Young Nick

Tale Two -- The Bridge

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.

Chapter One

A Morning Ride

Victoria Barkley tenderly drew the quilt up over the thin shoulders of her three year old son Eugene and held a hand to his forehead. She smiled at Silas hovering anxiously beside her and whispered, “nice and cool, not a trace of fever.”

The servant beamed, “well done Ma’am, that’s good nursing from his Mama has gotten him well again.”

Victoria shook her head, “oh no you don’t! It was a joint effort and you know it, those potions of yours beat anything the doctor can prescribe, I’m very grateful Silas.”

The black man’s gentle eyes shone, he was devoted to this family and to this woman in particular, he asked nothing better than to share their lives and knowing that his care had aided little Eugene’s recovery from a serious bout of pneumonia was satisfaction enough for him.

Silas crossed to the window and looked out, appraising the weather, “a fine morning Mrs. Barkley.”

Victoria’s attention was still on her little son and she agreed rather absently. Her servant came to stand beside her and spoke persuasively, “now see here Ma’am, you’ve been tied to the house for weeks on end nursing Eugene and neither you nor little Audra have had a morsel of fresh air for far too long. Why don’t you take your little girl for a nice ride before the rain sets in?”

Victoria looked out of the window, “Tom did say it was likely to rain later,” she thought longingly of her grey mare Frosty, a ride would indeed be delightful. She glanced down at the peacefully sleeping toddler.

“I’ll take real good care of him Ma’am,” said Silas reading her thoughts, “shall I tell them to saddle your mare?”

Victoria couldn’t resist, “yes please Silas, I’ll change and get Audra. You’re absolutely right, she and I both need a canter in the fresh air.

In a short space of time Victoria was running lightly down the broad sweeping staircase, an excited and chattering Audra beside her. Both mother and daughter were dressed for riding and Audra was urgently asking over and over, “but when is my papa getting me my own pony Mama? When, when, when?”

Victoria swung the four year old up into her arms and laughingly kissed her, “very soon Darling, very soon, until then you’ll just have to help Mama ride Frosty.”

Audra shook her head and set her determined little chin, “No! I’m almost a big girl now and I want my own horse.”

By the time they reached the barn Ciego was already leading the saddled Frosty out and he assisted Victoria into the saddle and tenderly lifted the excited little girl into the saddle in front of her mother.

“Bad rainstorm later Senora, you come back in an hour or so por favor.”

“I will,” promised his mistress and set her willing mare in motion.

The promised rainclouds could be seen far off but for the moment at least the morning was warm and sunny, the atmosphere fresh with the promise of Spring. Victoria sniffed the air appreciatively, Silas had been quite right, she and poor little Audra had hardly stirred from the big house in recent weeks, as Eugene’s infection had run its perilous course. This breath of air and exercise was just what she needed to lift her flagging spirits. The little boy had been extremely ill and his mother had no doubt that Silas and his home medicines had played a large part in the child’s recovery.

She thought back to the day, now long past, when Silas had first come to this place with Tom Barkley. Then it had been six year old Jarrod, her first born son, who had been stricken with pneumonia and he had been more gravely ill than Eugene. Indeed, the doctor had told her to be prepared for the worst and she had known he was right, death was already etching deep lines into the little boy’s face. She had nursed her child with fierce devotion, all alone, For Tom was absent on a business trip and she had no way of contacting him. Then, miraculously, he had arrived home late one Winter evening, just as brave little Jarrod appeared to be on the brink of losing his fight for survival, bringing with him a thin, quiet black man, Silas.

Victoria, rapidly reaching exhaustion point, had barely registered his presence but the stranger with a gentle voice had advised her husband to carry his wife to her bed and leave him to care for the child. She had allowed herself to be tended, knowing that she could do nothing more for Jarrod now and in her heart, she had thought that next morning when she awoke, he would be dead.

It had not happened, when she awoke late into the next morning, having slept soundly for many hours, it was to find the unassuming visitor in tranquil control of the household and little Jarrod sitting up in bed taking nourishment. Victoria would never forget the sweetness of the little boy’s smile and his words, “Silas has made me better Mama.”

He was not, of course, well yet, but certainly a thousand times better than he had been the previous night and to Victoria, this seemed miracle enough.

He had, explained the deferential man, ventured to administer a remedy of his own making and he rather thought it was doing the dear little boy good. She had tried to thank him and ended up indulging in a hearty bout of tears that did much to ease the strain on her over stretched nerves. To her amazement, in addition to his nursing of Jarrod, Silas had found time to do much more and the cottage where they were living had been swept and the fire made up and boisterous two year old Nicholas was playing contentedly in a makeshift holding pen in the corner near the fire. She had known then that an extraordinary man had entered her life and every day since that far off time, Victoria Barkley counted Silas’s presence in her household as a blessing from heaven itself.

She laughed as her tiny daughter urged her to go faster and set Frosty cantering across Sky meadow, reveling in her sudden sense of freedom and feeling her jaded spirits lift with the fresh air and exercise. Reining in again on the far side of the meadow, with Audra’s delighted laughter ringing in her ears she thought wryly that it was a good thing to try to escape one’s worries for a while, certainly her own seemed to weigh very heavily just at present.

She chided herself mentally for this dismal thought, after all, not everything was doom and gloom, three year old Eugene was steadily recovering and her other little child, her darling only daughter Audra was in perfect health. Her eldest son Jarrod was also well and happy, immersed in his second year law studies at Berkeley, already winning prizes for scholarship and clearly destined to make his parents proud. Victoria sighed as she rode slowly along the edge of the ridge towards the next piece of open range, if all was well with three of her children, the same could not be said of the fourth, her middle son Nicholas, now a strapping fifteen year old who was proving to be a constant worry to herself and to his father Tom.

Life was not running smoothly for Tom Barkley at this time, his growing ranch and business interests absorbed most of his time and he was beginning to lose patience with Nicholas, who seemed to have spent the last year tumbling into a series of scrapes and misadventures, each one a little more serious and dangerous than the last. Tom had talked to him, lectured him, exhorted him to do better and finally, in desperation punished him several times too.

It was not, thought Victoria, that there was any real bad in young Nick, indeed the boy had many sterling qualities. He was honest, hard-working and brave, capable of toiling beside his father on the ranch, gentle with his younger siblings and always respectful to his parents. It was just that he seemed to thirst for constant adventure and it was evidently not provided by his life on the ranch.

It was such a shame, thought Victoria, because less than a year ago, all had seemed to augur well for Nick’s future, he had tried his best to master the highly strung chestnut gelding Dundee bought for him by his father and when that horse had injured him, he had taken the loss of the horse well. Then he had helped his father clear a piece of land, which Tom had won in a bet, working tirelessly to prove himself. Tom had rewarded him with a powerful cutting horse called Coco and the boy had trained the animal superbly.

Subsequently, Tom had allowed Nick to accompany him to a Cattlemens Association meeting in Stockton, during the course of which, Nick had twice had opportunities to demonstrate to his father that he was growing up and maturing into a responsible young man. Tom had been pleased with Nicholas and proud too and he had remarked to Victoria that the boy was coming on just fine. Victoria sighed, since then it was no exaggeration to say that very little had gone right with Nick, he had disappointed his father a good few times over the last few months and his mother felt sure that he was feeling the absence in his daily life of elder brother Jarrod who had always been a very positive influence.

Reining in her mare at the end of the low ridge, Victoria glanced up at the rapidly darkening sky, the weather was closing in fast, time to head for home before she and Audra were drenched. Turning her horse, Victoria headed for a wide, fast moving creek that ran along the western edge of Sky meadow. At this end of it, there was a small bridge that would take her to the road approaching the ranch house and cut her return to the ranch by half the time. It was not a proper bridge, just a rope and timber makeshift that Tom didn’t bother to make more solid as it was often carried away when heavy rain swelled the creek.

The pretty grey mare headed confidently toward the bridge with her double burden and away in the distance Victoria thought she could see two young horsemen. They were sitting up tall in their saddles and appeared to be watching her progress. Victoria realized that it must be Nick and his good friend and frequent partner in crime Carl Wheeler. The two boys had arranged to ride out this morning though Nick was pledged to join his father on the range after lunch to help move the herd. She waved to the two boys and urged Audra to wave too, then she turned her mare away from the boys and trotted down to the little bridge. As her back was now toward Nick and Carl, Victoria didn’t see the boys hesitate momentarily and then spur their horses toward her, galloping in her wake with sudden, desperate urgency.

Chapter Two

A Dangerous Game

Essentially, it had begun by accident, they had simply been taking a shortcut home, both late for their respective evening meals and likely to catch it hot if they showed up late for one more meal. Carl Wheeler had been in the lead and as he cantered over the flimsy bridge, the ropes, stretched by the hot dry weather had slipped and the logs making up the bridge had begun to roll under the frightened hooves of Carl’s snorting horse. The boy had spurred to the other side of the creek and safety and horse and rider were in one piece, which was more than could be said for the bridge, logs splashing into the muddy trickle of the creek.

Nick was totally unable to help his friend. In fact he couldn’t even keep his seat on his horse, he was laughing so hard and he fell to earth clutching his aching sides as waves of renewed laughter washed over him. Still breathing hard from his near-miss, Carl regarded Nick balefully, “it ain’t that funny,” he growled.

Nick sat up grinning at his friend, “sure it is!”

“Yeah? Let’s see you try it then big mouth!”

It had been as simple as that, Nick had accepted the challenge without the slightest hesitation and a new and hazardous sport was born. The bridge, which had, on that first occasion, been loosened by accident, was now made unsafe quite deliberately by the two intrepid boys. They then took it in turns to race their horses over the flimsy structure and reach safety on the other side without a ducking in the creek.

Most times they triumphed over the shifting logs and on the rare occasions either boy took a dive into the muddy water, it was blandly explained away at home as a simple fall from their mount. Since Nick had acquired Coco he had steadfastly refused to risk this precious animal in the game, he always rode a remuda horse instead. Carl tried to goad him into using Coco but Nick was not to be persuaded, in his heart he knew this was a stupid and dangerous pastime and he would have cut off his own leg before chancing a break in one of Coco’s, even if Carl Wheeler called him chicken!

Today, the two boys had agreed to meet right after breakfast and have a little fun before both spent the afternoon helping their respective fathers work the cattle. They had decreed a contest of best of five runs across the bridge and to his satisfaction Nick had made five successful crossings to Carl’s four. On Carl’s fifth and final dash, the unstable logs had rolled away from in front of him and his horse had refused to cross.

Nick glanced up at the darkening sky, “well, now that I whipped you, I think we better head home, it’s gonna rain soon.”

“I’m gonna best you next time,” warned Carl and wheeled his horse to fall in beside Nick as they cantered away from their plaything.

Nick asked, “did you settle those logs back properly?”

It was the task of the loser to restore the displaced logs when the game was done, so this time the task had fallen to Carl.

“Sure I did it properly, come on, let’s git.”

Nick did not follow Carl, he was looking back toward the bridge and he stopped his horse, turned around and sat staring intently at the path which led to the bridge approach. His stomach lurched with fright, surely that was his mother’s grey mare Frosty and ...yes! His mother had little Audra set before her on the saddle.

Carl was beside him now, “what’s up?

Nick didn’t take his eyes off the grey mare, “it’s my mother and sis, I have to stop them crossing.”

“You can’t do that! We’ll be in all kinds of trouble!”

“We have to! We take the bridge at the gallop but mother won’t, chances are it’ll give way and she has my little sister with her too!”

Both boys were watching intently and in that moment Victoria saw them and waved, she pointed to the boys and then Audra too waved her little hand. As his mother turned her horse to approach the bridge her back was toward the boys and realizing that he had now lost his chance to warn her, Nick spurred his horse forward and galloped hard for the bridge. After a tiny hesitation Carl followed in his wake and both boys tore over the ground between them and the bridge as fast as they could ride.

Chapter Three

Accident

Blissfully unaware of Nick and Carl’s headlong gallop to her aid, Victoria set her horse to cross the rickety bridge and had to hold her reins hard as the grey mare’s sensitive ears twitched sharply back and she sidled to left and right. Little Audra laughed delightedly, “Frosty’s dancing Mama, isn’t she funny!”

Victoria responded lightly but there was a frown in her eyes, Frosty was a placid animal as a rule, her hesitation to cross was suspicious, horses had a good instinct for danger and a good rider learned to trust that instinct. The horse was snorting with fright and her hooves were slipping on the first of the logs. Victoria had reached a decision, she would not cross the bridge, instead she would take the longer route home and risk a wetting from the rain rather than risk a ducking in the swiftly moving waters of the creek.

Frosty however had other ideas. Even as Victoria pulled the reins to turn aside from the bridge, the scared horse suddenly plunged forward and at once disaster struck. With a creaking groan, the loose logs parted and an abyss opened under the horses hooves. There was a triple scream of terror from the horse and her two riders as all three crashed down into the turbulent creek. Heart thumping with fright, Victoria knew at once that they were in terrible danger. She had felt white hot pain strike sharply through her ankle as she landed awkwardly and could not yet tell if it was broken or only sprained. Frosty had scrambled from the water, but was clearly badly lamed and terrified. Little Audra appeared unhurt and she could swim but the creek was too strong for her and she was rapidly being swept away despite her mother’s desperate and pain-racked attempts to reach her.

Victoria Barkley was not a timid woman, she had courage enough to face whatever life threw her way, but she was scared now, death was staring her in the face and there was her beloved little girl to think about. She made one superhuman effort to reach Audra but the swiftly moving water defeated her and despair rose like a grey tide within her. Then her heart leapt anew as two horses were pulled up hard on the bank beside the creek and two young figures came out of the saddle and into the water almost in one movement.

Nick swam immediately after Audra and reached the struggling child in a few swift strokes. He grabbed his little sister and in seconds had her safely out of the water. He set her down on the bank and went immediately into the creek again to help Carl who was assisting Victoria to hobble painfully to the bank. With the help of the two boys she was soon on dry land and reunited with her daughter, holding the sobbing child close and soothing her as best she could for the fierce tremors of pain that ran through her.

Nick had stripped off his coat and Carl copied him, they wrapped Audra up in Carl’s coat and Nick placed his own around his mother, carefully avoiding looking her in the eye.

“Are...are you all right Mother?”

She clasped his hand and squeezed hard, “yes Darling, I’m all right and thanks to you so is your sister!” Tears stung her eyes, “you saved our lives Nick, you and Carl, I’m so proud of you!”

Nick blushed to the roots of his hair and murmured that he would fetch the horses. He turned away from the warm admiration in his mother’s face, he had never felt more ashamed in his whole life.

Carl followed in Nick’s wake and as soon as they were out of earshot he grabbed Nick’s shirt and shook him hard, “it’s all right Nick! She doesn’t know what we did, she just thinks we happened along, so you keep quiet and we’re in the clear, you got it?”

Nick shook his head, “they could have been killed...because of us! I...I’m gonna tell her what we did.”

Carl was furious, “oh fine, go ahead and earn us both the whipping of our lives then! What do you think our fathers are gonna have to say about this?”

Tom Barkley’s stern image rose in Nick’s mind, he was not afraid of his father, but he valued his good opinion and too often in recent months he had let him down. He couldn’t begin to imagine Tom’s reaction if he learned that Nick’s reckless conduct had put Victoria and Audra in deadly danger.

He stood irresolute and Carl pleaded urgently, “I’m telling you Nick, we’re in the clear! All you gotta do is keep quiet and it’ll blow over.”

Nick nodded reluctantly, “all right Carl, you win, I don’t want to get you in trouble too, I won’t say a word.”

Chapter Four

The Uncomfortable Hero

Nick installed his mother on Coco’s back and handed Audra up to her. He asked Carl to escort his mother to the ranch and himself volunteered to lead the badly lamed Frosty home. Carl agreed, thinking to himself that he could render his own version of the affair to Tom Barkley before Nick got any ideas of confessing and landing them both in trouble. He had a glib explanation for their fortuitous presence near the bridge and rode cheerfully beside Victoria back to the Barkley ranch, hoping they would reach shelter before the rain set in.

It was just beginning to drizzle when they reached the Barkley barn and a concerned Dave McCall, foreman for many years here, helped Victoria down, taking little Audra from her as he did so. He had sent a man to fetch the boss as soon as he spotted the approaching riders and soon Tom Barkley came hurrying to catch his wife to him and pelt her with questions as to what had befallen her.

He helped his wife and daughter indoors and saw to it that scurrying servants set about drawing hot baths and laying out dry clothes. As well as she was able, Victoria told him what had happened and when she had finished her account, Tom went back out to the big barn where Carl was telling McCall his own version of events. Tom ordered McCall to find dry clothes for Carl and drive him home to his folks in the buggy, he thanked the boy warmly for his efforts and Carl received the praise with bashful gratitude and a guileless expression.

Having seen Carl on his way, Tom saddled his own horse and rode out to meet his son. He saw Nick from a distance, walking the stricken mare with careful patience, as he had expected him to do. Nick was a good young horseman and had a great affinity with horses, he would know exactly how to treat the mare. But there was something in his son’s posture, a sort of slump, an air of defeat, which seemed to have no place in the demeanour of a boy who had just played the role of hero. Nick’s attitude brought a slight frown into Tom Barkley’s eyes, now what was it all about?

With a crack of thunder, the long expected rain began to hammer down at last and Tom spurred his horse toward his son. His questions could wait, for now it was imperative to get his wet boy home before he caught his death. Time enough to probe this affair when they were home and in the dry. Tom over-rode Nick’s protests and despatched the boy home on his father’s horse, with instructions to get his wet clothes off and take a hot bath the minute he got in. It did not escape Tom Barkley’s notice that his son was acutely uncomfortable when he was thanked for rescuing his mother and as he led the mare slowly home through the rain his perceptive eyes followed the disconsolate figure on horseback until the misty rain swallowed Nick from view.

When Tom got back to the ranch he left Frosty to the expert care of Dave McCall and entered the foyer of the big house, shaking the rain from his hat and gratefully allowing Silas to take his dripping coat from him. To his annoyance he glimpsed Nick standing before the fire in the living room, still in his wet clothes. The boy was standing rather rigidly, staring into the flames. With a sudden rush of compassion, Tom put aside his doubts about the incident at the bridge, investigation could come tomorrow, for today, Nick needed a little tender care.

He strode into the living room saying testily, “dammit Nicholas, what are you trying to do, give yourself pneumonia?”

He turned to bellow for Silas to bring a towel, only to find his old friend and servant standing right beside him with two big towels at the ready. Tom took one of them and grasped Nick by the shoulder in friendly fashion, pulling him toward him. He toweled Nick’s unruly shock of hair vigorously enough to make his son’s eyes water and then slapped his back saying briskly, “off with you Boy! I want you up to your neck in hot water do you understand?”

Nick murmured “yessir,” making his way slowly up the stairs, reflecting that he was already in hot water if his father did but know it.

Silas took the wet towel from his master and handed a fresh one to him, remarking as he did so, “I guess you’ll talk to him tomorrow Sir?”

Tom wasn’t surprised at Silas’s perceptive question,

“he does seem a mite subdued for a hero doesn’t he old friend?”

The black man nodded, “never once met your eye just now, seemed to be having the same problem with his Mama just before you got home.”

Tom handed the towel back, “well, tomorrow will do for that, I need fresh clothes and then I have a herd to move. If Nicholas tries to leave the house tell him I said no!”

Silas watched Tom’s departing figure, smiling broadly, his master was a bundle of energy, like always, no stopping him doing his afternoon’s work on account of a little rain! He sighed and hoped fervently that when Tom got to the bottom of the bridge mystery he would go easy on Nick, that boy seemed to attract trouble like a magnet and Silas was sure he was in trouble now.

That evening, Tom, Victoria and Nick were the only people at the dinner table. Jarrod was not expected home from college for two more days and little Audra was sound asleep in the nursery with her little brother Eugene. The little girl was tired out after the day’s adventure and so Victoria had fed her early and put her to bed. Victoria had her own doubts about the afternoon’s events and had mentioned them to Tom. He had told her to leave the matter with him and had promised not to be hard on Nick if he was found to have done anything reckless or wrong.

His parents insisted on drinking a toast to Nick and once again praised him for his behaviour at the bridge. The boy could do nothing but sit in miserable silence as the undeserved thanks were given, he could see no way of telling the truth, as he dearly wanted to do, without implicating Carl and so he endured the cheerful company of his mother and father until they at last permitted him to leave the table and seek the sanctuary of his own room.

Chapter Five

Bridge Inspection

Neither Tom nor Victoria Barkley slept very well, both were too worried about their middle son to do so. Tom was wondering how best to help his boy over that difficult period between boyhood and manhood, without being too hard on him or too liberal either. Victoria was concerned for the relationship between her husband and son. She respected Tom’s skills as a parent, but he set high standards for his children and of all of them, Nick hero-worshipped his father the most. This made him vulnerable to criticism from Tom and Victoria wasn’t sure how well Tom understood this.

As they got dressed to go down to breakfast, Victoria confided her fears to Tom and was reassured when he kissed her and said gently, “I do understand Darling, I know it matters very much to Nick to have my good opinion and I promise you I’ll do everything I can to help him through this awkward period of his life.”

Victoria squeezed her husband’s hand, “I know you will, bless you Tom.”

He frowned slightly, “that said, I have to do what I think is right, if my ...investigations this morning turn anything up that points to our son having done something serious, I reserve the right to deal with him as I see fit.”

Victoria nodded sadly, “yes of course,” she agreed reluctantly.

It might have consoled both parents to know that Nick had slept even more badly than they had. He had tossed and turned for hours, wracked by guilt about the accident to his mother and sister, an accident that could so easily have had worse consequences than a ducking for mother and daughter, a sprained ankle for Victoria and a strained hock for the mare. In retrospect, his game with Carl seemed childish to Nick, childish and reckless too! Gloomily, he realized that it was far too late to know that now, he ought to have had the sense to refuse Carl’s initial challenge, but he knew with wry self-knowledge that he would never have done so.

Nick would have loved to go right to his father this morning and make a clean breast of the whole business. There would be consequences of course, but he was no coward and this did not deter him from confessing. It was the difficulty of keeping Carl out of it, he had after all given his word to his friend that he would say nothing. Nick’s honest nature also recognized the other and much more important reason for staying silent, he couldn’t bear to tell the father he idolized that he had put the lives of his mother and sister at risk.

Nick couldn’t face the thought of breakfast, a rare state of affairs, for his appetite was normally voracious. He slipped stealthily down the back stairs and managed to get out to the barn without Silas or anyone else spotting him. He saddled up Coco and rode quietly out, with no clear idea where he was headed, just away from Tom Barkley’s all too penetrating gaze.

After breakfast, Tom spent his customary half-hour in the foreman’s office attached to the bunk-house, going over the day’s work rosters with Dave McCall. When they had disposed of all other tasks, McCall asked, “shall I send a detail to shore up the meadow bridge Boss?”

Tom shook his head, “not this morning Mac, I want to take a closer look at the state of things there, I’ll let you know what I want done later.”

A few minutes later, Tom swung himself into the saddle and set off for the scene of yesterday’s accident. He had wondered if it would be difficult to ride away without Nick wanting to accompany him, usually, whenever there was no school, Nick was his father’s very shadow. Today however, Nick was nowhere to be seen and he had skipped breakfast too. To his shrewd father, these circumstances all pointed to one thing, Nick was deeply involved in what had occurred, well, it was high time to find out exactly what had taken place. Tom turned his horse toward the ruined bridge at the western edge of Sky meadow.

An hour later, Tom was just about through inspecting the ruined bridge and the wider scene of yesterday’s mishap and he was pretty sure he knew what had transpired. There was plenty of evidence, the poorly tied knots in the rope lashings for one thing. No man employed by Tom Barkley would dare to tie an important rope with so sloppy a knot! There were the tracks too, sundry hoof imprints that showed all too clearly the frenzied racing and sharp pulling up of horses. To a man as perceptive as Tom Barkley the whole thing was as plain as day, no wonder Nicholas was looking so hang-dog. To confess to such behaviour would need all his courage, for he would know the depth of anger his father was likely to feel. As he surveyed the shambles of the bridge once more, Tom Barkley’s mouth tightened to a thin displeased line, this time Nicholas had gone too far, something had to be done.

Chapter Six

Confession

When the boss rode in, all the more experienced hands kept out of his way, recognizing that grim facial expression and not wanting to be in the firing line. Tom handed his horse to Ciego and went immediately in search of his wife, unaware of the sighs of relief as he left the barn area and his men were able to relax once more.

He found Victoria in the nursery, encouraging little Eugene to eat some breakfast and as soon as Audra spotted him she called “Papa,” and ran to be lifted in his arms. He indulged her, his face softening at once as he swung her up and accepted her rapturous hugs and kisses. He sat down on the window seat with Audra in his lap and joined Victoria in coaxing the rather emaciated little boy to eat.

When Gene had been fed and both he and Audra settled to their morning nap, Tom led Victoria to the privacy of their own room, where they could talk undisturbed. Briefly, he told her what his inspection of the bridge had revealed and watched as tears filled her eyes.

“I thought it was something like that,” confessed Victoria, “I just hoped I was wrong, I couldn’t believe Nick would act so foolishly.”

“A more reckless game I can’t imagine,” agreed Tom, “I can hardly bear to think what might have befallen you and Audra yesterday!”

His wife laid a gentle hand on his arm, “he did come to the rescue.”

Tom was not to be appeased, “Dammit Victoria he’s fifteen! Not a little boy to play a hazardous game and never dwell on the risks, he’s practically a man, I expect better of him, no I demand better of him.”

Victoria sat wearily on the chair beside the bright fire, “You’re right of course, I know you must be deeply angry with him and I don’t blame you, I just know that he’s feeling bad about his conduct already and how hard it is for him to tell you what he did, though I’m sure he wants to do so.”

The severity on Tom’s face was lightened by a sudden smile, “don’t forget that Brother Confessor is due home tomorrow, he’ll worm the truth out of Nicholas fast enough, we’ll let it ride until then.”

Victoria looked searchingly at Tom, “you want him to tell you about the bridge himself don’t you, you don’t want to have to force it out of him?”

Tom nodded, “yes, I want to hear it from Nicholas, I understand his reluctance to confess, he knows he’s disappointed me, but Jarrod will persuade him to do the right thing, just like he always does.”

Victoria smiled, thinking of the wise and good influence her eldest son had always exerted over Nick. “Will you warn Jarrod?”

Tom shook his head, “no need, Jarrod will know there’s something up with Nicholas the second he sets eyes on him!”

Tom was proved right, riding toward home mid-way through the afternoon, Jarrod encountered Nick reluctantly taking the same road. The younger brother had been hiding out in his sylvan fortress, known to all as ‘Fort Barkley’ since early morning, trying in vain to find a solution to his difficulties, one that didn’t involve losing his father’s good opinion. Jarrod scrutinized Nick’s scowling face and noted his silent forlorn air, then he suggested they rest their horses for a few minutes and sit on the river bank for a while. The aspiring lawyer waited for a minute to give Nick a chance to talk first but eventually broke the awkward silence to say with a friendly punch on Nick’s shoulder, “tell me what all this is about Nick, you’ll feel better sharing it with me, believe me you will.”

It was as though a dam had burst as Nick poured out the whole story to his sympathetic and attentive sibling and Jarrod was quick to comprehend the incoherent narrative. To Nick’s relief Jarrod totally understood, both the game and the reasons why Nick had kept silent since. He thought the matter over briefly and then offered Nick some sensible advice.

“Keep Carl out of it by all means, no-one likes to bring trouble on a friend, but you have to tell Father what really happened and you have to do it fast!”

Nick knew Jarrod was right but he argued anyway, “I...I can’t! Father’ll never trust me again, not ever!”

Jarrod was sympathetic, “I know how much it means to you to stand well with him Nick, but if I know our old man he probably has more than an inkling of what’s gone on already! Believe me he’ll think more of you for facing up to this like a young man.”

“You think so Jarrod?”

“I know so Nick. Besides, do you want to go on feeling the way you do now?”

“No, I guess I don’t at that.”

By the time the two rode in together, Nick already felt slightly less troubled, at last he knew what he was going to do, even if the thought of confessing to his father made the pit of his stomach twist with dread. Watching from a discreet distance, Tom Barkley knew with certainty that his eldest son had already acted as his younger sibling’s wise counselor and gave a brief nod of satisfaction. Nicholas would be coming to find him soon, he would await the culprit in his study.

It wasn’t a long wait, there was a quiet knock on the door and Tom called “come in.”

Nick walked resolutely into the centre of the room and stood before his father’s desk. He was white and looked strained but his mouth and jaw had a determined set to them and he stood rigidly at attention.

“Tom’s face was grave but eyes and voice were both gentle, “something I can do for you Son?”

“I...I have to tell you what happened yesterday Sir and...and you’re going to be very...angry and disappointed in me,” he swallowed hard and met Tom’s eyes bravely, “and I don’t blame you if you throw me out,” he added simply.

Tom stood up and moved around the big desk to put a hand on the troubled boy’s shoulder, “I don’t expect I’ll go to those lengths Nicholas, why don’t we sit down over here and you can tell me all about it.”

His father’s quiet kindness distressed Nick more than the most furious anger could have done and he had to fight back tears as he slowly told Tom the whole sorry story of the bridge game, omitting any part played in it by Carl Wheeler. Tom heard him out in calm silence, surveying his unhappy son for a moment. Then he said quietly, “I’m glad you took Jarrod’s advice and told me Son.”

Nick knew Jarrod would not have betrayed him, so as usual Jarrod was right, Father already knew everything!

Nick waited in tense silence to hear his fate, he expected severe punishment and didn’t know whether to be relieved or sorry when no retribution was forthcoming immediately.

There was a long silence in the study while Tom Barkley thought and then he stood up, saying briskly, “on your feet Nicholas!”

Nick came to his feet and faced his stern parent, anxious hazel eyes fixed on Tom’s face.

His father’s voice was calm and matter of fact, “you don’t need me to tell you that what you did was not only wrong but also very stupid. It’s a miracle that neither your mother or your sister were badly hurt, you might also have killed your mother’s mare.”

Nick hung his head and his father snapped, “look at me.”

The boy’s head came up at once.

“Have you ever ridden Coco across that bridge in this game?”

His father’s stern question caused Nick to flush deeply, “no Sir! I swear, I never have.”

“I’m glad to hear it Nicholas, because if you had, I wouldn’t hesitate to take him away from you!”

Nick spoke contritely, “I know it was a crazy game, I know I should never have done it, I’m truly sorry Sir.”

Tom regarded his penitent son shrewdly, he knew the boy’s remorse was sincere, but he also knew that Nick had some serious growing up to do, the boy had a wild streak, a thirst for adventure that had to be tamed somehow. Dimly, in the back of Tom’s mind an idea began to form, perhaps there was a solution to the problems of young Nicholas after all. He spoke sharply to the boy, “I need to think this matter over before I decide what to do about your behaviour Nicholas, in the meantime, you are to stay in your room do you understand me?”

“Yessir,” answered the unhappy Nick.

“One more thing,” added his father, “I believe you owe your mother an apology, I suggest you get to it!”

Chapter Seven

A Father’s Decision

Nick enjoyed his interview with his mother even less than he had enjoyed the one with his father. Victoria wasn’t at all angry with him, but she was upset and he knew he was the cause of her sorrow. He had apologized with heartfelt sincerity and she had forgiven him freely, but she also told him how worried she was about him.

“You see Nick, what troubles your father and I is that at fifteen you should be growing out of such pranks, you should be growing up, not doing such wild and dangerous things.”

“I know,” he answered sadly, head hanging and his mother hugged him, hating to see him so downcast and miserable.

Nick had an anxious question for his mother, “Do...do you know what Father intends to do with me?”

Victoria shook her head, “I’m afraid not, but I’ll speak to him and ask him not to keep you in suspense.”

Nick was grateful and kissed her warmly before going to his room to begin his incarceration.

Truth to tell, Victoria was just as concerned about her husband’s intentions as Nick was. Tom had told her he needed to think the matter over before deciding what action to take over Nick’s misdemeanour. Victoria was wondering just what he had in mind, if it was something as simple as a whipping, she felt that it would already have happened by now, Tom was not the man to prolong the agony by letting the boy anticipate his punishment. The fact that he hadn’t whipped Nick already, indicated that he did not intend to do so.

All of which left Victoria wondering just how her husband intended to deal with his erring son. She knew he was deeply disappointed in Nick, having had high hopes of the boy at the time of the Soreback meadow clearance just under a year ago. There had been the Cattlemens Association meeting too, where Nick had more than justified his father’s faith in him by behaving with cool maturity when provoked. Since then, little had gone right with Nick and now there was this incident with the bridge. Victoria decided that if Tom didn’t tell her his plans for Nick by the next morning she was going to have to confront him about the matter. It was just too cruel to leave the poor boy in such suspense.

After dinner, Tom Barkley followed his usual custom whenever Jarrod was at home and challenged his eldest son to a chess game. Both enjoyed a titanic tussle which Jarrod narrowly won. Father and son talked easily as they played, but Jarrod’s one attempt to mention Nick’s troubles was pleasantly, but firmly rebuffed by Tom and they talked of other things for the rest of the game.

When Jarrod had gone to bed, Tom stayed in the big living room and sipped the hot brandy and water Silas had brought him without his having asked for it. Earlier in the day a germ of an idea about Nick’s immediate future had formed in his mind. Now he wanted to think that idea through, settle his own mind that it was the right thing to do before he embarked on the difficult task of convincing his wife of it.

When Tom eventually came up to bed he expected to find Victoria asleep, for it was pretty late, but she was curled up on the sofa before the fire, in their magnificent room. He smiled apologetically at her,

“couldn’t go to bed without knowing how I plan to deal with our boy huh?”

There was no answering smile in Victoria’s eyes, “no I couldn’t,” she answered frankly, adding,

“and it isn’t like you to let Nicholas suffer either, if he has punishment coming, then you should mete it out, not leave him wondering and waiting as you have.”

Tom crossed to her and stood before the fire, his voice was reassuring

“I’m not intending to punish him, not with a strap anyway, though I do have plans for his immediate future which you may not like.”

Her eyes searched his face, “will Nicholas like your plans?”

Tom grinned, “well until I put my ideas to him there’s no way to be certain, but yes, I believe he will like them.”

There was a cold shiver of dread closing around Victoria Barkley’s heart, she spoke barely above a whisper, “are...are you going to send Nick away Tom?”

Her husband nodded and opened his mouth to speak but she was before him with a torrent of distressed words,

“oh God! No, you can’t, Tom it’s dead wrong, completely the wrong thing to do, you’ll break his heart, yes and you’ll break mine too!”

Her tears were falling fast and Tom abandoned any attempt to explain, devoting his attention instead to the need to comfort and soothe her agony. He dropped to one knee in front of the sofa and drew her unresisting body close, quieting and soothing her, stroking her glossy brown curls and wrapping warm comforting arms about her.

Still she tried to change his mind about sending Nick away and eventually Tom pulled her a little away from him and shook her gently,

“Victoria, stop this, come on Darling, calm yourself and hear me out, please.”

She tried valiantly to be calmer and dried her tears, Tom sat beside her on the sofa holding one of her hands in both of his and the couple talked. Tom asked his wife to tell him how she felt about the prospect of Nick leaving home for a time.

“I had an inkling you were considering sending Nick to some sort of military academy or school, to instill some discipline into him,” admitted Victoria.

“Would that be such a bad thing?” Tom asked curiously.

“Yes!” came the vehement reply, “Nick is a good boy with many fine qualities but he isn’t...he isn’t steady and he needs good influences around him, mine and yours and Jarrod’s too! Sending him away from the home he loves and the work he loves, to languish in a tough school for as much as three more years would be ruinous, I’m convinced of it Tom!”

Her husband’s reply took her breath away, “I agree,” he said simply.

Victoria could only stare at him and Tom raised her hand to his lips,

“will you let me explain my thoughts to you now?”

She nodded and Tom stroked her cheek, “

and please Darling, hear me out, listen to it all before you fight me any more, will you do that?”

His wife fixed attentive eyes on his face, “I’ll listen,” she agreed.

Tom stared into the fire, gathering his thoughts and then began,

“you remember Soreback Meadow nine months back? I was mighty proud of Nicholas, he worked like a dog, shoulder to shoulder with me, as I knew he would. When I took that sucker bet off Carter, it wasn’t really a sucker bet at all, because I knew my boy, knew what he was made of, so I was certain of winning.” Victoria smiled at the memory,

“And you did win.”

Tom nodded,

“yes, due to a lot of sweat and hard work and because I knew my son had character. He showed me what he was made of at the Cattlemens meeting too, staying cool when Amos Carter taunted him, yeah and giving as good as he got too. Then taking on that contemptible bully Todd Carter and licking him, even though Todd was six years older and thirty pounds heavier. I tell you Victoria I was proud of Nicholas then and I had high hopes for him. I still have those hopes, but for the last few months he’s tumbled from one scrape to the next, each more serious than the last, culminating in this bridge business. I’ve come to understand that Nicholas needs help and I intend to see that he gets it.”

There was an implacable note in his voice and Victoria realized that he had made up his mind about Nick and though he would listen to her objections if she made any, he would be unlikely to change his mind. She knew Tom better than anyone and she resolved to think carefully before she opposed his plans any further.

Victoria laid a hand on Tom’s sleeve,

“so you weren’t thinking of a school, military or otherwise?”

“No. I share your view on that, Nicholas needs the strength of his home and those he loves around him, not to be exiled away from all that he cares about for too long.”

Tom leaned toward Victoria, face and voice persuasive as he continued,

“But he needs other things too. He needs discipline and a bit more maturity and a chance to grow up a little, he also needs a real-life adventure to take the place of the stupid, dangerous pranks he dreams up as substitutes for it.”

Victoria nodded slowly, “yes I can see that, but exactly what did you have in mind Tom, where is this real adventure to come from?”

Tom Barkley drew a deep breath, his wife wasn’t going to like this, not one little bit she wasn’t!

Chapter Eight

A Real Adventure

Tom looked his wife squarely in the eye and said firmly,

“I’ve given the matter careful thought and I’ve decided to send Nick to sea.”

Victoria’s face registered shock and disbelief, she shook her head and repeated wonderingly,

“to sea? You mean...as a cadet in training, but that would take years!”

Tom hastened to reassure her,

“no, no, not as a cadet, just as a guest on the flagship of the Barkley trading fleet, we’re talking about one single voyage Victoria, I promise you.”

Victoria got up and walked over to the window, staring out for a minute and then strode restlessly back to Tom again. She sat down, struggling for composure and clarity of thought.

“Isn’t the sea a very dangerous environment?”

Tom did not lie to his wife,

“yes indeed it is, but no more risky than some of the situations Nicholas has put himself in over recent months. Then too, he’ll be under the supervision of my most senior captain. He’ll take care of our son.”

Victoria ran over the personnel of the Barkley ships in her mind, Tom had called it a fleet, but that was an exaggeration, as yet they had but three merchantmen. The first of these had been acquired five years ago and so far, she was still the biggest ship they owned. Her captain was a particular friend of Tom’s, a dour, grey-haired Englishman, a serious, unapproachable man who rarely smiled and spoke even less. Victoria had only met him a few times and had taken an instant dislike to him. Now it seemed her husband proposed sending his middle son to sea in the care of this forbidding man.

Victoria’s hazel eyes were bright with unshed tears,

“I’ve forgotten his name, Simon something isn’t it?”

“Yes, Captain Simon Henchman, I know you and he didn’t hit it off when you met, but he’s not an easy man to get to know, he’s uncomfortable around women too.”

Victoria’s reply was honest,

“I don’t like him and I don’t think he’s the right man to take care of my son!”

Tom’s voice was gentle but it was clear that he intended to brook no argument,

“You’re mistaken Dear, he’s the right man to take charge of Nicholas, he’ll give him a taste of strong discipline but he’ll encourage him too. I’ve spent time at sea with Simon, I’ve seen him bring the best out of his young cadet officers in training. I trust him with our son and you must do so too. I want you to have faith in me on this matter, I know I’m right.”

Victoria saw again in her mind’s eye, the thin austerely handsome face of Simon Henchman, he had finely chiseled cheekbones, a long patrician nose and cold grey eyes. His habitual expression was a stern, cold frown and a shiver ran through Nick’s mother, she didn’t want this man looking after her much-loved son. She cast an entreating look at Tom but he just smiled,

“Darling, I’ll promise you this, if Nicholas doesn’t want to go after I’ve talked to him, then I won’t force him, how’s that?”

Her tears spilled over at last,

“you know perfectly well he’ll want to go,” she accused him.

Immediately after breakfast next day, Tom Barkley went to Nick’s bedroom and entered to find his son sitting on the window seat looking rather wistfully at the ranch-hands setting off on their day’s duties. He turned from the window as his father came in and scrambled to his feet. Tom came and sat down, indicating that Nick should sit again too. He smiled at his tense son,

“I know Nick, it’s a fine morning and we should both be out there on horseback shouldn’t we? Well, just as soon as we’ve had a talk, we’ll do just that, you can help me this morning if you want.”

“Yessir! I’d like that.”

Tom’s face grew more grave, he fixed penetrating eyes on his unhappy son,

“First of all, we need to discuss your behaviour over recent months and decide how best to help you change your ways.”

Nick hung his head but said nothing. His father dropped a friendly hand on his shoulder,

“Don’t look so hang-dog Nicholas, I know you regret that foolish game with the bridge and realize how easily your mother and sister could have been hurt. You’ve apologized to your mother and as far as I’m concerned that incident is now closed.”

Nick could hardly credit that he wasn’t to be punished and waited, slightly puzzled for his father to continue.

Tom said, “I’m more concerned about your future that the stupid things you’ve done in the recent past. I still have faith in you Son, I see you as the man to take over running this ranch one day and I believe you’ll do a fine job too. I’d like to start giving you more duties around here, chances to prove you have the makings of a rancher, but I have to ask you if you think you’re ready for that yet.”

Nick blushed scarlet with shame, “I...I wish I were,” he whispered miserably.

Tom slipped a comforting arm about his son,

“Now you listen to me Nick, you’ll be ready soon enough, you just have a little more growing up to do first and I have an idea to help you do just that.”

Nick gazed at his father, his hazel eyes alive with hope and wonder.

Tom ruffled Nick’s thick dark hair, “Son, how would you like a year at sea?”

The unexpected nature of the question took Nick completely by surprise,

“At sea?” he echoed, then as the full implications of his father’s words dawned he added, “a...a whole year Sir?”

Tom’s voice was reassuring, “well maybe not a whole year, it depends, the length of one voyage is what I have in mind.”

Nick was stunned and it showed in his face, but clearly the idea did not in any sense repel him either. “Gosh Father, I...I guess I don’t know what to say!”

“Let me try and explain Son, it seems obvious to me that you’ve been finding life a little dull around here lately, hence the dangerous stunts you’ve been pulling to amuse yourself.”

Nick interrupted urgently, “I love the ranch Father and I love my life here, it isn’t that I don’t...” He broke off distressed and Tom hugged him close for a moment.

“I know that Son,” he said gently, but if a real-life adventure is what you need to help you grow up then my plan will give it to you, don’t you think?”

Nick thought for a minute, he had read plenty of sea stories and had accompanied his father on a day’s visit aboard one of the Barkley merchantmen when it lay in San Francisco harbour two years since. He had been strongly drawn to the excitingly different environment, to actually go on a voyage aboard such a vessel, his heart thrilled at the thought of it. He looked earnestly at his father, “do...do you want me to go Sir?”

The question was anxiously and diffidently asked and Nick’s hazel eyes never left his father’s face as he awaited his answer.

Tom Barkley didn’t hesitate, “yes Nick I do want you to go, but not for the reasons you might think. This is in no way a disciplinary measure, I’m not suggesting this voyage to punish you or to hurt you, I genuinely believe that it will be good for you and be of benefit to your development as a young man. I want it clearly understood Nicholas, you are not being sent away for anything that has happened, you are simply being offered the chance to go, for your own advantage. Is that quite clearly understood between us?”

Nick’s doubts were at an end, “Yessir! I want to go, I will go, I think I’d like it a lot!” He added earnestly, “and...and I’ll try to make you proud of me.”

Tom hugged him again, “I’m sure you will Nicholas, I’m quite sure you will.”

Nick had a sudden thought, “you won’t let anyone else ride Coco while I’m gone will you Father?”

“No-one but me, just to keep him sharp,” promised Tom laughing.

Nick tore through the house like a happy whirlwind telling everyone, his mother, Jarrod, Silas and anyone else who would listen about his forthcoming adventure. Eventually, he and his father headed out for a belated morning’s work with the herd and it was not until they stopped for their mid-day break that Nick finally asked the question that Tom Barkley had been waiting for all morning.

“Say Father, what’s the name of the ship I’m sailing on?”

Tom smiled, she’s a three-master Nick, with a rather unusual name for an American vessel, in that it is the name of a British butterfly, she’s called the Camberwell Beauty.

Nick sat out the lunch break in a happy dream, imagining, as well as he was able, all the exciting times to come aboard the good ship Camberwell Beauty. His eyes were shining with hope and anticipation and he looked forward to his new adventure with eager joy.

The End