Nick waited at the 3:30pm train to pull into the station. When the train pulled to a stop and passengers started to exit he watched for Audra to emerge. When his blonde sister spotted him she raced over to him, threw her arms around his neck and kissed him.

"Oh Nick! I missed you and everyone so much." Audra squealed with delight.

Nick loaded her luggage into the wagon. Then he helped her into the wagon, climbed in beside her and they headed for the ranch.

"I feel like I have been away forever. You just have to tell me everything that has happened since I was gone." Audra said.

"Well Jarrod had to go to San Francisco two days ago or he would have picked you up instead of me. I finally broke that stallion that was giving me trouble. Had to fix a whole section of fence line because the cattle ran through it. Mother has been going to the orphanage in your place like you asked. Oh yeah! Heath got married." Nick said

"Heath got married to whom? I go away for three weeks and my brother gets married. Why didn't he wait until I was home? I would have liked to see my first brother married." Audra pouted.

"Well don't feel bad I went to town for dinner with an army buddy and missed it." Nick stated.

"What do you mean? Did he run off and elope with her?" Audra asked.

"No it took place at the ranch. Mother, Jarrod, the Morris and the sheriff were in attendance." Nick answered.

"The Morris were there. Does that mean he married Jenny? Why was the sheriff there?" Audra asked totally confused.

Nick explained the whole situation to Audra. As she listened to what the Morris did to her blond brother she was angry. She was horrified when he told her of what Jenny almost did. She was sad to learn that Jenny lost the child. When Nick told her that Jarrod had arranged for the marriage to be annul and Heath refused to sign the papers she did not understand.

"If he could get out of this marriage, why didn't he?" She asked.

"It's his choice and I suggest you don't question him about it. Just accept Jenny as his wife." Nick told his blond sister.

"So I have a sister-in-law. It will be nice having another woman around the house." Audra said trying to sound convincing.

When they arrived at the ranch Nick helped Audra out of the wagon, unloaded her luggage, and carried the luggage into the house and up to her room. Then he drove the wagon to the barn to unhitch the horses. Heath, who was in the barn oiling the saddles, helped Nick care for the horses. Then they both went to the house.

When Audra entered the house Victoria threw her arms around her blonde daughter and welcomed her home.

"Nick told me everything about Heath and Jenny. How is Heath? Where are they? Audra asked.

"Heath is in the barn. He insists that he get back to doing ranch work. He is doing just fine. Jenny is helping Silas prepare supper. She likes to cook." Victoria answered her daughter's questions.

Just then Jenny entered the room. "Hi, Audra welcome home. I baked you a special cake for your return."

"Thank you Jenny. That was thoughtful. I hear congratulations are in order. Welcome to the family. I am glad I finally have a sister-in-law. It will be nice having another girl around to talk to. Having only brothers can be difficult. Oh! I guess you would know about that." Audra rambled on a little uncomfortable with the whole situation.

"Yeah! I know what brothers are like. With six of them it's hard not to know. If you will excuse me I have to go finish decorating the cake." Jenny said. She wanted to get out of this awkward situation.

After dinner was over they all sat around the parlor as they talked. Audra shared things that happened while she was in Boston. She gave each of them the presents that she brought back for them. She felt bad that she did not have anything to give Jenny, but how was she supposed to know that Heath would get married while she was away. She felt herself get angry as she thought of how Heath got married. Again she wondered why he did not end it when he had the chance, but she would heed Nick warning and never ask him. She would accept Jenny as her sister-in-law.

Finally the evening came to an end and everyone said good night.

"Good Night Audra. I am glad you are home." Heath said as he gently kissed her on the check. Then he turned and did the same to Victoria. Then he walked over to Jenny.

"Good night my lady." Heath said to Jenny as he took Jenny's hand in his and gently kissed the back of it.

"Good night my lord." Jenny replied as she smiled slightly. Then Heath turned, walked upstairs to his room as Jenny went upstairs to her room.

Audra watched the exchange between her blond brother and Jenny in disbelief. It was like they were playing some kind of game. "What was that all about?"

"What are you talking about, Audra?" Nick asked

"That stuff about my lady and my lord." Audra said

"Don't ask us. That is just the way Heath addresses her. She seems to like it." Nick answered

"Of course she likes it. She always like being called my lady when we were kids and pretended we where princesses, but why is Heath calling her that. Am I the only one that sees a problem here? It’s like they are trying to live in a fantasy. He is treating her like she is his sister not his wife. They are married, but they don't share the same room." Audra stated her frustration.

"Audra, its Heath and Jenny's business. We just have to accept it." Victoria told her daughter. "For some reason Heath feels responsible for Jenny and has decided to remain in this marriage. He feels a need to protect her. We need to support him in his decision. Now if you will excuse me I am going to bed. I suggest you do the same."

Three days after Audra arrived home she suggested that Jenny accompany her to the orphanage for the afternoon. Since she did not need to take any supplies, she suggested that they ride their horses instead of taking the buggy. Victoria was pleased when Jenny agreed to go with Audra. She felt that the red headed girl needed to get out of the house. A nice ride and helping others would do the girl the world of good.

It was just before the evening meal when a very angry Audra burst in the house. "Where is she?"

"Audra what is wrong?" Victoria asked.

"Jenny where is she? When I was busy with the children she took off. She could have waited for me." Audra was furious.

"Jenny isn't here." Victoria said getting concerned.

"She is not here? I thought for sure that she would be here. I didn't even try to find her." Audra gasped suddenly starting to worry. What if Jenny tried to hurt herself again?

"Don't worry I will find her. I have a pretty good idea where she is." Heath said as he started for the door.

Heath saddled his horse and rode to the North pasture. As he approached the clump of trees he saw the horse tied to a tree. He tied Charger by the other horse and walked to the little creek. He found her sitting on the ground with her knees drawn up and her arms wrapped around them.

"It still hurts doesn't it?" Heath said as he walked over, and knelt down beside her.

"I miss him so much." She cried.

"I know. It is always hard when we lose someone we love." Heath said as he put his arms around her.

"When Mark told me he was going to fight against the railroad I was so afraid that I just wanted to hold him and never let him go. That was when the baby was." Jenny started to explain.

"You don't have to tell me this." Heath said interrupting her.

"I want you to know that it only." She tried again to explain.

"Jenny I will not judge you. If I did I would have judge my mother. I can't and I won't do that." Heath said interrupting her again as he made her look at him. "You don't have to try to explain anything to me. What happened happened just leave it at that."

"I wish I didn't lose the baby." Jenny cried as she collapsed into his arms and wept. He held her until she finally stopped crying.

"We better get back to the ranch. You have mother and Audra worried about you." Heath said as he helped her to her feet.

"I didn't mean to make anyone worry. I just wanted to spend some time here alone." Jenny explained.

"I know. You can come here whenever you want, but please tell someone where you are going the next time. You don't have to hide grief. Mother and Audra want to help you. Please let them." Heath told her as they walked to their horses. Heath held her horse while she mounted and then they headed back to the ranch.

Two days later when Jenny went back to the little creek she found nailed to the tree where Mark and she had carved their initials a hand made cross which read. "In loving memory of Mark Harrison and his unborn child"

When she returned to the ranch that day she threw her arms around Heath and thanked him.

After talking with Heath in the woods Jenny did begin to share her pain and grief with Audra and Victoria. Over the last month Audra and she became very close friends. When they where younger the two girls had been playmates, but not real friends. When the blonde girl had outgrown the games they use to play, she barely tolerated Jenny. But now the two girls were inseparable and both enjoyed having a sister.

Jenny's friendship with Heath also grew. He was always so kind and gentle with her. She knew she could trust him. She found herself missing him when he was not around. Now that his ribs were healed he threw himself back into the ranch work. Most mornings when she got up he would already be gone for the day. She loved it when he came home and greeted her with my lady. She also enjoyed the time she spent playing cards with him and Audra at night. Some nights Audra and her watched while the three brothers played pool. She always bet with Audra that Heath would win.

Over the last month Jenny had been helping Audra out at the orphanage. She found working with the children helped her deal with the guilt she felt about causing her child's death. She remembered Mark telling her that he grew up in an orphanage. He had told her how no one really cared about him. He had hated the place so bad that he had ran away when he was twelve, so when she spent time with the children at the orphanage she tried to make sure each one felt special.

Ann Morris had come to visit Jenny a couple of times, but Jenny had not seen her brothers or father since she moved to the ranch. She knew that they were not really welcome here, because of what they did to Heath. Jenny was glad because she hated her father for what he had said to her and she never wanted to see him again. Her mother always begged her to come home to visit her father and brothers, but Jenny refused. Whenever Ann tried to talk to her about her father Jenny would change the subject. She would talk about Heath, Nick, Jarrod, Audra, Victoria, or the kids at the orphanage. Then the other day Audra and her where in town. Her father was there too. He tried to talk to her, but she ignored him and walked away. She would never forgive him for the way he treated her.

Jenny had been living with the Barkleys for almost two months and today she was turning sixteen. Her new family planned to surprise her with a small party. Audra had let it slip. It would just be her and the Barkleys, but it was still a party. She promised the blonde girl that she would act surprised.

Nick and Heath had been working all morning trying to round up the strays in the North pasture. They had just stopped for lunch when a couple of riders approached them. When Heath saw whom it was every muscle in his body tensed and his hand went instinctively to his gun.

"Take it easy son I just want to talk to you." Mr. Morris said as he dismounted and approached the blond man.

Nick stepped protectively in front of Heath. "He has nothing to say to you now get off our land."

"It’s okay Nick." Heath said as he placed a hand on his older brother's shoulder. Then he tuned to Mr. Morris. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Look I know I haven't been fair to you since you rode into Stockton. I admit that me and my boys where quite mean to you, but don't use my daughter as a means of revenge." Mr. Morris said.

"Sir, I am not using your daughter. What are you talking about?" Heath asked confused by the older man's accusation.

"It's been almost two months and she hasn't even come home to visit us. I saw her in town the other day with Audra and she wouldn't even talk to me. Don't turn her against her family. Don't keep her from seeing us. We have a right to be a part of her life." Jenny's father pleaded.

"I don't dictate to Jenny who she sees or doesn't see. If she wants to see you she can." Heath said.

"You have poisoned her mind against me. That is why she refuses to see me." Mr. Morris screamed.

"No, you did that when you threatened to throw her out of your home pregnant and penniless to fend for herself if she did not marry me." Heath spat as he glared at the older man.

"I love my daughter. I would never have done that. I just didn't want her to have a child without being married. You know how cruel people can be. I just wanted to protect her from that." Mr. Morris cried.

He confessed to Heath how he knew that Mark was the father and how that night he was afraid that Jenny would tell everyone the truth. That he had said what he did to Jenny to scare her into silence, because he did not want her to live a life being treated like dirt by other people. The only way he could protect her from that was get her a father for the baby, even if he wasn't the real father.

"I am sorry for what I have done, but do I have to pay for it by losing my daughter. I love her and I want to be part of her life. When you two have children I want to be part of theirs." Mr. Morris pleaded for this blond man to understand.

"We are planning a small birthday party for Jenny tonight. It is just going to be the family. If you like you, your wife and sons can come." Heath said.

As Nick listened to Mr. Morris his blood boiled. He wanted to teach this man a lesson he would never forget, but this was Heath's business not his. He was shocked when Heath invited the older man and his family to the ranch.

Victoria had asked Audra to keep Jenny busy so she and Silas could prepare for the surprise party that night. She went up to Audra's room to take them their lunch. The two girls were working together on something for the children at the orphanage. As she entered the room she saw the two girls laughing and talking together as they worked.

Victoria was pleased to see Jenny's face so full of joy. When the red head had first came to the ranch she had been so depressed, but now except for a few times you would never know that the girl had lost someone she loved. She was also pleased to see Jenny's fiery spirit start to resurface. She knew that Audra's friendship and the work at the orphanage had helped Jenny a lot. But Heath was the main reason for the young red headed girl's recovery.

Over the last month Victoria watched as a close friendship grew between Jenny and Heath, but friends were all they were. Heath treated Jenny the same way he treated Audra. Although Jenny and Heath were married they still did not share a room.

Victoria left the tray of food for the girls and went back to the kitchen to prepare for the party.

Jenny sat with the rest of the family in the parlor waiting for Silas to announce that dinner was ready. She was having a hard time trying to hide her excitement for the party, she knew they where going to spring on her. Audra elbowed her once in the ribs as a warning not to let on she knew. She wished they would hurry up so she could pretend to be surprised. Then she could enjoy the party.

There was a knock on the door. When Nick answered it, Mr. Morris and his wife entered the house. Although Heath had invited all the Morris to the party Ann had convinced her husband and sons that it would be better if only the two of them attended.

Jenny looked up as Nick led her parents into the Parlor. She looked straight at her father. "What are you doing here? This is Barkley land and you are not welcome here."

"I invited them, Jenny." Heath said. Then he turned to Mr. and Mrs. Morris. "Please come in"

Jenny stood in shock disbelief. Why would Heath invite her father here? "I thought you ordered him and my brothers off this ranch and warned them never to set foot on it again."

"I was wrong. They are your family and this is your birthday. I thought you would like them here." Heath calmly told her. He could see the anger burn in her deep green eyes.

"You thought wrong. I never want to see my father again." She yelled.

"Jenny I am sorry for what I said and done. I was only trying to protect you. Jenny I love you." Mr. Morris pleaded as he approached his daughter.

"I hate you and will never forgive you. To me you are dead." Jenny screamed as she tried to race from the room, but Heath stepped in front of her and blocked her path.

"What your father did was wrong, but he did it because he loves you and wanted to protect you." Heath said

"Because he loves me and wanted to protect me he called a lying tramp." She cried as she tried to go around

"People would have called you a lot worse." Heath told her

"You bastard!" Jenny screamed as she hauled back and slapped him hard across the face. She was furious. How dare he take her father side? How dare he say what he just said to her?

Heath reached up touched his face where she had just slapped him as he glared at her. "You are right Jenny I am a bastard and no one will ever let me forget it. I grew up hearing my mother called whore, slut, tramp, bitch and any other low down degrading name they could hurl at her. I watched as people treated her like the dirt that they scrapped off the bottom of their feet, because she had a child without being married. I grew up being called a bastard, devil seed, worthless and told that I would rot in hell because I was born without a father. That is what your father wanted to protect you and your child from when he forced you to marry me."

As Jenny stood listening to her blond husband she saw the pain and anger in his eyes that she had caused. She remembered how kind he had been the first time they met. How he always listened to her and never judged her. This man had been nothing but good to her and she had hurt him. "Heath I am sorry. I didn't mean it."

"I know you said it in anger just like you father said what he said to you in anger. Jenny all my life I wanted to know who my father was. I wanted to tell him how much I hated him for hurting my mother and me. But more than that I wanted him to beg for my forgiveness and tell me how much he loved me and wanted me. Just like your father just did. Talk to him and give him a chance. Let him explain. Then judge worthy or unworthy of your forgiveness." Heath said as he turned and walked out of the house.

As Jenny stood watching Heath leave the house her father warily approached her. "Jenny, please forgive me. I am so sorry for what I said. Please let me talk to you."

Jenny agreed to talk to him.

Audra feeling that her friend really did not want to talk with her parents alone stayed with Jenny, while Victoria, Nick, and Jarrod all went to find Heath to make sure he was okay. They found him in the barn. He had just backed a black mare out of her stall and tied her to the tether ring.

"Heath, are you okay?" Nick asked as he and the others entered the barn.

"Yeah." Heath answered as he picked up a currycomb and started brushing the mare. "How is Jenny? I should not have been so harsh with her."

"Harsh! If she talked to me that way I would have put her over my knee and." Nick spat

"Nicolas!" Victoria interrupted her middle son. "Jenny is fine. I think she needed to hear what you told her. She has agreed to talk to her father."

"That is good." Heath said as he continued to groom the mare.

"Heath, if your father was still alive he would have been sorry for the pain he caused you and your mother. He would have been sorry that you had to pay for his sin. He would have begged for your forgiveness. He would have told you that he loved you and wanted you." Victoria tried to assure her husband's son.

"Maybe he would have, but I will never know for sure." Heath said as he turned to face his family. "Finding out that he did not know about my existence helped ease my anger, but there is still a part of me that wonders how he would have reacted when he did find out."

"He would have been sorry he didn't know and he would have accepted you just like we did." Nick said as he walked over and placed a hand on his younger brother's shoulder.

"I would like to believe that, but there is a part of me that fears that he would have denied it and sent me packing or that he would have tried to pay me off to protect all of you from being hurt. I also can't stop wondering why he never considered the possibility that I existed. Strawberry isn't that far away. Why didn't he come back to check to make sure?"

"Heath I know you have a lot of questions that don't have answers. Only your father knew for sure why he didn't return to Strawberry and only your mother knew why she waited until her deathbed to tell you who your father was. But I can tell you that your father loved all his children. He would have loved you." Victoria answered.

"How can you be so sure?" Heath asked.

"Because I know the man I loved and married. He wasn't a perfect man and he made mistakes. But he never was afraid to do the right thing. Loving and accepting you would have been the only thing he would have done." Victoria answered.

"I would like to believe that." Heath said

"Then believe it, because it is the truth." Victoria told him.

Heath didn't reply he just turned back to the mare and started brushing her.

"Heath, if father was a live when you came here. After he begged you for your forgiveness and told you he loved you. Would you have judged him worthy or unworthy of your forgiveness?" Jarrod asked as he walked over to stand by Heath.

"I would have forgiven him." Heath replied as he continued to brush the mare.

"Then forgive him now." Jarrod said as he grabbed Heath's shoulder and made him turn around to face his family. "It is time you let go of the anger. You are a loved and accepted member of this family just like father would have wanted."

"I wish I could have gotten to know him." Heath said as he looked down at his feet.

"Heath, I wish that your father could have gotten to know you too. I know he would have been so proud to call you son. Just like I am." Victoria said as she walked over, grabbed his chin and made him look at her. "After all Mr. Morris did to you, you still helped him tonight with Jenny."

"He is her father and I felt he deserve the right to tell her his side, but it is up to her whether or not she forgives him." Heath explained why he helped Jenny's father. "If she decides she don't ever want to see him again she won't have to.

"You could have ended this marriage to Jenny, but instead you chose to remain married to her. Why?" Jarrod asked. He didn't understand Heath's decided to remain in this marriage or why his brother felt responsible for the girl. The night Heath refused to sign the annulment papers he had given a brief explanation, but Jarrod believed that his brother hadn't been totally honest with them. The lawyer in him wanted to get to the truth. Since Heath seemed open to talking about things tonight, Jarrod hoped he would talk about this.

"It was the only thing I could do." Heath replied.

"It was not the only thing you could do." Jarrod snapped

"If you will excuse me, I have a birthday party to attend." Heath replied as he turned to untie the mare.

Like any other time they tried to approach the subject of his marriage to Jenny Heath changed the subject. He knew they did not understand why he felt responsible for Jenny or his need to protect her and he did not know how to explain it.

"Not this time Heath. I think we deserve a straight answer." Jarrod demanded.

"I told you when I refused to sign the annulment papers. Jenny is my wife. I could not and will not run away from my responsibility to her." Heath replied.

"The child she carried was not yours and they forced you to agree to marry her. You had no legal obligation to her. Why would you feel responsible for her? Is it because she reminded you of your mother and in some twisted way you are trying to make up for what our father did? Are you still paying for our father's sin?" Jarrod asked.

"She's my wife Jarrod, not my mother. My mother is dead; this has nothing to do with her." Heath snapped as he tried to push pasted Jarrod leading the little black mare, but Jarrod grabbed his arm and stopped him.

"I think it has everything to do with your mother and the way you grew up." Jarrod said.

Heath didn't respond he just glared at Jarrod for a few seconds then he pulled out of his older brother's grasp. He walked out of the barn leading the black mare. Nick followed Heath, but Jarrod and Victoria remained in the barn

"I have had hostile witnesses that are easier to talk to than him." Jarrod said as he watched Heath exit the barn.

"He is not witness and he is not on trial. He is your brother." Victoria told her eldest son.

"I know he's my brother and I failed him. If only I did something that night they forced him into this marriage. If only he would have trusted me." Jarrod said.

"Jarrod, you can't blame yourself for this situation. You arranged a way out for him, but he refused to take it. For whatever reason he made a decision to remain married to Jenny almost two month ago. Whether we agree or disagree with that decision we must accept it." Victoria said.

"I know it's just I am worried about him." Jarrod told her.

We are all worried about him, but he has made it clear that it's his business not ours. We can only offer him our support." Victoria replied. "We better go back to the house."

They both exited the barn.

Heath led the little black mare up to the house and tied her to the hitching post. Nick walked up beside him.

"Think she will like the mare?" Nick asked as he placed a hand on his younger brother's shoulder. He was furious at Jarrod for treating Heath like he was on trial. Nick did not understand why his younger brother chose to remain in this marriage, but he had accepted it. Why couldn't Jarrod?

"Yeah! I think she will." Heath said as a half smile crossed his face as he gave the mare a finally pat, turned and went to the house.

Jenny sat between her parents on the sofa. She had listened carefully to her father as he explained why he did what he did. She decided to forgive him, but she was still hurt by what he did. She wasn't sure if she could ever trust him again. She promised that she would go visit them and her brothers, but she was glad she did not have to live with them. When Heath entered the house followed by Nick, Jenny jumped up and ran over to him.

"Heath, I am sorry for what I said. I didn't mean to hurt you. You are my best friend; I couldn't stand it if you hated me. Jenny apologized as her green eyes pleaded for forgiveness. When he had left the house she believed he was angry and hurt by what she said. She wanted him to know how much she regretted saying it.

"I have no idea what you are talking about, my lady." Heath said letting her know that it was forgiven and forgotten. "Come with me. Nick and I have a present for you."

Heath took Jenny's hand and led her outside. As they exited the house Jarrod and Victoria were just coming up the steps of the mansion.

When Jenny saw the black mare tethered there she squealed with joy. "She so beautiful. Is she really mine?"

"You bet she is. Nick and I caught her with a bunch of wild horses. We thought she would make the perfect birthday present for you. She is just halter broke, so you won't be able to ride her until I am finished breaking her." Heath told her.

Jenny thanked both Heath and Nick for the horse by kissing them each on the cheek. Then she walked down the steps to meet her new horse. She insisted that she be allowed to return the horse to the barn. Heath still didn't trust the horse, so he accompanied her to the barn. When they returned to the house the family and the Morris went to the dinning room for dinner. For dessert they all had a piece of Jenny's birthday cake.

After dinner they all went into the parlor where everyone except Heath and Nick gave Jenny the presents they got her. At the end of the evening Jenny escorted her parents to the door.

...Continued