Maureen and Jarrod sat in Jarrod's office later that afternoon. Jarrod was poring over papers while Maureen was looking at some sheet music. She was humming the tune to the song she was looking at.

Jarrod looked up as she was humming. If the humming was any indication of her singing then she had a beautiful voice. "What song are you singing?" Jarrod asked.

Maureen looked up, her gold-rimmed glasses shining. "Johann Sebastian Bach. I've been singing this piece for a long time and I keep messing up in one area," Maureen said.

"May I see it?" Jarrod asked.

Maureen stood up and handed Jarrod her music. The piece was written in Latin, that much Jarrod was sure. Jarrod had studied Latin in college and law school and could understand part of the piece. The door opened to Jarrod's office abruptly. Ross and Ward Parker entered. "Jarrod," Ross said.

"Ross, Ward can I help you?" Jarrod asked.

"We've heard you're defending Julia Saxon, Jarrod," Ward said.

"Yes. Why have you come to see me?" Jarrod asked.

"Jarrod, we think that's a huge mistake. You have a good reputation in this town. I'm sure you want to keep it," Ross said.

"How is Mr. Barkley defending my mother a way to ruin his reputation?" Maureen asked, slightly puzzled.

"Well, well, well if it ain't Julia Saxon's little brat," Ward sneered.

Jarrod stood up and placed a restraining hand on Maureen's shoulder, pushing her behind him. “What happened to you? I thought that you were staying in the jail with your ma. The place were all you Delilah's belong," Ross said.

"I was. Mom asked Mr. Barkley to keep me at his house until this blew over," Maureen said.

"Jarrod, why would you do that? It's not like you're her pa," Ross said.

"Ross, I'm sorry about Matt. If it were Nick or Heath that died I'd feel the same way you do. But Maureen is not her mother. She is more like her father than she cares to admit. She shouldn't be punished for what her mother did," Jarrod said.

"And you know her father?" Ward asked.

"Yes. I'm her father," Jarrod said.

"Jarrod, you're her father?" Ross asked.

"Yes. I was in love with Julia Saxon like Matt was at one time and I married her. When I found out that she was a spy I annulled the marriage. She found out later she was pregnant with my baby and hid her from me," Jarrod said.

"Jarrod, we won't condemn you for having a kid by that awful woman. But you can't defend her after what she did to Matt!" Ross said.

“This has more to do with my daughter than anything does Her feelings toward her mother overshadows my own dislike of Julia," Jarrod said.

"Remember what we said, Jarrod. You have to live in this town. If you defend that woman your life as a lawyer is over," Ward said.

Jarrod's blue eyes turned stormy. "Don't you ever threaten me. I defend whomever I wish to. Now get out of my office," Jarrod said, his voice low and angry.

Ward and Ross stalked out. Maureen wrapped her arms around her father's waist and laid her head against his chest. "Thank you. I'm sorry if I damaged your reputation," Maureen said.

"It's not your fault, Angel-baby," Jarrod said, stroking her face and dark hair gently.

Maureen blushed a fiery red. "Where'd you hear that?" Maureen asked.

"I heard your mother call you that. I hope you don't mind," Jarrod said.

"I don't really like that name, Daddy. Please don't call me that," Maureen begged.

Jarrod laughed and gently kissed her forehead. Maureen sat down and continued to read the sheet music.

Maureen was putting away her sheet music and Jarrod was closing his books when a rock came through Jarrod's window, shattering the glass. Maureen looked at her father. He was furious.

"Daddy?" Maureen asked.

Jarrod looked over at her. Her blue eyes were large and terrified. "Maureen, don't worry. It'll be all right," Jarrod said, trying to comfort her.

"I don't know if it will ever be all right ever again, Dad. This town will not be satisfied until they have Mom's and mine heads on a silver plate," Maureen said.

Maureen picked up the rock and put it on Jarrod's desk. Jarrod took his daughter's small, tanned hands in his large hands and pulled her over to the couch.

"Maureen, listen to me. You and your mother will be all right. I'm not going to let your mother die," Jarrod said.

"Daddy, it's impossible. You can't save Mom or myself," Maureen said.

"Maureen Barkley, there is no such word as "Can't" in my dictionary," Jarrod said.

"I'm just so afraid. I don't want Mom to die and I want to go back to school where I know it's safe," Maureen said.

Jarrod wrapped his arms around her shoulders and hugged her as if she was a very small child. Maureen buried her face in Jarrod's chest. Jarrod then pushed her face up. "Maureen, trust me. I'll get your mother out," Jarrod said.

"All right. I'll trust you," Maureen said.

Jarrod stood up and held his arm out to Maureen. Maureen threaded her arm through his and walked out of the door with him.

"You know that this is a threat, don't you Pappy?" Nick bellowed as soon as Jarrod showed him the rock.

Maureen stood next to Victoria. Victoria had slipped a comforting arm around Maureen's shoulders. "Who would they threaten, Nick? My daughter is no troublemaker and when I'm at the office I don't wear a gun. It's normally in my desk," Jarrod said.

"They're trying to scare you into not defending Mom. Honestly grownups are so thick sometimes!" Maureen snapped.

"Maureen, I am not thick!" Jarrod said.

"Apparently all they want is to kill Mom and myself. And now I'm starting to wish I'd never come to Stockton and I was still dense about who my father was," Maureen said, not hearing Jarrrod's exclamation.

"You don't mean that, Maureen," Heath said.

"I do, Uncle Heath. My world was so much less confusing before I came to Stockton. I wish sometimes that I’d never been born. I'm tired of fighting people who call me my mother's sin," Maureen said.

"I know what you're going through. When I was your age I was hurt by people that said the same thing," Heath said.

"You were told things like that?" Maureen asked.

"Yes. Like you my mother raised me. That's why I have such a soft spot for you. Then I found out that Tom Barkley was my father and I came here," Heath said.

"What did you do to stop the pain when people hurt you?" Maureen asked.

"I cried when I was little. When I grew up I did what your Uncle Nick did: I used my fists. When I moved here I retired on the punching and let Nick do it," Heath said, his eyes twinkling at his brother.

"Okay, so you made me laugh. But when I was little I wanted my daddy to protect me and love me. By the time I was 10 you were someone I didn't need or want," Maureen said.

"That's not true, Maureen. You think it is, but it's not. I've seen how you look at your father when he's not looking," Victoria said.

"I don't know how to have a father, Grandma. Having a mother is another thing entirely," Maureen said.

"Maureen, I'm here if you need me. Anyway if you hadn't wanted or needed me you wouldn't have said that you trusted me," Jarrod said.

Maureen ran her hands through her long black hair and jerked hard; a habit that was to become common in the Barkley family.

The next morning was clear and crisp. Jarrod was absent from the breakfast table as he had to go back to town the night before. It felt a little odd to think that her father wasn't at the ranch this morning. He had been close by since he found her.

Last night he told her that he had to go back to his office and he may be late. Maureen couldn't go because it would keep her up past her bedtime. Her father's reasons for not allowing her to go with him was sound and she was tired of sitting in his office with just sheet music. Maybe she could explore the ranch. After all the entire ranch was half hers.

Maureen stood up and put on a hat that Heath had given her to protect her head from the sun and the wind.

Maureen went to the barn and looked at the horses in the stalls. Nick and Heath had taken Charger and Coco, their horses, to a fence line that was down. Jingo was in his stall, since Jarrod had taken a wagon to town.

Maureen stroked Jingo's nose and grabbed two large handfuls of Jingo's mane. She then saddled him like she had seen her father do. She mounted up and trotted into the barnyard.

Riding was more fun than ever and she joyfully kicked her heels into Jingo's flank. The horse reared as he felt the jab in the ribs.

Maureen came back late in the afternoon. Jingo was sweating and Maureen paced him to cool him down. Then she brushed him down. Maureen wiped her sweaty forehead when she was done.

Maureen entered the house, stopping when she saw Victoria carrying some bandages upstairs.

"Grandma, where's the fire"?" Maureen asked, following her.

"Where've you been?" Victoria asked.

"I went for a ride on Dad's horse. That is okay, isn't it?" Maureen asked.

"Of course it is, Dear," Victoria said, absentmindedly.

"Grandma, what's happened?" Maureen asked.

"Your father. He's been hurt. Someone found him nearly unconscious in the town livery stable," Victoria said.

"Will he be all right?" Maureen asked, concern in her blue eyes.

"The doctor is wrapping his head and I need to take these to him," Victoria said.

Maureen followed Victoria into her father's room. She was afraid that Jarrod would die.

Jarrod lay in the bed, his pale face matching his nightshirt. A bandage was being gently applied to his head. Maureen stood at her father's side and watched his chest rise and fall.

When Jarrod had said that she needed him, he was right. She wanted her father to stay alive so he could see her sing and she could come to see him during vacations and breaks from school.

"Doctor is Jarrod going to be all right?" Victoria asked.

"Looks like nothing more than a concussion. But he should rest a few days before going back to work," Dr. Merar said.

Jarrod woke up, a glazed sleepy look in his bright blue eyes. "What happened?" Jarrod asked sluggishly.

"You were found this morning by the sheriff in the barn, Jarrod," Victoria said.

"I have to go to work. I have things to do," Jarrod said. He fell back into his pillows, drifting off to sleep.

"I gave him a sedative. He needs to recover properly by resting. He could bleed to death if he doesn't," Dr. Merar said.

"Will he be all right?" Maureen asked, sitting down on a chair across from Jarrod's bed.

"He should be," Dr. Merar said.

The doctor left the room. Nick finally exploded. "Mother, I'm going to town. I'm going to find who did this," Nick said.

"I'm coming with you," Maureen said, making a rash decision.

"No you're not," Nick said bitterly. After the last few days Nick still hated her for even carrying the name Barkley.

"Yes I am. Me and Mom got him into this mess. It'll be the least I can do to get him out of it," Maureen said.

"All right. If you come with us, skedaddle when there is a problem," Heath said.

"I will. I may be illegitimate, but I ain't stupid," Maureen said.

Nick, Heath, and Maureen were riding horses to Stockton. Maureen was riding Jarrod's horse, since Jingo was the only horse she had ridden on the Barkley ranch.

Heath was quiet while Nick was fuming. It was to become a common remembrance for Maureen. When Nick Barkley was mad, don't interrupt him. Heath had obviously learned that when he first came here.

Maureen wondered if Nick was mad at her coming along. She knew that Nick despised her. The reason being that Julia Saxon was her mother. The fact that his brother was her father didn't make a world of difference to Nick.

Maureen pushed a stray lock of black hair behind her ear and wished that she had pinned it up. This weather was just too hot to wear it down.

“This is all your fault!” Nick's voice broke her out of her thoughts.

"Pardon?" Maureen asked, staring at Nick. His hazel eyes glared at her hatefully.

"If you and your wretched mother had never come to Stockton Jarrod wouldn't have been hurt," Nick said.

Heath saw his niece's face go tense. She looked just like Jarrod when she was mad and he was soon to learn that she acted like him too.

"Oh forgive me for ruining your life, Uncle Nick. Do you honestly think when I came down here I going to find my father? I thought Mom was going to sing. I was going to enjoy my fall break. And I would go back to school and not know anything," Maureen said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"We didn't say that you ruined our lives, Maureen," Heath said, trying to mediate the topic.

"Don't you dare stick up for him, Uncle Heath. He didn't have to say it. He's made it perfectly clear since the moment I've arrived. You don't have a clue what it's like for me, do you?" Maureen asked.

Nick stopped his horse and looked at her, his eyes telling her to continue.

"I've lived my whole life in Louisiana, people hating me because I didn't have a father. Then my mother told me that when I got here that my father was someone else other than your brother. So don't either of you presume to tell me you understand, because you don't," Maureen said.

"Maureen, we're sorry if we hurt you. You are a part of Jarrod even if it is hard for us to believe," Heath said, looking pointedly at Nick.

"Yes. You look like your father, but when I think of who your mother is I just get so angry. You should have been here all the time with us," Nick said.

"Uncle Nick, are we actually having a cordial conversation?" Maureen asked.

Nick and Heath laughed at her question. "Well Miss Maureen, we better go find the people who hurt your father," Heath said.

"Yes Sir," Maureen said. The three galloped away, not realizing how close they were to finding McPiers0on's murderer and Jarrod's attackers.

The town was busy when Nick, Heath, and Maureen hitched their horses outside the town's music hall. Ward and Ross were out there in front whittling with their knives on pieces of wood.

Maureen looked at them. She didn't know why, but something about Ross and Ward she just didn't trust. After all they were the ones that told Jarrod that he shouldn't take her mother's case.

"Howdy there Nick, Heath," Ross greeted them.

"Ross, Ward. Is McPierson's assistant in?" Nick asked.

"He went in there this morning. Haven't seen him leave yet," Ward said.

"Thank you," Nick said.

"Uncle Nick, I'm coming with you," Maureen said, following her tall dark haired uncle inside the building.

"Heath, what's going on?" Ross asked.

"Jarrod was found this morning in the barn. Someone beat him up," Heath said, looking Ward, and then Ross in the eyes.

"Are you saying it was us?" Ross asked.

"Maureen told us that you told her father not to take this case," Heath said.

"We've known Jarrod and Nick long before we ever even heard of you. You don't think we'd hurt Jarrod, do ya?" Ward asked.

"I don't know. I'm just going on what my niece told me," Heath said.

"Anyways, how could you take stock in anythin' she says? You know how those kids are who don't have a father. They'll lie there little faces off," Ross said.

Heath's face turned tense. "I was one of those kids. And I haven’t ever lied about people," Heath said angrily.

Heath mounted his horse and rode down the street.

"What do we do Ross? If Nick and the Saxon girl find out from McPiersonm's assistant that I killed McPierson, they'll tell the sheriff," Ward said.

"The sheriff won't be finding out little brother. I promise you," Ross said.

Ross and Ward went inside the music hall. Maureen sat while Nick questioned McPierson's assistant.

"Uncle Nick, what if he doesn't show up?" Maureen asked, after five minutes.

"He'll show up. Your father told me that he questioned him the day after McPierson's death," Nick said.

"Yeah. I was with him when he did," Maureen said, remembering.

"How was he acting when he saw you and your father?" Nick asked.

"I don't understand. What do you mean by "Acting?" Maureen asked, a frown furrowing her forehead.

"I mean was he happy? Nervous? Anxious?" Nick asked.

"Tense. Like maybe he'd wished that Dad and me hadn't shown up at his office," Maureen said.

"Tense?" Nick asked.

"I didn't think much about it until just now. But he kinda evaded Daddy's questions about Mom killing McPierson. He kept saying that she did it. But I know he's lying," Maureen said.

"How can you tell?" Nick asked.

"Well Uncle Nick, when a person lies to me I can tell by them not looking me straight in the eyes. Also when they look like they want you to leave, that's how I can also tell," Maureen said.

"You are just like your father. You'd make a great detective or lawyer some day, Kid," Nick said.

"Perhaps, but I don't want to be a lawyer. I want to be an investigative journalist or a singer. I like to write and sing," Maureen said.

"Well now that you're a member of the family you might get it," Nick said.

The door to the office opened. A small man with graying hair and a bushy mustache entered the room. As soon as he saw Maureen and Nick he looked like he did before like he was hiding something.

"May I help you?" The man asked.

Nick stood up. Yes, the man was obviously hiding something. That much was obvious. Maureen was right. That kid had a gut instinct along with a stubborn streak a mile wide. The exact same qualities of any Barkley, Nick thought.

The small gray-haired man looked just about as nervous as if Nick and Maureen were huge cats about to eat a mouse alive.

"Do you remember me? Counselor Barkley and myself came to see you two days ago after the death of your boss McPierson," Maureen said.

"Of course. You’re the Saxon woman's daughter," the man said.

Mr. Barkley and I want to ask you some questions. And we want some honest answers," Maureen said.

"I don't have to give you any information until the trial," the man said.

"I know that, but it appears that Counselor Barkley won't be able to defend my mother for quite some time and he needs to know this information when the trial does take place," Maureen said.

"Very well. Ask me what you want to know," the man said grudgingly.

"When did you find Mcpierson dead?" Nick asked.

"About five minutes after it happened," the man said.

"How did you know that it was my mother that did it? It could have been someone else," Maureen pointed out.

"It was her. You see she came to the office when he told her she should leave. He told her that the people of the town wouldn't like it if she stayed and would burn the concert hall down," McPierson said.

"Didn't she tell him that she couldn't do that?" Maureen asked.

"Yes. She said that she would sue him for every cent that he owned if he didn't keep his end of the contract they had signed," the man said.

"Yes. I was there when Mom and McPierson signed it. So you are saying that Mom was upset about McPierson going back on his word?" Maureen asked.

"Yes," the man asked.

"Did you see Julia Saxon try to kill McPierson?" Nick asked.

"Well... no. But I heard the argument in the next room," the man said.

"You weren't even in the room? Then how did you know that she did it? My mom would never kill anyone," Maureen said.

"What about Matt Parker?" The man asked.

Maureen's face turned a dark red. "That was an accident. She didn't mean it," Maureen said.

"Mr. Barkley, I suggest that you and Miss Saxon leave now," the man said.

"It's all right, Uncle Nick. I'll leave if he wants," Maureen said, standing up.

Maureen stepped outside the door. Maureen stopped in terror at the gun pointed straight at her chest. She raised her hands in the air and prayed for a miracle.

She took a few deep breaths and tried to gather what courage she had.

"Mr. Parker please let me by," Maureen said.

"I don't think so, Kid," Ward said.

Ross, with the gun in his hand, motioned toward a chair for her to sit in. "Look Kid, we don't want to hurt you-" Ross started.

"No, but you want to kill my mom and you were the ones that beat up my dad last night, weren't you?" Maureen asked.

"Your mother destroyed our brother's life. She deserves to go to prison for what she did," Ward said.

The final piece of the puzzle finally clicked. "You killed McPierson, didn't you?" Maureen asked.

"I didn't. Ward did," Ross said.

"And you decided to frame my mother for it. Then when Daddy got too close to the truth, you beat him up last night in the barn. And you also got McPierson to cover for you," Maureen said.

"You're very smart. You're just like your daddy. Now Miss Barkley, please sit down," Ross said.

Maureen sat on the couch, knowing that if she started to pray it might get her out of this awful mess. God, help me, Maureen thought.

Maureen sat waiting for Nick to come out of the assistant's office. She and her uncles had unwittingly walked into a dangerous trap were someone could possibly get killed.

"Mr. Parker, why are you doing this? I never did anything to warrant this kind of revenge," Maureen said, trying to keep at least one of them talking.

"No, you didn't. But your mother did. She ruined our brother's life when he died," Ward said.

"What's that got to do with Dad? You beat him up," Maureen said.

"Your father should have kept his nose out of our business," Ross said.

"It became his business when Mom got put in jail. What did you expect him to do? Did you think he'd leave me in that jail?" Maureen asked.

"Your father had no business taking your mother's case. She's a Delilah after all," Ross said.

"Then what does that make me? My father said he loved me and that he accepts me as a Barkley," Maureen said, standing up.

"Miss Saxon, sit down," Ross said, pointing the gun at her chest again.

"Are you going to shoot my uncles?" Maureen asked, sitting back down.

"They got too close to the truth. Just like you did," Ward said.

Maureen nodded her head and felt fear enter her for the first time as the door to the office opened. Nick Barkley stepped out of the office.

"UNCLE NICK, WATCH OUT!" Maureen screamed as her uncle entered the room.

Nick Barkley dropped to the floor as Ross and Ward fired their guns. Maureen kicked the back of Ward's knees, causing him to drop the gun.

Maureen picked it up and crawled behind a potted plant. Maureen watched as her uncle got into a fight with the Parkers. Two against one weren't fair odds, but Nick obviously knew how to take care of himself.

Nick managed to knock both Parkers out after just a few minutes. Maureen came out from behind the plant.

"Maureen, give me the gun," Nick said to his niece.

Maureen looked at the two men on the floor and pointed the gun at Ross.

"Sweetheart, give me the gun. If you shoot them you'll go to jail. And I don't think your father would want that," Nick said.

Maureen's hand trembled as her uncle talked about her father. "Part of being a Barkley is having mercy on others, Maureen. Show me you are your father's daughter and give me the gun," Nick said.

Maureen looked at the gun and then at Nick. She placed the gun in his hand and bursting into tears sank to the floor.

Heath entered the concert hall and went to Maureen. "Maureen?" Heath asked his niece.

"Oh Uncle Heath!" Maureen sobbed.

This was the first time that either brother had seen their brother's daughter cry since she came to Stockton. Her blue eyes flooded with tears.

Nick helped Ross and Ward up, unaware that Ward still had his gun.

"Are you two all right?" Heath asked.

"Yeah. Besides after being scared to death we're fine," Maureen said. hugging her blond uncle.

"I'm glad you didn't do anything stupid with that gun, Maureen," Heath said.

"No. If I did I'd need Daddy to defend me for it," Maureen said, her bright blue eyes sparkling.

Heath and Nick started to laugh. This was the first joke that she had cracked since she came here.

"I don't think that Pappy would want to do that either," Nick said.

Heath heard the click long before Maureen and Nick ever did. "Maureen Nick, watch out!" Heath said, pulling out his gun.

Maureen buried her face in Nick's chest. Maureen looked at Heath. He was helping Ward and Ross both up. Ward had his hand on his arm.

"You shot him!" Ross said.

"You were going to shoot my niece," Heath said.

"You did all this for that Delilah!" Ross said.

Nick took Ross by the arm, while Heath took Ward to Dr. Merar.

As Nick, Ross, and Maureen walked out Maureen stopped by her mother's picture advertising her show. Her mother's name had just been cleared and they could go home.

Julia sat in the jail cell, knitting on a piece of lace. Since Audra Barkley had come to see her to tell her not to let Jarrod take her case, she had been doing a lot of thinking.

Maureen was one of her worries. When she came to Stockton she didn't want Maureen hurt by what had happened. But being accused of murder was something that could shatter anyone's morale.

"Mom! Mom!" Maureen came into the jail cell area, followed by the sheriff and Nick Barkley.

The sheriff unlocked the door to Julia's cell.

"My baby!" Julia said, throwing her arms around Maureen.

"Mom, you're free. Ward Parker killed McPierson," Maureen said.

"And you found this out how?" Julia asked.

"Uncle Heath, Uncle Nick, and myself went to the concert hall. Ross pulled a gun on me and those two told me everything. Ward is at the doctor's office because he tried to kill me and Uncle Heath shot him. But Mom now we can go home," Maureen said.

"That's wonderful, Angel-baby. But you are not going home with me. You're going back to school in two days. And I think it'd be best if I sign all custody of you over to your father," Julia said.

"What? But Mom, I want to go home!" Maureen protested.

"Sweetheart, I was wrong to lie and hide you from your father. It's time you got to know him. He loves you, Baby," Julia said.

"But Mom-" Maureen started.

"No 'buts' Maureen. Your father deserves to know you also. Give him a chance. Your father is stubborn and pigheaded, but underneath all that he loves you a lot," Julia said.

"Are you coming with us, Mom?" Maureen asked.

"No. I should go back to the hotel. But come say bye to me before I leave all right?" Julia said.

"Yes Mom," Maureen said.

Maureen walked out and went to Jingo out in the street. Things were totally different now. Maureen knew that God sometimes revealed things that were secret, but this had happened all too quickly.

By the time Nick, Heath, and Maureen came back to the ranch Jarrod had managed to dress and shave and get downstairs to the dining room. The head bandage around his head was repulsive, but everyone ignored it.

Maureen ran into the dining room first, oblivious to her father sitting in his place across from Victoria.

"Maureen! You are just like your Uncle Nick! You're going to shatter every window in the house save nothing of my eardrums," Victoria said.

"Sorry Grandma. I just wanted to tell you we found McPierson's murderers," Maureen said.

"It wasn't your mother?" Audra asked.

"No Aunt Audra, it wasn't. It was Ross and Ward Parker," Maureen said.

"How did you find that out, dear?" Victoria asked.

"Well, Uncle Nick and I went to McPierson's assistant's office. The man lied straight through his teeth like last time and I went outside. Ross and Ward were waiting for me with a gun and pointed it at me," Maureen said.

"WHAT!?" Jarrod's voice boomed from the other end of the table.

Maureen looked over in surprise at her father's place. "Dad, you're up!" Maureen exclaimed.

"Never mind that. What do you mean they pointed a gun at you?" Jarrod demanded.

"Dad, don't worry. I'm all right. And Mom's all right and in a few days I'm going back to Butterfield were excitement like the last few days never happens," Maureen said.

Jarrod looked at his daughter. She looked relieved that everything was over. "Maureen, come here," Jarrod said.

Maureen went to her father's side. "What I meant was I didn't want you involved with this case. You could have gotten hurt," Jarrod said.

"I know. But I had to do something. When someone I care about gets hurt, like you and Mom, I have to do something," Maureen said.

"I know. But from now on I want you to think before you do something. And if you are still unsure ask me about it," Jarrod said.

"Mom and Uncle Will did say I do get impulsive," Maureen said.

"Yes, you do do things without thinking about what could happen," Jarrod said.

"It was just when you got hurt I just thought I could help both you and Mom," Maureen said.

"I know Honey and I'm grateful. You saved me from having to go to court anytime soon," Jarrod said.

"What about your mother?" Audra asked.

"She said that she was leaving tomorrow. She also told me that she would sign over all custody of me to you, Dad," Maureen said.

"That's not necessary, Honey. I'm willing to share you with your mother," Jarrod said.

"You know Mom. She feels that she ruined my life and yours. And she said it was time that I got to know you and spend time with you. But I don't see how. I can't come to Stockton every day from Butterfield," Maureen said.

"You could come to Stockton twice each month and every holiday and summer break," Jarrod said.

"I suppose that would work. Would I still be able to see Mom?" Maureen asked.

"Yes. I may be furious with your mother for hiding you, but you still need her in your life," Jarrod said.

"Where are your uncles?" Victoria asked.

"Oh, outside. Uncle Nick said that Charger, Coco, and Jingo need to be fed and brushed down," Maureen said.

"I take it you've been riding Jingo again," Victoria said.

"Yes Ma'am. Your horse is a lot of fun to ride," Maureen said.

"I'm glad you approve of my horse, young lady. But we need to see about getting your own horse," Jarrod said.

"I know. That's what Uncle Heath said," Maureen said.

"Sit down, Maureen and eat your supper," Victoria said.

Maureen sat next to Jarrod and filled her plate to overflowing and ate hungrily.

Early the next morning Julia Saxon was at the depot waiting for the train. Unlike last time the depot was empty of people yelling at her.

Julia! Wait!" Jarrod's voice came to her. Julia turned to face her ex-husband.

Maureen stood next to her father. She wore her favorite red shirtwaist and rumpled brown skirt.

"Where are you going Julia?" Jarrod asked.

"I'm going back to the South. You and our daughter seem to think that I belong there," Julia said.

"Julia, the Parkers are going to spend a long time in jail," Jarrod said.

"I know, Jarrod. But I have to go. I will, of course, send you something on your birthday,” Julia said to Maureen.

"Sounds nice, Mom. Mom, I love you," Maureen said.

"I love you too, Baby. I'm so sorry for lying to you about your father. And Jarrod I'm sorry that I couldn't bring myself to tell you about her," Maureen said.

"I understand Julia," Jarrod said.

"Jarrod, I also went to a judge yesterday. I had him change Maureen's birth certificate. I think you would want it," Julia said, taking a piece of paper out of her drawstring bag.

Jarrod took the paper and read it over. Maureen Victoria Barkley: Born October 10th, 1864.

"Thank you Julia," Jarrod said.

"Jarrod, I'm also sorry for the argument we had after our marriage," Julia said.

"I know. I'm sorry too. I did love you, Julia," Jarrod said.

"I loved you too, Jarrod. I'm sorry I hurt both you and our daughter with my lies," Julia said.

"Mom, it's true that you hurt me with your lies, but I still love you no matter what you do," Maureen said.

"Thank you Angel-baby," Julia said, her gray eyes twinkling at her daughter. She knew what Maureen would say next.

"Mom! Don't call me that!" Maureen exclaimed, her face turning fiery red.

Julia laughed and took her daughter in her arms. She smoothed back Maureen's long black hair and kissed her cheek warmly.

Julia looked up Jarrod. "Goodbye Jarrod," Julia said. She got aboard the train and looked at her daughter and Jarrod as it pulled out of the train yard.

She's been there. God knows she's been there.
She has seen and done it all.
She's a woman she knows how to dish it out or take it all.
Her heart's as soft as feathers.
She can wear the stormy skies.
And she's a sparrow when she's broken, but she's an eagle when she flies.

Gentle as the sweet magnolia, strong as steel her faith and pride.
She's an everlasting shoulder.
She's the leaning post of life.
She hurts deep and when she weeps she's just as fragile as a child.
She's a sparrow when she's broken, but she's an eagle when she flies.

Dolly Parton- 'Eagle When She Flies', 1992