to turn the poor thing down."

   "She's sure a pretty one.  Dresses kind of funny, though," Marty
allowed, dragging Rick to the truck to help him unload.

   "That she is.  And I think she's a keeper, Marty."

   "Well, good for you!  I hope it works as well as Dory does for me."

   "That's saying a lot.  But I hope so, too.  I really hope so." Rick's
reply was almost a prayer.

   Dinner was a noisy time, filled with laughter.  Denise wasn't allowed to
sit quietly by, either.  Adoré and Elin compared ribald stories about their
men, to the boys' extreme embarrassment.  Hazel got in a couple of shots of
her own and then the talk turned general, everyone catching the others up
on their lives in the time they had been apart.  Details would come over
the following days.  This was general information so they all knew what the
others had been up to.

   "Dory," Ad said, "we'll get your house framed and sealed this summer. 
Then the electricians and plumbers can do their rough work in the fall and
winter."

   "That sounds wonderful.  It'll put us right on schedule.  I'll order
fixtures and appliances."

   "So, Rick," Marty asked, "what are your plans, now?"

   "Nothing's changed.  I still have my ideas about breeding a superior
Angus strain...  The ranch is my life, Marty.  One more year, then I'm back
for good.  How 'bout you?"

   "Pretty much the same.  Except I think I want to work more with horses.
I've been thinking a lot about it this past couple years.  A horse like
Champ is worth thousands.  I think we can raise a bunch like him.  If Dory
and I keep going to horse shows, we'll keep the people who count aware of
what we're doing, too.  I think it's real good advertising."

   "You might be right, little brother.  Let's kick it around and look at
some numbers, OK?"

   "Sure.  But not for a couple days.  I need to get the mold out of my
lungs first."

   Their parents were listening closely to the boys' conversation, as were
their women.  All the listeners were satisfied with what they heard.

   The boys were committed to the ranch.



   Later, while the girls were making up the rooms, Hazel wandered out to
the porch, where Rick was gazing at the Milky Way.

   "Rick, honey," Hazel started, "you didn't say anything about where Elin
fits in, when Marty asked you about your plans."

   "That's because I'm not sure yet, mom, just where she's going to fit."

   "God, Rick!  You're as dense as your father, sometimes."

   "How do you mean, mom?"

   "That girl loves you, boy.  Can't you see that? ...  I guess the
question is, how do you feel about her?"

   "I worship her, mom.  But I'm not as sure of her as you seem to be.  She
wants to live together this next year.  Then we'll see."

   "Son, if you love her, make sure you don't blow it, waiting around.  I'm
a woman and I know these things."

   "I'll think about it mom," was the best she could get from him.



   Over the next weeks, Denise fit in perfectly.  She was ecstatic when
Hazel offered to pay her a living wage in return for full-time work that
she considered easy, and that included looking after little Robby.

   Her only problem was that she found that, although she loved to look at
them, she was deathly afraid of horses when it came to getting up on one.
So Hazel and Adoré had the duty when it was time to put Robby on
one--usually in front of someone on a saddle.

   They bought Elin a couple pair of blue jeans and a half-dozen cotton
blouses.  With a lot of good-natured help from the whole family, she became
a good weekend rider.  She liked riding, but had absolutely no interest in
dressage or jumping.  She did just fine on a western saddle, thank you, and
was perfectly happy when she could ride out with Rick to see other parts of
the ranch.  She enjoyed his instruction about raising cattle and the things
he looked for when he toured the ranch.  Until it was pointed out to her,
she hadn't even thought of the idea of cleaning out springs and water
holes, or spraying blackberries and tumbleweeds so they didn't take over
the grazing land.

   She had no idea so much fence existed.

   Elin even learned how to work cattle, and became a regular member of the
roundup crew.

   The beauty of the ranch was a constant enchantment.  When she commented
about it, Rick laughed.  "You haven't seen anything.  Let's take a ride up
in the mountains next week.  I think dad can spare me for a couple days,
once I fix this section of fence."

   Elin was ready to go.  She'd been pretty sore, the first couple of days
she rode.  But she had excellent natural coordination and learned to move
with the horse.  She'd never been camping before, either.  It would all be
new experiences for her.

   Marty and Adoré were busy, too.  Marty helped with the cattle for a
couple weeks of spring roundup.  (Ad put off working the calves until Marty
and Rick were there to help.) Once rounded up, it was four days of hot,
dusty work, separating the yearlings from their mommas, then running them
through the chute where they were given shots, branded, and sorted.  Most
were culls and would be kept another year, then sent to a feedlot for beef.
The males were castrated when they were branded.

   The select few were sent off to a different pasture.  Their progress
would be watched, and another culling would occur in a year.  This was the
start of Rick's program.  Ad thought it made sense, though the ranch was
still selling ninety percent of their cows for beef.

   Adoré worked with the horses, a job that, while hard work, she
considered a pure joy.  She gentled the yearlings and those two-year-olds
she hadn't seen before.  She rode each and set aside a very few, like Rick
with his Angus.  Then she practiced an hour or two on Champ daily--keeping
them sharp for the summer show season.  She'd put in a full day's work when
she finished with the horses.  Then she got to play with her son.  She
played with her husband when they tumbled into bed at night.

   Once the initial work with the cows was done, Marty helped with the
horses, too.  He could spot good and bad things about them while Adoré was
riding them in the corral they used as a training ring.  And he was still
her primary coach.  She thought about what she was doing, and the
lifestyle--and considered that life on the ranch was heaven.  She couldn't
conceive of any future or career half as rewarding.

   The horses Adoré selected became the foundation of a Steele Ranch horse
herd.  There was a big show coming up in Tacoma.  She was eager to
participate.  Not only did she and Champ need the competition, she wanted
to get a look at horses that might be available.  The herd needed some new
blood--*top end* new blood.



   Rick took Elin on the ride into the mountains once the work with the
calves was done.  They took a packhorse; Rick assured her they could carry
a lot more a lot easier this way.  Elin thought it would be easier to just
tie bedrolls on behind their saddles.  "We'll take enough for a week in the
high country," he said.  "It's easier to bring home what we don't use than
it is to find something to eat above five thousand feet."

   Their first night they were still on the ranch and Elin experienced
sleeping under the stars.  She learned that she loved it--the freedom and
openness...and the solitude with just her man.  She also learned that while
sleeping naked is wonderful in a warm bed and bedroom, it is not a good
idea in the high country.  After she'd made wonderful, slow love with her
man and was cuddled up to him, the evening temperature dropped.  Her
shoulders and chest got chilled--and Rick's arms around her weren't enough.
She asked him about it and he chuckled, then handed her a flannel t-shirt,
donning one himself.

   "Bare skin is great, honey.  But up here, you'll sleep a lot better with
this on." He was right and she wore it every night--_after_ they'd made
love.

   Rick showed her all the tricks he knew of camp cooking.  Soon Elin was
cooking for them and Rick swore she did a lot better than he ever had.  She
claimed it was just so he could stick her with the cooking, though she was
really pleased.  He gathered wood and cared for the horses while she was
working over the fire.  It worked out.

   (Later, she discussed it with Hazel, who taught her some additional
techniques.  Elin became a superb camp cook.)

   Up around 8,000 feet, they came upon a small park with a meadow full of
grass and wildflowers in many colors.  In the center was a small lake of
snow water, so cold it was milky.  They only stayed there overnight and
used the tent--it was too cold to sleep in the open.  When they awoke,
there was a layer of frost on everything.  The place was breathtaking in
its beauty, but too fragile and too cold.  They headed down the mountain
that morning.

   The rest of the summer was like that.  They worked hard and played when
they could.  Denise wasn't ignored and was consistently treated like a
valuable member of the family.  Elin and Adoré became good friends and both
bonded with Hazel.

   In a quiet moment when they were alone, Adoré asked Elin what her plans
were.  "If I can catch him, I intend to spend my life on this ranch, taking
care of Rick," she declared.

   "That's kind of what I thought," Adoré said.  "How can I help?"

   "Maybe, hold him down while I tickle him until he asks me to marry him?"
she teased.  "Seriously, I don't know that you can help, Dory.  Just keep a
positive image of me.  Tell me what a wonderful woman I am where he can
hear, and so on.  OK?"

   "Anything, Elin.  Personally, I think of you as a sister...  and I'd
consider it a great shame if you weren't here with us."

   "Thanks, Dory.  I think of you that way too.  I'm working on it...  I
sometimes think Rick thinks I'm not serious or committed enough, or
something."

   "Why would he think that?"

   "Oh, because of how we met.  And how I lived.  Face it; I'm a 'flower
child'.  This so-called 'Age of Aquarius' fits me.  I never slept around,
but I'd known a few men before I met Rick.  I think he loves me all right.
But I think he's afraid I'll just walk away one day.  I won't.  But I don't
know how to make him believe that."

   "I don't have an answer for that either, Elin.  I sure wish I did. 
Maybe just show him, by being completely monogamous this year at school."

   "I plan to do that.  I'll even let him know every time somebody tries to
hit on me.  But..." her pretty face collapsed.  "Oh, Dory.  I'm so
frightened.  I love him.  And he doesn't trust me.  I'm scared clear
through, Dory," she sobbed.

   Holding her friend, Adoré didn't know how to solve it either.  It was a
problem with Rick's heart and she didn't know how to change it.



   The girls didn't think, or weren't aware, that the solution was right
there.  Hazel overheard the last part of their conversation.  Her heart
went out to the lovely blonde, who she already thought of as a daughter. 
Hazel made a point of speaking privately to Elin the next day.

   "Honey, I have the feeling you want to stay with us.  True?"

   Elin surprised them both by bursting into tears and falling into her
arms.  "Oh, Hazel," she wailed.  "More...  mu...  mu...  more than anything
ever.  But he...he...he doesn't trust me.  He's afraid...  I'll leave... 
him...  sometime." Quieting, she added.  "I'll never leave.  He'd have to
drive me away."

   "Hush, child.  I know.  I'm so glad you picked him.  I don't think he
deserves you, except a mother always hopes for the best for her children.
But I'm really glad you're the one he brought home." She smiled and shared
a small family secret.  "You don't know, but Ad and I were afraid he'd
found some floozy in a bar or something.  But you...you're not just a step
or two better than that, you're from a whole different universe.  We're so
proud of him, because of you, we could bust.  And that's the whole of it."

   "Thank you, Hazel," Elin said quietly, back in control.  "That's kind of
you.  I just don't know how to get through that wall he has in his head,
though."

   "Have you talked to Ad?"

   "Ad?"

   "Yeah.  Ad.  You know, my husband?"

   "No.  Why?"

   "Maybe you should.  He isn't just a slow-moving, slow-talking cowhand.
There's an awful lot to the man.  Maybe you should make a point to talk to
him." She grinned.  "He thinks you're so pretty, just having you around
paying attention to him a bit will make his whole day."

   "Since you put it that way," Elin smiled, "I have no choice do I?  After
all, he's my host.  Common courtesy..."



   Ad was a lot more aware of what was going on than any of the women
realized.  He knew what Rick's hangup was and even had an inkling of why.
And he knew that Elin was scared to death that Rick would send her away.

   So when Elin asked to talk to him, he wasn't surprised.  He did play the
role a little bit.  It never hurt if people underestimated him--even
prospective daughters-in-law.  Thinking about Adoré and how smart she was,
he changed that to 'especially daughters-in-law.'

   "Sure sweet thing.  I'm glad to chat with any girl looks like you.  I
need to get over to check the hay crop.  You can keep me company.  Want to
ride, or take the pickup?"

   "Ride, please, Ad.  I can't do that in San Francisco."

   "Is that where you'll go when you leave here?" he asked, kindly.

   "I surely hope not," Elin said.

   "Don't you know?  Can't make up your mind?"

   "You didn't ask where I wanted to go, Ad."

   "True.  So then, where do you want to go?" They were mounted, and Ad was
leading the way to the field he wanted to check.

   "Wherever Rick is," she answered simply.  "Wherever he takes me...just
so he does take me."

   "Well, if you're so sure of that, what's the question?"

   "I'm not so sure...  I don't think Rick...  I...  Ad!  I don't know how
to say this."

   "If you're asking, I'd say just spit it out." Ad's tone remained level
and kindly.

   "Ad, I love Rick.  I want to be with him.  I want to have his children.
I want to grow old with him."

   Ad seemed to digest this, as they rode along.

   Elin added, "My problem is that Rick won't make that kind of commitment.
The sense I get is that he doesn't trust me.  That is, he doesn't really
believe that I won't leave him, somewhere down the road. ...  Ad...  the
only way I'd leave Rick...  he'd have to throw me out."

   Again, the man seemed to think about what she'd said.  Finally, just as
Elin was ready to scream at him to say something, he spoke.

   "What you say pleases me, honey.  It pleases me a lot.  If she hasn't
already told you, Hazel and I think the world of you.  We think you're just
about a perfect female and want to keep you around.  Besides," he smiled,
"you're mighty easy on the eyes.  Looking at you--actually any of you
women, Hazel and Adoré are mighty fine females, too--brightens up my day.
And my days seem to be filled more with backbreaking work than they do with
beauty and nice things.  I can use all the brightening up I can get."

   "Thanks for that, Ad.  I'm glad I please you.  But how does that help
with Rick?"

   "I was gettin' to that.  I'll have a little chat with him.  But I think
if you just be you, and always be there for him, he'll come around... 
Meantime, just hang in there.  We're all with you in this.  Rick has this
blind spot.  I said I'd talk to him, and I will.  But I don't know if I can
really help." There was a long pause, while their horses plodded along. 
Finally Ad broke the silence again.

   "Elin, I don't know that I can put how Hazel and I feel any better than
this: Where do you want your wedding?  In San Francisco or up here at the
ranch?"
Tears flowed freely from her eyes at that.  When she could speak, she
said, "I'm a real weepy woman these past few days.  You're all so good to
me...  I don't have anything in San Francisco, except memories.  No close
friends, no family.  I have no idea where my mother is...  If it's not too
much trouble, I'd love to marry Rick on that little knob that overlooks the

house--a Christian wedding, Ad.  I may be a hippy, but I'm not a pagan."

   "I'd be pleased, honey.  Now, if you'll just keep on loving him, I'll
try to knock some sense into my idiot son's head.  OK?"

   "Thanks, Ad.  I love you too, you know.  This family has made me
understand what 'family' is all about.  I hope beyond hope that I can be
part of it."

   "I do too, honey. ...  Here we are.  Let's take a quick canter around
this field and get back.  I still have some calls to make to get the best
prices on a couple dozen steers I want to sell this month."



   A few days later, Ad made a point of asking Rick to help him set some
new fenceposts, a job where they would be alone together for a few hours.
When they'd worked up a sweat, Ad casually mentioned, "That's a mighty fine
girl you brought home, Rick.  And your mom thinks she's the best thing
that's happened to you in years."

   "Yeah.  I like her a lot dad.  In fact, you can probably say I'm really
in love with her."

   They grunted as one set the post, the other tamped the earth around it.

   "Seems to me, son, she feels the same about you.  Sure haven't seen
anything to say different."

   "Yeah," he said, leaning into the posthole digger.  "I guess she
does...for now."

   Ad stretched the wire.  "Damn barbs. ...  What do you mean, 'for now',
son?"

   "Just...  Ugh!" He set a new post in the hole he'd dug.  "She's a city
girl, and a Hippie.  They seem to reserve the right to change their minds.
Want to be 'free' to 'do their thing'."

   "Son, can you be sure that nothing will change in how you feel about her
20 years from now?  Thirty years?  Of course not...  Son, a relationship is
a gamble.  And no one knows what's gonna come down the road.  But I'll tell
you a little secret.  Before we hitched up, your ma had chased around more
than any woman I ever knew of.  Since then, I know for a fact that she's
been one hundred percent mine.  How do I know that?  Because I trust her
and she trusts me.  We made a commitment.  We said we'd stick to each
other. I'd have taken her even if she hadn't promised that and she knows
it. But we promised...and we meant it...and we've stuck to it.  We promised
we'd stay together no matter what...  It hasn't all been sweetness and
light between us.  We've had our ugly moments, too..." They tamped in the
dirt around the post.

   "Son, we were both committed to each other.  We never considered that
leaving was an alternative.  We had to make it work, so we both worked to
make it work.  Do you understand what I'm saying here?  Neither of us pens
the other up.  We don't force the other to remain faithful.  We force
ourselves.  Because we love each other."

   Some more wire was stretched, then Rick let his dad take the posthole
digger.  "One thing more, son.  When I married your mother, I'd have faced
a roomful of tigers with a switch for her.  I know now that what I felt for
her then is just a small, pale reflection of what I feel for her now.  A
good woman does that for you...  And I think Elin can be that for you."

   "Dad, she's all I want.  I want her so much it hurts.  I'm scared.  I
don't think I could live if we married and somewhere down the road she
left. I'd likely kill myself.  I'm afraid of the kind and depth of love you
talk about, dad."

   "Son, it seems to me you can have a safe life all by yourself--and stay
real lonely--or you can take a chance on a really good woman.  You got a
really good woman.  Truth, I don't know what she sees in you.  A man would
be a fool to let that one get away."

   "You don't think she'd take off?"

   "Not any more than you would, son."

   "Well in that case...  can I build a house too, dad?"

   Ad took a second, then broke out in a belly laugh.

   "You little turkey.  I ought to tan your hide.  And don't think I can't
still do it."

   "Does that mean, 'yes'?"

   "Yes, you asshole!  When do you want to get married?"

   "I don't think this summer would be right.  There isn't much time left
before school starts, and I don't think Elin knows where her mother is."

   "OK, Rick.  You only have a year of school left.  You'll need to get
going on a house--of course, we'll expect you to live with us for however
long it takes to get your own place built the way you want it."

   They soon finished their job and walked back to the pickup, arms across
each other's shoulders.

   That night at supper, Rick waited until a lull in the conversation.  "I
have something I need to ask..." Everybody paid attention, wondering what
he was up to.  "Elin, would you marry me?"

   Marty and Ad cheered, Hazel and Adoré grinned.  Even Denise smiled. 
Tears sprang from Elin's eyes.  She sprang from her chair and flew to Rick,
where she plopped in his lap, arms about his neck, kissing him wildly. 
When her attack abated, she asked, "Does that answer your question?  If
not, the answer is: yes.  _Yes!_ *YES!*"

   "Dad, can you spare us tomorrow?" Rick asked.

   "Sure son.  Why?"

   "I want to take my fiancée here to Bend and get her a ring."

   "Oh.  I thought you needed time off for something important.  Won't next
week do?" Seeing that Hazel was about to throw something at him, Ad broke
into a big grin.  "Have fun, kids.  Rick; congratulations.  Elin; sorry
about that."

   Both kids were grinning foolishly as Elin stood up from Rick's lap,
raised him up by the ear, told everyone sweetly, "We'll see you all in the
morning," and towed Rick towards their room.

   Everyone at the table chuckled and looked at each other until Hazel said
with a wistful sigh, "I'll bet it will be pretty spectacular in there
tonight." Then they all laughed and quietly cleaned up after the meal.

   - - + + + + + -

   All summer, Adoré and Marty had been keeping an eye out for really good
horses that might be available to add to the ranch herd.  It wasn't until
the show in Tacoma that they saw any that excited them.

   Marty didn't ride in the major shows, though he still competed
occasionally in a small weekend event, just for the fun of it.  In Tacoma,
he was pressed into service as a judge.

   One of the riders, an older lady they'd befriended a few years before
named Samantha Allen, had a pair of horses that were spectacular, in
Marty's opinion.  The problem with them was that Samantha was getting on in
years and didn't have time or energy to really campaign top level horses
any more--much less two of them.

   Over dinner with Mrs.  Allen, when Marty mentioned he thought they were
the top animals at the event, she poured out her story.

   "I think you met my husband, Roger, once?" They nodded.  Only once,
about two years ago.  "Anyway, he passed away last year..." They quickly
expressed their condolences.  "Thanks for your good wishes.  I've accepted
it and I get on with what's left of my life.

   "But I don't think that will be much more for me, either.  I have a form
of cancer that is slow and relatively painless--and completely
untreatable." Marty and Adoré were shocked and saddened.

   "Bless you dears.  We all come to the end of our roads.  Roger and I are
lucky in a way.  We've both had sound minds and relatively good health
until the last.  We're a bit younger than some of our contemporaries, but
we've buried some friends, too...

   "Anyway, my point is, this is my last show.  And I don't know what to do
with the horses.  I can advertise them and get a good price, I'm sure.  But
where would they go?  Who would care for them?  I've put so much into them,
I'm not sure I want them to go to just anybody with a fat bank account and
a wife with hunt club pretensions."

   Marty grinned at her.  "Sam, this isn't why we asked you to join us
tonight.  We just wanted to enjoy some time with you--it's been too long.
But maybe God is looking out for us, like our preacher keeps trying to
convince me...  If you'd like, we'd be real interested in buying those two.
We're starting a long-range project to improve our horse herd at the ranch.
We want to breed and train show horses, not cow ponies.  We have a start
with Champ...  Some of his colts, by the way, show some real promise.  If
you have a chance to visit us, we'd be happy to show them to you...

   "To get me back on track, we've been looking for months for good horses
to buy--yours are the best we've seen.  Would you consider letting us have
them?"

   Samantha had been smiling.  Now she grinned.  "Is your trailer big
enough to take them home with you?"

   Adoré smiled and gripped her hand tightly.  "Thanks, Sam.  I'm sorry you
won't be with us to see the results of this.  But we're going to breed the
best jumpers in the world."

   "I can see it," Samantha said, in a dreamy voice.  "I can see Steele
Ranch horses becoming the standard of excellence breeders and trainers all
over the world try to match.  Someday, one of your horses will win the
Grand National in England.  Others will compete in Olympics for years. 
Yes, my young friends, I can see it.  Thank you for letting me share your
vision.  It's beautiful."

   Not knowing how to respond to that, they all silently sipped their wine.
It was not an awkward silence, but a companionable one.  Finally Marty
asked, "What would be a fair price for your horses, Sam?"

   "I'd just give them to you, gladly.  I'm certainly well enough off for
the time I have left.  But to avoid any hassles, how about $100 each?"

   Adoré gasped.

   "I know, they're worth a lot more.  So what?  The bill of sale will say
'for one dollar and other valuable consideration...' The valuable
consideration is that I know they will be useful and cherished...  and you
shared your vision with me."

   "Sam, you're too much!" Adoré said.  "We will miss you a lot."

   "I'll try to keep an eye on you," she twinkled at them.  "But please, my
friends, don't be sad for me.  You've made me very happy tonight.  I've
done everything I ever wanted to do--and a lot more.  No regrets.  OK?"

   "No regrets...  We've heard that before.  OK, Sam.  Thanks.  And, if you
can, the offer to visit the ranch is always open."

   "Thank you.  But my time is a lot shorter than you know.  I'm really
glad we had this evening."

   "In that case, we are too."

   Their horse trailer wouldn't hold three horses, so they arranged with
Samantha to ship the animals to the ranch.

   A week later, a large horse van pulled into the ranch headquarters. 
Adoré and Hazel were the only ones around, the men and Elin were all out on
the ranch doing various chores.  When the driver confirmed that he was in
the right place, he dropped the ramp and started leading out horses. 
Besides the two Dory and Marty had bought, six other horses came out of the
van.  They were quite young, one just a foal, most of the others colts. 
There was one lovely mare, obviously in foal, Adoré guessed to be about
four years old.

   "What is all this?" she asked the driver.

   "Mrs.  Allen said you'd ask that," he said.  "She said to give you these
papers, and I'm to bill you for my fee...  She said the least you could do
was pay the freight." He was in on the joke and laughed heartily.

   "I have to describe to her the expression on your face, and everything I
can remember about this.  She's a very nice lady.  I've worked with her for
years and we're friends, I guess.  Anyway, she had these other horses
kicking around, and she felt you'd give them a good home."

   They put all the horses together in a small corral.  Hazel dug out her
Polaroid camera and took a series of pictures--of the horses in the corral,
of them, of the ranch headquarters--to send back to Samantha.

   "I think," Adoré said with a lump in her throat, "these pictures are the
closest Sam will come to visiting the ranch.  We will surely miss her."

   The van driver was gratified that Mrs.  Allen's generosity was so
greatly appreciated--not knowing that her friendship was much more highly
prized and would be sorely missed.  He did promise to call them regularly,
to keep them informed about Samantha's condition.  "She won't tell us,
herself, you know."



   When Marty and Ad got home, they looked at the new horses.

   "Dad, these are fabulous animals!  They're at least as good as the two
we thought we were getting.  Maybe better.  Didn't Dory say she had some
papers on them?"

   That night--Hazel insisted they eat supper before they spent any time on
the paperwork that accompanied the horses--they discovered that the animals
had impressive bloodlines; that they were even better than they'd thought,
admiring them in the corral.

   Adoré called Samantha.

   "Sam, dear, you are something else!"

   "I'm glad you enjoyed my little fun."

   "_Little fun_!  Sam, this is too much.  We can afford to buy the horses.
We don't need a gift."

   "Adoré.  I know more about you than you know.  Your mother and I were in
school together, though she was five years behind me.  I know you could buy
them.  That's not the point.  I don't need the money.  My children will
inherit plenty--and they never enjoyed horses.  So why shouldn't I get the
last pleasure from them I can by sending them to you?  I know what you will
do with them...  It's a lot more than I would have done with them if I had
another ten years.  So again, my dear, no regrets.  OK?  It makes me very
happy to know that I've made you happy...  and that the horses will be
appreciated and can live up to their potential."

   "As I said: Sam, you are too much!  Thank you dear friend.  Is there
anything we can do for you?"

   "Just cherish the horses, Adoré.  Thank you."



   Marty and Adoré discussed it.

   "I think, love," Marty said, "that we'll need to take at least two
horses with us to school--and arrange to spend as much time at the ranch as
we can.  We have a lot of work ahead of us."

   Adoré snickered, "Our little breeding and training program has certainly
been jump-started, hasn't it?  I can handle two horses at school, if we can
keep Denise another year.  And I _will_ spend time with Robby!  Not to
mention keeping my horny husband satisfied." She paused and gave him a
lascivious grin.  "Of course, that implies that he keep his wife satisfied,
too."

   "Goes without saying, baby...  Do you think Denise would be willing to
stay with us again?"

   "In truth, dear, I think she really wants a situation like what we
have--a guy who loves her and cares for her to give her babies of her own
to care for.  Hazel and I talked with her.  Her family life is really
awful. Her family isn't dysfunctional; it's psychotic.  We give her a place
to live and some income.  Her grades keep her scholarship.  And she doesn't
have to go home...  She'll stay."

   "Maybe I need to start looking for somebody for her..."

   "Good idea.  I have been.  But I like her.  Don't set her up with any
losers."

   "Yeah.  I like her too.  She's worked real hard to fit in with us. 
That's not easy, but she's been successful.  She's a keeper, for a good
guy."

   "Marty...?"

   "Yeah?"

   "Do you need to go to sleep just yet?"

   *(c) 2001 Extar International, Ltd.  All rights reserved.  Single copies
for personal, non-commercial use may be downloaded or printed.  Any other
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