The Tasting Spoons
Interlude 8
by Lindabrit

Disclaimer: The characters and situations of the TV program "Big Valley" are the creations of Four Star/Republic Pictures and have been used without permission. No copyright infringement is intended by the author. The ideas expressed in this story are copyrighted to the author.

Victoria Barkley sincerely loved her only daughter Audra, which didn't stop her from wanting to choke the girl occasionally! It wasn't that there was a shred of malice in Audra, she never consciously intended to hurt or embarrass anyone, it was her youthful enthusiasm that was her downfall, all too often she rushed into speech without considering the consequences first. Sometimes it was Audra herself who wound up disconcerted and embarrassed, other times, as now, it was somebody else that the girl's artless words caused to be made uncomfortable.

Too bad it had to be Heath, thought Victoria. The quiet, naturally courteous young man was trying desperately hard to adapt to his new life and in the main he was succeeding. He had only been at the ranch a few weeks but he had done much to begin to earn a grudging acceptance from even his sternest critics. The trail drive had done much to reconcile Nick to sharing his authority over the ranch with his new brother and Jarrod had, from the outset, shown an admirable willingness to befriend and help his younger sibling.

Victoria herself was quietly learning to love him like a son of her own, there was too much of Tom in him for her to ever have repulsed him, but as they got to know one another, she swiftly learned to love Heath for himself. His honesty and his innate gentleness, which she could see beneath the sometimes simmering rage, endeared him to her and she felt his own affection for her growing too. Their shared experience in Strawberry had set the bond between them indelibly and every day he had been with the family, Victoria counted blessed.

The two youngest Barkleys greeted the inclusion of the newcomer in the family in markedly different ways, Audra welcomed Heath warmly, treating him from the first with the same affectionate sisterly teasing that found favour with her other older brothers. By contrast, Eugene was almost openly hostile, His initial suspicions of the stranger in their midst yielding at last, but swiftly replaced by jealousy of the place Heath was carving for himself in the hearts of the rest of the family.

Gene was not due home from school for a few more weeks so Victoria was quite at ease, not fearing any slight to Heath as the family gathered for a light Sunday lunch. She had cured and baked a magnificent ham and it was meltingly delicious. There were fresh tomatoes, picked from the garden vines an hour ago and fried potatoes. Silas had made a large bowlful of perfect mayonnaise, flavoured with chopped green chives and parsley, a wonderful accompaniment to the meat.

It was the mayonnaise that had caused the awkward moment. Heath had lifted the spoon from the dish cocking an eyebrow at Silas and asking quietly, "what's this?"

Then Audra had struck, "oh Heath! Surely you've tasted mayonnaise before, why we have it all the..."

Her voice died miserably away as she realized her gaffe and watched her new brother flush up to the roots of his hair.

Victoria closed her eyes with annoyance, opening them again to see that tears trembled on the ends of Audra's long lashes. The child had meant no harm of course, if she would simply think before speaking. Nick was nailing his sister with a look that boded ill for her later and there was a reproving frown in Jarrod's austere eyes too. Silas however rose to the occasion as only he could, picking up a small teaspoon and dipping it into the mayonnaise.

He held the spoon out to Heath with a calm smile, "eggs, cream, mustard lemon juice and herbs, you may find it a little rich Sir."

Heath obediently tasted the creamy sauce, wrinkling his nose, "can't say I care for it Sis," he smiled at Audra, earning himself a tremulously grateful smile from her.

Victoria's heart went out to him, he was every inch a gentleman this young man, his father would have been so proud of him. The uneasy moment was over and the rest of the meal passed off pleasantly enough.

Victoria was thoughtful that afternoon as she drove over to visit her friend Minnie Perlman, such moments were to be expected, Heath had known the tender love of his devoted mother Leah and that of her friends, Hannah and Rachel but life had offered him little else in the way of privileges. There must be many things, aspects of his new life that would benefit from explanation, but how did one do that without patronising or talking down to Heath? Victoria resolutely thrust the problem to the back of her mind as her buggy pulled up at the Perlman house, she would talk to Silas about the matter later, she wanted to thank him for stepping into the breech at lunch anyway.

Silas had cleared the lunch dishes and straightened up the dining room, he was back in the kitchen now, shelling peas. He intended to serve roast duck for dinner, with that orange relish that Mr Jarrod liked so much and it crossed his mind that Heath had probably never tasted that either. In fact there must be a goodly number of sauces, relishes, pickles and the like that had never come the young man's way before. Silas sure hoped Miss Audra didn't show him up again! It was then that the idea came to him.

Silas and Heath had struck up an immediate friendship when the younger man had first arrived at the ranch. Silas had been struck by Heath's resemblance to Tom Barkley, the man to whom Silas owed his life and he had felt instant affection for the angry young stranger in the family's midst. He had won Heath out of his taciturnity without effort and had told him to ask him anything he wanted, to come to him anytime he needed for help or information about the house, the family, or anything else.
It was an invitation Heath had many times availed himself of in the last few weeks and Silas had done much to put the new member of the family at his ease.

Silas thought he could help his young friend again now and by golly he aimed to do it too. He spent the next hour pouring, mixing, stirring, simmering and generally assembling all the things he wanted and then he went in search of Heath. He found him in the gunroom cleaning rifles and asked if Heath wouldn't mind giving him a hand in the kitchen a moment. Heath agreed at once and accompanied Silas to the kitchen, He stood blinking at the array of little dishes, plates jugs and jars laid out on the kitchen table.

"Silas, what is all this?"

"Tasting spoons," smiled Silas.

"What?"

Silas swept a hand over the table, "this here's about all the different sauces, relishes, pickles and suchlike that we serve in this house. Now you sit down right here and I'll give you a tasting spoon of each one and you can decide privately which ones you like and which you don't."

Heath smiled at the kindly old man, "much obliged Silas, why don't I do just that!"


For the next quarter of an hour, Silas helped Heath to systematically taste all the things arrayed on the table. Some he didn't like but others he did and knowing what a fast learner he was, Silas had no doubt that there would be no more awkward moments for Heath at the Barkley dining table. Heath was especially taken with the orange relish that Silas made for Jarrod's delectation, asking for a second spoon to taste and brightening when the old man assured him it would be served with the duck that very evening.

When Victoria arrived home again, Silas brought her tea, without her having had to ask for it.

"Oh thank you Silas, the very thing I need, I'm parched. Silas, I felt so sorry for Heath at lunchtime, I wish I knew how to help him without offending him."

The servant beamed at her, "that's all taken care of Ma'am, Mr Heath has spent some time in the kitchen with me this afternoon, he's had a tasting spoon of every blessed thing I could think of and he knows what he likes and doesn't like now."

Victoria smiled mistily at him, "bless you Silas, he didn't take offence did he?"

"Not at all, Mr Heath and I are pretty good friends."

"Yes I know you are and I know how much you have done to help him settle down here, I hope you know I'm grateful Silas."

The old man looked into her eyes, "no thanks needed Ma'am, just having him here is reward enough. He seems to get more like his father every day, just looking at him warms my heart."

"Mine too," whispered Victoria.

Silas said, "it...doesn't upset you then Ma'am, make your loss hurt all the more?"

"Oh no, no not at all, what you say is true, he is a visual reminder of his father, but one that I can look at without pain. I keep thinking how proud Tom would have been of him."

"Yes he would Ma'am, he would indeed," smiled Silas, going quietly away to finish the preparations for dinner.

When the family reassembled for dinner that evening Jarrod sniffed the air, "would that be Silas's famous roast duck I can smell?"

"Yes," smiled Victoria as Silas entered bearing the renowned duck on a silver salver.

Jarrod started to carve and soon everyone was served, Silas set down a small dish at Heath's elbow, murmuring respectfully, "there you are Sir, as promised."

Jarrod looked on in alarm as Heath said gratefully, "thanks Silas!"
Heath then proceeded to empty the dish onto his plate, oblivious to the look of startled horror on his eldest brother's face.

"Er...Heath do you know what that is?" The lawyer's question was making it hard for the rest of the family to keep a straight face.

"Of course I do," beamed Heath. It's Silas's orange relish, he makes it for me special!"

Nick abandoned the attempt to hide his amusement laughing his head off and Audra and Victoria joined in. Jarrod turned wounded eyes on the old retainer, "Silas?"

"Never fret Mr Jarrod, this here's your very own dish of relish," smiled Silas, speaking as he might to a six year old as he set the dish down at Jarrod's elbow.

The lawyer grinned, "that's more like it, thank you Silas!"

Silas handed a third dish to his mistress, "I made another dish for the rest of the family Ma'am."

Victoria's eyes were alight with laughter, "thank you Silas, I think maybe that was wise!"

THE END