The Christmas Dinner
Christmas Childhood Trilogy -- Story Two

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.

Tom Barkley had known that Nicholas would not wait until a civilized hour before demanding possession of his Christmas pony. On balance, he felt the boy had done well to remain patiently in bed until 5am and had raised no objections to being dragged from his own warm bed at that hour by the excited eleven year old.

Tom had insisted that Nick put on warm clothes and had quietly dressed himself so as not to waken Victoria. His beloved wife had recently given birth to their third son Eugene and she was still very tired, especially since little Audra, the apple of her Papa's eye was now a lively toddler approaching two years of age and bidding fair to be more of a handful than even his terrible tiger Nick had been as a little one.

At eleven, Nick was tall, rangy and so utterly fearless that he careered from one death-defying scrape to another and his mother had been heard to say that it would be a miracle if he survived into adulthood, so determined was he to kill himself in one of his crazy pranks. Victoria and Tom had engaged in a heated debate about the wisdom of giving Nick his own pony, but the child had pleaded so hard and so earnestly that his father had agreed to bestow one on him for Christmas.

Victoria had deep misgivings about it, already, Nick roamed the extensive Barkley lands at will and having the pony was only going to make it easier for him to explore every hazardous corner of the ranch. Tom did point out that it made little difference, the boy already sneaked a remuda horse whenever he wanted to roam anyway, all they were really doing was ensuring that he had a mount more suitable to his needs than one of the big, powerful cattle-trained horses in the remuda.

At length, his wife had recognized the truth of Tom's arguments and Nick had been informed that if he kept out of trouble until Christmas, he would then be given a pony of his own. He didn't manage to stay out of trouble of course, but he tried and Tom considered the attempt a worthy one. Trouble and Nick pretty much went hand in hand and his parents were smart enough to know that his boyhood was going to bear little resemblance to Jarrod's trouble-free and tranquil childhood.

Fifteen year old Jarrod had been quiet and studious from the start, he had kicked up his share of boyhood larks but he had sailed serenely through school and the rest of his life, whereas Nick's impulsive nature and hot temper meant that he lurched from one crisis to the next. Tom was philosophical about the differences between his two older boys, perceptively realizing that though they appeared vastly different on the surface. The elder, cool, intelligent and logical, the younger, rash, impulsive and fierce, yet there were deep similarities in their natures also. Both were good-hearted and kind, brave and honest and despite their divergent personalities, they were devoted to one another.

Having dispensed with unnecessary things like washing or combing his unruly dark hair, Nick pulled on his boots and grabbed his sheepskin coat and his hat, he burst unceremoniously into big brother Jarrod's bedroom and shook the gangly fifteen year old awake.

"Hey! Jarrod wake up! I'm going to get my pony now, want to come riding with me?"

Jarrod clutched the bedclothes around him, refusing to move from the beatific warmth and condescended to open one eye. He looked at his importunate younger brother without enthusiasm.

"What time is it?"

"I don't know," growled Nick impatiently, "what does it matter? It'll be light soon, are you coming with me or not?"

Jarrod closed the eye again, "come and ask me again when it is light, in fact when it's been light for quite a while! Now go away before I beat you senseless."

"You and what army?" Nick dragged the bedclothes off his brother, drawing a yell of protest and Tom Barkley's tall figure appeared in the doorway.

"Quiet boys!"

The two boys subsided obediently in the face of this peremptory command and Nick turned hazel eyes sparkling with mischief on his sire. Tom was not proof against that glowing look and he smiled at his son whose body was literally quivering with excitement.

"Go downstairs quietly and fix us a glass of milk and some cookies, we can't go riding on an empty stomach Nick."

Nick thundered down the landing and Tom laughed into Jarrod's vivid blue eyes, which were now open. Father and son had the same deep blue eye colour but there the resemblance ended, both Jarrod and Nick were dark haired like their mother, while Audra had inherited her father's blond good looks.

"I don't believe that boy knows the meaning of the word quiet," remarked Tom.

Jarrod sat up, vigorously rubbing his head to wake himself up and Tom smiled. "Snuggle back down Son, no need for you to be up at the crack of dawn too."

Jarrod shook his head, "no it's all right Father, I'll bet Audra will be on the move soon and I'll try to keep her out of Mother's hair for a while. Let her and the baby sleep a little longer if they can."

"Bless you Son," said Tom, pleased with the youngster's thoughtfulness for his mother.

"I'd better go and see if I can keep Nicholas from breaking his neck before we get any Christmas dinner!"

Tom had picked a good pony and knew that Nick would be happy with his choice, he managed to make the boy swallow a glass of milk and a cookie or two then they headed for the barn, Nick dancing with excitement all the way and running ahead of Tom to throw open the door into the barn. He had tried to sneak out of the house several times on Christmas eve to get a look at his new mount but Tom had not brought the pony over from a neighbouring spread until late the previous night and Nick had been asleep by then.

Entering the barn Nick's excited eyes swept the stalls until they rested on a sturdy, handsome pony, midnight black with a peppering of grey spots across his rump and four white feet. His mane and tail were grey and his broad, intelligent face was spattered with grey spots too. He was beautiful and he looked both powerful and fast. Nick stood stock still in the centre of the barn, just staring at the handsome creature, then his glowing eyes sought his father, entering the barn in his wake.

Tom smiled at the awed expression in his second son's eyes. "Like him?"

Nick's tone was reverential, "like him? He...he's beautiful Papa! He's just perfect."

Tom smiled indulgently, "go ahead and get acquainted with him."

Nick approached the pony carefully and Tom watched approvingly as the boy gently talked to his new friend, handling him sensitively, not spooking the pony by being over-excited. Nick led him out of his stall and examined his new treasure minutely. Turning at last to Tom and hugging his father rapturously.

"Thank you Papa, thank you, I love him, I really love him."

Tom returned the hug, ruffling Nick's hair and smiling down at the slightly tearful youngster. "The minute I saw him, I knew he was the horse for you, I bought him from a fellow across the other side of the valley, he got him for his daughter, but the pony was too strong for her. You won't have any trouble holding him though."

"How old is he?"

"He's five, a little green maybe but if you treat him right the two of you will learn together."

"What's his name Papa?" Nick's face clouded with anxiety, you couldn't trust girls to name horses, they picked stupid sissy names!

"I think you'll like it," his father reassured him, "he's called Ranger."

Nick inspected the exquisitely marked pony, "Ranger huh? Yeah, I like that fine, it suits him."

Minutes later, father and son were mounted up and cantering away across Sky meadow and for the next hour a deliriously happy Nick tried the paces of his new pony. Ranger was strong and swift, but Nick had a lot of wiry strength in his rangy body and held the horse effortlessly. He felt an instant affinity with Ranger and to Tom's experienced eye, the pony seemed as satisfied with his rider as Nick clearly was with his mount.

When Tom declared that it was time to head home he expected rebellion and he got it. Nick turned his most beseeching gaze on his sire, "couldn't I ride Ranger a while longer, all by myself, couldn't I Sir, please?"

Tom relented, "all right, but only another hour, then your mother will want you home for breakfast and the present opening. Don't let me down Nicholas or you'll feel my hand, Christmas or not, understood?"

"Yessir!"

Tom returned to the house to find Jarrod up and dressed, amusing his little sister and Victoria only just stirring and preparing to feed the baby. An hour passed and the rest of the family were assembled ready for breakfast but of Nicholas and Ranger, there was no sign. Tom reined in his displeasure, remembering his own childhood joy when he got his own pony. The family proceeded to have breakfast and then gathered in the big living room for the grand opening of the presents.

Nick was still not back and by now Tom's frown was black. Victoria tried to intercede but Tom shook his head, "I told him when to be back and I warned him what would happen if he disobeyed me, if he wants his Christmas day ruined by a licking, I'll be happy to oblige him!"

Jarrod stood up smiling, "why don't I go find him?"

Tom nodded, "all right Son, thank you."

Jarrod hastily saddled his own horse and took off across the meadow, if he found Nick and got him home fast, he might be able to help his pesky little brother avoid punishment. In fact, he saw him almost at once, his figure silhouetted against the skyline on the far edge of the north ridge. Jarrod beat down a spurt of alarm, Nick was on foot. The boy spurred his horse towards his younger brother and as he got closer, he could see that Nick was leading his new pony, on whose back sat a woman, holding a baby.

As he neared Nick, Jarrod's startled gaze saw that his brother had many other companions too and he wondered what on earth had happened. Reaching the cavalcade of people, Jarrod pulled up his horse and came at once to Nick's side.

"You all right Nick?"

The younger boy nodded vigorously, "I'm fine Jarrod. These people were in three wagons headed south but they were jumped last night by raiders and they took most everything they had. All their money, their horses and food too." Nick hesitated, looking somewhat sheepishly at Jarrod, unsure if he had done the right thing or not. "I told them...I told them they could come and have Christmas dinner with us."

Jarrod's vivid gaze swept the weary and bedraggled group of unfortunate settlers, there were clearly three families and looked to be about twenty-five people in all. With a slightly sinking heart Jarrod contemplated the reaction of his parents when he and Nick returned with the unexpected guests, but in the same instant he knew that both Tom and Victoria Barkley would expect nothing less of either of their sons. He smiled reassuringly at Nick.

"Quite right Nick, you did the right thing, lets get these people in out of the cold."

To Nick's relief, his formidable father took the same view, looking down at Nick, a rueful smile on his face and shaking his head. "Nicholas, why is it you're just a magnet for trouble Son?"

He shook his head when Nick started to apologize, "you did the right thing Nick, these people need food and rest and help to get their goods and animals back."

"Can I help Sir?"

Tom smiled at the eager question, "yes Nick you can, you and Jarrod can stay here and help your mother and Silas take care of these folks."

This was not exactly what Nick or Jarrod wanted to do but both were wise enough to do as Tom bade them. Tom himself roused his men and set off in pursuit of the bandits, rightly judging that they would not have gone far, but would probably have settled down to a drunken feast with what they had taken. His hunch proved correct and the ensuing gunfight was one-sided and brief. The raiders were rounded up and a detail of men took them into Stockton to the Sheriff.

Returning to his home, Tom went inside to find his wife and older sons waiting on the hungry travellers as they all partook of a hearty Christmas dinner. Tom joined in, helping out with the serving and later making suitable sleeping arrangements for all the unexpected visitors to spend the night with the Barkleys in as much comfort as they could.

An age later, having eaten a hastily scrambled together dinner of whatever humble fare was left after feeding their guests, the Barkley family found itself a relatively peaceful corner in it's over- crowded house and settled down at last to the opening of it's presents. Tom Barkley gathered his second son into his lap and held him close for a moment.

Nick smiled up at the man he hero-worshipped, "you're not mad at me are you Papa?"

"Of course not Son, I'd have been mad if you hadn't brought those unfortunate people home with you."

Nick grinned at him, "I am a magnet for trouble though, aren't I?"

Tom returned the grin, "let's just say that bringing twenty-seven unexpected guests to Christmas dinner isn't the kind of thing that happens to most boys."

Nick's hazel eyes glowed with love, "Merry Christmas Papa, thank you for Ranger, I love him so much and...and I love you."

Tom kissed the boy who was so much the son after his own heart, "Merry Christmas Nick, I love you too!"

THE END