Anne had quickly changed into her nicest clothing. The mint-green color of her dress went with her eyes. Audra Anne combed her hair and tied it back with a ribbon. As she made her way downstairs she saw her grandmother talking to Heath. He was also dressed in his finest clothes.

"I don't know how I can forgive Tom Barkley and what he meant to me and my mother. But I do know that he was respected in this valley by a lot of people and I'd like to honor him for that," Heath said.

Audra Anne came downstairs a smile on her face. "Uncle Heath, I'm glad you've decided to come," Audra Anne said, pushing a long lock of black hair behind her ear.

"Are you going to wear the boots?" Victoria asked, curious about them. Heath shook his head no just as Jarrod, Nick, Audra, Eugene, Lee, and Lucy entered the room.

Jarrod wrapped his arm around Audra Anne's shoulders. "Audra Anne, you look so beautiful!" Audra exclaimed.

"Really, Aunt Audra?" Audra Anne asked, a skeptical look in her eyes.

"Really. You look so much like your mother today," Audra said, knowing that the words would hurt Jarrod.

Jarrod felt his heart lurch at the mention of Hope. Heath had learned early on that Hope didn't get mentioned in front of Jarrod. The memory of his wife's death was still too painful. Even Audra Anne knew not to mention Hope Barkley in front of her father too much.

"We're going to be late," Jarrod said, his voice gruff with pain. The family got into the buggy and drove off to town. Audra Anne kept glancing at her father. He was on his horse Jingo and looked as if he were going to cry.

The buggy stopped in front of The Cattlemen's Hotel; the finest hotel in Stockton. Audra Anne looked at the shrouded statue in the middle of the street. Heath went over to it and stared up at it. The fact that this was the statue of the man who'd abandoned him made him feel worse. Audra Anne knew the feeling quite well.

Audra Anne was curious as she saw her grandmother go to her buggy outside. Audra Anne went outside just as Victoria climbed into the buggy.

"Grandma, where are you going?" Audra Anne asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

“I have to run an errand,” Victoria said, not meeting her granddaughter’s eyes.

‘Where?” Audra Anne persisted.

"I have to go to Strawberry," Victoria finally said. While Audra Anne had inherited many of her mother's traits and looks, this was one trait he had picked up from Jarrod. At times like these she looked like Jarrod.

"Strawberry? That's where Uncle Heath and Lee came from. Why do you need to go to Strawberry?" Audra Anne asked, more confused than ever.

"I have to know, Audra Anne, " Victoria simply said, tears shadowing her hazel eyes.

"Know what?" Audra Anne asked, hurt by her grandmother's tears.

"I have to know something about Heath's mother," Victoria said.

"You’re going to miss the commemoration," Audra Anne stated worriedly.

"That's the least of my worries," Victoria said, picking up the reins.

"What should I say if Father asks me where you are?" Audra Anne asked.

"Tell him that I had to run an errand," Victoria said, flicking the reins.

"He's not going to buy that excuse," Audra Anne muttered under her breath as she went into the hotel.

Audra Anne climbed up into the window seat in the lobby and sat there. She was so deep in her thoughts that she didn't hear Jarrod sit down next to her.

"Hello there, young lady," Jarrod said by way of greeting to his daughter.

Audra Anne nearly jumped out of her skin as she turned to look at her father. "Hi Father," Audra Anne said absentmindedly.

"You seem to have a lot on your mind there," Jarrod said, noticing how she was twirling a lock of long black hair around her finger.

"You're very perceptive, Father," Audra Anne said, turning to look him in the eye.

"I usually tell. I would never have become a lawyer if I didn't notice a thoughtful look," Jarrod said, his tone light.

"Just my luck! I had to have a father who's a lawyer," Audra Anne rolled her eyes.

"Where's your grandmother?" Jarrod asked, changing the subject.

Out running an errand," Audra said vaguely.

"Out running an errand? Mind telling your old father where?" Jarrod asked, still using a cheery tone.

"Father, you're not old. And Grandma just told me to tell you that she'd be running an errand," Audra Anne said, her voice cross.

"Audra Anne Barkley, I don't appreciate the tone of your voice. Please change it," Jarrod said, his voice and eyes stern.

"Sorry. I just have a lot on my mind. I'm going upstairs. I need to fix my hair for the ceremony," Audra Anne said, jumping up from the window seat.

Jarrod felt frustrated. After making a truce with his daughter a few weeks ago, they still snapped at each other every now and then. At least Audra Anne apologized.

Audra Anne brushed her hair pensively. Her rudeness to her father caused her to flush with shame. He was trying his best to be a good father, but Rome wasn't built in one day and neither is a shattered relationship with a father.

Audra Anne found herself wondering what her grandmother hoped to find in Strawberry. She hoped that Victoria would be all right.

A small knock on her door broke her concentration. "Who is it?" Audra Anne asked.

"Lu and Lee," Lucy yelled through the door.

Audra Anne smiled as she opened the door. "What do you want?" Audra Anne asked her cousins.

Uncle Jarrod is angry with you," Lucy said as in the way of explanation.

"Tell me something I don't know," Audra Anne said. Jarrod was often furious with his daughter.

"What's Uncle Jarrod mad at, Audra Anne?" Lee asked timidly. After a month Lee still had trouble talking to her new family. Calling Jarrod, Eugene, and Nick "Uncle" was very strange to her.

"My father's a lawyer. Apparently he likes to forget that the lawyer stays in the courtroom or his office. I was withholding information from him," Audra Anne said, sitting down on a plush chair.

"What's withholding mean?" Lee asked, her eight-year-old face showing her confusion.

"That means that Grandma went somewhere and I didn't tell Father where," Audra Anne said.

"Where did she go?" Lucy asked.

"Do you to promise to not tell anyone as long as you both shall live?" Audra Anne asked, her face serious.

"Depends on what it is," Lucy said, cocking her head contemplatively.

"Okay. Grandma went to Strawberry to run an errand," Audra Anne said, watching her two cousins expressions.

"Strawberry? I have to tell Papa!" Lee said, jumping up.

"Lee, No!" Audra Anne said, clapping a hand on her cousin's shoulder.

"Strawberry's dangerous, Audra Anne. There's no telling what trouble Mrs. Barkley will get into on her own," Lee said, her green eyes sad.

"What trouble could there be?" Lucy asked Lee.

"Plenty. My father's Uncle Matt and Aunt Martha live there. Those two are horrible!" Lee said, making a horrible face at the thought of her father's aunt and uncle.

"Could she really be in a lot of trouble?" Audra Anne asked.

"Well maybe she's not. Not if she found Aunt Rachel and Hannah. They were friends of Grammy's and helped raise Papa when he was a boy and myself when Papa worked his jobs," Lee said, remembering.

"I thought you went with your father to all of those ranching jobs," Lucy said perplexed.

"I did some. But Papa said he wanted me to go to school. Grammy said she would keep me and let Aunt Rachel tutor me," Lee said.

"Well, if Grandma might really be in trouble let's wait to see if she comes back. If she doesn't come back in an hour then let's talk to Uncle Heath," Audra Anne said, making a decision.

The three cousins sat down and talked waiting for the hour to pass.

The tension could be cut with a knife. Everyone, except Audra was worried. As the hour drew to a close Audra Anne felt her confidence slipping. If Victoria was in as much trouble as Lee suspected then they should tell Heath, Jarrod and Nick.

Everyone was seated in the small sitting room off Audra's bedroom, waiting for Victoria.

"Where the devil could she be?" Jarrod asked to no one in particular.

Audra Anne felt her insides writhe. She was the only one who knew where Victoria was. She was uncomfortable lying to her father and not telling him where Victoria was, but it was still just an errand.

Jarrod turned a bright-eyed stare at his daughter. It was hard to look her father in the eyes when she wasn't being truthful to him. It was amazing that her nose wasn't like Pinocchio's when she lied to her father. Audra Anne looked down at her shoes. They pinched her feet and Audra Anne hated the style of them, but Victoria said that she had needed some dressy shoes to wear to church and special occasions.

"I'm sure she'd be back soon, Jarrod," Nick said, trying to be calm and collected.

"It is all my fault. If I hadn't been so wrapped up in making myself beautiful, I might have noticed something," Audra said regretfully.

"Audra, this was not your fault. Only one person knows where Mother went and she better come forward with the news," Jarrod said, his voice tinged with a slight warning.

Audra Anne looked at her father again. He was upset and had a hard look to his blue eyes. "Father, Grandma just ran an errand. I'm sorry. I can' reveal anything else," Audra Anne said, looking at her hands folded on her right knee.

"Audra Anne, I know you just think this may be an errand, but your grandmother may be in trouble. C'mon now, Sweetie, you'd feel much better once you've confessed," Nick said, his voice gruff and gentle at the same time.

"Uncle Nick, I can't Grandma just told me she was on an errand. And I refuse to talk on the grounds that I may incriminate myself," Audra Anne said, her voice light.

Jarrod felt all the frustrations come back. Hopie, where are you? I wish you were here to talk some sense into our mull-headed daughter, Jarrod thought, closing his eyes briefly.

"What's incriminate mean?" Lee asked, her voice breaking the long silence.

"It's a term my father uses as a lawyer. I do actually pay attention to his cases when I go to one of his trials and I've read his files," Audra Anne said, turning to her cousin.

All the grownups sat down, resigned to the fact that Audra Anne wasn't going to reveal anything.

Audra Anne sat, wringing her hands. Now was the moment of truth. Now she had to tell Heath where Victoria was. Heath would probably take it better than Jarrod would.

Audra Anne knew her blond uncle could really lose his temper if he was provoked. Hearing that Victoria had gone to Strawberry might be what could cause him to lose it.

"Uncle Heath?" Audra Anne asked, as her uncle sat with a thoughtful look on his face.

"Yes, Audra Anne?" Heath asked, running his thumb across his lip.

"I know where Grandma's gone," Audra Anne said in a tiny voice.

"Where, Audra Anne?" Heath asked, his blue eyes boring into hers.

"Strawberry. She said she had to run an errand. I told Lee and she said we had to tell you," Audra Anne said, looking down at her mint-green skirt.

"Lee was right, Audra Anne. You shoulda told me. Do you know where in Strawberry she might have gone?" Heath asked, feeling a panic come over him.

"No. She just said that she had an errand to run. That's all I know, Uncle Heath," Audra Anne said, biting her lip hard.

Heath picked up his gun. "I'm going to Strawberry," Heath said, grim determination all over his face.

"What do I tell Father, Lee, and the others?" Audra Anne asked, touching her uncle's arm.

"Tell them that I went to Strawberry. I'll be back as soon as I can with your grandmother," Heath said, putting on his hat.

"Are you mad at me, Uncle Heath?" Audra Anne asked, her voice sad.

"No. You should have told someone other than Lee; your father or myself. Right now don't worry about it, " Heath said in a soothing voice.

"Uncle Heath, be careful," Audra Anne said as Heath walked out the door. This trip to Strawberry was turning into a big mess. I hope it can be straightened out soon, Audra Anne thought, playing with a lock of her black hair

Audra Anne was twirling her hair nervously as the commemoration drew closer. Jarrod and Audra Anne had spoken stiffly to each other on account that she still hadn't told where Victoria was.

Jarrod felt even more annoyed that his daughter now knew that Heath was going to look for Victoria and didn't tell anyone until just five minutes ago.

As hard as Jarrod had questioned her she still wouldn't say where Heath had gone. In fact Audra Anne had seemed to grow annoyed with the prosecuting attorney lecture she was getting from him.

Jarrod knew full well that Audra Anne hated it when he turned into the prosecuting attorney instead of her father. She had once screamed at him to stop.

Jarrod's mind went back to the lecture he had given her five months ago. She had disobeyed him and instead of being repentant of her deed, she had flown off the handle.

"Audra Anne Barkley, don't you ever listen to anything I ever tell you?" Jarrod had demanded, his voice and eyes as cold as ice.

Audra Anne's silence at that moment had made him even more upset with her. "I am talking to you, young lady!" Jarrod roared, in a voice that always scared her.

"You're doing it again! Don't you ever stop?" Audra Anne screamed, her voice blanched with pain.

Jarrod's eyes turned to something akin to shock. Audra Anne rarely raised her voice to her father. Even when she was angry with him she managed to keep her voice well modulated. Her words had made him think before he lectured her. He wanted to sound like her father, not a lawyer. Of course they had apologized to each other and it was forgotten.

A gentle tap on the door caused Audra Anne to look up. "Who is it?" Audra Anne asked, turning to the door.

"It's me," Jarrod's masculine voice said on the other side.

"Come in," Audra Anne said.

Jarrod opened the door. One look at his blue eyes still told her that he was very upset with her. "Time for the ceremony," Jarrod said, his words short.

"Is Grandma and Uncle Heath back yet?" Audra Anne asked, trying to keep up with her father's long strides.

Jarrod stopped in the middle of the hallway. "No, but Audra Anne, you can tell me where they are," Jarrod said, his voice softening.

"I'm sorry, Father. I can't tell you," Audra Anne said, not looking into his eyes.

Jarrod took his daughter's face in his hands and forced her eyes to meet his. "Honey, I know you mean well, but if they are in trouble you should tell," Jarrod said, his blue eyes pleading her to tell the truth.

Audra Anne's lip trembled slightly. "I can't. Grandma's running an errand," Audra Anne said, her greenish-gray eyes filling with tears.

"It's more than an errand if it makes you cry. Come on, tell me," Jarrod begged his daughter.

"I just don't want you mad at me for not telling sooner, Father," Audra Anne said in a tiny voice.

"I won't be mad," Jarrod promised, running his fingertips through her thick black hair.

Audra Anne sniffled once. "Grandma's gone to Strawberry and Uncle Heath's gone to bring her back," Audra Anne said.

Jarrod looked into his child's eyes. He didn't know why she had to keep it a secret from him. "Sweetheart, you didn't have to lie to me about this," Jarrod said, keeping his voice gentle.

"I thought it was just an errand. Grandma told me it was. I told Lee and she said I should tell Uncle Heath," Audra Anne said, her voice sounding sad and small at the same time.

The tears rolled down her face in rivulets. Jarrod took out his handkerchief and wiped her cheeks gently. "Are you mad at me, Father?" Audra Anne asked in a voice that nearly cut out Jarrod's heart.

"No. Just disappointed that you couldn't tell me the truth," Jarrod said, taking her into his arms and hugging her.

"I'm sorry, Father," Audra Anne whispered in Jarrod's ear.

"It's all right. Your Uncle Heath has gone to bring her back. So all we can do, young lady, is get to the commemoration," Jarrod said, looking into her eyes.

Jarrod and Audra Anne walked downstairs, Audra Anne feeling as if a weight had lifted off her shoulders.

The commemoration had gone well. After a few words from the mayor of Stockton and Fred, the sheriff, Jarrod stood up to say a few words about Tom.

In spite of the earlier tension between Jarrod and his daughter, Audra Anne felt proud of her father. He looked so regal and handsome as he stood there talking.

Audra Anne remembered what it felt like when she was five and her grandfather had just died. Jarrod had really tried to be what a father should have been. He had talked to her without showing that he was hurt over her mother's death.

Audra Anne knew full well how much her father had loved her mother. That was the reason why he had ignored her as much as he had. After all these years she knew that her face was a reminder of her mother. It would have been different she reckoned if she had inherited most of her father's features.

Audra Anne brought her mind back to the present, as the statue was unveiled. A bronze statue of Tom Barkley on a horse towered over them all. Audra Anne looked up, tears starting to fall down her face.

Audra Anne felt an arm slip around her shoulders gently. She looked up into the sharp blue eyes of her father. He understood how much she had loved Tom Barkley. Tom had raised his daughter faithfully when Jarrod felt he couldn't look at her.

Jarrod hugged her tightly, rubbing her shoulder gently with his uncallused hand. The ceremony lasted only a few more minutes until the crowd dispersed.

A few hours later as the streets of Stockton were turning dark, Audra Anne and Jarrod looked out the window for Victoria and Heath.

"You don't think they got into trouble, do you, Father?" Audra Anne asked.

"I don't think so. Remember your Uncle Heath did take his gun with him," Jarrod said, not taking his eyes off the road.

"Father, it's getting awful dark out there," Audra Anne said, sounding like she was very small.

Jarrod looked over at his daughter. Her eyes were still on the road. "Audra Anne, sit down. I want to talk to you," Jarrod said, in a voice Audra Anne knew not to argue with.

"Did I do something wrongheaded again?" An instant question came out of her mouth before Jarrod could say anything.

"No. Audra Anne, I didn't have a chance to say anything before the ceremony, but why did you feel like you couldn't tell me where your grandmother was?" Jarrod asked, looking into her eyes.

Audra Anne looked down and shrugged her thin shoulders. "I just thought it was an errand. I didn't think that Grandma could get into trouble," Audra Anne said, her voice barely a whisper.

"Sweetheart, I'm not angry at you. I'm just disappointed that you couldn't tell me the truth of where she was. How will I know when you are telling me the truth?" Jarrod asked, putting his hand under her chin and making her eyes meet his.

"I'm sorry," Audra Anne said, her eyes swimming with tears.

"I know you are. Whatever happens from now on don't you ever lie to me again. From now on I'd rather be told the truth," Jarrod said, his voice getting stern.

"Yes Sir," Audra Anne whispered.

Nick came running into the room. "Mother and Heath just rode up!" Nick yelled, running through the room like a tornado.

Audra Anne and Jarrod ran outside, joining their joyous family as the welcomed Victoria and Heath home.

Six months later Jarrod and Nick were in San Francisco lobbying a new case. Audra Anne and Lucy were in the courtroom watching Jarrod present his arguments. Jarrod had not gone back on his word. Because of the promise that he had made to Audra Anne, she had come with him.

Through the last six months both father and daughter were actually getting along together. Their relationship wasn't like Nick and Lucy's or Heath and Lee's, but both Jarrod and Audra Anne both were trying to understand each other.

Audra Anne's mind went to the case that her father was now fighting for. The valley had wanted a new dam in Oak Meadows and Jarrod was backing the whole valley on it. Audra Anne sat there, feeling the pride she had for her father return to her. Like at Tom Barkley's commemoration, Jarrod stood there noble and handsome. A few hours ago Audra Anne had found the nerve to ask her father how he had managed to let both Lucy and herself into the courtroom.

Jarrod had tweaked her nose gently. "I just promised that you wouldn't say anything and the judge agreed," Jarrod said, his tone light. Audra Anne touched her nose briefly. Tweaking her nose was something that Jarrod had recently started. Audra Anne tried to tell Jarrod she hated it when he did that, but he just smiled.

Audra Anne then thought about San Francisco. Jarrod had never taken her to San Francisco when he had to conduct business. With offices in San Francisco and Stockton Jarrod was in the city a lot, but he had promised to let her come with him whenever he had to go to the city. Audra Anne then shut out all of her thoughts and listened to her father's arguments.

"So, your honor, in Stockton, we feel that the dam will prove useful to the future of our children and will make the valley fruitful for crops and cattle," Jarrod said, concluding his statements.

The prosecuting attorney stood just then. "I don't agree with Counselor Barkley, your honor. I don't see where a dam could be beneficial to the good will of the San Joachin valley. Counselor Barkley has brought his daughter, brother, and niece in here-" Amos MacNeil started.

"What does my daughter have to do with this?" Jarrod asked, interrupting MacNeil.

"Yes, I'm wondering the same thing. Counselor Barkley's family has nothing to do with putting in a dam," the judge said.

"All of you know that my sister, Hope MacNeil was his wife. That valley took Hope's life. I'm not going to okay something that killed my sister," Amos said, glaring at Jarrod.

"Hope moved to the valley gladly. And need I remind you that the valley didn't kill her. Hope died giving birth to our daughter 10 years ago. Building a dam has nothing to do with it," Jarrod said, his eyes like steel.

"Oh? And how does Hope's kid feel about that dam?" Amos asked, looking in Audra Anne's direction.

"She hasn't complained about it," Jarrod said, looking at his daughter as well.

"WHY DON'T YOU SHUT UP!" Nick yelled, bolting to his feet.

The judge hit his desk with his gavel. "Mr. Barkley, you do not have permission to speak. One more outburst and I'll hold you in contempt of court," the judge said, his tone like ice.

Nick sat down reluctantly. Nick and Amos never liked each other either. Amos felt that Nick was a hick. The only member of the Barkley family that Amos appeared to like was Audra Anne and that was only because she was his sister's child.

"And Mr. MacNeil, I am granting Mr. Barkley's request for a dam in Oak Meadows. Court is adjourned," the judge said, hitting his desk again with his gavel.

Audra Anne jumped up and ran to her father. Jarrod wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug. "Father, I'm so happy for you!" Audra Anne said, throwing her arms around his neck.

"Thank you, Audra Anne. It meant a lot that you came to support me," Jarrod said, running a hand through her heavy black hair.

"I feel sorry for Uncle Amos though," Audra Anne said, looking in her uncle's direction.

"I know. Your uncle never really liked me, but I am sorry that he lost the case," Jarrod said.

"But, Pappy, he shouldn't have thrown Hope into the argument," Nick protested. Nick was angry that Amos could be that insensitive toward his brother and niece.

"He shouldn't have, but I'm not angry. He lost Hope just like I did," Jarrod said, his voice sounding sad.

"Father, can we go eat? I'm hungry," Audra Anne said, looking up at her father.

"Of course, young lady. How'd you like to go to Monty's? They serve some really good food, if I say so myself," Jarrod said, pulling her long braid gently.

"Why not?" Audra Anne said, running up to her cousin. Audra Anne and Lucy flung their arms over their shoulders and walked out of the room, Jarrod and Nick following them.

Audra Anne looked out the train window. The scenery rolled by while she watched. The rolling hills and plains were beautiful. The apple orchards were even more beautiful as they were sprouting pale pink leaves. Audra Anne could almost smell a faint apple smell wafting through the window.

Audra Anne turned her eyes back to her father. Jarrod was pouring over some paperwork that he had taken out of his briefcase. Nick was sitting down, with Lucy fast asleep on his lap. Lucy's brown hair fell over her shoulder in a pool and Nick was gently stroking it.

Audra Anne turned her eyes back at her father. She didn't know how her father could do paperwork on a moving train without getting a headache. Audra Anne looked at her book, lying next to Jarrod. She had to stop reading the book because it caused her head to ache and her eyes to cross over.

Audra Anne scooted back to her place next to Jarrod and moved her book. "Are you going to be able to finish the book, Sweetheart?" Jarrod asked, never raising his eyes from the papers.

"How did you know that I hadn't finished it, Father?" Audra Anne asked, looking at her father.

"I'm your father. I know everything," Jarrod said, looking at her over the paperwork.

"I don't buy that story, Father," Audra Anne said, laying her head against Jarrod's shoulder.

Jarrod laid the papers down and wrapped the arm her head was on around her thin shoulders. "Ready to go back home, Audra Anne?" Jarrod asked, pulling one of her dark braids with his large hand.

"Yes Sir. I'm glad that you and Uncle Nick took me and Lucy to San Francisco, but I like the ranch better," Audra Anne said, trying not to complain.

"Lucy and I, Audra Anne," Jarrod corrected her.

"I'm sorry. Lucy and I," Audra Anne corrected her bad grammar.

"Pappy, if that girl gets punished for bad grammar, she'll be confined to her room forever," Nick quipped, his hazel eyes teasing his brother.

"Very funny, Brother Nick. And how do I know that she didn't learn all the bad grammar from you?" Jarrod said accusingly.

Nick laid Lucy down on the seat and put his jacket under her head. Audra Anne's eyebrows were quirked in amusement. Lucy snored!

"Uncle Nick, she's snoring," Audra Anne said, the amusement as clear in her voice as her eyes.

"I'm well aware of that, Audra Anne," Nick said sharply than he attended.

"Does she get her snoring from you or Aunt Tracie?" Audra Anne asked, practically choking with laughter.

"AUDRA ANNE BARKLEY, I DON'T SNORE!" Nick shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Of course not, Uncle Nick. Lee, Lucy, and I just are not able to sleep at night because we're not tired," Audra Anne said her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Jarrod laughed. "She's got you there, Nick," Jarrod said, kissing Audra Anne's forehead gently.

"Yeah, I'm stuck with her," Nick grumbled, looking like a surly bear woken early from hibernation.

"Remember what they say, Uncle Nick. You can pick your friends, you can't pick your relatives," Audra Anne said, pushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

"I think I have had enough teasing from you that I could take," Nick said, starting to look mad.

"Sweetheart, I think you should stop now," Jarrod said, his voice turning serious.

"Yes Father," Audra Anne said. Jarrod went back to his paperwork and Audra Anne tried to read her book. Audra Anne looked back to her father.

"Father, do you really think the dam will work for the valley?" Audra Anne asked, laying her book aside again.

"I do, Honey. I meant what I said to your uncle Amos. The dam will be beneficial to you when you are grownup," Jarrod said, putting the papers aside again.

"Speaking of Uncle Amos, why does he hate you?" Audra Anne asked, her eyes filling with tears.

"It's complicated, Audra Anne. He blames me for taking your mother away from the family. My family had just recently come into a lot of money and your uncle's family had been wealthy since the early days of this country. He felt I wasn't good enough for your mother," Jarrod said, the pain of all coming out of his voice.

"But he hates the valley too?" Audra Anne asked.

"He never liked it that your mother moved to Stockton when she married me. He thought Stockton was uncivilized. No place that your mother should have wanted to live. He blames the valley for her death," Jarrod said, stroking her forehead gently.

"I'll be glad to go back to Stockton, Father. I love it there. I want to ride through Oak Meadows before it goes under water," Audra Anne said, her voice trembling slightly.

Jarrod knew what his daughter wanted. She wanted the Barkleys and MacNeil's to get along, but at this moment that wasn't happening. Jarrod watched his daughter as she read. Jarrod wished he could change things between him and her mother's family, just for her sake. Hope would want him to. It would have broken Hope's heart if she knew that her husband and her family didn't get along well. The rest of the trip was taken in silence.

The train pulled into Stockton later that afternoon. Audra Anne and Lucy both breathed sighs of relief. After being in the city for two weeks and on that train the two girls were more than happy to be back home in the country.

A big crowd of men greeted Jarrod and Nick. "How was the trip, Jarrod? Did we get the dam?" Len Colter asked. Len Colter was a rancher that lived a few miles out of Stockton. Audra Anne didn't really like the man that much since he didn't mind stepping over people to get his wealth.

"Yes. It took all of two weeks, but we got it," Jarrod said, his voice not betraying what he thought of Len Colter either. Jarrod didn't much like the man either and it was for the same reason as Audra Anne.

"Did your late wife's horrible brother give you a fight?" Len asked in a voice that caused Audra Anne to feel angry.

"That right there is my business. I don't ever say anything wrong against Hope's family," Jarrod said, his voice low and even.

"Look, this trip was about the dam, not the MacNeils so let's get on to the matter at hand," Nick said, his face rivaling that of a bear's.

"Jarrod, we also have a problem. There's an old man out in Oak Meadows and he says that he's a friend of your ma's," Dutton, another rancher, said.

"Does he have a name?" Jarrod asked, concerned.

"He didn't give one, but he said that your mother gave him Oak Meadows," Len said, his face betraying his anger.

"Father, do you think Grandma could have given it to him?" Audra Anne asked, tugging on Jarrod's sleeve.

"I don't think so, Honey. She knew as well as anybody that Oak Meadows was where we wanted to put the dam," Jarrod said, looking down at his daughter.

"This is preposterous! Mother wouldn't have given the land to anybody!" Nick bellowed. He looked like an angry bull that just had a red cape dashed in front of his eyes.

"Papa, Uncle Jarrod, does this mean we are not going to have the dam?" Lucy asked, her hazel eyes mournful.

"It doesn't mean that, Lucille Barkley!" Nick shouted at his daughter. Nick only called her Lucille when he was furious about something.

"Don't take it to heart, Lu," Audra Anne whispered to her cousin while Nick and Jarrod were talking to the other men.

Both cousins watched and waited while their fathers were talking. Apparently some of the men of the town were going to go out with their guns and try to convince the old man to give up his property. Audra Anne didn't want to lose the dam, but what the men were planning was wrong.

At a young age Jarrod, Tom, and Victoria had instilled in her a firm sense of right and wrong and if this wasn't wrong Audra Anne didn't know what was. She did know that she would talk to Victoria about what the men of the town were planning. Or maybe the men of this town wouldn't be as cowardly as to go gunning an old man.

Oak Meadows. It was normally a quiet place for Audra Anne to think. Her father liked to go to Islas del Cielo, but Audra Anne found the place too quiet. In the Oak Meadows she often heard the twittering of birds and the wind passing through the grass.

This day was different. She heard instead a hammering of hammers and a sawing of axes. Must be Jubal Tanner, Audra Anne thought.

After the fight last night between Nick and Victoria about Oak Meadows Audra Anne didn't know if the old man and his grandson, Chad, should be there. Jarrod wanted to buy Jubal out, but Victoria apparently knew that Jubal wouldn't sell.

"Why don't we buy him out? Isn't there another piece of land he could have?" Jarrod had asked, frustrated.

Audra Anne had understood her father's frustration. After all his lobbying and talks, Jarrod could see the Oak Meadows slipping away from him.

"What piece of land could we offer? His wife is buried there," Victoria had countered Jarrod's argument.

Audra Anne could understand what Victoria was talking about. Her mother was buried on the North Ridge. She wouldn't have liked it if they flooded her grave with water.

Audra Anne felt like saying that to her father the night before, but he would say that it was none of her business and would she please go upstairs?

Jarrod may have changed in his approach of being her father, but not that much. Audra Anne loved her father, but he treated her as a baby at times.

Audra Anne dismounted at the skeleton frame of the house being erected in the meadows. An old man was hammering while an eight-year-old boy handed him the nails.

"Hello?" Audra Anne called, knocking on the frame of the house.

Jubal and the boy jumped at the sound of her voice. "Hello," Jubal said simply.

"My name's Audra Anne Barkley," Audra Anne said, by way of introduction.

"You're one of Tom Barkley's grandchildren?" Jubal asked, laying his hammer down.

"Yes Sir. My father's his oldest son, Jarrod," Audra Anne said, sitting on the dirt floor.

Your grandma told me about all of ya. She says that you're quiet and you like to read a lot," Jubal said, taking a drink from his canteen.

"Well, I just stopped for a few minutes to say hello. I have to be going. I hope you get your house finished," Audra Anne said, mounting her horse again.

Audra Anne galloped away across the meadows. At that moment she felt herself going to her grandmother's side. Jubal and his grandson should keep the land. Of course if I said that to Father and Uncle Nick the fat will really be on the fire, Audra Anne thought. Nick wanted this land as much as Jarrod did, but at least like Len Colter they wouldn't kick a helpless old man out.

....Continued