by MrsNickB
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.
This story is a departure from what I usually write. You will find this one a melodrama. Although it focuses on Jarrod, it has
liberal amounts of Heath and his budding romance with Hope, Laura Barkley's
cousin. Thank you Abby, Lily &
Kandy; you ladies know why. A small
section in this story was written by Abigail of Dreamers, that section is in blue. Warning: this story includes adult
situations.
I always wondered what went on with Jarrod Barkley in San
Francisco, all those weeks and months he was away from the Barkley Ranch. And it always bothered me that when he was
home in Stockton, he never was in competition with his brothers when it came to
the ladies. So I use to imagine what if
Jarrod had a secret life in San Francisco that no one in the family knew about;
and what exactly would that life be like? We knew he had an office in San
Francisco, and an apartment there, maybe a town house where his office was. Anyway it got me to thinking; I always had a
secret passion for that good looking lawyer and I imagine he is a very
passionate man. This story is about
him, my second favorite Barkley, and answers that question as well as a few
others. It takes place in San Francisco in the Winter of the new
year (after The Weaker Vessel).
Part 7
It was an unusually humid day
for March as the two women leisurely strolled toward the livery stables.
"I can't believe how much I
ate, I'm so full. I'm going to need
that ride to work off all that food.
What did you call it again?"
"It's called
Cantonese. It's fairly new here but
it's all the rage, and everyone loves it."
"And they give you so much
of it, I feel I could almost burst."
She rubbed her stomach and laughed.
"Laura, isn't it your
birthday today dear?"
"You remembered Rosalie,
I'm impressed." She smiled
wistfully, she wondered if anyone else realized what day it was.
"Remember the wild things
we did to celebrate your sixteenth birthday?!" The tall brunette threw her
head back and laughed heartily at the memory.
Her dainty gloved hand covering her mouth.
"How could I possibly
forget, it very nearly got me thrown out of school!" Laura joined in her
friend's contagious laughter.
"Didn't your father come to
rescue you then?"
"He didn't come to my
rescue, but he did speak to the head mistress about keeping me on, after he
paid all the fines and damages. I
remember I was terrified he was going to send me to a convent next. Thank God he didn't." Laura laughed softly at the memory.
"He was so furious with
you, wasn't he? Positively livid! How is your father Laura?"
Laura's smile faded, "My father died last year."
"Oh I'm so sorry to hear
that. What happened to him?" She
took her friend's hand in a consoling gesture.
"Are these the stables you
were talking about Rosalie?" Laura released her hand quickly and moved
ahead toward the livery stable, effectively changing the subject.
* * * * * * * *
Victoria heard the shouts as she
walked up the back stairs, she flew into his room where she found her middle
son thrashing about on the bed, his body soaked in sweat. She bent over him, trying to stop his
convulsing body while avoiding being hit by his long flailing arms. NICK! NICK! WAKE UP DARLING WAKE UP!
NICK!"
Audra raced into the room and
went to her brother's bedside.
"Mother! What on earth is wrong with him?"
"Get a wet cloth, quickly!"
Audra obeyed, rushing out of the room.
"LAURA! LAURA! WATCH OUT,
WATCH OUT!" Nick shouted, deeply caught up in a horrible nightmare.
"Nick darling, please wake
up! You're having a bad dream. Wake
up!" She entreated him.
Nick's eyes slowly flickered open and he found himself gazing up
into a pair of worried gray eyes.
"What?" He grumbled hoarsely.
Audra raced into the room with a
wet cloth and quickly gave it to her mother, who proceeded to wipe Nick's
forehead with the cool compress. Nick looked
at both of them, confused. "What's
going on? What..., what are you doing here?"
"You were crying out in
your sleep." Victoria explained.
"Were
you having a bad dream Nick? I heard you all the way down to hall." Audra asked.
"I.. I'm sorry Ma'am, didn't mean to be a bother
to anyone, sorry." He swung his
long legs over the side of the bed.
Victoria
seated herself by his side. Puzzled
looks appeared as the two women stared at Nick's mention of the word 'ma'am.'
"Son,
you're not a bother to anyone. Can you
tell me what the dream was about?"
"No,
no I don't remember." He leaned
forward, his elbows resting on his knees and cradling his forehead in his
hands. Victoria stroked his damp back
with a loving hand.
"You
were shouting Laura's name." Audra
reminded him.
"Who?"
"You're
wife. You were shouting her name. Did you dream you two were quarreling again?
Honestly Nick, the two of you..."
Victoria
raised her hand to stop her daughter from speaking any further. She gestured for her to leave and Audra
obediently excused herself. Victoria
continued to stroke her troubled son's back.
"Nick darling; what is
it?"
"It's nothing Ma'am, I mean
Ma..., I'm okay, you can go."
Victoria was taken back by the
name. None of her sons had called her 'Ma or Mama' since there were very little
boys and had been seriously hurt. It
had always been Mother. It was her
sons' way of showing their manhood once they reached school age. She had missed being called that, but she
had understood why they must, still it was a surprise to her ear to be called
that once again.
"Nick, please. Tell me what's going on. You haven't been yourself since you came
home."
"It's nothing, I'm okay,
don't worry about me, please." He
patted his mother's slender hand.
Heath leaned against the open
doorway with his arms folded across his chest, taking note of the troubled
scene. "How about that drink you
promised me Nick? Looks like you could use one."
Nick stood quickly from the
bed. "Sounds like a good
idea. I could use a drink." He left his surprised mother still sitting
on the bed and followed Heath downstairs.
* * * * * * * *
Once downstairs Heath briefly
excused himself. "Ah listen Nick, why
don't I meet you in the game room, I gotta talk to Silas a minute."
"Yeah, sure."
Heath headed to the kitchen and
Nick turned left toward an open door, unaware that Heath had hidden
himself. Heath watched as Nick opened
the door to Jarrod's office and then quickly closed the door. He turned in the opposite direction where he
found the game room with the large billiard table. Nick searched the room for a liquor cabinet while Heath leaned
against the door jam observing his brother, then walked into the game room
where he stood by the small liquor cabinet near the door.
"Whiskey or brandy?"
Heath asked.
"Whiskey." Nick turned, surprised to see him.
Heath poured them each a glass, handing one to Nick. "So what else did you do in Carson
City? Did ya look up Harvey Chace?"
"No... I ...
ah, didn't have time." Nick
lied.
"That's too bad I told ya
he had some good ponies on his spread."
"Sorry."
"Just as well, we didn't
need new stock anyway, but you already knew that. So what was the real reason you went there?" Heath leans on
the desk, Nick turns away from, watching the fire.
"I had some personal
business, is all."
"Something to do with
Laura?"
"Something like that."
"Why didn't you take her
with you?"
"She went to Frisco you
know that."
"Nick she didn't go to
Frisco until after you left."
"I know, but she was
planning the trip."
"Funny, 'cause I was under
the impression that she wouldn't have gone to Frisco if you hadn't gone to
Nevada."
"You know women, they
change their minds all the time."
"True, but I also know how
your wife feels about San Francisco.
She's staying with Jarrod you know."
"Well, it good she's with
family." Nick felt nervous and
poured himself another drink; he drank it down in one hot gulp.
"So it doesn't bother you
huh?" Heath also poured himself another drink.
"She'd got a mind of her
own, doesn't she?"
"Oh yeah, she's got that
all right. It's just that I was
figuring you didn't want her to go."
"Why wouldn't I let her
visit her family?"
Heath paused momentarily,
"Oh, you mean her brother
Jarrod?"
"Yeah." He said absentmindedly.
"Nick... Jarrod's our brother, not hers. Now maybe we can stop playing games and
maybe you can tell me what's goin' on with you?"
Nick glared at Heath, and then averted
his eyes, wondering if he should tell him the truth. Heath waited, as he watched Nick face the fireplace again,
staring into the dancing flames.
"I... I don't know..." Nick started but couldn't finish the
sentence. Heath moved toward his brother
and placed a brotherly hand on his shoulder.
"You can tell me Nick; you
can tell me anything, you know that, don't ya?"
Nick's head dropped down sending
dark locks of hair into his pained face. "I.. I don't know who I am. I
feel I should but it's like my mind won't work. Like it shut off. I see
your faces, and you know me, but..."
"How did this happen?"
"Queenie said I got
bushwhacked."
"Queenie? Who's
Queenie?" Heath rubbed Nick's back giving him the courage to continue his
story.
"A saloon girl....she took
me in, took care of me. God, I owe
her. I never even went back to thank
her for the kindness she showed me."
"There's plenty of time for
that Nick. Why don't we go into town
and see Doc Merar."
"Doc Merar, I heard of
him. The Doctor I saw in Carson City
knew him. We talked about..."
"About what?"
"I know from what the Doc
told me, I went there to see him."
"Who Nick?"
"Doc Warren. He helped me. He said my memory would come back if I saw familiar things but,
it hasn't and I don't... I'm
scared... I... I can't..."
Heath embraced his older
brother; tears lined his cheeks as he held him. "We're gonna take care of this Nick, I promise you big
brother, we're gonna take care of it!"
* * * * * * * *
The two friends rode their horses sidesaddle taking a leisurely
jaunt through the bridle path of Golden Gate Park.
"Seems like ages since I
rode side saddle." Laura smiled at
her companion.
"Now you know very
well..."
"Ladies only ride sidesaddle," the two women repeated together laughing.
"Can you ever forget those
days Laura?"
"No matter how hard I
try." She joked.
"Now they weren't all bad;
we did have fun." The brunette
said with a toss of her head.
"Yes, I suppose. But the best day I ever had in that school
was my last."
"Mine too, if truth be
told."
They rode quietly enjoying the
warm, pleasant day and taking in the heady salt air that held a hint of the
springtime to come. Rosalie studied the
pensive look on her friend's face.
"What are you thinking
L.?"
"Oh... Springtime.
It will be the busy season on the ranch soon. Not much time for leisurely rides like these."
"Do you and your husband,
what's his name, Nick often go on leisurely rides?"
"Not as often as I would like,
While Nick works I usually take a morning ride by myself."
"Doesn't sound like much
fun, almost boring. So what else do you
do on that ranch?"
"Not much, I'm
afraid." She gave a wistful small
laugh. "Though I have been busy
with the library."
"Library?"
"Yes, I've been
coordinating the establishment of the Stockton Library."
"You mean that little town
you're stuck in doesn't even have a library? My dear you must be bored to tears
living there"
"Not at all, Stockton is a
wonderful town to live in. Granted it
doesn't have the excitement of San Francisco or even offer many amenities,
still it's a lovely town."
"Is that why you're here, for the vibrancy and glamour of the big
city?"
"No, of course not, you
know I have no love for San Francisco.
Actually I came here to settle some Library business that was
pending."
"I see." Rosalie's tone held a hint of disbelief in
her voice.
Jarrod and I had the most
wonderful time shopping yesterday with Mr. Wilde." Laura said, attempting to once again change
the subject.
"Oh yes, on Sacramento
Street visiting all the Chinese shops.
I was quite surprised to see you there.
I would have never taken you for the exotic type."
"It was Mr. Oscar Wilde
with the flair for the exotic. Did you
know he collects peacock feathers? Did you ever hear of anything so strange? He
was so pleased yesterday, he found a fan made of peacock
feathers, he was beside himself
with joy, like a child with a new toy."
She grinned at the memory.
* * * * * * * *
"Would you look at that man, he's probably the
strangest man on this earth. Honestly
Laura I wish you hadn't accepted this invitation for us to go on this
excursion."
"Jarrod darling, you didn't have to come along,
Mister Wilde asked me after all."
"I am not going to let you go traipsing about
San Francisco with a man you only met the day before."
"Honestly Jarrod, what trouble could I possibly
get into? I could have gone without you."
She said teasingly.
"Don't be ridiculous; I would never let you go off
with a stranger. Especially him! I've
met strange people in my time but this one takes the cake. I don't know what you women see in this
dandy, he's nothing but..."
* * * * * * * *
"What are you smiling
about? I can see those wheels turning," her friend teased.
"Oh I was thinking of my
brother in law; he was so upset with me that I had accepted Mr. Wilde's
invitation to go shopping with him in the Chinese quarter. Poor Jarrod felt obligated to protect my
reputation."
"Humph, he should worry about
his own." Rosalie smirked under
her breath.
"I beg your
pardon." Laura reined her horse to
a stop. Rosalie pulled up her steed as
well.
"Oh come now, you must have
known, half the city knows."
"Half the city knows what?
What in the world are you talking about?"
"How naive can you be
Laura, for heaven's sakes! Surely you must have seen the signs at the
house."
"I have no idea what you
are referring to! Now if you have something to say against my brother in law
then I suggest you say it!" Her anger spilled out into her words.
Other riders on the bridle path
rode quickly by the two women who had stopped to confront each other.
"My God! You are that
naive! Who would have thought! Laura Thomas, hah!" The girl began to spur her
horse away, but Laura effectively stopped her by quickly grabbing the reins of
her horse.
"Don't you dare! You tell
me what you're talking about, NOW!"
"Let go of my horse!"
She tugged the reins out of Laura's hands.
"Your brother in law is a Cad! A well known CAD!"
"How dare you say that
about him! Jarrod Barkley is one of the finest men I know, and you have no
right to say such horrible things!"
"It's the truth! And the
longer you stay under his roof the sooner you will be included in the scandal!"
"What scandal?! Tell me
what you think you know about Jarrod!"
"Think?! Hah! I know, so
does half the city! He has a woman."
"Many men have women! My
brother in law is not..."
Rosalie softened her voice to a
mere whisper. "She is his kept
woman She lives with him."
"You're out of your mind! He hasn't anyone living with him! How dare you
say such things! Why the people in San Francisco are no worse than the
gossipmongers one would find in a small town like Stockton!"
"Is that so? How long have
you been here, almost two weeks under the same roof with him and you've seen no
signs of it? Just how stupid are you? You must be so wrapped up in your own
little boring world that you can't see the forest for the trees! Why don't you
go ask your precious brother-in-law? Go ask the famous lawyer about his tawdry
little affair with that Holister woman!"
"Holister woman? The
attorney?"
"Ahh, then you do know her!
That's right, she goes by the name C.B.
Holister. She used that name so
that when people heard it, they thought they were hiring a male lawyer; but
most around here are on to her little games, so now she takes cases that no
respectable lawyer would touch. Like
those suffrage women that they threw in prison about a month ago. She got them out."
"I met her the first day I
came here. Jarrod introduced her as a
colleague. I know Jarrod, he would
never involve himself with the Suffrage Movement, he's spoke out about it often
enough at the dinner table."
"I don't know about that,
but he certainly doesn't have a problem with bedding her!"
"You're a damn liar! I
don't believe a word you say!" Laura turned her horse around and spurred
him into a canter, leaving her friend Rosalie in a huff.
* * * * * * * *
Laura rode back to the stables, taking
a cab to Jarrod's town house. Her mind
replayed the last few weeks of her life.
It had been so important for her to leave home, to teach Nick a lesson,
but the only lesson learned was the cruel one she taught herself.
They had only been married seven
months, but during those seven months they had lost their first child, and were
now in the process of losing each other and she had been the catalyst. Today was her birthday, the first since she
had been married and no word from her husband.
She feared that this time she had pushed Nick too far. Her cornflower eyes held pools of tears as
the city streets of San Francisco whisked by the cab window.
Why was she even there? And why
didn't Jarrod send her packing? She had disrupted his life and he said nothing!
Why didn't he encourage her to leave? To go back to her husband. Instead he wined and dined her. Was that another one of Jarrod's lies? Had
he been lying to the entire family all this time? She felt anger rising for
Jarrod because he was dishonest, and for herself because once again she had
unintentionally jeopardized her marriage as she had before:
* * * * * * * *
"Do you realize that a wife has absolutely no
rights according to the law when it comes to divorce?! Her children are not even
her own, they belong to her husband! That woman in Sacramento that we met, Dora
Hamon, she was just in such a situation as that. She hadn't seen her two boys in eight years Nick! Can you imagine
that?!"
"I'm sorry, but I didn't make the laws; it has
nothing to do with me."
"But it does Nick, only men can make laws and
only men can change the laws. Women
have no rights! They can't vote!"
"Why does this even concern you?!" He
threw his hands up in the air.
"Because, I am a woman and it can happen to me!"
Nick furrowed his brow, outraged.
"You think so little of me, that you think I
would do that to you?!"
"NO NICK! You don't understand!" She shook
her head, frustrated. "That's not
what I meant!"
...."You listen to me woman, you make your list,
and you give it to my brother, take whatever you want of mine, I don't give a
damn! Take it all! But at this rate, we are never going to have children!"
He seized the bedroom door, almost tearing it off its hinges.
"Where are you going?!" Her voice panicked.
"I'm not staying where I'm not wanted! Make
your God damn list!"
"Nick please! Don't! You can't leave me!"
She immediately regretted everything she had said to him.
"WATCH ME!"
* * * * * * * *
Home. She decided, she was going home to Nick. He was her home and she would not waste another
day in San Francisco.
The carriage arrived at Jarrod's
and she flew out of the cab, not waiting for the driver to open the door for
her.
"Wait for me, I won't be
long. I want you to take me to the train
depot."
Laura burst into the townhouse.
She marched into kitchen first, searching for Mrs. Tam. She had decided she was going to pack and
leave as quickly as possible but then she changed her mind and decided she
would rather confront Jarrod first with the accusatory claims of her
friend. It was only right that Jarrod
knew the truth, that he was being the subject of gossip in his circle of
associates. She moved toward his office
and firmly knocked on the closed door.
When no answered was forthcoming she gingerly pushed the door open...
"Jarrod?" She surveyed
the unoccupied room. The flames of the
hearth had already begun their descent into dieing embers, then she caught
sight of the elegantly tailored jacket that had been draped carelessly over a
chair. She took the jacket in her hand;
inside the lining she found the embroidered monogram C.B.H., it was then she
heard the laughter coming from the hallway behind her; the sound drifting from
Jarrod's bedroom. She threw the jacket
down onto the chair and quickly ascended the stairs to her own room.
No, she couldn't confront Jarrod
now. She decided to write him a terse
note instead; she would not spend a moment longer under his roof. Laura was furious with her brother in law
for deceiving her and furious with herself for every leaving her home.
"Home, Nick," she
whispered his name as tears once again threatened. Throwing the valise on the bed she hurriedly packed.
Voices were heard in the
hallway, coming from the opened door in Jarrod's room. Laura opened her door enough to spy
out. In his dressing robe, Jarrod's
arms lovingly surrounded the slim waist as he tenderly kissed her. She returned his kisses with the same
abandonment.
"My darling, I really must
leave. We wouldn't want to get caught
now would we?"
"No, we certainly wouldn't
want to get caught, still it was wonderful to have you back in my arms
again."
"Well, if we must we can
always go to my suite at the Palace once she's tucked away in bed." They hugged each other as he gave her an
appreciative peck on the cheek.
"Let me walk you to the
door." Jarrod placed his hand on
the small of her back as he led her down the staircase.
"You're scandalous, showing
me out the door dressed only in your robe.
What will people think counselor?!" She giggled as he slid his
hands down her backside, pinching it.
He opened the door as he waited for her to retrieve the jacket in the
office. "Mustn't leave any
evidence."
"Wise woman, but then I
always knew that about you." He
accepted another kiss on the cheek before she left the house.
Jarrod smiled to himself as he
began up the stairs, but stopped when he saw Laura watching him from the top of
the stairs. Jarrod self-consciously
pulled his robe tightly around his waist.
"Laura dear, I didn't expect you home this soon."
"Didn't you?" She
stood above him with one hand on her hip and the other on the banister.
"How was your visit with
your friend? I hoped you enjoyed yourself."
"Yes, but I sure not as much
as you I suspect." The coldness in
her voice was all too evident to his ears.
Jarrod cleared his throat. "Yes, well, ah... I can..."
The sound was dull and in the
distance at first but then it came rushing towards them, like the sound of a
powerful train. It shook the chandelier
in the foyer. The lamps rattled to and
fro on their stands as the train chugging became louder, almost deafening. The stair rails pulled from their
joints. The walls began to crack. Jarrod took several steps up with his hand
outstretched, a terrified look on his face.
"Come! Come quickly! It's
an earthquake! We must get outside! LAURA!"
She grabbed hold of the banister
with both hands as it violently shook.
"JARROD!" She screamed, her trembling hands wouldn't release
their death grip. Jarrod pleaded with
her to let go. The fear he saw in her
eyes assured him that she was rooted in the spot. He took the stairs two at a time, but before he had a chance to
snatch her to safety the railing gave away and she fell to the first floor, he
followed, as the wall behind him pushed him down the same path.
Part 8
Nick stared into the trusting
azure eyes. He felt that he could put
his life in this man's hands. He knew
that almost instinctively. Nick gave him
a grin, Heath smiled and slapped his brother's back.
"We're gonna get ya fixed
up Nick, you just see if we don't."
"How Heath?"
"First thing we do is get
you to looking at things that really matter to ya, and I don't know any better
then the face of that pretty wife of yours.
'Sides, she's been waitin' on ya!"
They begin to walk from the room
out into the foyer.
"Waitin' on me huh? Don't
you think she's madder than all hell at me?"
"Naw, she loves ya. 'Course I always say there's no accounting for
taste where's a woman's concerned."
Heath joked as he jovially rubbed Nick's back.
"Oh is that what you always
say huh?" Nick smiled as he easily joined in the banter of this wondrous
new friend and brother.
It was almost unnoticeable at
first as it began its slow rumble from the west. Heath stopped dead in his tracks, Nick did in kind.
"What's that?"
"Earthquake!" Heath
yelled. "Where's Mother and
Audra?"
"Upstairs, I'll get
'em!"
"I'll see to the men and
livestock!" Heath rushed out of the house as Nick raced upstairs to search
for the women. But Victoria and Audra
were already at the top of the steps, making their way down, when the house
shook causing Nick to lose his footing and tumble backwards. His usually strong body at the mercy of the
hellish force that wrenched him down.
Victoria and Audra both shouted
his name as they rushed to his rescue.
The huge chandelier above them shook violently as it threatened to come
down on all of them. Victoria grabbed
hold of her son's arm in an attempt to drag him to safety.
"Help me Audra!"
Victoria cried out. His sister flew to
his side as she tried to help her mother pull the heavy burden.
Sensing something amiss in his
gut, Heath re-entered the house. He was
driven to Nick's side when he caught sight of the danger. "GET OUT! I'LL TAKE HIM!" Heath
shouted his orders to the women. With a
mad rush of adrenaline coursing through his veins, Heath took up his brother,
swinging his large form over his shoulder as effortlessly as a newborn
calf. He carried him out to safety,
both men dropping to the ground as Heath's brute strength left him as quickly
as it came. Heath lay beside his unconscious
brother in the dust, clutching his hand to his heart, breathing heavily.
The women went quickly to their
side.
"Heath, are you all
right?" Audra asked the blond brother.
Still out of breath, he only
nodded his answer and angled his head in Nick's direction. "Nick?" Heath breathed out
exhausted.
"Looks like he's got a lump
on his head. There's no
blood." Victoria said relieved as
she stroked her unconscious son's forehead.
The shaking earth had stopped,
leaving silent destruction in its wake.
* * * * * * * *
As luck would have it C. B.
Holister found a waiting carriage in front of the townhouse. The driver gave a tip of his hat and opened
the door for her. It was the same
carriage that brought Laura Barkley back earlier. She had asked the driver to wait for her.
"That didn't take long
ma'am."
"I beg your pardon?"
C.B. asked him.
"Will you be sending for
your bags later Ma'am?"
"My good man I have no idea
what you are referring to! Take me to the Palace and hurry!"
"I thought you wanted to go
to the train station Ma'am? You just told me..." The driver stopped himself from having a fruitless argument and
instead replaced his hat back on his head muttering about women always changing
their minds. "First it's the train
depot she wants, now it's the hotel..."
C.B. took no notice of the driver's mutterings as she entered the cab.
When the driver climbed aboard
his seat, the horse began nervously jigging.
The driver pulled up hard on the reins to get the horse back into
control. The carriage lurched forward
causing its' passenger to fall back into her seat.
"HEY! What's going on out there?! Easy!"
C.B. held tightly to the handrail as
the carriage rattled uncontrollably.
She knew immediately what was happening, but try as she might, she
couldn't get out of the carriage fast enough.
Instead the door flew open, throwing her out onto the cobblestone
pavement. The driver looked down at
her, still trying to control the skittish horse.
"You okay Miss!?" He
yelled out above the roar of the savage wind.
She decided the safest course
was to lie there until the ground stopped quaking. When the jarring earth settled under her, she pushed herself up
from the ground, surveying the area; it was then her eyes gazed on a disturbing
sight. The townhouse she had just left
was a shambles of brick, rock and twisted metal. The wooden front door was splintered over the mountain that was
once stone steps.
"Oh my God, Jarrod!"
She ran toward the building that was the home they had shared, searching for an
entrance, any way to get to him.
"JARROD!" She shouted in desperation, then she turned to the
driver.
"Help me! He's trapped in
there! You have to help me get him out!"
"Ma'am there ain't nothing
I can do alone. You gotta wait for the
fire department, they'll be here, I got my stables to look after. I can take you to the hotel if ya want now,
so long as I can get through the streets."
"I can't leave him
here!"
"Look lady, ain't nothing
anyone can do until help comes, ya wanna go or not? Maybe you can get help to
dig your friend out, but I'm going with or without ya!"
"Take me to the nearest
fire station, NOW!" She demanded, bravely climbing back into the carriage.
* * * * * * * *
Hours passed, Nick was still
unconscious despite the family's best effort to revive him. Audra walked into the bedroom with another
pan of ice. Heath entered, gazing at
his mother who was replacing the ice in a towel and carefully covering the lump
in back of his head with the cold compress.
"Any change?"
"Well, the lump has gone
down somewhat. How's Silas?"
"He's okay, I made him lie
in bed. At least his leg was just
bruised from the fall and not broken.
The doc said he'll be right as rain in a few days. What did he say about Nick?"
"Apparently Howard found
another lump on his head. Do you know
anything about that Heath?"
"Nick told me he was
bushwhacked in Carson City."
"Bushwhacked? When?"
"Don't rightly know
Mother. It must have been about the
time we didn't hear from him."
"Why wasn't I told?!"
"Nick didn't want to worry
you, 'sides he was okay when he came back."
"No he wasn't. He was acting very strangely when he came
back home. Heath if you know anything
about this I think you should..."
"AWWhh..." Nick began to stir, grimacing from the ache
in his head.
"NICK!" Heath rushed
to his side.
"Nick? Wake up dear... Open your eyes." His mother spoke in anxious tones.
"What's... going on.... What happened?" He looked around at the faces in the
room. "Where am I?"
"You're home
Nick." Audra answered.
"Home? How did I get
home?" Nick stared into Heath's worried face. "Last thing I knew I was in Carson City. What am I doing back here?" He searched
the now familiar bedroom for the one face he was anxious to see. "Where's Laura?"
Heath couldn't help conceal his
joy at Nick's recovered memory.
"Nick! You know who Laura is!!"
"Of course I know who she
is! Now where is she?"
"She's in San Francisco
Nick; you knew that." Audra
answered again, puzzled at Heath's strange exclamation.
Victoria gave Heath a suspicious
glare. "Heath, do you want to tell
me what's going on with my son?"
Heath shuffled his feet as he
studied the floor.
"What's going on here?! And
why the hell is my wife in Frisco?!" Nick sat up in bed, holding onto his
head with both hands. "Aaahhh,
God... my head! What happened?"
There was a loud knock from the
door downstairs. Heath began to leave
the room, when Victoria drew up a halting hand. "Don't you dare leave until I find out what's going on!
Audra go see who's at the door."
Nick got up from the bed and
walked around the room, unsteady at first, searching for the brown leather
folder the doctor had given him with his wife's medical records in them.
"Nick, what are you looking
for dear?" Victoria asked.
"That brown folder. It's here isn't it? I brought it home,
didn't I? I hope I didn't lose it."
"It's on the desk over
there." She calmly pointed.
He picked up the folder and
clutched it to his chest, "Good..."
The words of Doctor Warren came flooding back into his head. He was the specialist Dr. Merar had referred
him to:
* * * * * * * *
"Mr. Barkley, the blood clot your family
physician spoke to you about had nothing to do with your wife's temporary
blindness. It was actually caused by
something entirely different."
The doctor leafed through his notes, sitting in the
only chair in the hotel room. Nick sat
on the bed listening.
"What caused it?"
"It had to do with your wife's pregnancy
actually. I know that sounds strange
but doctors are only now doing studies and there was a case study in England I
read about that was very similar to your wife's . The only difference is this woman carried her child to full term
but she spent the entire time in bed.
She had a disease called Toxemia. We are only now studying it. Your wife is very lucky she only became
temporarily blind; this disease has been known to kill."
"Does she still have it?" Nick frowned.
"No, it's only prevalent in pregnant
women."
"Then she shouldn't get pregnant again. Is that it?"
"Not at all, her next pregnancy will in all
likelihood be free of the disease. It
seems to be common in first pregnancies to the best of our knowledge."
"Are you sure about that? That there's no
danger?"
"Mr. Barkley there is always a danger in having
babies, but you shouldn't let that keep you from having children. I wouldn't be concerned if I were you. Your wife could very likely have an easy
time of it next time. I have four of my
own and I highly recommend them."
The doctor said with a gentle smile.
* * * * * * * *
"Laura? I gotta talk to
her." He had decided he was taking
the next train to San Francisco and dragging her back home and he wouldn't
accept any arguments. With the renewed
knowledge from the doctor Nick ached more than ever for her and nothing was
going to stop him from getting his Laura back home, not his pounding head or an
earthquake. His need for her consumed
him like a burning fire.
"OH Mother! It's awful!
Mother!" Audra rushed into the room gripping a telegram.
"What is it Audra?"
"It's a telegram from San
Francisco. The earthquake..., it
toppled Jarrod's house! Mother! And he was still inside when it happened!"
"Oh my God!"
"Who's that from? Is it
from Laura?" Heath asked.
"No, no..someone named
Holister!" Audra said through tears.
Victoria took the note from her
daughter and read it. "It doesn't
say anything about Laura."
"Just what is going
on?" Nick said with a mask of distress covering his face.
"Laura was staying in
Jarrod's house." Heath said
rigidly.
Forgetting his pounding head,
Nick grabbed his valise, his gun belt and hat, then glanced in Heath's
direction, "Ya coming?"
"Right behind ya big
brother."
"Let us know the
minute..." Victoria began.
"You know we will. Bye Mother." Heath dropped a hurried kiss on her crisp white hair then
followed Nick out who was already bounding down the stairs.
* * * * * * * *
The dust settled for the most
part in his lungs as he choked trying to catch his breath fighting for clean
air. Shards of wood and plaster were heavy
on his back and each movement caused a searing pain to bite his leg. He tried to examine it, but all he saw was
more dust and debris covering his body.
Adjusting his eyes to the darkness there was some light coming from
above him. He wondered what time it
was. What happened? How much time had
gone by. No matter he had to find his
way out. He looked around, even through
all the damage he still managed to recognize his home, or at least what was
left of it. He wished now, he had moved
into one of those newer buildings that engineers had claimed were quake
proof. Of course he didn't believe
them, but now he thought it might be nice to see if they were right.
He clawed his way through the rubble,
trying to find an escape route, it was his movement on the floor that made him
realize how little he was wearing. He
found himself in his robe and nothing else.
What had he been doing? Yes, he was in bed, in bed with....
"Carol! Carol? Are you here?
Where are you?" He frantically looked around... No, wait, she had left,
he remembered walking her to the door.
'Yes of course, thank God.' he
thought. 'At least she's safe.' He took in a deep sigh, as deep as his
weakened lungs would let him. He realized
he mustn't move too much, 'let the dust
settle' he thought. His eyes then
caught sight of a wooden beam with the hall chandelier still attached, it was
just above him, precariously leaning on what was left of the office door and a
broken portion of the parlor wall.
"Great, one more rattle and
it could come down on my head," he said to no one.
* * * * *
* * *
The two brothers played cards
for want of something to do during the long train ride. Heath dealt as Nick stared out the window
watching the distant hills passing by.
His mind wandered to the time he and Laura had traveled together on the
train to their honeymoon in Sacramento.
That trip seemed so long ago but held so much promise for them
both. How did he let it go this far?
Why were they separated again? He had promised he would never travel without
her by his side. The trip to Boston was
the first time they were apart and he hated every long, lonely minute of it.
He remembered telling her when
they had reunited again, alone in the privacy of their room, 'I didn't marry you to sleep in separate beds.'
But they did, and he was the cause of it.
After the baby died they slept together but were still apart, and he was
the one who built the walls. He knew in
his heart that was the real reason she left.
He promised himself to make up for all the hurt he caused. His body ached for her, to caress her soft
subtle body in his hands. He gave out
an audible sigh.
"You okay Nick?" Heath
hadn't any trouble sensing his brother's reason for brooding. He knew only too well the feeling a man gets
when he's away from his woman. Hope had
crossed his mind all too often these days.
He desperately wanted a family of his own, but he knew he had to hold
back. Hope wasn't ready and he knew
well enough that if he pushed she would be scared off. As much as he wanted her he wouldn't dare
risk losing her.
"This train seem to be
going slower then usual to you?"
"Not to me, maybe you're
just anxious to get there. Want any
cards?"
"I suppose." Nick shuffled the dealt cards in his hand,
and pulled out three cards.
"Ah Nick?"
"Yeah?"
"Ya just threw out three
queens."
"Oh... sorry, not thinking..."
Heath gathered up the leftover
cards on the table. "Ain't gonna play
two handed poker with you, it would be like taking candy from a baby."
"Thought you liked that
advantage."
"Not this time, you're
making it too easy for me, there ain't no challenge in it."
"This train is slower than
usual! I know it is!" Heath shrugged his shoulders. Nick grabbed the jacket sleeve of the
conductor when he walked by. "Hey
you!"
"Yes Sir? Can I help
you?" The conductor said somewhat annoyed at being stopped from his duty.
"This train goin' slower
than usual, or what?"
"Sir, we just had an
earthquake a while ago; there's always more tremors coming later. We got to take into consideration falling
rocks and wreckage on the tracks. We
don't want to derail and get more people hurt."
"What did I tell ya,
huh?" Nick glared at Heath.
"Well Nick, he's got a
point."
"That ain't gonna help
Jarrod or Laura. They could be hurt! We
don't even know. That telegram told us
nothing!"
"Well now Nick, ya gotta
take into consideration that's a good sign we got a telegram from 'Frisco. That means the telegraph poles ain't
damaged, so maybe it's not all that bad there."
"But that wire did say
Jarrod's house was damaged and he was in it at the time!"
"Well, maybe Laura wasn't
in it. Didn't ya say she was there
visiting friends?"
"Oh fine, that gives me
less comfort! She could be trapped someplace else and I don't even know
where!"
"Aw now Nick! She may be
safe, as safe can be, just waiting on ya to come take her back home."
"And take her back I will! That
woman never listens to me! I told her to stay put! But does she? NO! She just
goes traipsing off not giving a care what I say! I tell you I'm too easy on
that woman! Just too damn easy! Another man would take her over his knee! I'm
just too good to her!"
"Uh huh." Heath positions the cards in front of him to
play a game of solitaire. Nick rakes
his hair back with his hand and shakes his head. Heath watches him thoughtfully.
"I know you're worried Nick, but there's no need worrying until ya
got something to worry about."
"I know, you're
right...Come on, lets play Hi Lo Jack instead." he said in an attempt to calm his nerves.
The train chugged even slower
until it came to a dead stop. Nick
stood from his seat. "Now
what?!"
"Let's go take a look..." Heath stood and led the way to the end of
the pullman. The conductor walked up
the aisle trying to settle people down.
"Now relax folks, take it
easy. We just got some falling rocks
blocking the tracks, nothing to worry about we'll have it cleared up in no
time. ...Whoa, see here now, where do
you two think you're going?" The conductor effectively stopped Heath and
Nick with his hands on Heath's chest.
"We just want to see if we
can help is all." Heath responded.
"Don't need your help we
got railroad men to clean up....It's against railroad policy ya know."
"Mister ya wanna know where
you can put your railroad policy?! Now take your hands off my brother before I
take 'em off for ya!" Nick growled as he pushed the frightened conductor
out of his way. Nick and Heath headed
out of the pullman door together.
Outside, the brothers made fast work of joining the railroad
workers in clearing the train tracks of fallen rocks. The slower speed of the train and stopping for falling rubble,
made the usually punctual Central Pacific two hours late getting into the San
Francisco Train Depot.
* * * * * * * *
Jarrod's muddled brain tried to
think of what had happened before the quake struck. 'He had walked C.B. to the door,' that he remembered. Naturally he was in his robe and he knew he
had to...'the stairs... I walked up the stairs, yes, now I
remember....' a shiny object caught his eye. It sparkled even under the gray dust that were once his
walls. Jarrod pushed himself with a
crawl toward the object, 'Yes, he had
seen it before....it was a...diamond and gold ring.' His mind recalled the
stairs again, yes... ....'Laura! She was on the stairs when the
earthquake struck....' "LAURA!"
He pulled himself quickly toward
the shining object..."Oh my God, Laura!" He reached out, carefully
pushing and pulling objects away from his quest. He found tousled blonde hair, matted with dry blood.
He gingerly wiped away the layer
of dust that settled on her face. It
was cold to the touch.
"Oh please God! Don't let
her be dead! Please God! Laura? Laura? Can you hear me? Laura honey?"
He pushed away more bits of
tangled wood as he felt for some sign of life.
"LAURA, WAKE UP! Come on honey! WAKE UP!"
But not a sound was uttered.
Part 9
Darkness settled on the
devastated City by the Bay as the two Barkley brothers finally arrived. The aftermath of the earthquake was evident
around them. San Francisco seemed to
have been hit harder than home. A
clutching fist grabbed at Nick's throat as his eyes caught sight of the
damage. Buildings had crumbling
facades, gas lampposts were downed like discarded lamp wicks, some still
smoldering as the gas smell permeated the air.
Trees were uprooted, and the ground had been lacerated by Nature's lash. Heath placed an encouraging firm hand on
Nick's shoulder sensing his anxiety.
"Where do you want to go
first Nick?"
"Jarrod's."
We're gonna have to walk, don't
seem like there's any carriages around and the ground doesn't look all that
safe."
"Then let's get
moving."
Nick started first at a slow
run, then picked up speed. Jarrod's
home was a good five blocks from depot and Nick wasn't going to waste any more
time. Trepidation was pressing on his
heart.
* * * * * * * *
Jarrod pushed and pulled at the
plaster, wood and paper strewn over her body.
Once free of any refuse, he examined her visually for any cuts or
contusions. He slowly turned her on her
side and saw the bloody bruised knees from the fall, and the still trickling
blood beginning to dry on her skirts.
Both her wrists seemed swollen three sizes too big, which left him to
surmise they may have been badly bruised or broken from the fall. He sat up, again pulling his dressing gown
taut to cover his nakedness. He cursed
himself for not dressing, as he didn't even have a shirt to rip up to bandage
her wounds.
"Petticoats will do the
trick...Sorry Laura for being so forward, but it seems I have no choice in the
matter." He spoke to her in soft tones
as he lifted her torn skirts and caught sight of her badly bruised legs; he
wasted no time in tearing strips of cloth from the lacy cotton petticoat. He thanked the stars it wasn't a satin or
taffeta undergarment as that was almost impossible to rip without a knife. He tore the strips of cloth and wrapped them
as tight as he dared around each wrist.
He thought he heard a slight moan coming from her, but he couldn't be sure. Her weakened state was obvious and he raised
his eyes to the heavens, praying that nothing was broken and needed the quick
attention of a physician.
"Laura? Honey? Can you hear
me?" Part of the stair railing was still beneath her, so he tried as
gently as he could to pull her off it in an attempt to let her lay in a more
comfortable position.
"There you are. That should make things more..." He looked around for something, anything
that would be soft enough to rest her head, or at least cover her. She had felt so cold to the touch. He spotted a small brocade table cloth that
had covered a hall table which had been demolished. He draped it around her the best he could, and rubbed her arms to
try to get some warmth back in her body.
"Looks like we haven't any
choice. We have to warm you up. Me too I suppose, it is getting cold. Wish I could hear someone outside. That would sure make me feel a lot
better."
He started to yell for Help as loud as he could, while he
wrapped his arms around her shoulders, trying to give her some of his own body
warmth.
* * * * * * * *
C.B. had changed into pants, blouse and a warm jacket as she stood
outside the shattered house, directing the fire brigade to continue their
digging through the rocks and bricks.
She cursed herself for not being as strong as a man. She urgently wanted to help them dig out her
beloved Jarrod. Not one given to prayer
she still pleaded within her heart to whatever god there was to keep her man
alive.
* * * * * * * *
Oddly enough Heath could barely
keep up, Nick was running like a man possessed, but he understood why, ...if it
had been Hope...
They reached the street where
Jarrod lived. It was worse than they
thought, the whole front end of the brick house was a massive mountain laying
on the street. Ten rescue workers were
already there but it would still be hours before they could get through, and a
deep darkness had already blanketed the city, time wasn't proving to be their
friend. The two brothers stopped to
take in the gut wrenching scene. It was
then he spotted her, Nick's face lit up, running, he grabbed her, pulling her
into a crushing bear hug, "Laura!"
"Take your damn hands off
me you fool!" C.B. shouted,
punching him about the arms. Nick
quickly moved away from the angry blonde.
"I, I'm sorry Miss, I
thought you were... From the back you
looked just like her."
Heath caught up to his brother
and stared at the girl. From afar she
did look like Laura, enough to be her twin Heath thought. They had the same honey colored hair and
about the same height and built.
C. B. glowered at both men.
They weren't dressed like the men she usually saw in the city. They were definitely from the country, it
was then she noticed a familiar look to them.
"I know you two. Barkleys right?"
Yes ma'am. Do you know our brother Jarrod?" Asked
Heath.
"Yes I do. I'm C.B.
Holister, I wired you, I'm a friend of your brother's. He's buried under that rubble....he... we're trying to get to him." She tried in vain to hold back tears.
"Do you know if my wife was
with him? Her name's Laura, do you know her?"
"Yes we've met, but I don't
think she's in there." C.B. turned away to watch the workers.
"Well then, do you know
where she is? Has anyone heard from her? Is she safe?" Nick asked
anxiously.
"I don't know, she was out
someplace with a friend, they went riding in the park or something like
that. Listen are you two going to help
get your brother out of there or are you just going to stand here
talking?!"
"We're going to start
digging, come on Nick." Heath
immediately set himself to the task at hand, working alongside the rescue
workers.
Nick chose to question the woman
further, "Are you sure she wasn't in there?"
"Look I never saw her, I
came out just before the earthquake hit, I was with your brother at the time,
he walked me to the door, I got into a waiting cab and left when the quake
started, I was... Wait a minute, the
cab driver thought I wanted to go to the train depot. He must have been waiting for someone else. I thought it was odd to have a cabbie
waiting outside the house.... Maybe,
she was... Oh God, the cab driver
mistook me for her, just like you did."
C.B. looked toward the
devastation again that once was Jarrod's house. "My God, she must be in there with him!"
Nick also stared at the rubble
and blew out an uneasy breath, then without hesitation took his place along
side Heath to work away at the collapsed house.
* * * * * * * *
Jarrod thought he heard the
rescue sounds but they were far away, hammers and picks, but when he opened his
eyes the sounds were gone. Maybe he had
dreamt it because he wanted to. Her
head laid on his arm. He removed it
gently. It must have been hours he
thought, his arm felt stiff with a pins and needles sensation from being in one
position for so long. Maybe if he started
pushing away at some of the debris they could be rescued that much sooner. The lawyer tried to stand but his leg
wouldn't support his weight. He had
found a big gash, and had taken most of Laura's petticoat to fashion crude
bandages for their wounds. He dragged
and clawed toward what was once the front door of his home and made a feeble
attempt to pull the stones away, but his own frigid, weakened condition from
the blood loss made it impossible. His
only answer was to call out in hope that someone heard him.
"HELP! ANYONE! IS SOMEONE
OUT THERE?"
"Nick..." came a small voice. Jarrod turned and crawled over to where his
sister in law laid. A smile came over
him.
"Laura honey, you're awake!
We'll be out of here in no time."
"Nick?" she whimpered. "...cold.."
Jarrod exhaled a sigh. Her skin was ice cold, he knew that if he
didn't keep her warm she could die of exposure, more than anything else. Fortunately her injuries didn't seem life
threatening, but the March winds coming off the San Francisco Bay could be
brutal. He knew he had to keep her
warm. They were both in danger of dying
from exposure, especially if rescue didn't come in a timely manner.
He huddled near her, taking a
position as close as possible cradling her in his arms, she responded by
placing herself closer, her arms around his chest. She whispered her husband's name. It brought to mind the time before when he found himself in her
bedroom after her nightmare experience, he decided he wasn't going to get
caught like that again.
"Laura, it's Jarrod, I'm
just trying to keep us both warm until we're rescued, okay? We need to keep
warm, and that's what we're going to do.
Our bodies will keep us warm if we stay like this, it's all we can do
for now. Just lie here and wait."
His weakened state, and loss of
blood, together with the cold air lulled him into another light fitful sleep.
* * * * * * * *
Nick and Heath worked diligently
along side the rescue workers when suddenly Heath stood, wiped his sweaty
forehead with his jacket sleeve, and looked at the mountain of rubble before
them. Nick looked incredulous at his
brother.
"What are you stopping for?
Come on!"
"Nick, you and I both know
this isn't gonna work. We've been at
this for hours now and we're gettin' nowhere.
We gotta do something different."
"What?! What are you talking about? What can we do different?!" Nick
was breathing heavy and already felt exhausted from the grueling task.
"Dynamite, its the only way
Nick."
Nick stood up and thought about
the suggestion, "I don't know Heath, it's not like a mine cave-in back
home. There are gas lines running under
these streets. Dynamite could blow us
all to kingdom come."
Heath put a trusting hand on his
shoulder, "Not if we put the dynamite in the right place Nick. Come on, we can do this! We don't really
have much of a choice here. They can't
last much longer. We gotta do
something!"
Nick looked up at the remains of
the building, pointing to an area of the devastation. "I suppose if we put some sticks there abouts, it might give
us the advantage we need."
"Lets do it!" Heath
said with renewed hopefulness. Nick
smiled with an assuring nod, and the two walked off to speak to Captain Lewis
of the rescue team.
* * * * * * * *
"Nick?..." The small weakened voice beckoned him from a
fitful dreamless sleep.
"Huh...what?" He said
drowsily, his tongue swollen from lack of water.
Laura snuggled closer to Jarrod,
her head tucked under his chin.
"...love you." She
whispered kissing the bare chest protruding out from under his robe.
"Shush, go to sleep,
C.B. just sleep honey..." Jarrod slurred groggily.
Hours passed as they laid in
each others arms, dreaming of other lovers.
* * * * * * * *
"Do you have any idea what
you're talking about?! This isn't a farm we're talking about here! You're not
blowing up tree stumps! This is the big city.
We got gas lines under ...."
"Now wait just a minute
Captain!" Nick began to argue, "I don't need you to remind me of the
dangers of dynamite. We can handle it!
We can do this!"
"I am not going to be
responsible for you or your brother if you get hurt." Captain Lewis continued.
"We're not asking for you to
take responsibility for us; just get us the dynamite we'll take care of
ourselves." Heath insisted.
"No! I can't let you do
it!"
Nick grabbed the Fire Chief by
his lapels, "Now you listen to me you dumb jackass! My wife and brother
are in there and no blowhard like you is gonna stop me from getting them
out!"
"You are going to get them
and yourself killed!"
"I haven't got time to
waste with you! Come on Heath, lets get it ourselves!"
Nick and Heath walk away while
the Fire Chief yelled out a warning, "You're going to get yourselves
killed!"
"AW SHUT UP!" Then
Nick whispered to his brother, "Where the hell are we gonna get the TNT? I
mean no one's knows us here. Who's
gonna sell us dynamite?"
Heath boldly walked to the fire
wagon, and gazed over to see if the firemen were looking their way, then he
pulled off two fire brigade jackets and hats from the wagon.
"Always wanted to be a
fireman. Here Nick, put this
on." Heath handed Nick a leather
fireman's coat.
"You mean there's actually
a job you didn't have in your misspent youth?"
"A few." Heath gave a crooked smile as they donned
their disguises and headed down the darkened empty street.
The two would be firemen managed to talk a shopkeeper into donating all the
sticks of dynamite and fuses they could ever need for the fire department's
use. Nick marveled at Heath's ingenuity
for finding solutions to impossible situations.
Back at what was once Jarrod's
house, Nick and Heath climbed the mountain of rubble to set the charges. They carefully set the sticks in place,
while the rescue workers stopped to watch in awe of the two cowboys.
* * * * * * * *
The sound of the explosion was
startling. She searched around, trying
to adjust her eyes to the pitch black darkness around. A tiny glimmer of light above the ruins
caught her eye. A faint light from a
lantern, and then the voice.
"Laura?"
Her throat was so dry from
thirst and breathing in dust, that her voice had no sound. She desperately wanted to speak; to say his
name. He came. He finally came to rescue her from her
foolish mistakes. Finally..
Her grateful eyes caught sight
of the familiar black gloved hand.
"Nick..." she
whispered inaudibly. She watched in
forced silence as he climbed down toward her.
She weakly tried to pull herself up, but her bruised wrists wouldn't
take up the challenge.
Nick pushed away some of the
rubble. He didn't notice the beam that
began to move above him. The beam that
still held the crystal and iron chandelier that once lit Jarrod's foyer. She tried to form the words to warn him, but
the only sound was the creaking of the beam as it gave away from it's perch,
hurling down, landing on her beloved husband.
She tried to scream but only a
whimper was heard and the dust once again rose up from the residue of the
earthquake, choking away the breathable air.
She watched in horror as Heath followed Nick's same path but even his
sure footedness couldn't have stopped Nick from being slammed by the beam. Heath's adrenaline rush gave him the strength
he needed to effortlessly pull off the beam.
Laura watched in horror as Nick's blood stained the wood, spreading and
darkening into black.
NICK! NICK!" She heard
Heath's voice cry out.
Her words strained..."Heath?" she all but managed in a small
voice.
Heath with a ragged breath said,
"Nick...Nick's dead."
Part 10
She stirred in his arms
agitated, but he held her fast and whispered his reassurance.
"It's me, I'm okay, it was
only a dream. I'm here."
"Nick?"
"Yes Milady, it's Nick. I'm here with you. You're safe in my arms."
"I thought you
were..." She turned to face the
ruins of the foyer above her. The beam
with the chandelier still leaned precariously on a piece of the wall, but intact.
"Nick..." she whispered, "I love you..."
"I love you too my
darling," he said as their lips locked in an ardent kiss. The pain in her arms mysteriously left her
as she wrapped them around his broad shoulders.
"I've missed you so. I was coming home to you... I..."
"Shhh, don't talk. I'm here now, that's all that matters."
"I love you so."
Another kiss more intense than
the first, and she melted in his strong arms.
She felt his smooth hand roam over her thighs and gently pushed them
aside. Her clothes had been torn away
and he had easy access to her. He
softly touched her body, slowly and deliberate. Her hands traveled over his smooth bare chest. They embraced each other tightly and shared
lustful kisses. Their passion held no
bounds as they whispered their lovers' names.
"Nick..."
"Carol..."
* * * * * * * *
Rocks and wood moved above them
as one black gloved hand held a lantern, the other black glove poked and
prodded the wreckage away from his view.
Elated to have finally found an entrance, he shone the light into the
cavernous tomb. Hazel eyes squinted,
waiting for the fleeing dust to settle.
His eyes focused on the two dark forms below.
His heartbeat a steady silent
prayer. "Please God, let them be
alive."
"LAURA!"
Nick's booming voice resounded
above her. But her eyes locked onto
piercing blue mere inch from her face.
"NO!" Her strained voice rasped out hoarsely. Her aching wrists were bound tightly so she
pushed him off with the force of her forearms, the only part of her body that
she could move, as her legs and torso were pinned under his semi-naked body.
The force of her push awakened
him to the realization of his act.
"MY GOD!" Jarrod yelped embarrassed and confused. He hurriedly rolled himself off her. She strained her voice to scream out but
only a small screech was heard then fell into silence.
In moments Nick rushed to his
wife's side, and scooped her up in his arms.
He held his frightened wife who cowered in his strong arms. Nick glared in disbelief. He couldn't have seen what his eyes beheld. He imagined it! He must have, how could
anyone believe his older brother would betray him! Nick gripped his wife so
tightly he feared she would break, but she didn't protest, instead she clung to
him even more closely, shivering in fright.
"You're safe baby, you're
safe." Nick cried, burying his
face in her blood caked hair, grateful tears falling unashamed.
Heath climbed down with the
other rescuers behind him. Fear
clutched his heart when he spotted his big brother weeping. "Nick is she... is she alright?" Nick nodded simply,
his face still buried in her blood
matted-hair. Heath turned his attention
to his lawyer brother, " Jarrod?" Jarrod laid on his side, openly
weeping, his hands covering his face.
"Jarrod can you stand? Jarrod, come on, let me help you out of
here." Heath laid a gentle hand on
his shoulder but Jarrod pushed it away angrily.
"Leave me!" He choked
out.
" ...Jarrod...?"
Confusion spread on Heath's face.
"Come on Jarrod, what's going on? Let me help you."
The Fire Chief crawled over to
Nick, placing his hand on his back.
"Come on I'll help you get her out of here."
Nick held fast to his
Milady. "Don't you touch
her!" He snarled venomously.
The rescuer fearfully backed
away. "We need to get her out of
here before this place goes!"
Nick stood up, his wife
enveloped in his arms. He started up
toward the opening. Witnessing his
brother's actions, Heath grabbed the Fire Chief's arm, "Let him alone, we
gotta get my other brother outta here, he can't walk."
"Daniel bring that
stretcher down here!"
Nick made his way out of the
ruins, only to be met by Jarrod's anxious girlfriend. She grabbed hold of his arm, effectively stopping him from
sprinting away. "What about
Jarrod? Is he alright? Are they bringing him out?!"
"Get your claws outta me
lady!" He angrily shook her hand off, then turned toward a waiting rescue
worker. "Where's the nearest
Doctor's office?"
"Wait until they bring the
other one out, and we'll take them both to the hospital in the wagon over here." He pointed over his shoulder to a waiting
ambulance wagon behind him.
"I'm not waiting! Where is
it?!" He growled.
"The nearest one is a block
away, right on this street, same side."
The young man pointed the way to the angry cowboy.
Nick hiked briskly up the
street, his injured wife securely in his arms.
* * * * * * * *
Daybreak introduced a new day
while Nick waited for the doctor to finish the examination of his Laura. He wanted to stay with her, but the doctor's
wife had offered her assistance, so Nick did what he didn't do best, he
waited. Memories of the last
twenty-four hours churned over in his confused head, the rescue scene playing
over and over again in his head. Did
his eyes deceive him? Did he see what he thought he saw? Was it real?
"Mr. Barkley?" The
doctor stood before him, wiping his hands with a towel.
Nick stood anxiously "My
wife, how is she?"
"She was quite
fortunate. The cuts were bandaged
quickly enough so she didn't lose much blood.
Both wrists have very bad sprains but nothing was broken. Basically she needs nourishment, especially
liquids. She's very dehydrated."
"Is that all you
found?"
"I don't understand."
"Did she tell you
what... I mean.... did she say anything about what happened to
her?"
"She didn't seem to
remember much, but you can ask her yourself she'll be out in a little bit, her
dress was pretty much torn up. My wife
is helping her into one of her old ones."
"Please thank your wife for
her kindness."
"No need, she was happy to
do it. You just take you wife home and
look after her, she'll be fine in no time."
Nick studied the floor, his hat
crunching in nervous hands as hard words caught deep in his throat.
"Is there something else
Mr. Barkley?"
"My wife, you examined her,
did she, I mean, was their any evidence that she was...that maybe,..."
"Are you implying that you
think she was raped? Why would you...?" The doctor shook his head. "No Mr. Barkley, there wasn't evidence
of any force, but I wasn't looking for that.
You did say she was caught up in the earthquake. Why would you think she was....?"
"Ah never mind, forget
it." Nick interrupted, raking a
hand through his sweat soaked dark hair.
"Say do you mine if we impose on your kindness one more time? I
need to get my wife to the hotel and I sure would appreciate the loan of your
carriage, if you don't mind."
"Of course just send it
back soon, I have many patients to see this morning. This earthquake has given me more business than I need."
"Nick?" Hazel and blue
eyes met and locked as she stood before him, looking vulnerable in a gingham
check dress, her wrists wrapped in bandages.
She took a few limping steps toward him.
"Sweetheart." His voice quivering, he swept her up in his
arms. Grateful tears shedding
unashamed.
"I'll go get that carriage
ready for you Mr. and Mrs. Barkley."
The doctor and his wife excused themselves leaving the reunited couple
alone.
They said nothing, preferring
instead to seek comfort in each others arms.
* * * * * * * *
During the time he and Heath were there, Nick had arranged for
rooms at The Palace Hotel as it was one of the few hotels strong enough to
withstand the violent earthquake that came to devastate the Bay City. Nick immediately had food and drink sent up
to their suite. The couple sat at the
table in the lavishly appointed suite, silently eating their morning meal. Nick dotingly watched her from across the
table.
"You're staring." She said in a small voice. Because she hadn't eaten for more than
twenty fours hours her stomach couldn't take more than a few bites at a time.
"Sorry, just curious to
know how you feel."
"I'm not hungry anymore,
nor thirsty."
"Good, but what about in
general? How do you feel?"
"I'm fine."
"Truth." He demanded with finality.
She managed a slight smile. Her husband knew her only too well. She knew it was useless to hide anything
from him. "I hurt all over,"
she finally confessed.
"I thought so. Come on, lets get you in bed." He stood and motioned with an authoritative
hand.
"I'm not tired,
really."
"But you still need to
rest, doctor's orders. Come on let's
go."
"All I have is this
dress. I've nothing to wear to
bed." She stood forlornly looking
at the well worn dress the doctor's wife kindly donated. It was hardly a dress she would normally
wear unless she was doing household chores.
"Just like a woman, always
complaining she has nothing to wear," he teased good-naturedly, causing a
weak smile to cross her lips.
"I've got an extra shirt you can wear. Later we'll buy you some clothes." Nick plunked his valise on the bed and pulled out a white shirt.
She stood and clutched the
shirt, taking in its familiar scent, unwanted tears came to her eyes. Nick uncomfortably shifted his weight from
one leg to another. Laura slowly
started to unbutton her dress but found it difficult to manage with her
bandaged wrists. She sighed in
frustration.
"Here, let me do
that." He said, grateful to be
able to help her in some small way.
Nick had been racked with guilt and completely blamed himself for
everything she had thus far endured.
She surrendered herself to his
help. Tear stained eyes went from his
fumbling large hands, up to his warm, loving face. Her hand touched his cheek, and their eyes locked once
again. She marveled how she grew to
love him more each time she looked into his handsome face.
"What?" His baritone
voice vibrated in her fingertips.
"Do you know how much I
love you?" She whispered. Her
words struck him silent. Action was the
only thing left to him as he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her
tenderly. She dropped the shirt on the
floor. Her arms wrapped around his neck
accepting his kiss. He could no longer
resist the temptation and he gathered her in his arms, laying her across the
bed. A shower of kisses rained
down.
They undressed and shared only a
blanket between them. As familiar as
their love was for each other, it was ignited with a newness they had not
experienced since the first time. The
lovers reclaimed and renewed their hearts, and all of the anger, frustration,
and heartache melted between them, leaving only Nick and Laura, together again.
* * * * * * * *
Heath turned the key in the lock,
he was bone weary after spending the better part of the night and early morning
seeing to Jarrod's comfort at the County Hospital. Even though he hadn't any breakfast he only wanted sleep. After pulling off his boots, shirt and belt,
he laid on top of the bed, sleep claimed him quickly. He hadn't slept for very long when he heard a familiar voice
screaming his name in the hallway.
He rushed out, not taking the
time to dress or put on his gun belt.
He found his sister-in-law wrapped only in a bedsheet screaming his
name.
"Laura! What's going
on?!" He tried to get her back into the hotel room, but she wouldn't
budge.
"Oh Heath! I didn't know
where you were! You've got to stop Nick, he's going to kill him!"
"Kill who?! What are you
talking about?! Get inside, you'll catch your death, come on!" He led her
back through the opened door of her room.
"Nick just left, he was so
angry! He's going to kill him I just know he is!" She hung on his arm for
support as he brought her back into the room.
"Laura, calm down! Who's
Nick gonna kill?"
"Jarrod! You've got to stop
him Heath, please!"
"Jarrod? What are you
talking about?!"
"Please... Heath...
you have to..." He caught
her in his arms before she fell to the floor.
Heath carefully laid her on the bed.
A hotel maid spotted him, and she gave out a small shriek.
"Wait! Lady don't go,
please I need your help! This is my sister-in-law, she's very sick. Please get the hotel doctor."
"But she's..."
"Please, she needs a
doctor. Please get him quickly! Hurry!"
The chambermaid rushed off. Heath covered Laura with a blanket. He tried to arouse her by gently tapping her
face. "Laura, come on honey, open
your eyes, wake up. You gotta tell me
what's going on. What happened?! Why is
Nick gonna kill Jarrod?!"
* * * * * * * *
"Are you sure you're
comfortable J.T.?" C.B. had
fluffed his pillow for the fourth time.
Jarrod appreciated her attention
but truly wanted to be left alone in his misery. He felt incredibly ashamed and couldn't get Nick's disappointed
face out of his mind. "Carol dear,
why don't you go back to the hotel?"
"Honey, are you all right?
How do you feel?" Seeing her darling Jarrod laying in the hospital bed
with his leg in traction was almost more than she could bear. She held back tears and tried her best to
keep a smile, but in reality she was appalled at his appearance and he seemed
so dejected. Nothing she could do or
say would bring him around.
"I'm fine, just tired. You really should leave darling. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes please, I'll be fine,
see you tomorrow. I'm not going
anywhere like this."
"All right my darling,
tomorrow then." She gave him a
kiss where no bruise was visible.
"Love you."
"Love you too."
C.B. reached for the door
when it pushed in, almost knocking her down.
"JARROD!" He roared.
"Nick." Jarrod turned his face away from the fury in
his brother's eyes. He knew why he was
there and he almost welcomed the punishment he felt he deserved.
"What do you think you're
doing?!" C.B. said indignantly.
"You best be leaving
lady. What I have to say is not for
your ears." The scowling Barkley
opened the door for her.
"Your brother needs his
rest, I suggest you leave!"
Nick said nothing but the
coldness in his eyes gave her pause.
"Please do as my brother
says Carol. I'll be fine; go on, I'll
see you tomorrow." He gave her a
half-hearted smile. She was struck by
an overwhelming sense of defeat coloring her lover's face as she left the two
men alone.
Nick nodded to the closed door
after she left. "She seems to care
about you. Do you feel the same?"
"Yes." He still wouldn't look at his brother. Nick pulled his gloves taut on his hands,
his face showed an undercurrent of rage.
"Is it because she
resembles my wife?" Nick clamped his fists on his hips. Jarrod didn't answer, still looking towards
the stark white wall of his small hospital room.
"Look at me! I said look at
me! How long?!"
Jarrod finally looked at his
brother, "How long what?"
"How long have you been in
love with my wife?" He spat out his accusation, his eyes in angry slits.
"You're wrong Nick."
"Am I? Then you tell
me," his voice iced at hearing.
"Tell you what?"
"You tell me. Did you touch my wife? Tell me you son of a
bitch! TELL ME THE TRUTH!" But before Jarrod could answer, the enraged man
lunged for his throat. Jarrod yelped
but made no move to defend himself, accepting his brother's tightening grip
around his neck.
"NICK!" Heath jumped on
his brother's back and pulled him off the bedridden patient. Nick jerked Heath's arms off him, turning,
he punched Heath, knocking him into the now partially open door.
"HEATH!" Jarrod rasped
out.
Heath shook his head and rose
up. Nick grabbed his shirt collar and
set him up for another blow to the jaw.
Heath grappled with Nick's arms trying to pull away. "NICK, listen to me! Laura's in the
hospital!"
Nick held his arm fast in mid air. "What?"
"I just brought her, she's
sick."
"Show me where she
is!" He quickly followed Heath out of Jarrod's room.
Jarrod brought his arm over his
eyes and sobbed.
* * * * * * * *
Nick bounded into the room
startling the nurse who was administering to her patient. "You can't come in here! Get out!"
"She's my wife! Tell me
what's wrong with her." Nick
pulled up a chair and sat by his wife's side.
"I'm getting the
doctor!" The nurse flew out of the room, pass Heath who stood by the door.
"Nick, the hotel doctor
examined her and thought she might be better off in the hospital, so we brought
her here. She fainted."
"Fainted? Why?"
"Look I don't know, she was
really weak, she fainted dead away in my arms."
"You were with her?"
"Yeah, she came looking for
me, she was hysterical, she said you were going to kill Jarrod. Nick, what's going on here? I had a feeling
if I didn't stop you, ya woulda killed our brother."
"Leave us alone
Heath." He took her hand in his
and kissed it. "Laura, honey, wake
up sweetheart, come on."
"Okay, I'm leaving Nick,
but I'm gonna be with Jarrod. I think
you better stay away from him, understand?" Heath cautioned but Nick
didn't hear him; instead he kept speaking softly to his wife.
He brought her hand to his cheek
and stroked it, "Wake up Honey, everything is going to be all right. As soon as you're better I'm taking you
home, where you'll be safe. I'm never
going to let you out of my sight again.
I know I have a lot to make up for and I promise I..."
He was interrupted by a knock on
the door. It opened and a tall woman
with dark auburn hair and gray eyes walked in.
She carried a small medical bag in one hand and a leather note folder in
the other.
"Mister Barkley, I'm Doctor
James."
Nick stood in deference to the lady. "You're my wife's doctor?"
"That's correct."
"But you're a woman."
"How astute you are Mister
Barkley. I congratulate you." She walked to the opposite side of the bed
and placed her hand on the patient's forehead.
Nick rolled his eyes. "Why isn't my wife waking up?"
"She did wake up when they
brought her in, but she was quite agitated so I had to give her a mild
sedative. She'll come around
soon."
"What do you mean she was
agitated?"
"She kept on about someone named
Nick wanting to kill somebody. Are you
Nick?"
"Yeah." He stared at his boots.
"According to the
information your brother gave us, your wife was buried under earthquake debris
for well over twenty four hours. She's
quite dehydrated you know." She
looked him squarely in the eye, holding the medical notes to her bosom.
"I know that! I got her out
of there!"
"Then knowing your wife's
condition why would you choose to agitate her?"
"I didn't choose to agitate
her! It just happened! We had a...a disagreement. Listen, are you a real doctor?!"
"I'm a resident here Mr.
Barkley."
"What's that suppose to
mean, you live here?"
"It means I am a third year
resident. Doctor in training, to put it
simply."
"Training hmmph! I thought
so! I want my wife to have a real doctor!"
"I am a real doctor, and if
your wife wants me off her case she can tell me herself."
"Nah, she won't. She'll like you!"
"You're wife sounds like an
intelligent woman. I think I'll like
her as well." she smiled
satisfied. Nick grunted and sat back
down signaling an end to the conversation.
The doctor moved again toward
the door. "I'll be back to check
on her later. Your wife should be
waking soon, try to refrain from threatening to kill anyone in her presence."
Nick watched the woman leave,
then propped another chair near the door to lock out any more intruders. He sat down and took up his wife's hand in
his. "I seem to be surrounded by
smart mouth women these days! But I sure would like to hear your voice Milady. Come on honey, tell me what a jackass I
am."
"Nick?"
"Laura?" He gave her a
wide grin. "Welcome back."
"Jarrod?" He noted the
worry shining from her blue eyes.
"He's all right.
Heath stopped me."
"Thank God for Heath,"
she sighed relieved.
Nick bent his head in remorse,
"I'm sorry I scared you."
She brought her hand up to his
cheek, "Promise me you won't hurt your brother. He didn't do anything wrong."
"We'll talk about this
later."
"No Nick, now. Promise me, please." She begged.
Guilt so overwhelmed his heart
that he would give her cause to beg him, he decided to put her mind at
ease. "I promise," he said
quietly.
Part 11
Heath took up residence by
Jarrod's door. He leaned back, arms
folded, watching Jarrod in a fitful sleep.
Jarrod mumbled incoherently, his eyes flitting back and forth. 'What's
got a hold of you Big Brother, huh? What's eating you? And why is...'
"Nick...?"
Heath jumped up from his chair
and moved quickly toward the bed.
"It's me Heath. What do you
need Jarrod?"
"Where's Nick?"
"He's with Laura."
"She all right?" Heath
thought Jarrod's eyes held fear in them.
"Yeah, Doc said she was
dehydrated, like you I suspect. Can I
get you anything, water?"
"Did he hurt her?"
"Hurt who? Who are you
talking about.?" Heath took a cool compress and wiped the sweat from his
brother's forehead.
"Nick...did he.... It's all my fault, she's not to blame. She didn't know, I should have never let it
happen! Damnit!" Jarrod brought his fist to his head. Heath grabbed his hand and brought it down
to his side.
"Jarrod, did Nick see
something? I mean, he was mistaken wasn't he? You didn't do anything to Laura
did you?"
"No. ...No of course not."
"Good, then it's just a
misunderstanding, and it will be all right.
Nick will come around. He was
pretty upset you know, but it's gonna be fine now, just a misunderstanding
right?"
"Yes, " he said
quietly, "just a misunderstanding."
Jarrod turned a silent face toward the blank wall.
* * * * * * * *
Relieved, she sat up and drank
liberally of the water by her bedside.
Laura watched amused as her husband again checked the strength of the
chair under the doorknob. "Nick,
what are you doing?" She said in a still raspy voice.
"Keeping those busybodies
out."
"Why?"
Nick smirked, pulled off his
leather jacket and unbuttoned his shirt, "Cause I'm staying the night and
I don't want anyone barging in on us."
"You can't."
"Who says? Watch me!"
He slipped out of his pants and threw them over a chair.
"But..."
"We're married, why do I
have to keep reminding you?" He teased as he crawled under the bedcovers,
"Move over."
"You're crazy." She smiled.
"Honey, you knew that when
you married me. Now finish that water
and put it on the table. I don't want
to sleep on wet sheets."
"We might fall off . There's not enough room."
"Sure there is, come here,
you won't fall off, I'll hold you."
She turned facing him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.
"This is wicked." She giggled, giving him a kiss.
"Yeah, isn't it lucky I
happen to know you like wicked," he smirked.
* * * * * * * *
While Nick softly snored, she
very carefully pulled on her robe and as quietly as possible moved the chair
from the door. She walked down the empty
hospital corridor barefoot, reading the names on the hospital room doors
looking for...Jarrod Barkley.
She gently tugged him out of a
slumber.
"Laura? What in God's name
are you doing ...."
She put her finger to her lips,
"Shhh, we need to talk."
"Please Laura,
you need to leave here, if anyone catches you.
If Nick knew, he would kill us both!"
"I need to know what Nick
said to you."
"He would have killed me if
Heath didn't show up."
"What did you tell
him?"
"He didn't give me a chance
to say anything. He was enraged! He saw
us Laura." Jarrod turned his face
away in shame.
"You listen to me Jarrod
Barkley! Your brother saw nothing, because nothing happened. Do you understand? Nothing happened."
He turned to face her again,
"How can you say that, you know what happened, and no amount of denial is
going to...."
"NO! You were ill and so
was I. We both just imagined it. I know we did!"
"Nick saw
us..."
"NICK SAW
NOTHING! He only thought he saw it, we never..."
"Made
love?"
"I've only been
with one man in my life and that's my husband! What you think happened,
didn't!"
"I wish I could believe
you...I wish it were true..."
"It didn't
happen Jarrod! And if you dare say different to another living soul I will
never speak to you again!"
"Are you mad?!
I would never tell anyone, ever!"
"See that you don't!"
"Then what made
him so angry to come here and try to kill me? Tell me that!"
She began to tell
Jarrod what had transpired before Nick confronted him in his hospital room.
* * * * * * * *
She was sobbing in her sleep and he shook her
awake. "What's the matter? Why are
you crying?"
"I don't know... I can't explain it."
She sat up in bed, bringing the bedsheets up to cover her nakedness,
"I love you Nick, you realize that don't you? You're the only man I will
ever love, you know that, right? Please say you know that."
"Why are you saying this? What's going
on?"
She bent her head down to her chest continuing to
sob, "I love you Nick, only you!"
"Is this about Jarrod? Tell me! Is it?! Is he
in love with you? Is that what I saw?!" He took hold of her
shoulders. "I saw the two of
you. You were kissing, you had your
arms around each other and you were kissing! I know because I saw it! I saw it
all!"
"No, no I wasn't.. it wasn't, it was you...I was kissing you. I only love you!"
"Yes, I know it was me you were kissing, at
least that's what you thought, but he knew different and he took advantage of that!
My own brother! I didn't want to believe it, but I knew, in my heart I knew he
was in love with you from the beginning!"
"No Nick, that's not true, he doesn't love
me. It's that woman, I forgot her name,
Hollister. "
She continued to sob while Nick took her in his arms
and crushed her in an embrace. He spoke
in a low, cold voice, "Tell me, he touched you didn't he? Tell me the
truth. He touched you. You thought he was me and you let him touch
you."
"No Nick, it wasn't like that, he never did... he didn't... I swear it! I would have known.
I would have known. I didn't let
him! I swear I didn't! Please Nick, you have to believe me! You have too!"
* * * * * * * *
"But he didn't believe you,
did he?"
"He quickly dressed and
rushed out of the room; with my wrists bandaged I couldn't manage to put my
dress on, I just wrapped myself in a sheet and I went out into the corridor and
started screaming for Heath. I didn't
know which room he was in, so I just screamed out his name! I was so scared. I was afraid he was going to kill
you." She hung her head , "I thank God for Heath!"
"As do I; he saved my
life."
"Whatever we do Jarrod, not
a word of this should ever be repeated."
"Then you do know what
happened, you remember."
"I'm not sure, I don't... Damnit no! Nothing happened! I know it! We
didn't do anything wrong! I won't believe it! I refuse!"
"All right, have it your
way. I certainly can't let C.B. hear about this, she's jealous enough of you
already."
"Jealous? Of me? Why on
earth for?"
"She has some foolish
notion that I'm secretly in love with you."
"Why that's ridiculous!
Where in the world did she ever get that idea?" Jarrod gave a long sigh
but said nothing. She stared at him
suspiciously. "Jarrod? You're not are
you? I couldn't bear it if you..."
"No of course not! I do
love you but certainly not that way!"
"There's only one way to
remedy this situation, you must marry her."
He gave a sad, low chuckle, "I'm afraid that's easier said
than done."
"Explain."
"C.B. refuses to marry me. Oh it's not that she doesn't love me it's
just that being an attorney she is well aware of the marriage laws. Well, you above all should understand that
being a suffragette."
"Suffrager." She corrected, then shook her head. "I can't understand the two of you, You
are both lawyers and you haven't figured any of this out! It's so incredibly
stupid on your part! All you need to do is draw up a marriage contract,
spelling out what the two of you expect out of your marriage. It will be legally binding, especially with
two lawyers drawing it up."
"A marriage contract?!
Where on earth did you ever get an idea like that?"
"Well if you read books
written by women like E Cady Stanton or Susan B. Anthony maybe you'd get educated! And it's really not that modern
a concept did you know that in ancient times.... never mind, I don't have time to go into it, but I'll send you
some of my books to enlighten you. I
really have to get back before Nick wakes up."
"Nick?! You mean he's in the
hospital? Please Laura, you need to leave here, if Nick saw us, he would kill
us both!"
"Don't change the subject
Jarrod Barkley. You stop what you are
doing with this woman. Your reputations
are being ruined! Do you know how fortunate you are that this scandal didn't
reach Stockton?!"
"Which scandal are you
referring to! I seem to be surrounded in scandals these days! First C.B. and now you!"
"Never the less, this
situation with you and that woman must be remedied. You must insist that she marry you and make an honest man of
you!"
Jarrod couldn't help the smile
that escaped his lips, "You are something Laura Barkley. You're a woman
ahead of your time. I hope Nick knows
how lucky he is to have you."
"I'm the lucky one, because
I married into a wonderful family. Good
bye Jarrod, take care of yourself and thank you for saving my life." She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek
then quickly left his hospital room.
* * * * * * * *
Several weeks went by, Victoria
and Audra traveled to San Francisco to look after Jarrod and help put his
household back in order. In the
meantime Heath, Nick and Laura came back to the ranch. Springtime in April found both Nick and
Heath busy with roundup while Laura relished her role as lady of the house in
her mother-in-law's absence. Nick
walked into the library and found his wife sitting at the great oak desk
pouring over the household accounts. He
playfully pulled her wire rimmed glasses off her nose.
"Hello Milady, Ciego said
you needed to see me. Am I so
irresistible that you had to send for me my love?"
"Yes; that, and I needed
someone to sign the household checks, besides Heath's not around the
ranch."
"Hmmph!" He grunted.
"Here you sit down and
sign, I have to see Silas about lunch."
She gave him a kiss on the cheek as he sat in her unoccupied seat.
He noticed a pile of invoices on
the side. "Are you paying these
too?"
"I have a few questions on
those. Don't want to pay them unless I
really know what they're for."
"Good girl! Very
shrewd."
She opened the library door to
leave but thought better of it and walked back to the desk. "Nick?"
"Yeah?" He said
without looking up from his task.
"Do you know anything about
this bill from Carson City? You were there a while ago." She handed him the invoice from the pile on
the desk.
"Oh, ah that. Yeah I know, it's okay to pay." He tossed it to the side again, but she
picked it up.
"Sweetheart, who's Doctor
Charles Warren? Were you ill when you were there?"
"Huh?"
"Doctor Charles
Warren. Who is he?"
"Doc Warren, oh well I ah,
needed to see him about something."
She waited patiently for more of an explanation. He felt her piercing sapphire eyes on him
and he sheepishly looked up.
"Lemme finish signing these checks." She stood watching and waiting.
"Didn't you say you needed to talk to Silas about something?"
he reminded her.
"Don't go away." She left him at the desk after she pointed a
warning finger.
When she came back some moments
later she found Heath in the library instead, rifling through the stack of
bills. "Where's Nick?"
"I was about to ask you the
same thing."
"Maybe he's upstairs,
excuse me." She turned to leave
but Heath called out to her.
"Laura?"
"Yes Heath."
"I was thinking of inviting
Hope over for Sunday dinner."
"Wonderful, you know she's
welcome anytime. You don't need to ask,
there's always plenty of food, we'll just set another plate."
"Ya know, Hope's agreed to
letting me teach her how to ride a horse.
That's why she's coming over."
"That's great Heath. It's about time she learned to ride, and she
couldn't find a better teacher than you."
"Yeah, well she's gonna
need riding britches and ah, I don't think it's right for me to bring it up,
could you maybe..."
"Be glad to, I will take
Hope shopping tomorrow."
Nick called out from the foyer,
"HEATH LETS GO!"
"Nick..." She rushed out to meet her husband. "Honey, you didn't answer my question
about the doctor's bill. Were you ill?"
"Oh no of course not. Don't worry about it, Heath lets go!"
Heath entered the foyer. "Where are we going?"
"Take care of those lost
strays."
"Send Davis and Lew to do
that."
"Oh well then we need to
check on that well in the pasture for...."
"Done that Nick, I came in to eat lunch, ain't ya hungry? I know I
am. I'm gonna wash up. See ya."
Nick stared down at his wife who
was standing in the foyer with her hands on her hips. "What?"
"I'm still waiting for an
answer."
"What?"
"Who is Doctor Charles
Warren? And why is he sending us a bill for a consultation?"
"Why don't we talk about
this after lunch, I'm hungry."
"Let's talk about it
now. Well Nick?"
"Aw all right, lets go in
the library." He led her by the arm
into the library, then began to pace the room, while his wife sighed and sat on
the settee waiting for an answer.
"Well now, you remember that trip I took to Carson City? I sorta
didn't tell you the whole truth about the real reason I went there."
She sat silently with her arms
folded in front of her. Nick let out a
deep sigh, then decided to give his entire explanation in one short
breath. "Doctor Warren is the expert
that Doc Merar mentioned to us when you were sick, so I went to see him to talk
about you."
"You talked to this doctor
about me?" she asked stiffly.
"Yeah, Doc Merar gave me
all your medical records so that this fellar could look em over; 'cause he's an
expert, ya see?"
"Doctor Merar gave you MY
medical records to take to this doctor, without my knowledge?"
"Yeah, well, he figured it
was alright, being I'm your husband and all."
"Of course, why not? Women
are too stupid to decide such important things. They need their husbands to decide for them. How lucky I have you!" Her voice dripped
with sarcasm as she quickly stood, and paced the floor.
Nick stopped his pacing and
attempted to reason with her. "Now
honey, it's not like that at all. You
know I don't think of you like that.
Didn't I let you decide on who I should vote for?"
She stopped her pacing long
enough to seethe behind gritted teeth, "You let ME decide who to vote
for?! You didn't even know who was running until I told you! And don't change
the subject! MEN!"
"Look, you refused to go
see this doctor, so I did the next best thing.
I saw him for you, sort of... I
mean... well, you know what I
mean. Laura, I was desperate! I needed
to do something! We couldn't go on like we had been. Our marriage was falling apart! Blast it Laura, we wasn't even
married a year and our marriage was a mess!"
"And who made a mess of it?
Who was the one who refused to keep our marriage intact?! You avoided me like I
was the Black Plague! Your own wife!"
"Shhh, keep your voice
down! Heath's in the dining room!"
"Good! He should hear what
an idiot his brother is so he won't make the same mistake when he marries! When
I think of all the thoughts I had in my head! It was maddening! You gave more
affection to your damn horse than you did me!"
"Now that's not true!
Listen! I had good reason! I didn't want anything to happen to you! I didn't
want to take a chance of you getting in a family way again and that blood clot
moving and probably killing you! I had to keep you safe!"
"So, what changed? You've
certainly made up for it since San Francisco! Hardly a day has gone by! If this
wasn't a working ranch you'd never leave our bed!"
"Would you keep your voice
down! The whole house doesn't have to know our personal business!"
"Why not! Some stranger in
Carson City does!"
"Look, listen to me, I got
the medical report right here from Doctor Warren." He retrieved a key from the desk drawer and
opened a strong box . He pulled out a
folded paper. "Just read that,
you'll see what he said. It's great
news." She slowly read the report
then stared at her husband. "You
see, what did I tell you? We can have as many children as we want!"
"Don't bet on it!" She
stomped out of the room muttering expletives to herself.
"Huh?.... Laura, honey, wait a minute! DAMNIT!"
Nick heard her rush up the stairs and slam their bedroom door.
Part 12
After dinner that following
Sunday Laura was in her bedroom helping her cousin Hope get into her new riding
clothes. Hope stood in front of the
full length mirror with a bewildered look on her face. She wore a dark tan blouse and a chocolate
brown split skirt, with shining new black riding boots.
"I don't know about this
L., this outfit is scandalous. If I
weren't wearing boots I would be showing my ankles in this short skirt. What would my students think? For that
matter what would my students' parents think?" Hope said with a tinge of
false frumpiness and a hint of a tease.
She loved to exasperate her western cousin with her Bostonian manner.
Laura shook her head. "Hope Dougherty you are in the West
now, not Boston. It's time you left
your prim and proper Boston manner back in Massachusetts."
"Easier said than done!
Besides my prim and proper Boston manner has served me well here." She gave her cousin a teasing smile.
"And did it serve you well
when you were teaching the adult literacy classes in the back room of the
Stockton saloon?" Laura finally saw her game and decided to tease back.
"Now I only did that a few
times, until you opened up the Stockton Library to the classes, and Heath was
with me the whole time, protecting my honor." Hope gave a dramatic curtsy to her cousin who sitting on a chair.
"Speaking of Heath, is
there any progress there?"
Hope smartly pulled the white
ribbon in her hair taut while looking in the mirror. "Why whatever do you mean cousin mine?"
"Well, cousin mine, have
you let Heath kiss you yet? Or are you still holding hands?"
"That is none of your
business...Why, has Heath said anything?"
"That's none of your
business." Laura gave her a sly
smile. "Come on, you're ready, I'm
dying to know what Heath says when he sees you in that. I bet he's going to be struck dumb."
"He will not! He'll at
least say 'boy howdy'." Hope
giggled. Laura opened the door for her
cousin.
The two women met Nick at the foot
of the staircase.
"Well, look at you Tidbit,
you look mighty fine in those ranch clothes.
Wait until Heath gets an eye full of you."
"Where is Heath?" She
asked.
"Heath went outside to get
your horse, and don't you worry because we got you the gentlest horse on the
ranch. Heath made sure of that."
"I hope so, I truly don't
relish this whole idea now that I've given it a second thought."
The large door opened and Heath,
dressed in his ranch clothes after shedding his Sunday best, walked in. "Well, I got the horse for
Hoo.........pppe." Heath stood
staring at the petite brunette. She
smiled pleasantly at him.
"Told you." Laura smiled triumphantly.
"Boooyyyy
hoowwwdddy...."
"I told you." Hope gave her cousin a sideways glance.
"You sure look nice...,
....and all ready, Hope," Heath said after a moment, regaining his
tongue.
She smiled. "Shall we start my riding lesson
Heath?"
"Uh huh, " Heath
opened the door, his eyes followed her outside before his body did. Nick and Laura watched the pair, amused.
Nick sighed and placed his arm
around his wife's shoulder. "Nice
couple huh?" Laura unceremoniously pushed her husband's hand off and
walked into the kitchen. "Laura?
Hey! Come on, you're not still mad are ya? You were talking to me while Hope
was here. Hey, come on Honey... Talk to me!"
He followed her into the kitchen
where she started washing dishes.
"How long are you going to give me the silent treatment? How many
times do I have to say I'm sorry? It's been three days now. What do you want from me? You know I can't
stand it when people don't talk to me! Heath does it all the time! He drives me
crazy, now you're doing it!" He didn't see the sadistic smirk that warmed
his wife's face at that remark. Nick snatched
up a dirty platter in his hand.
"Here! Throw something at me, you'll feel better!"
She took the platter from his
hand and wordlessly placed it into the dishwater. Not having anything to do, Nick thought to appease her by drying
the dishes. A feat he hadn't done since
they had first met. It had marked the
first quarrel the two ever had. That
whole fiasco had them and the entire kitchen covered in a spilt five pound bag
of flour. He remembered the whole day
well. They had worked quietly at first,
both angry with each other and then, the two had landed on the floor in each
other's arms, laughing.
Nick grabbed some dirty utensils
from the table and placed each one in the dish water on either side of her so
that she was surrounded by his arms. He
nuzzled her neck, taking in the familiar perfume scent of rosebuds.
"Heath and Hope won't be
back for hours and we have the whole house all to ourselves." he whispered sensually, "I'll wash your
back and you can wash mine."
She turned around in his arms to
face him, and with her hands dripping with soapy water, she wiped them on the
front of his Sunday best white shirt.
Then, without a word, walked up the back stairs.
He fumed as he wrenched the wet
shirt out of his trouser waist.
"Blasted woman!"
* * * * * * * *
The pair of them
walked over to the corral, Heath just a bit ahead, and Hope slightly wary. They reached the corral and leaned against
it. “That the horse?” Hope asked, turning
her head upwards and to the side to face him.
“Yep. That’s her."
She turned to face
the horse again. “What’s her name,
then?”
“Hasn’t got a name yet.”
“You let this beautiful mare go without a name?” Hope slapped his arm. “That’s cruelty, Heath Barkley.”
“Well, we got her not long ago, was them that didn’t name her before we
didn’t. And she’s such a beaut, can’t
rightly think of a proper name for her."
She glared a bit at
him. “And why has someone not remedied
this? I should think at the very least your sister would have enough sense to.”
“She probably would, ‘cept that she’s been awfully busy lately. Takin’ care of Jarrod in 'Frisco with
Mother. If you’re so all fired up she
needs a name, you name her.”
“Alright, then. I shall.”
Hope studied the horse, screwed up her face in thought, while Heath studied
her, his face wearing a smirk. The
small mare was a dapple grey with a happy countenance, clever nature, and
feisty but gentle disposition. It
seemed to Heath that, though she was mostly inexperienced with horses, Hope was
very aware of those facts. After a few
moments of silence weighted with thought, Hope straightened up and turned to
Heath. “Let’s get started."
He smiled down at
her. “Alright." They walked inside the corral, but stopped
shortly before reaching the mare.
“We’re going to have to saddle her now.”
“Shouldn’t I get to know her first?”
Heath smiled. “I usually do, but most don’t. Ya don’t have ta.”
“Well, I want to. You just scoot around
to the other side of the corral while Naomi and I get acquainted.”
“Naomi?”
“Naomi."
He shrugged slightly
and gave a little crooked smile. “Have
it your way. I’ll be back in a minute
or two.”
“Thank you." Heath walked off.
Alone with her mount, Hope sighed. Then
she looked at the newly-named mare.
Hope and Naomi studied each other for a moment. The former nodded, and the latter stepped
closer. Hope smiled widely, took her
glasses out of her pocket, and placed them on her nose. She began talking in a soft, slow murmur,
her mouth close to the mare’s ear.
“Well, now, you are even more beautiful now that I can see
properly."
Hope stepped forward
herself, and gently pet the horse. “Did
you know that you didn’t have a name? Silly me, of course you did. You have one now. I chose it myself. I hope
you like it. Your name is Naomi. You just looked so happy, and so pleasant,
that it just seems to fit, and I don’t care what Heath, or Nick, or Jarrod, or
even Laura thinks. I only hope that you
like it. Do you, girl? My, I think you
do."
The horse seem to nod
in agreement.
"We shall be
good friends, Naomi. And I’ll try to
bring a treat next time I come. I know,
I should have thought to bring one today, but you see, I’ve never ridden a horse
before. Though knowing you, my dear
friend, I think it shall be much better than if you were some other, less
friendly horse. We’ll do well together,
you and I. Ah, yes we will." Hope nuzzled Naomi’s neck with her head, and
stroked her mane, and Naomi leaned in kindly.
“Well, seems to me like you two are a real pair already,” said Heath as he
walked towards them. Hope blushed, but
remained as she was.
“Indeed we are.”
“Ya want ta get started now, Hope?”
“Alright." Standing straight
again, she patted Naomi, and, under Heath’s guidance, saddled her horse.
“Now comes the tricky part: mounting.
Come on over here. Ya just put
your left foot in the stirrup, grab on ta the saddle horn, straighten up on
your left leg so you’re high up, and swing your right leg over
the other side." Heath watched as
Hope’s brow furrowed as she rethought the instructions in her head.
“I’m glad Naomi’s so short.”
“That’s half why I picked her.”
Hope’s face reflected her concentration as she slowly but precisely mounted the
animal. Heath brought over his mount,
leapt into the saddle in one fluid motion, and took Hope’s reins.
“Heath Barkley, how on earth do you mount like that?”
“Well, ya just do. Come on, now. We’ll take some circles around the corral.”
“After that, can we take a real ride?” Hope was as excited as a young child with
a new toy. Heath eyed her with an
amused glint in his eye.
“We’ll see how well you do. Now, get
Naomi moving with a little kick.”
* * * * * * * *
Nick had sat alone for some time in his favorite chair in the game
room when he heard the sound of Heath's laughter coming from the foyer.
"I may never sit down
again." Hope complained, "Why
didn't anyone tell me?"
Heath laughed as he threw his
hat on the hall table. "People
knew before hand they would never learn ta ride a horse. Come on, lets go in the game room I'll get
ya a pillow to sit on." He led her
gently by the elbow into the next room.
Nick stood when they
entered. "How did the lesson
go?"
"It was quite an
education." Hope gingerly sat on a
soft pillow provided by Heath.
"Aw come on you'll get used
to it. How about another lesson after
school tomorrow? I'll pick ya up."
"No thank you, these Sunday
jaunts will suit me fine. I'll need all
week to recuperate."
Heath poured a drink. "How about some sherry Hope?"
"Well just a wee bit to
deaden the soreness." Heath gave a
chuckle as he poured her a drink.
"How about you Nick? Wanna
drink?"
"No thanks, I think I'll work on the books. Excuse me."
"Where's Laura?" Hope
wondered.
"She was a little
tired. She went upstairs to rest."
"Oh dear how am I going to
retrieve my clothes? I left them in your bedroom."
"Don't worry, she put them
in Heath's room. You can change there
when you're ready."
Nick didn't notice the rosy
blush coloring Hope's cheeks before he left the room, but Heath caught it and
smiled. "I'll show you where it is
when you're ready to change."
"Thank you," she said
taking a delicate sip of her drink.
Heath took Nick's seat. "Can I get you anything else?"
"Oh no thank you, I'm
fine. I think after I finish this drink
I'll leave. I wouldn't want you to go
home in the dark after you brought me home, it wouldn't be safe. It's getting late and we both have to get up
early to work tomorrow."
Heath couldn't help letting a
smile escape as he watched her study the drink in her hand. He loved her shyness around him and found it
most endearing. Although he knew in
reality she was anything but shy. She
had a pioneer spirit that seemed to remind Heath of his mother, who was also a
strong yet gentle soul. He loved the
fact that Hope was so fervent in her religion and enjoyed conversing with Padre
Sanchez after church services about the readings of the day. Heath smiled remembering the stiffly polite
conversation the two had when the good padre had made mention of a passage
about women being subservient to men, luckily the wise priest was ready for his
educated parishioner and gave her a satisfactory answer that the two could
agree on. 'Mama would have loved Hope,' Heath thought.
* * * * * * * *
"My stars Heath some day a woman's gonna come
around and you will know she'll be the right one for you. I know you're broken hearted now about Sarah
but she really wasn't the girl for you.
She was a selfish girl."
"Oh Mama!"
"Heath Thomson in your heart you know that, or
at least you will in time. Your heart
will show you that. She didn't want the
kind of life you offered her."
"Mama what kind of life could I offer her? I've
got nothing to give her, or any woman. The
only dirt I'll ever own is sticking to my boots!"
"No sweetheart, someday, I promise you, you
will come into your own. I promise you
that. The Good Lord will never abandon
you my child. Others may, but He never
will." Leah cupped her nineteen
year old son's heartbroken face in her hand and gave him a generous kiss on the
cheek.
* * * * * * * *
Others found Heath's silent
spells annoying, but Hope didn't see them as threatening. She enjoyed them as it gave her a chance to
collect her own thoughts. Like him, she
loved quiet times too, when at home, she often made her way up to the
lighthouse tower where she would sit and sketch a seascape. The early morning light was the best light
for drawing, and she could be alone there with her own thoughts.
"It's getting late, maybe
you should show me your room so I could change my clothes."
"Right this way." Heath stood as she did and followed her out.
Upstairs they walked down the
hall and opposite Nick's room. Heath
opened the door to a very comfortable and warm looking room, but decidedly
smaller than Nick's.
"It rather small compared
to Nick and Laura's room isn't it?" She surveyed the room and immediately
decided that even if no one had told her, she would have known that this was
Heath's room. It complemented his quiet
solitude.
"Nick got that room when
Father died, when he took over the ranch.
Mother wanted him to have it. It
was hers and Father's room before that.
It fits him, Nick needs a lot of room."
"And how did you get this
room?"
"I picked it out. I thought it was the best room in the
house. You see, it faces East. You can see the sunrise in the morning." Heath walked her over to the window and
pointed toward the horizon.
"Nick's room faces West, he gets the sunset. He likes it better, so does
Laura."
"It must be a beautiful
sight in the morning." Hope said
searching the tree line and imagining the sight. She thought she would have loved to sketch the scene sometime.
Heath stood behind her smiling
impishly, then he placed his hand on her shoulder. "Now do you see those two tall trees way out there."
"Not very well," she
squinted.
"Well, on a real clear day,
if you look between those two trees do you know what you can see, if ya look
just right?"
"No what?"
"Boston Harbor." He chuckled.
Hope turned to face an impish
grin. "You have incredible eyes,
Mister Barkley."
"So do you Miss
Dougherty." He cupped his hand
under her chin. Truly he wanted to kiss
her, but for now it was enough to touch her soft, creamy skin.
"I think I should change my
clothes." She moved away from his
grasp.
"I'll get you some fresh
towels and water so you can wash."
"Thank you." Heath took the pitcher from the dry sink,
closing the door behind him. Hope began
to pull up her blouse from her skirt and nervously unbuttoned it.
After a short time Heath walked
in again with a pitcher and towels and caught sight of her in a chemise. Hope quickly grabbed her blouse, covering
herself. "Oh excuse me! I'm sorry,
I should have knocked," he said red-faced.
"That's quite all
right. My brothers walked in on me all
the time... without thinking that
is. It's your room after all. Who knocks to get into their own room?"
"I'll just leave this
here. You come downstairs when you're
ready. I'll ah, wait for you
there." He placed the towels and
pitcher down, as he tried to avoid staring at her.
"Thank you." She said hiding an amused grin.
To be continued…