"Meg! Where are my boots?" Heath said as he padded stocking feet and shirt flapping across the bedroom. Meg, who having seen to George and Anna, was already up, looked up from her vanity where she was pining her hair and indicated that they were where he always put them.

"They're not!" Heath said with growing frustration in his voice.

Meg marveled at how this strong, capable man who ran a ranch of thirty thousand acres with his brother and raised a growing family came undone at the loss of his boots. He stood helpless and perplexed in the center of the room as though such action would cause his boots to suddenly reappear. Hurriedly finishing pining her hair she stood up and walked over to him, pressing a hand to his greying chest and kissing him on the lips. "Go down stairs to breakfast. I'll find them. You could wear another pair," she added. "It's not like you are without boots."

"They're my favorite." Heath mitigated.

Meg smiled indulgently and found herself inevitably wrapped up in his arms and enjoying a long kiss. Her husband's kisses were wonderful and distracting and oh so dangerous. She pulled herself away and fixed some loose tendrils of hair. "Don't forget I'll be visiting Tildy and Frank today."

Heath looked puzzled. "The wedding Heath?" she said, exasperated at his forgetfulness. "They're getting married on Saturday. Remember?"

Heath nodded. "I remember. I'll meet you there. I'll bring the timber to fix the roof."

Downstairs Heath found his boots and their new owner. James stood in his father's boots shuffling around, his legs almost swallowed up by their size. He smiled a shy smile to his father who just laughed and together, hand in hand they walked, or rather shuffled slowly into the dining room.

Later that morning, Meg stood in the cabin the family had given Tildy and Frank to live in after their wedding. Tildy and Lucy Ann were already living there, the Barkley women having helped Tildy to clean it and make it homely. This afternoon Heath and Frank, who was a ranch hand, would fix the roof which had become damaged in a storm.

Meg, holding baby Lucy Ann kept a careful eye on her daughter Anna who played on a rug on the floor. She looked on Tildy as a daughter and was happy that Tildy had found happiness with one of the young ranch hands who worked on the ranch.

Both women laughed over the recent escapades of Nicholas and his brothers and speculated on the quiet wedding Tildy and Frank had planned. Tildy had asked Heath to give her away and the shy man had been honored. Meg knew Heath was nervous, even though the wedding the young couple had planned was intended to be small, it required a speech to the friends that would be gathered here at the cabin to witness the event. Until it was over Heath would be dreading the moment.

Outside, Meg's daughters, Victoria, Rosie and Clara finished watering the flowers that grew in the window boxes and Leah finished bringing the washing in, whilst inside Tildy nursed baby Lucy Ann to her breast as she and Meg talked.

Heath sat down opposite his brother in the saloon. They'd just completed a few games of poker with some others and Heath as was his want, had won two out of the four games. Since he'd taken Nick's money as well as the others, Nick insisted he buy the drinks. Heath with good humor obliged.

"You and Frank fix the roof today?" Nick asked.

Heath nodded.

"Good. You and me got that business over at Fresno next week. You still okay to go?"

Heath nodded again. "Said I'd come didn't I?"

It was Nick's turn to nod. He'd asked because he and Heath didn't always get away on business together these days. In truth, usually the business could be completed by one or the other but Nick missed his brother's company and always preferred it when they could go together. It was like the old days when they were both young, free and single. Not that Nick would swap married life to go back to it; his Jenny meant all the world to him, but Heath was good company and the bond between them today was as strong it ever was, more so with the intervening years.

"Jenny told me about the kids trying to go to England."

Heath smiled, remembering the day. "Sure did. Bent on taking Little Heath too."

"Ah heck that boy sometimes forgets who his daddy is. I reckon he thinks he one's of yours not mine."

Heath smiled, knowing Nick did not really mean it. "Boy knows who his father is Nick. You know that."

Nick nodded, recognizing the truth in his brother's words. Heath would never attempt to come between him and his son, he knew that. And truthfully, he was happy that his son had such an easy relationship with his numerous cousins, especially Nicholas. It didn't look like he and Jenny would be having any more children, there'd be no sign for nearly three years and to an impatient man like Nick Barkley, three years was too long. No, Little Heath needed an older brother figure to look up to and the fact that it was his much loved younger brother's son, suited him just fine.

Heath was reading his brother's mind with the knowledge he'd gained over the years about this outwardly direct man and yet inwardly complex being and gave him one of his cheeky smiles. It did the trick. Nick was broken free of his thoughts and together they talked of the day and the trip to Fresno they would be taking next week.

Meg assembled her family in preparation for Tildy and Frank's wedding. The young couple were getting married at their cabin, the preacher having agreed to perform the ceremony there and the guests would be eating a cold buffet outside, prepared by the Barkley womenfolk with dancing and music planned for later.

Gathering her brood was never an easy task, but the one Barkley who worried her most was the 6', greying blond standing in the corner, trying to memorize his speech. Bless him, Meg thought. His speech wasn't long but he had agonized over every word, not wanting to let the young couple down. In the end Meg had suggested he simply speak from the heart, but Heath hadn't felt he could trust himself and was intent on memorizing the text of what he had written.

Meg had read the speech at his request. It was eloquent, reflective of the man and his feelings and written as a father would about his daughter, proud of what she had accomplished for herself and Lucy Ann and trusting in Frank Richards to look after them both. She felt so proud when she read it; her husband's quiet, understated words which were like the man himself. What he forgot sometimes though was how that quiet, understatement marked him out from the rest.

As she expected when it came to it, his speech brought tears to the eyes of Tildy who last Christmas had been so alone and lost. Now she had her child returned to her, a family in the Barkleys and a husband to stand by her side. It was touching to see her husband and Tildy embrace; soon she'd be seeing him doing the same with their own daughters. Pride and love for her man overflowed and she had to escape to hide away her own tears.

Later that evening, after an evening of dancing and music, Heath and Meg retired to bed to continue their own dance.

The boys were at a loose end. Missing their father who was away on business in Fresno with their Uncle Nick, they hung about the ranch trying to find things to do. They'd done their chores, they'd done their lessons and they had played out in the backyard, but still their adventurous minds sought something new to do.

Their big sisters came by, "What's up boys?" Leah said, dressed for riding and followed by a less than enthusiastic Cate. Tasked with riding up to the Lodge to help prepare it for a family fishing and hunting trip, both girls made their way to the barn to hitch up the wagon and then load it with supplies the family would need. With nothing else to do the boys followed their older sisters and told them they were bored.

"Bored huh?" Leah mimicked.

Nicholas, James and Matty nodded and kicked the dirt of the barn floor in their frustration and for something to do.

Leah put the bundle of blankets that she had been carrying into the wagon and turned to her brothers with her hands on her hips. "You mean to say you three haven't got up to any trouble today!" she joked, though the little ones took her words as serious and defended vigorously their reputation for getting into trouble.

"Well you can always come with us and help fix up the lodge. Might mean some sweeping and dusting though?"

"Leah!" Cate objected quickly. To her it was bad enough she and Leah had to go up to the lodge but to have to look after the boys as well was too much.

Leah, knowing her sister's bark was worse than her bite, simply ignored her outburst and waited for the boys to answer. She had no problem looking after them today. In that respect she was different to her older sister. Leah loved the ranch, Cate didn't. Leah loved getting her hands dirty, Cate didn't. And Leah had no trouble with her rough and tumble little brothers whereas Cate, though loving them, found more often than not that they got under her feet - no more so than when she had a beau call on her and they made it their business to line his hat with itching powder. All efforts at kissing between the couple threon in had been punctuated with the need for Aaron to break off and scratch his head vigorously, a fact that did not endear him to his sweetheart who by the following week was no longer his sweetheart.

"I don't mind," Nicholas piped up, anticipating enjoying the journey up to the lodge. Nicholas saw life as an adventure, or 'venture as he would often say in his habit of picking up new words and not quiet grasping their correct pronunciation. Consequently his conversation was punctuated with Nicholasims that never failed to make his family smile.

James and Matty also readily agreed. "I can work hard!" Matty said assuring his big sister he was strong.

To demonstrate the point he flexed his muscles outside the barn causing a shadow across the darkened timber. Leah smiled at her brother's attempt to act grown up and congratulated him

Within an hour, the wagon was loaded and Cate had briefly suspended her sulking long enough to drive the wagon with her little brothers, James and Matty finding places to sit in the back of the wagon. Leah, preferred to ride and had agreed that Nicholas could ride double with her for a spell.

Along the journey the boys shared animated talk as the wagon wound its way through the forest and down by the lake. Cate, fed up with the dust and the heat of the day suggested they stop for a bit and all headed down to the lakeside, both girls keeping a careful eye on the boys who though able to swim were still a little young to be left on their own near water.

With a look of disgust Cate patted the dust off her clothes and fiddled with her hair, which she complained looked bedraggled from the journey. Leah just smiled as she gathered some firewood and told her sister to get the fire going so they could brew some coffee.

Cate pulled her tongue out at her sister which just made Leah laugh more and not for the first time she wondered just how Cate came to be born to a ranching family.

The fire on, Cate ambled down to the water's edge and took off her boots and stockings. Lazily she let her legs sink into the cool water, letting out a moan of pleasure as the water instantly cooled her hot feet.

"Don't go too deep," she cautioned her younger brothers who had undressed to their underwear to swim in the water. "And don't think for one minute of catching any fish and putting them down my shirt, ya hear!" She warned sternly.

"We won't," all three boys reassured her.

"Well just see that you don't. I haven't forgotten what you did to poor Aaron Rawlings. I swear with you three around I'm never going to find me a husband!"

'Cate wants a husband?' Nicholas thought, and idea hatching in his head.

"Nicholas! Stop playing with your food," Meg censured her son for the umpteenth time. "And stop staring," she added, gently turning his head around from his gaze.

Absentmindedly, Nicholas picked up some food with his fork and placed it in his mouth, straining to see where the cowboy had gone.

"Nicholas!" Meg said sharply, not prepared to tell him again. "If you can't eat properly then we will leave and you will have no supper this evening."

Nicholas finally turned around, gave his mother an apologetic look and concentrated on his food. He'd have to find someone else to marry his sister if he couldn't find the cowboy again. He began to wonder how old he would be before he managed to find a husband for his sister. She sure was a problem to marry off.

The conversation between his mother and Aunt Jenny twirled around above his head not involving him and so he sought companionship with Little Heath who propped up on several cushions was eating his food. Every now and then his Aunt Jenny would stop to scoop some food into her son when he stopped and pushed the plate away.

Eventually, when she couldn't get any food beyond his closed mouth she had to accept that he'd had sufficient. Both boys then sat patiently for the mothers to finish, experience telling them that they wouldn't be allowed down from their chairs to go play in the hotel foyer. No use telling Little Heath of his plans to find a husband for Cate, Nicholas thought. His little best friend wouldn't understand. Increasingly bored he watched the minutes of the clock tick by, not really knowing what time it was but just watching the hands move clockwise around the face.

Finally, lunch was over and his mother made to get up. Both he and Little Heath had to suffer the indignity of being taken to the bathroom and then smartened up by their mothers before their hands were taken firmly in their mother's hands and they were walked down the busy sidewalk to the train station to meet their fathers.

When the train arrived at the station some twenty minutes later, both boys were besides themselves when they saw their fathers. They struggled to pull away from their mother's hands so they could run to them. It wasn't until the train had stopped and their fathers had finally alighted that Meg and Jenny finally let the boys have their wish. With swift feet they ran to their fathers who quickly put their bags down and swept their sons up in their arms. Meg and Jenny watched on with smiles on their faces at the little boys delight to be reunited with Heath and Nick.

After a few moments the brothers approached their respective spouses, sons in hand and kissed their wives whilst Nicholas asked excitedly if his father had brought him anything back from Fresno. "Wait and see little one," said Heath, breaking off from kissing his wife.

On the way back to the main part of town, Meg appraised Heath of her mother's impending visit and that the girls and the boys had prepared the lodge for the family fishing trip at the weekend.

"You coming, Nick?" Heath asked.

"I'll check with the boss and let you know," replied Nick, referring to Jenny, "She may just want me all to herself and who could blame her! She's been deprived of me these last few days." he joked and everybody laughed.

As they approached the stores, Heath took the opportunity to pop into one to buy some things that he needed. Putting Nicholas down, he went inside Doffelbuyer's Emporium to make his purchase.

Nicholas and Little Heath played a game on the sidewalk steps whilst their mothers and Nick kept an eye on them as they talked. The business trip had been successful and Nick told them of the deal that had been struck.

It was several minutes before Heath came out of the store with a disconcerting look on his face. Nicholas was oblivious and continued playing the game with Little Heath who was loosing to his older cousin and really was too small to play.

"What is it Heath?" said Meg, moving to her husband's side, concerned.

"I'll tell you when we get home and then, my dear," he added "we need to have a talk with our son over there."

'Oh dear," Meg said silently to herself, "What has Nicholas done now?"

A few days later Cate was still not talking to her little brother. Nicholas had apologized but Cate's fiery temper had not cooled in the interim. Justifiably, she felt a laughing stock and that her little brother had caused all the trouble.

Dramatically, she had declared that she would no longer go into town, not wanting to suffer the stares and snickering that would surely follow her down the street. Both her mother and grandmother had tried to calm her fears, but neither could penetrate her determined refusal to leave the mansion other than to go out for a ride.

Nicholas was very upset and no longer had a spark about him as he went around the house and the ranch. Heath had tried to keep his mind off things by keeping him busy and taking him out on his pony, Star, but each pointed rebuttal by his sister deepened the wound he felt.

After his talk with his father and mother he begun to realize what he had done was wrong, but didn't know how to make it right with his sister. He had tried to knock on Cate's bedroom door to apologize again, but she had told him to go away and not speak to her again. Unbeknownst to Nicholas that behavior had earned her censure from her father who, though sympathetic to what had happened to his daughter would not condone her continuing treatment of Nicholas. Stubborn Cate though still refused to accept her brother's apology and stayed in her room.

With just ten days just to go before the arrival of their Grandmother Elizabeth from New York, the Barkley mansion was not a happy place.

The young cowboy brought his horse to a halt and dismounted in front of the mansion. Brushing the dust from his clothes he paused to look around the place before mounting the steps to knock on the door.

Nicholas rushed to the door ahead of Silas and opened the door using two hands.

"Mornin' young man," the visitor drawled.

Nicholas recognized the cowboy from the hotel and was momentarily struck dumb. "Howdy!" he eventually said and was immediately grateful when Silas reached the door and ushered him gently to one side. "Can I help you?" the houseman asked of the tall cowboy. Little Nicholas slipped his hand into that of Silas and stood quiet and in awe, thinking this must be a sign.

"Name's Clay, sir. Clay Addams." The cowboy said taking off his hat. "I came to see if the boss is taking on hands. Owner's name is Barkley, right?"

"Mr. Heath Barkley, yes" Silas acknowledged. "Best to see the foreman about work. Mr. Barkley is not at home at present."

The cowboy nodded, understandingly, "Appreciate your help, sir. Sorry to be bothering you."

"T'ain't no bother. You'll find him over at the ranch house. Either there or over in the barn."

The cowboy moved to leave and then turned to shake the houseman's hand and that of the little boy. "Much obliged."

Nicholas and his brothers were sitting at a table practicing their reading out loud. It was Matty's turn to read and he carefully followed his finger reading out each word, stumbling over the new or more difficult words and showing growing confidence with those that he now knew. Their mother sat to the side listening and correcting occasionally whilst Anna sat on her lap looking at a book and her brother, George played on a rug nearby.

Every now and then Nicholas would look out of the window, his gaze fixed on the cowboy who was working off into the distance. Then it was his turn to read and he had to put his thoughts away. After reading, the boys had to practice their letters and it seemed ages before they were allowed to go out and play. Matty and James ran out quickly whilst Nicholas lagged behind. Meg was too busy seeing to George and Anna to notice and Nicholas wasn't watching when he bumped into his father in the foyer.

The collision caused his father to drop the papers he was carrying and the spectacles he always wore perched on the end of his nose. "Sorry Papa." Nicholas exclaimed realizing what he had done. His father bent low and together they picked up the scattered papers and glasses. "Something on your mind, son" Heath said, smiling, realizing that it was as much his fault as his son's.

Nicholas stretched across to hand his father his spectacles and studied the older man's face with a worried look on his own.

"C'mon,' his father encouraged. "We'll go into my study and you can tell me all about it."

Nicholas padded after his father and closed the door behind him.

Some ten minutes later Nicholas came to the end of explaining what was worrying him, finishing with the line: "Ya see Papa. I didn't say anything to the cowboy but he turned up anyway."

Heath looked puzzled.

"I didn't try to do any mtch.....mtch.... what's that word again, Papa?"

Suddenly it dawned on Heath what his son was talking about. "Matchmaking son."

"Matchmaking." Nicholas mimicked. "Honest I didn't and yet he just appeared? I didn't tell him about Cate wanting a husband, honest Papa. Do you think she'll be made at me all over again?"

Heath needed to put a stop to his son's overwrought imagination. As he saw it, Nicholas felt he was responsible for events even when they were outside his or anybody else's control. Somehow he had got it into his head that just because he smiled at the cowboy, the cowboy knew the kid was looking for a husband for his sister.

"Son," he said, putting his papers down and instead picking Nicholas up to sit on the desk in front of him. "The cowboy turned up yesterday simply looking for work. He wasn't, least ways as far as I know, looking for a wife. Now it's true that your talk around town has somewhat embarrassed Cate, but you meant well. Doesn't excuse what you did, but I know and deep down Cate knows too that there was no malice meant by it. You have apologized and that's an end of it now. I don't want you worrying about it any more. Men and women find each other in many ways. Cate will find her husband in her own good time and I hope it is someone she will genuinely love. In the meantime, you are a child, enjoy your childhood. Don't be in a rush to grow up too soon. I kinda like my son to be just what he is right now, a six year old boy having fun, not worrying about something he has no control over and over a mistake which he has already apologized for."

"But Cate?"

"Cate has already forgiven you. She just doesn't realize it yet. You watch son. When the hurt is less, she'll be your big sister again."

"She is always telling us to go away," Nicholas said, genuinely hurt.

"That might have something to do with you and your brothers putting itching powder in her beau's hat." Heath reminded him and then continued when Nicholas looked sheepishly apologetic. "It's just her age, Nicholas. She's quite a bit older than you, remember?"

Nicholas nodded.

"Feel better now?"

Nicholas nodded again and reached out his arms so he could be pulled on to his father's lap. "I love you Papa."

"And I love you too, Nicholas. I love you all." He put Nicholas down and watched his son scamper out of the room a much happier child than the one that had entered the study some thirty minutes previously. 'Now to help Cate,' he thought. As he thought, the papers on the desk forgotten for the moment, Meg walked in, carrying George. Approaching the desk, she bent low to kiss him and off-loaded their youngest son into his arms. He had to smile as he accepted George from her. It was an occupational hazard for a man with fifteen children. No sooner had one child vacated his lap then another one stepped in to fill it. And yet he wouldn't swap his life for the world. It suited him just fine.

The following weekend, eight of the Heath Barkleys and five of the Nick Barkleys made their way up to the lodge with their respective parents to enjoy a weekend of fishing and a family get together. With Thomas still away in England and Sean naturally preferring newly married life with his bride of four months, and Cate and Leah choosing to stay at the ranch with their grandmother Victoria and the twins, Heath and his remaining family of Jr, Josh, the girls, Victoria, Clara and Rosie and the littl'uns, Matty, Nicholas and James made quick work of emptying the wagon of themselves and a few provisions they brought with them to add to those already in the lodge. They had arrived slightly ahead of Nick and his family who would be staying in the smaller of the two lodges.

The littl'uns immediately ran upstairs to their room to claim their beds ahead of the girls and then just as quickly ran down stairs again where they began pestering their father to be allowed to go for a swim in the lake and then fishing.

Meg intervened. Clasping Matty's sweet and excited little face in her two hands she dropped a kiss to his brow and said, "It's a bit late in the day to go fishing now, honey. You help me get supper on and then we can have a spell around the camp fire by the lake before it's bedtime."

The smiles on the faces of Matty and his brothers turned downwards as a look of disappointment swept across their faces. "C'mon," Meg encouraged wanting to take their mind off their disappointment. "When we've cooked supper we can eat outside if you want and your Pa and Uncle Nick can tell us some stories around the fire?"

The smiles returned and the boys nodded as their mother ruffled their hair in turn. Little James rested his head against his father's pant leg, holding on to it whilst sucking on his thumb. A mixture of tiredness and disappointment at not being able to go fishing overcame him and Heath quickly bent down and picked him up. James let his head fall to his father's shoulder and held on tighter when his father dropped a kiss to the back of his neck.

"C'mon pardner," his father whispered into his ear. "You know your mother's right. And you know what. I reckon I'll be first up and ready to fish in the morning."

James' head shot up and the thumb instantly left his mouth. "No you won't, Papa. I'll be first up. You see!"

"Oh you will, will you? Well we'll see about that." Heath laughed.

Helping his mother set the table, Nicholas agreed that James would be first up. "He wakes us all up in the morning Papa. And if we turn over to go back to sleep he just comes round the other side of the bed and pesters us some more." Heath and Meg laughed. Both knew their son was an early riser and instrumental in waking his brothers up.

Later that evening the families of Heath and Nick sat around the campfire enjoying songs and stories of the adventures their fathers had got up to when they were younger. There was the time Uncle Nick won him a herd of sheep and then the time their father had doused for water and had Uncle Nick dig for it whilst he and Uncle Jarrod stood back and watched.

For every story that involved their Uncle Nick there were stories in equal measure about their father and Uncle Jarrod and before they knew it the early evening had passed and it was time for the younger ones to start being put to bed.

Over on the verandah Little Heath was being bathed by his mother and was objecting loudly to being made clean and ready for bed, neither of which appealed to the little fellow. When his mother went inside to retrieve his nightclothes which she had forgotten, she asked her daughter Laura to watch over him. "Sit still Little Heath," Laura was soon scolding. "Look you're spilling water all over the sides," she said pointing to the offending marks on the wooden boards.

"Go away!" Little Heath shouted splashing more water so it hit not only the floor but his sister too. Any attempt to do it again was brought to a swift halt when he found himself being pulled from his bath and sat on his mother's knee where he was immediately surrounded by a big fluffy white towel which like a cloud from the sky enveloped him in one. Bathed and dried he was in his nightclothes all too soon and crying as he was being carried off to bed.

"C'mon boys," Heath counseled his own four young'uns. Time for bed, too."

"Ahh Pa, do we have too?" Nicholas bemoaned, hoping his father had forgotten and that they could stay up longer. "You do if you want to be up and catching those fish in the morning. I bet your Uncle over there that Heath Barkley and his sons would be down at the water's edge and catching their first fish before he'd even opened his eyes in the morning. In fact I promised him fish for breakfast. Now you wouldn't want me to lose that bet, would you?"

The boys looked over to thier Uncle Nick for confirmation and Nick nodded in return. "We'll be up early, Pa. We promise," said Nicholas, not arguing anymore. Taking their mother's proffered hand they trundled back to the lodge, their eyes growing sleepier with each step that they took.

Little James took his father's hand and hitched up his pants with his other hand, their still being a size too big yet, having once been his older brother's. Playfully, Heath let James walk on his boots back to the lodge and then scooped him up to carry him the rest of the way and up to bed.

"So you're father thinks he can beat his older brother, does he?" Nick remarked to Heath's remaining children camped around the fire. "Well we'll soon see about that! Hasn't my little brother learned anything all these years?" he laughed, finding the joke more amusing as his laughter continued.

Heath felt a tug on his arm. He shook it off and tried to continue sleeping. The tug on his arm proved more persistent and this time a little voice accompanied it. "Papa! I have to go to the outhouse," it declared and instantly he knew the owner of the voice was Little James. Heath opened one eye and came eye level with his son's contorted face; his son's crossed legs and desperate clutching of his nightshirt indicated they needed to be quick.

Instinctively, Heath shot out of bed. "Okay son, okay. Papa's coming. C'mon. Let's go downstairs." Little James had come dressed only in his nightshirt and accompanied by his favorite toy but no shoes or jacket and despite the summer it was cold at night. Heath grabbed his shirt and put it around James' shoulders and then bundled him up close as he carried him downstairs.

Stepping out into the night air, Heath dressed only in longjohns and barefoot, padded somewhat painfully down the path to the outhouse and then waited for James to complete his business. "All done!" James declared proudly. The cold night air made Heath also want to go and he quickly stepped inside as James exited. Then the two set off back to the lodge. Suddenly, James stopped.

"Papa, can we go down to the water's edge?" he declared. "The fish might not be sleeping. I mean we're not so they might not be too!"

Now Heath loved his fishing, he'd fished since he was a boy and hunted too - had to in order to put food on the table. These days fishing was a pastime, not a necessity and he got to share it not only with his brothers but his sons too. Right now though his warm bed seemed mighty inviting. But there was just something about the way Little James said those words that Heath couldn't resist. "Okay son," he said grasping his son's hand. Let's go see if any of them are awake and ready to say howdy!"

Despite his bare feet, Little James skipped along side his father in the oversized shirt that was so long on his small body that it trailed on the floor. Heath felt the cold of the night air but the warmth of his son's company and together they sat on the edge of the small jetty; James safely sitting between his father's legs and held on to tightly lest he fall, and he and his Papa's legs dangling over the edge. "See any fish?" Heath asked. James peered down into the moonlit water, his eyes wide open and willing the fish to appear. "Not yet Papa? Maybe we should splash the water to let them know that we come visitin'." Heath let out an easy smile. "Well it don't quite work that way son. You see we need a hook and a line and some bait. And it's too late to be getting those now."

"But Papa! We have to catch a fish before Uncle Nick gets up. And iffn' we don't catch one now, he might win the bet."

"Now don't you worry about that, son. Your Papa knows just how to beat your Uncle Nick. I've been doing it most of my life. Your Uncle is just too stubborn to realize it yet."

They got up to go inside the house and Heath bent down to pick his son up. Just as he did so, they heard a splash and a fish shot out of the water and landed at their feet. "Papa! Look!" Little James exclaimed excitedly. As the fish flapped on the jetty, Heath picked it up and stared at it. "Oh boy, James. You're Uncle's never going to believe this!"

"Have we caught our first fish Papa?" James said, dancing excitedly.

"Well I don't think caught is how we can accurately describe it son, I think he just kind of gave himself up. Still he surrendered to us and not to your Uncle Nick so yes, I think it counts as our first fish. Nothin' in the rules about how we got our first fish, just that we get one!"

Nick couldn't help smiling. The dawn hadn't even blinked an eye open and he was ready and dressed to welcome it and get himself down to the lake to catch him some fish. More importantly the first fish of the day! "That brother of mine," he smiled, "even his ability to rise early to greet the sunrise won't beat me today!" He sat on his side of the bed and pulled on his boots, first one and then the other with a satisfied smile. "Little brother, time to remember you're the little brother in this relationship and to let your older brother show you how things are done."

"Nii..c.k..." Jenny moaned as she came awake. Her husband was not a quiet man in the morning and she had suffered in silence his jostling of the bed as he got up, then his whistling as he washed and got dressed and then his unsettling of the bed once more as he sat down and put his boots on.

She turned over sleepily and slowly came awake as she regarded with appreciation the broad back of her man. Though Nick was now fifty, he had looked after himself over the years, avoiding the paunch that seem to accompany other men who settled into middle age rather than fight it every step of the way. Not her Nick! To him, life was to be lived as though he was still twenty-five! She was lucky to have found him and he knew he felt the same way about her.

They'd had five children together. Lordy, how the man had sweated when she delivered him four daughters one after the other. Now there was no doubting the man loved his daughters, besotted would be a more accurate word, and spoilt them whenever he could, leaving Jenny to be the one to discipline them - so typical of a man - but there was an ache for a son which though silent screamed out to be heard and when, almost three years ago, Little Heath came into their lives a special joy filled his heart that made him complete. He had his family! Only she had a surprise for him this early summer's morning. There was going to be one more!

There he was whistling again. 'Alright Nick Barkley,' she thought. 'You want me awake, you got me awake, but you'll pay.' This little one I'm nurturing within me didn't get here on it's own and you can pay me some attention before I break you the news that you are going to be a father again.' She let her hand find the center of his back and roam free, and smiled triumphantly at the reaction she got as he turned around, shirt open, chest bare and took her in his arms bringing his lips down to hers. "Good mornin'" he drawled huskily as the kiss slowly ended and their lips broke apart. "Morning" she sighed dreamily, eyes closed and anticipating more. It was early, the children were asleep, the next hour could be theirs and then she would tell him, tell him the news she had known since yesterday.

"Well day's a wastin' and I got me a fish to catch and a half-crooked smile to wipe off my little smug brother's face!" Nick announced as he suddenly let her drop, albeit gently, back to the bed and got up to finish dressing. Stunned, she was still speechless when he bent down low to give her a quick peck and was still wanting for words and a lot more as he left the room, closing the door behind him. "But Nick!" she cried in a voice that didn't even reach the door, "We're going to have a baby!" And with that she turned over and thumped the pillow pretending it was Nick. "That!" she said, speaking to the baby, "Is your father. You better get use to the fact now!"

Heath woke up to his morning feeling a little guilty about the fish that had delivered itself to him and James the night before, but the chance to get one over on his older brother was downright irresistible as was the desire to create a little mischief where his brother was concerned.

Easing himself out of bed he made light work of getting washed and dressed before checking on Meg. With the twins under the care of their big sisters and grandmother and himself responsible for getting the children up that morning, he was glad that he hadn't disturbed her and that she continued to sleep. Forgoing a shave and using only his fingers to comb through his hair, he slipped out of the room with a lightness of foot that had graced him all his years and padded stockinged-foot down to the room in which his three youngest sons were sleeping.

Looking in through the door he could see that all three were still asleep. Little James was sleeping on his side with his thumb in his mouth and his other hand peeking out from under the covers. He was clearly tired from the night before and Heath reconsidered waking him and his brothers up until one of James' eyes slowly opened and then the other. Pretty soon his son's angelic face broke out into a wide smile.

"Mornin' son," Heath said softly, returning the smile his son had gifted, for it was indeed a wonderful gift.

Coming fully awake James sat up and wished his father good morning. Then, as was his way, he put his arms out to be picked up. With ease, Heath scooped him up, nestled him in his right arm and began waking Nicholas and Matty up, before moving, with James to where his older boys Jr and Josh were sleeping.

He found them awake and already getting dressed. "Be right with you Pa," the boys chorused on seeing their father, eager to get down to the lake and find a good spot for their day's fishing.

Returning to his younger sons' rooms where Nicholas and Matty were making quick work of getting dressed, he put James down on the bed and fetched a basin of water to begin sponging the sleep out of James' eyes. Casting a look at Nicholas and Matty he could guess from their rumpled appearance that no water had seen their faces that morning but it didn't really matter, all three of them would be thrown into a tub that evening by their mother. In the meantime they could get as dirty as they wanted because today was a day for them enjoying the beauty of the outdoors.

As Heath quickly began dressing James his son's constant chatter with his two brothers was in danger of getting them all sidetracked from their mission. Kneeling on the floor whilst his son rested an arm on his shoulder for balance, Heath attempted for the fourth time to get James to put his foot in his right pant leg, his efforts frustrated yet again when James got distracted and began talking to Nicholas again.

"James!" Heath chastised losing patience. James stopped talking and meekly put his leg in the pant leg and then the other, completing the task.

All three sons dressed, they went downstairs where they met up with their Jr and Josh and grabbed their fishing lines before going outside. Heath couldn't help smile when he saw his brother down by the water's edge.

"Pa!" Josh said despondently, "Uncle Nick's up before us. And look, he's caught three fish already! We should have got up earlier!"

"Don't worry son. Last night James and I did a little fishing of our own." Heath replied. He then took them to where the fish had been stored in the ice box and told them the story about how the fish had surrendered itself up to their father's and brother's custody!

"Well must be lunch time!" Nick joked as Heath and his boys made their way down to join him at the lakeside. Heath set about getting the fire going, ignoring his brother's attempt to goad him. He winked at his own sons who just smiled, although Nicholas was itching to tell. Heath put a finger to his lips in response, the gesture silencing the boy who was simply excited.

"Pa? Is it okay if Josh and I find a spot down the lake. We won't go far, promise?" Jr asked. Heath nodded. "I'll shout when breakfast is ready." Both boys found their way into a small boat and began rowing out to the center of the lake. The little ones watched them until they got out of sight.

Josh and Jr had proper fishing rods whilst they were going to fish from the jetty with fishing lines their father had made for them.

"I was thinking we'd have fish for breakfast, Nick" Heath commented quietly, not drawing attention to his actions or his words.

"Okay by me," Nick responded. "Here, you can use these three I caught this morning," he said offering the small fish, a triumphant smile forming on his face.

"Thanks Nick. I'll add it to mine. Should make a good breakfast for us all this morning."

"YOURS!" Nick expelled, the smile instantly disappearing from his face as he caught sight of the trout Heath pulled out from the basket. So confident had he been that he had won their bet he struggled for his next words. "You...you must have brought that with you!" he said, going on the attack. "I've been out here over an hour, catching these."

"Ah yes Nick, but Little James and I were out here last night."

"Last night? You never said you were doing some night fishing! Downright sneaky if you ask me!"

"Trout for breakfast, Nick?" Heath replied, winking once more at his sons who couldn't stop giggling as they saw their uncle turn various shades of red.

"You're trying to tell me that fish just jumped out of the water and landed down at your feet!" Nick said incredulously. Not trusting his brother's story one bit, he added, " I wasn't born yesterday, you know."

"Yes." Heath replied, digging a fork into the fish he'd just cooked and putting it to his mouth.

"Yes what?"

"Yes, that's what happened and yes, I know you weren't born yesterday, Nick."

"Don't get funny with me, boy."

Heath's face gave nothing away. "No, Nick, I won't," he replied with deadly seriousness.

Little Nicholas who was sitting next to his Uncle Nick eating his breakfast watching the exchange, wondered why his older brothers were laughing and looked at his uncle quizzically. He put his fork down and tugged at his uncle's sleeve with his now free hand. "Uncle Nick, why do you keep calling my Papa, boy? He's not a boy."

Nick who was still trying to work out how his brother had got one over on him, stared down at his young nephew, thinking how to explain. He'd used the term "boy" with affection for thirty years where his brother was concerned and it was second nature to him now.

"Well....." he began, realizing it wasn't all that easy to explain to a six year old boy. "Well..." he began again. "Well," he started for the third time. "You see, you're father has always been my little brother and younger brothers sometimes need to be reminded who the older brother is. You're father over there, he sometimes forgets you see, he thinks he can get one by me from time to time. Like telling me a fish just upped and gave himself up!"

"But he did Uncle Nick," James exclaimed. "He jumped right out of the water and landed just there!" he said gesturing towards the jetty. "My Papa, doesn't lie!" he continued, getting upset and running over to his father.

Nick realized their brotherly banter had gone too far and the little one's were beginning to think their father and uncle had fallen out. As Heath comforted James and Nicholas continued to look at his uncle quizzically, still not understanding why he called his father boy, Nick grew uncomfortable under the collar and sought to change the subject quickly.

"Well now. Let's say we forget about bets and who got the first fish and decide on how we are going to spend the day." Trying to make friends again with James who still had his little arms wrapped around Heath, he asked, "James, you want to come fishing with me and Little Heath today?"

James was unforgiving and vigorously shook his head, holding on even tighter to his father.

Nick looked defeated and looked to Heath for help. Somehow he had become the villain of the piece and he didn't know how to fix it.

Heath whispered in his son's ear and James shook his head. Heath persevered and eventually James nodded and slid from his father's lap. Standing up, he looked at his father. Heath nodded encouragingly. Slowly, James padded over to his Uncle Nick and stared up at him. "Okay," he said.

Nick knew not to push it. A truce had been declared between the two men but the situation remained delicate between him and James.

"Well okay then, young man. You finished breakfast?" he enquired.

James nodded.

"Well come on then, we'll go fetch Little Heath and find ourselves a good spot by the river."

James said nothing, the only gesture that he had forgiven his uncle being the hand he placed in his Uncle's hand as they both walked back up to the lodge. Nick feeling the small hand squeezed it tight and by the time they re-emerged from the lodge with Little Heath, both uncle and nephew were laughing again.

...Continued