The young girl had been secretly seeing the cowboy for over three months. From the first day she saw him breaking one of the wild horses, she loved him. They would meet during the day at their special spot by a little creek, in a clump of woods. At night after everyone was asleep, she would slip out to meet him in the barn. She knew her family would not approve of the rugged cowhand, but she did not care. The more she got to know him the more she loved him. She would follow him to the end of the earth to be with him.

"I was beginning to think you wouldn't be coming tonight." He said as she sat down beside him on the bale of hay. He slipped an arm around her shoulders.

"My Father and brothers were talking about some kind of trouble that is going on. I had to wait for them to go to bed. I'm glad you waited for me." She whispered as she snuggled against his chest.

"Jenny, I've been sitting here thinking while I was waiting for you tonight. I think it is about time that we tell your family about us. I want to ask your father for your hand in marriage. That is if you will have me of course." The young man nervously asked the red headed girl that he loved to marry him.

"Of course I want to marry you, but I am afraid that my father will never understand or accept you. He would never approve of me seeing one of his ranch hands let alone marrying one." Jenny responded as she turned to look into his dark blue eyes.

"Well if he won't accept me then we'll elope and make our own lives somewhere else. That is if you would be willing to leave your family for me. I know that is a lot to ask of you, since I wouldn't have much to offer you. But I love you." He said.

"I love you too. If I have to leave my family to be with you then I will." She assured him.

He pulled her to him and kissed her. He slowly lowered her to the straw as he continued to kiss her. Their passion was getting out of hand when she pushed him away. "We must stop." She panted.

Just then they heard shouting in the barnyard. Her brothers and father were shouting for the ranch hands to assemble in the yard.

"I better go see what is going on. Wait here for me." He told her as he headed for the ladder.

Twenty minutes later he returned. He informed Jenny that the rancher's where going to gather at the Staples ranch to stand up to the railroad. He also informed her that he would be joining her brothers and father in the fight.

"You all could be killed." She screamed.

"We know that, but the railroad has to be stopped. If they are not, your father and all the other ranchers will lose their land." He told her

"You don't have to join them. It's not your fight. My father wouldn't hold it against any ranch hand if they choose not to fight." Jenny tried to talk him out of going. She knew she couldn't stop her brothers and father but maybe she could stop him.

"If I ever hope to have your father accept me as a son-in-law I have to go. It's for our love I will fight." He told her as he pulled her to him and kissed her. This time when their passion started to get out of hand Jenny did not stop him.

They fell asleep in each other's arms. When Jenny awoke the next morning he had already left. Later that morning her lover was killed in the fight with the railroad.

It had been a week since the battle with the railroad and the night Heath was accepted as Tom Barkley's son. He was still having trouble believing that all this was real. The thought of the battle still made him sick. The price of victory against the railroad was paid with the blood of good men. It had reminded the blond cowboy too much of the Civil War. Luckily Heath and his brother's had survived the battle when many had not.

It was an extremely hot day as Heath worked putting in fence posts in the North pasture. Nick had sent him with some of the ranch hands to do this work, but they refused to work with him. As soon as they were out of Nick's sight the hands took off leaving the new Barkley to do the work himself. The blond didn't really mind he actually preferred to work alone. The blond cowboy had been at it all morning and was ready for a break. He decided that he would ride to the creek, in the clump of trees, and have a dip in the cool water. Then he would eat his lunch.

As he approached the creek he saw her. She sat by the creek with her arms hugging her knees to her chest. Her head was resting on her knees. He could see her shoulders quaking as she cried uncontrollably.

Ever since Mark's death a week ago Jenny had been coming to the creek, in the clump of trees, to grieve for the man she loved. This had been their special meeting spot, but now he was gone and her heart ached. She wished that she would die too. She felt so empty and alone. They had kept their love a secret from her family and now that he was dead she had to keep her grief a secret from them as well. Now at a time that she needed her family's love and support she could not go to them.

"Are you all right Miss?" The concerned man asked. His soft-spoken voice startled the red headed girl. She jumped to her feet as she turned to face him

"I am just fine. Who are you and what are you doing here?" She snapped annoyed with his intrusion.

"Name's Heath and this is Barkley land. You look far from fine to me." He said

"You work for the Barkley's?" She asked trying to get him off the subject of how she felt.

"You could say that." A half smile crossed the blond man's face. Then he walked over to sit on a rock near the edge of the creek. "So what is a pretty girl like you doing way out here?"

"I was just out for a ride and stopped here for a break. What is it to you anyway? The Barkleys wouldn't mind." She snapped

"Didn't say they would. I am just trying to make conversation. You look like you needed someone to talk to, but if you don't want to talk that's your privilege." He drawled as he opened up his lunch bag and began to eat.

The young blond man was right she needed to talk to someone. There was something about this quiet man that made her feel she could trust him.

"Someone I loved more than life itself was killed a week ago in the battle with the railroad." She choked as she walked over and sat down by the blond stranger.

"He had asked me to marry him the night before the fight. Our love was a secret. It had to be because my family would not have approved of me seeing a ranch hand. He had hoped that by fighting with my brothers and father that they would accept him. He told me it was for our love that he would fight and for it he died. Now he is gone and I can't even tell anyone how much I miss him." She cried as she broke down and wept uncontrollably.

Heath put his arms around the shoulders of girl he just met and pulled her into an embrace. She buried her head in his chest. He did not say anything he just held her while she cried.

Steve had noticed that his red headed sister had been acting strange all week. As he watched her leave for an early morning ride he noticed that she looked upset about something. Now it was after lunch and she was not back yet. He was worried about her so he decided that he would ride after her to find out what was troubling his little sister.

As he approached the clump of trees on the Barkley ranch he saw her horse. He also saw the scruffy little Modoc pony grazing a few feet away. He dismounted, tied his horse by his sisters and started toward the creek.

As Steve approached the creek he saw his innocent little sister in the arms of the Barkley bastard. He ran over grabbed his sister's arm pulled her to her feet as he slammed his fist into Heath's face.

"You stay away from my sister. If I ever catch you even speaking to her in public I will kill you." Steve seethed as he stood over where Heath had fallen. Then he roughly grabbed Jenny, dragged her to her horse, picked her up and put her on her horse. Then he mounted his horse and they rode home.

Heath rubbed his jaw as he got to his feet. He dusted himself off, picked up his hat and walked to his horse. Then he went back to working on the fence posts. He dug a few more post holes then he went home for supper.

When Steve's father and his five brothers came home for supper he told them where and with whom he had found his sister.

By the time Heath arrived home for supper his jaw where the girl's furious brother hit him was turning a pretty shade of blue.

"Heath what happened to your face?" A concerned Victoria asked her husband's son.

"I just ran into something." He replied letting her and everyone else know he did not want to talk about it. He walked over to the bar and poured himself a drink.

"Nick you didn't pick a fight with him again did you?" Jarrod asked ignoring Heath's wish to have the subject dropped.

"Hey I didn't touch the boy. If he was in a fight it was with someone else." Nick defended himself.

Nick walked over to where Heath stood. "Did you get into a fight with one of the hands?"

Heath did not answer he just glared at his older brother. Victoria could tell that what ever happened the new member of the family wasn't about to tell them. She also could tell that he was about to lose his temper with his older brother.

"That is enough. If Heath doesn't want to talk about what happened. It is his right. Now shall we go in for dinner?" Victoria stated.

They had just finished dinner and were sitting in the parlor talking when there was a loud knock on the door. When Silas opened the door Mr. Morris and two of his sons entered. They pushed past the butler and walked over to the family.

"Good evening Mr. Morris, Steve, James." Jarrod stood and greeted the three angry looking men. "What can we do for you tonight?"

"You can keep your father's dirt away from my daughter." Mr. Morris spat as he pointed at Heath. "Steve told me he caught him with her by the little creek. If he even comes within a foot of her I'll kill him. I don't want my daughter any where near the likes of him."

Jarrod turned to look at his new brother who had tuned beet red. "Is this true Heath. Have you been seeing Mr. Morris daughter."

"I never met the girl before today. She just happened to be at the creek when I went there for lunch." Heath said. He felt like he was on trial.

Mr. Morris walked over and backhanded Heath across the face. "Don't lie to me boy. Steve told me he found you with your hands all over her. You are lucky. I could have you arrested, but I don't want to drag my daughter's name though the mud."

Mr. Morris was about to backhand the blond Barkley again when Nick grabbed his arm and stopped him. "Okay that is enough. We'll deal him. You go home and deal with your daughter."

After Nick and Jarrod escorted the angry father and his two sons out of the house they turned their attention to their new brother.

"How long have you been seeing her?" Jarrod asked. Though he knew it could not have been more than a week.

"Like I told you I just met her today." Heath spat. "Hell, I don't even know her name."

"You don't even know who this girl is and you have your hands all over her. What where doing?" Nick asked afraid that this man had tried to take advantage of the neighbor's daughter. If that were the case Nick would kick his father's whelp off the ranch.

"Its not like you think, but you will believe what you want too. So why waste my breath." Heath hissed.

His older brother's question hurt him deeply. He was a fool to think that he could ever belong here. He would always be their father's bastard. They would always mistrust him. They would always take the word of others over his. Heath headed for the stairs to his room, but Jarrod grabbed his arm and stopped him.

"Heath we are not saying you did anything wrong. We are just trying to get you side of the story. Please just tell us." Jarrod pleaded.

"I already did. Nothing happened. The girl was just upset about something and I put my arms around her to comfort her. That is when her brother showed up and punched me. I realize now that it was stupid, but it's the truth. You either believe me or you don't." Heath snapped in frustration as he pulled out of Jarrod's grip.

"Okay Heath we believe you." Jarrod assured as he placed his hand on his younger brother's shoulder. "It was all just a bad misunderstanding and the Morris over reacted. I suggest though that you stay as far away from Jenny as possible. She has six brothers and all of them with a temper to match Nicks."

"Boy Howdy, You don't have to worry about that. I don't plan on seeing her ever again and I wish I never met her." Heath said as he turned and walked away.

Ann Morris noticed at the breakfast table how pale her daughter looked. For the last two months Jenny had been mopping around the house as if someone died and she hadn't been eating or sleeping that well. Ann also noticed that the girl was getting sick almost every morning.

Ann remembered how angry her husband had been with their only daughter two months ago when Steve found her in the woods by the little creek with the new Barkley brother. Jenny had sworn to them that nothing had happened and promised never to see the young man again. At the time Ann believed her daughter, but now she wasn't so sure. She feared that her fifteen-year old daughter might be pregnant.

Ann took her daughter to town that afternoon and forced the young girl to let the doctor examine her. The worried mother's fears proved to be correct. She took the young girl home and told her husband.

After supper Victoria sat in her favorite chair by the fireplace working on a piece of needlepoint. The house seemed very quiet tonight. Nick who had a dinner date in town with an old army friend was not home yet. Audra had left the week before to go visit a friend in Boston and would not be back for another two weeks. Heath and Jarrod were quietly engaged in a friendly game of checkers. The three of them were enjoying the quiet evening when the door burst open and the six Morris brothers walked in carrying shot guns. Heath and Jarrod leaped to their feet at the rude intrusion.

While his brothers held guns on Jarrod and Victoria to keep them from interfering James walked over and slammed the butt of his riffle in the Heath's ribs. The blond man gasped out in pain as he felt his ribs crack. He clutched his side as he fell to his knees.

"You Bastard! I ought to kill you right here for what you did." James spat as he kicked the downed man hard in the ribs.

With a furious rage Heath grabbed his attacker's legs and knocked him to the floor. The two men fought on the floor until Heath felt himself being pulled away from the oldest Morris brother. Steve and Kevin held the blond Barkley's arms behind his back while James used him for a punching bag.

Jarrod and Victoria stood with three guns pointing at them as they helplessly watched the three Morris brothers beat Heath.

"Stop it! You'll kill him." Victoria screamed

"That's enough boys." Mr. Morris ordered as he entered the house with the sheriff. Mrs. Morris followed her husband into the Barkley house with her daughter and the minister.

At their father's command James stopped his attack on the blond Barkley, but his two brothers continued to restrain Heath's arms behind his back.

Victoria furiously turned to face Mr. Morris. "What is the meaning of this intrusion? Your sons break in here and hold us at gunpoint while they brutally attack another member of this family."

"Two months ago Steve caught my daughter with that son-of-a-bitch. Now she is with child. His child." The angry father spat as he pointed at Heath. "He will marry her tonight or he will go to jail."

"I never touched your daughter. If she says I did she lying." Heath hissed. He saw the shocked expression on the faces of Victoria and Jarrod as they turned to look at him.

"Don't you lie, boy! My son caught you two in each other's arm. Now you will marry her." The furious father yelled as he walked over and backhanded Heath across the face.

"Go to hell." Heath spat as he glared defiantly at the older man.

The enraged father grabbed the impudent young Barkley by the throat and started to choke him.

"That is enough! I will handle this." The Sheriff ordered as he pulled Mr. Morris away from Heath.

The Sheriff turned to Heath who was wild with fury trying to break free from the two men who held him.

"Calm down son!" The sheriff ordered as he placed a hand on the blond cowboy's shoulder. When Heath stopped struggling, the sheriff continued. "I don't think you understand the seriousness of this situation. The girl is only fifteen. You can either marry her or I will have to arrest you for taking advantage of a under age girl."

"Doesn't the fact the child is not mine matter." Heath asked.

"Only if you could prove it." The sheriff stated.

"What you are saying is it’s my word against theirs, and no one will believe a bastard." Heath spat as he realized that he no choice. "Fine I'll marry her."

At the blond Barkley's agreement to marry their sister the two Morris brothers restraining Heath released him.

"Now wait a minute Heath. If the child is not yours you don't have to marry the girl. They have to prove the child is yours. We can fight this in court." Jarrod said as he tried to approach his brother, but the Morris brothers stopped him.

"Boy Howdy, lawyer you just don't get it do you. I could swear on a stack of Bibles that this kid ain't mine, but everyone will believe them. Hell even my family believes them." Heath furiously yelled as he turned to face his older brother.

"Heath, that's unfair. We never said we believe them." Jarrod snapped.

"Maybe not in words." Heath spat as he turned away from Jarrod to face his bride. "Let's just get this over with."

The minister stepped forward. "Do you Heath Barkley take Jenny Morris as your wife?"

"Yes." Heath replied.

The minister turned toward Jenny. "Do you Jenny Morris take Heath Barkley as your husband?"

"NO! I won't. You can't make me marry him." She screamed as turned to her father.

"I can and you will marry this man you little tramp, because you have no choice. If you don't he'll go to jail and you will be raising your bastard by yourself because you won't be getting any help from your brothers or me." Mr. Morris yelled at his daughter as he walked over grabbed her by the shoulders and forced her to face the minister.

"Marry them." Mr. Morris ordered the minister.

"Do you take this man Jenny as your husband?" The minister asked again. If the girl refused this time he would put a stop to this.

"Yes." Jenny meekly answered as she looked at her father's angry face and realized that she had no choice.

"By the power invested in me by the state of California I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Heath didn't kiss the bride instead he turned to Jenny's father. "You got want you wanted, a name for your daughter’s child. Now take your pack of wolves and get the hell off this ranch."

"You better treat my daughter right boy or I'll make you pay." Mr. Morris threatened as he stared into steely blue eyes of his new son-in-law.

"After what you just did to your daughter, I have a hard time believing that you would care what happens to her." Heath snarled as he glared at the older man. "Now get out."

"Come on Ann, boys lets go home." Mr. Morris ordered as he turned to leave.

As Mrs. Morris watched the blond man turn to her husband, she could see the barely controlled fury burning through his eyes. She feared for her daughter's safety. Would this man take his anger out on Jenny after they left? She hated her husband for doing this to their daughter.

Ann Morris walked over and put her arms around her daughter's trembling shoulders as she watched the exchange between her husband and their new son-in-law. Then she heard her husband tell her it was time to leave. It broke her heart to leave her daughter here, but she knew she had no choice.

"I have to go now sweetheart." Mrs. Morris told her daughter as she kissed the girl's forehead and turned to follow her sons and husband.

Jenny started to follow her father, mother and brothers out of the house but Ann stopped her.

"You have to stay here sweetheart. You are a married woman now your place is here with your husband. I will come over tomorrow with a couple of the hands and bring you your things. Everything will be alright." She tried to comfort the freighted girl.

As Jenny watched her brothers and parents leave she broke down and cried. How could they do this to her? How could they make her marry a man she did not even know? She had told them that Mark Harrison was the father of the baby, not this man but they would not believe her. Then again maybe they did believe her, but did not care. They wanted a husband for her to support the child and a dead man couldn't do that. Now she was married to a man she did not love, a man that probably hated her.

"Oh Mark, why did you have to fight in that battle? Why did you have to die? Why did you have to leave me?" Her mind screamed as she stared at the closed door of her prison. Oh how she wished she could die.

The minister left with the Morris. As the sheriff went to leave Victoria asked him to have the doctor come out to the ranch. She could tell that Heath was tying to hide injuries that he received in the beating. She suspected that he had a few cracked ribs, if not broken.

The Sheriff promised that he would stop at the doctor's place as soon as he got to town.

Heath watched the Morris and minister leave. Then he turned, walked over to the bar. He poured himself a drink. He down it in one gulp and poured himself another. Well this wasn't how he planned he would get married. He always thought he met a nice girl fall in love. Then ask her to marry him. Now he was married to a girl he hardly knew and she was carrying another man's child. He glanced over to where his young bride stood staring at the door like a fawn in a lions den seeking escape. She looked as shell-shocked as he felt. He did not blame her for what happened tonight. She was forced into this marriage just like he was. He also knew that her heart was still grieving for the man she loved.

He watched as Victoria walked over and put her arms around the terrified girl to comfort her. Then he downed his drink and poured himself another.

"Heath, are you okay?" Jarrod asked as he approached his hurting brother and placed a hand on his shoulder. He did not know what to say or do to make this better for his younger brother.

"If you'll excuse me I am going to bed. Will you settle Jenny in one of the guest rooms?" Heath snapped as he slammed his drink down on the counter, shrugged off Jarrod's hand and headed for his room.

He entered his room, walked over and collapsed on the bed. His rib cage was on fire with pain and he had a splitting headache. As he lay on the bed trying to control the pain, he kept seeing the terrified look in his young bride's face when her father threatened her. How could a father be so cruel? He thought of his mama and how hard it had been for her to raise him alone. He remembered how painful it was to grow up without a father and he thought of the innocent child that the girl carried.

He lay awake as all these thought and many more played across his mind until they were interrupted by the arrival of the doctor.

When the doctor arrived Jarrod led him to Heath's room and knocked on the door. When his brother did not answer, he opened the door and walked into the room followed by the doctor. Heath lay on top of the covers fully dressed. It was obvious that the blond man was in pain.

"I don't need a doctor." Heath gasped when he looked up to see Jarrod enter his room with Dr. Meyer right behind him.

"Well, since I am already here there is no harm in me having a look?" The doctor said as he approached the injured man.

"I am sorry you wasted your time doctor, but I am fine. You can leave." Heath ordered as he tried to sit up. The movement caused him to yelp out in pain. He lay back down clutching his side.

"You are definitely not fine, son. Let me have a look at those ribs." The doctor said as he started to undo Heath's shirt.

"Just leave me alone." Heath spat as he knocked the doctor's hands away. "I told you I am fine."

"Heath, mother asked the sheriff to send the doctor out here because she was worried about you. Now please let the doctor examine you." Jarrod pleaded.

"Just get out." Heath screamed. He wished they would just leave him alone.

"We are not leaving until the doctor examines you." Jarrod told his stubborn brother.

"Fine just get it over with." Heath snapped as he started to undo his shirt.

With the help of Jarrod the doctor got Heath into a sitting position on the edge of the bed and removed his shirt. The blond Barkley bit his lower lip to keep from screaming out in pain, as the doctor poked and prodded at his injured ribs.

"You have a couple of broken ribs and three cracked ones. You'll have to stay in bed for a few days." The doctor informed his patient. Then he started to bandage Heath's rib cage.

As Nick rode through the big white iron gates of the ranch he noticed the doctor's buggy parked in front of the house. He rode up to the house, dismounted and tied his horse to the hitching post by the doctor's horse. Once he found out why the doctor was here he would worry about tending to his horse.

Nick was walking down the upstairs hallway when he heard voices coming from Heath's room. He opened his younger brother's bedroom door. He saw the blond's battered face and the ugly bruised rib cage that the doctor was just starting to bandage.

"My God Heath! Who the hell did this to you?" Nick demanded

"My in-laws." Heath replied without looking at Nick.

"Your what?" Nick bellowed.

"While you were gone Nick I got married. It seems that they have this family tradition of beating the groom up first." Heath spat. He still refused to look at Nick.

"What do you mean you got married?" Nick stammered. He could not believe what he just heard. When Heath refused to answer he asked Jarrod. "What is he talking about?"

"Later Nick." Jarrod ordered letting Nick know he should drop it for now.

The doctor finished wrapping Heath's ribs. Then he poured some medicine into a glass and held it out to Heath.

"I don't need it." Heath spat.

"Son, it's just something to kill the pain. It will help you sleep. Just drink it. I am not leaving until you do." The doctor order as he continued to hold the glass out to his patient.

"Boy howdy doctor. I have had me a night. First I am beaten. Then I am informed that I have to marry a girl or go to jail, so I marry the girl. Then you and my brother burst in here. You force me to submit to an examination I did not want. Now you are trying to shove something down my throat." Heath grabbed the glass from the doctor and threw it across the room. "I will not drink it. Now all of you get the hell out of my room."

Nick, Jarrod and the doctor did as the furious man ordered. The doctor gave some of the painkiller to Jarrod in case Heath changed his mind. Then he left.

As Jenny followed Victoria up the grand stairs of the big white mansion to go to bed, she feared she was being led to his room. When Mrs. Barkley opened the door to one of the guestroom Jenny was relieved to discover that it was not the room of her new husband. At least they did not expect her to share his room, at least not yet.

Jenny walked over to the window and stared out at the grounds below. She remembered the times she had accompanied her mother to the Barkleys. While her mother had visited with Mrs. Barkley she would play with Audra. They would pretend they were princesses and that this big house was their castle. She had wished that she could live here like Aurda did. Now she was a damsel in distress and this house was her dungeon. All she wanted to do was go home, but knew she could not. Her parents did not want her anymore.

Mrs. Barkley gave her one of Aurda's nightgowns to sleep in. She changed into it and crawled into bed. Her mother's friend sat on the edge of the bed gently stroking her hair trying to comfort her, but she refused to be consoled. As she buried her face in her pillow and cried she remembered the first day she met Mark.

It was a warm spring morning as she sat on the top fence rail, by her father watching her brothers' practice for the up coming rodeo. The one set of twins, Steve & Kevin, held the unbroken horse so James could mount. As soon as James was mounted they let go and got out of the way. The horse wildly bucked trying to rid it self of the burden on its back. James managed to stay with the horse for a few minutes but the horse finally won and he went flying into the dirt. Sarah, James' wife, gasped loudly as she watched her husband hit the ground hard.

"You'll have to do better than that if you wish to beat that loud mouth Barkley." Steve yelled at his older brother.

"Don't you worry; He'll be buying the rounds of beer this year.” James shot back as he picked himself up of the ground and dusted him self off.

James and Nick Barkley were good friends. Every year they would make a bet with each other that the winner of the bronc-riding contest at the rodeo would buy the other and his brother's drinks. Considering that James had five brothers and Nick only two it really was not a fair wager, but then again Nick never lost.

"Well you better keep practicing." Kevin said as he laughed at his brother's expense.

"Hey who is that?" Steve said as he pointed toward a rider approaching them. They all turned to see who Steve was talking about as the rider stopped his horse, dismounted and walked up to them.

"Names Mark Harrison. I am looking for work." The tall brown haired man stated.

"How old are you?" Jenny's father asked the young man.

"Seventeen, but I can do a job as good as or better than anyone else." The young man answered with confidence in his ability.

"What about your folks. Do they know you are here?" Mr. Morris asked.

"My folks died when I was six and I've been on my own since I was twelve, although I don't see what my age or my folks have to do with me getting a job. If you have work I can do it." Mark said. He was annoyed with this man's prying. He would have left if he didn't need the work.

"I'll tell you what, kid. Let's see how you handle yourself on that horse. If you can break him you got yourself a job." Mr. Morris said as he pointed toward the horse that just threw his oldest son.

Jenny watched as the young stranger walked over to where her brothers stood holding the horse. He mounted the wild horse. The horse bucked and reared as it tried once again to rid itself of the weight upon its back, but the young rider stayed with him. Finally the horse tired and stood defeated. The young bronc-rider glanced over to where Jenny sat on the fence, by her father and for the briefest of moments their eyes met. As she looked into his deep blue eyes her heart skipped a beat.

"Great ride kid!" shouted Steve.

"Yeah I think we should get him to take James' place at the rodeo. Then we could finally get Nick to buy us a beer." Kevin said as he winked at Steve. James glared at his two brothers.

The young man ignored the comments as he dismounted and walked over to where Jenny's father stood.

"So do I have the job?" he asked.

"Yes. James, please take this young man to the bunkhouse, so he can store his stuff. Then he can start working by helping you and your brothers stack that feed in the loft." Mr. Morris ordered his oldest son. Letting them all know that time for play was over and work needed to be done.

Later that same day Jenny decided to go on a ride. When she arrived back at the ranch Mark was in the stable working on oiling the saddles. He offered to tend to her horse for her, which she allowed. As he wiped the horse down she talks to him. After that day they started to secretly meet one another and fell in love.

Jenny remembered Mark purposing to her their last night together in the barn loft and how happy she was. She remembered how afraid she was when he told her he was going to fight against the railroad, that she just wanted to hold him and never let him go. That night they had given into their love and now she carried his child. She remembered how devastated she was the next morning when she learned of his death.

Then she thought of her new husband. She had only met him once at her and Mark's special spot. He had been so kind and gentle that she had shared her grief with him. He had put his arms around her to comfort her. That was when Steve showed up. She remembered how angry her father and brothers were with her when Steve told them that he had discovered her with the new Barkley brother. Her father had told her that she was too good for the likes of this man and that if he ever caught her with him again he would tan her hide.

After that day Jenny's mother could find no kind words to say about Victoria Barkley. James and Nick were no longer friends. Audra, who was at the time dating Tim, broke up with him. For the last two months her family refused to have anything to do with the Barkleys, because of Tom Barkley's bastard son. That was until tonight.

Jenny had tried to tell her father, brothers and mother that Mark Harrison was the baby's father, but they told her it was a sin to lie about a dead man to protect her lover. Then they took her over to the Barkley’s and forced her to marry the man they all hated. A man they all thought was less than dirt because he was born out of wedlock. Did this mean they hated her too? That they no longer wanted anything to do with her? Was she now less than dirt to them?

Jenny felt alone and scared. She felt that her family had betrayed and abandoned her. Her heart still ached with grief for her lost love. Finally she fell into a fit full sleep as Victoria watched over her.

Nick watched as the doctor handed Jarrod the medicine and give instructions for Heath's recovery. Then Jarrod thank the doctor as he escorted him to the door.

"What the hell happened here tonight?" Nick demanded as soon as the doctor had left.

Jarrod slowly turned to face his angry brother. He really didn't want to go into it right now so he tried to stall. "When the doctor left I noticed Cocoa still tied out front. Don't you think you should go tend to your horse, Nick? "

"Don't you try to change the subject on me Pappy? My horse can wait. I want to know why my younger brother is lying upstairs hurt and angry. What is this about him being married?" Nick demanded again.

"Let's go to the study." Jarrod said realizing he could not put off telling Nick any longer. Once they were in the study Jarrod told Nick everything that happened that night.

"How could you stand by and allow him to be railroaded into marrying a girl carrying another man's child." Nick yelled when Jarrod finished telling him how and why Heath was married.

"Nick I tried to stop him. I tried to tell him that if the baby wasn't his he didn't have to marry her that he could fight it, but he wouldn't listen. He told me it wouldn't matter if he swore on a stack of Bibles that the baby was not his, because no one would believe him. He even accused mother and me of not believing him. Then he married her." Jarrod said

"Well I believe him and what happened here tonight is wrong. There has to be something we can do." Nick snapped.

"I believe him too, but what we believe doesn't matter. Nick, Heath agreed to marry Jenny. By doing so in the eyes of the law he has admitted the child is his."

"He was forced to agree. They gave him no choice." Nick yelled.

"He had a choice." Jarrod said.

"Some choice. Marry the girl or go to jail." Nick spat. "He would never choose jail. He hates to be confined. That night he and I had to spend in jail, for that barroom fight, he was like a caged animal. Jarrod you are a lawyer there has to be something we can do. What they did can't be legal."

"I am afraid the marriage is legal, Nick. The sheriff informed Heath that he could go to jail or marry Jenny. If Heath would have allowed the sheriff to arrest him tonight, we could have got him out on bail while he waited for his court hearing. On the witness stand I might have been able to get Jenny to confess the truth and tell us who the real father of the baby is. Instead Heath agreed to marry Jenny. Now there is nothing I can do."

"Well there is something I can do." Nick said as he headed to the door.

"Nick! Where are you going?" Jarrod demanded.

"I am going to go get a few ranch hands together. Then I am going to repay the Morris little social call." Nick said.

"Nick that won't solve anything and it sure as hell won't get Heath out of this marriage." Jarrod tried to reason with his volatile brother.

"Maybe not, but it sure would make me feel better." Nick spat.

"Nick, it will only make a bad situation worse. I know you're mad so am I, but retaliation is not the answer. We just have to accept the fact that Heath is married." Jarrod said.

"Jarrod, there has got to be something we can do to help Heath." Nick pleaded.

"We can help him by being there for him and helping him adjusts to this situation." Jarrod replied.

"How do you propose we help him adjust to the fact he is married to a woman he don’t love; a woman carrying another man's child?" Nick spat as he glared at his older brother. Jarrod did not answer Nick's question, because he did not know the answer.

"I got to go care for my horse." Nick stated as he turned and stormed away from his older brother.

Nick was angry with the Morris for what they done to his younger brother. He was angry with Jarrod for allowing it to happen. He was angry with himself for not being here tonight to help Heath. What made him real angry though was the fact that there was nothing they could do about it.

...Continued