by Mrs NickB
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.
'The Weaker Vessel' was
written in collaboration with 'The Voyage' by Abigail of Dreamers. In the interest of story flow, excerpts from 'The Voyage' (posted in blue) will be interspersed within 'The Weaker Vessel'
and are used with the permission of the author.
Heath looked over at his fishing
companion. She was leaned up against a tree
in a dress that used to be a medium shade gray and was now covered with dirt
and bits of leaves and wet up to her knee.
Yet she hadn’t complained or been afraid to get dirty, and was proving a
good partner with her catch of five.
Hope noticed him looking at
her. “What are you looking at?”
“You. You’re one of a kind, you know
that?”
“Yes... How?”
“Well, look at yourself.”
“I am a mess.”
“Yep, but you don’t care, and look at all the fish you brought in.”
“Not that many, but I see what you mean.
I just think it’s fun, relaxing.”
“It is at that. You’re missing supper
at Mrs. Murphy’s.”
“I’d say you were missing it, too, but your family eats so late.”
“Not always; only on special occasions, like a guest.”
“Well, tell them never to delay supper on my account again. That first dinner was delicious, but I was
famished."
Heath laughed.
“I know what you mean. I grew up
eating earlier than that.”
“Well, I can miss supper for a night.”
“Why don’t we grill up the fish?”
“You can, if you like, but I hate fish.”
“You love fishing, you lived on the ocean your whole life, and you don’t like
fish?”
“Nope. Ate it my whole life hating
every minute of it. I can even cook it
well, but I don’t like eating it."
Heath chuckled. “Well, what are you going to do?”
“I’m going to sneak into the kitchen and steal from Mrs. Murphy’s bread
box," Hope declared with finality.
“Well, I can save ya from that. I have
some jerky that’ll break your teeth.”
“Sounds wonderful. Always wanted to try
it, but Ma wouldn’t let me.”
“Why not?”
“Said it would break my teeth.”
“Want to find out?”
“Gladly. We’ll barter; I’ll cook your
supper, and you provide mine.”
“Sounds fair to me.”
Somehow, they both assumed separate tasks and worked together to get their
unplanned dinner on the way. While Hope
released the fish who wouldn’t be dinner, Heath got a fire going; as she
prepared the fish to be cooked, he set up sticks in rotisserie style. In a few minutes, dinner was well on it’s
way to being finished. Heath took out
two tin cups, his pot, and some well-used coffee grinds out of his saddle bags,
which he had taken from Charger’s back before letting the bay graze, though
still loosely tethered.
“I’ll make some coffee.”
“These fish should be done in a few minutes.”
“I have the jerky ready and waiting. I
have some beans, too, but my brother always says I make ‘em terrible.”
“Let me see what I can do; after all, it’s still light out. Do you always carry two mess kits?”
“Most nearly all the time. Guess I
decided to ‘cause it ain’t no fun for a hungry man, or lady, miss, to go hungry
right near some good grub.”
“Sounds like a good idea.”
“What are you plannin’ to do with those beans?” Heath asked, a hint of
skepticism tinting his voice.
“Cooking."
He chuckled at her response. “No, really.”
“Well, come and see,” she invited. With
that, she took a small empty pouch out from her bag and walked a few feet to
the edge of the nearby woods. “It’s
still light out, thank the heavens for the late summer sun."
She hobbled about, halting at odd places and plucking things from the
earth. She brought them all quickly to
her nose and breathed their scent; some she cast back to the dirt, and others
she gathered into handfuls and stuffed them into her pouch. She stood straight, smelled her collection,
and turned back to the wood, snatching a forlorn bit of peeling bark, then she
scampered back to the fire. Hope
grabbed a tin and poured some water in, then added bits of her assortment and
lay it to rest near the fire. She
removed the stick skewering the fish and held it out to Heath.
“All ready.”
“Thank you. And the beans?”
“Oh, they’ll be set in a minute. Do you
mind opening the cans?”
“Nope." He took his pocket knife
from his vest and carefully cut the tops of two cans, then handed them back to
her. “Coffee’s ready." He offered her a cup and after placing the
beans on the ground, she accepted it, and took a sip.
“That’s pretty hot,” she commented as she set it down and picked up the beans
again.
“It’ll cool off. When do you want the
jerky?”
“Just a minute. Just go on and
eat." He didn’t, politely
declining her offer with a set jaw that plainly said, 'That’s not gentlemanly.'
Hope had noted it and chose to pay no heed.
She was already occupied by the beans, having oddly strained her heated
mixture and begun to mix small amounts into the beans. Heath couldn’t stop from making a face that
was slightly disgusted, somewhat curious, and mostly puzzled. She looked up and laughed.
“It won’t kill you. I had to take cooking and housekeeping lessons in college.”
“Cookin’ in college? Always thought
ladies learned that from their mothers; ain’t college for book learnin’?”
“Yes, for men. Now, just try it, and if
you don’t like it, you aren’t compelled to eat it." She handed him a can and he stirred it
gingerly with a spoon. He then bravely
put it in his mouth.
“Better ‘n I thought it’d be.
Good. You must’ve been at the
top of your cookin’ class.”
“Thank you. No, I was at the bottom.”
“How?”
“For that very thing you mentioned earlier.
College isn’t supposed to be about cooking and cleaning. I went to get a good education. So on matter of principle, I learned
everything, but deliberately lowered my grade.”
“What’s wrong with cookin’ lessons?”
“HELLO THE CAMP.”
“Nick, that you?” Heath called.
“Yeah,” Nick answered as he walked into view leading his horse. “Now, isn’t this cozy.”
“Actually, it’s a bit damp for my tastes,” Hope said with an undertone of
challenge, standing up. “I take it you
are Nick Barkley." Heath stood as
she did.
“Yeah, that’s me,” he grunted suspiciously.
“Congratulations. I understand you are
recently married.”
He gave an indiscriminate grunt in return.
“Heath, where have you been? You didn’t
show up all afternoon and you missed dinner.”
“Went fishin’." Nick wasn’t
expecting so simple an answer, and, as Heath had hoped, it took him several
seconds to think of a response.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Heath stayed after school to help little Bobby with his project for the
festival. I asked him if he knew a good
fishing spot and, as he had already completed his work, he joined me.”
“So you’re the schoolteacher.”
“Yes; Hope Dougherty. Pleased to meet
you." She stood and offered her
hand, which Nick promptly ignored.
“Would you care for some fish or beans?”
“Had supper. And if you’re wise, you’ll
avoid Heath’s beans.”
“I made them tonight.”
“They’re really good, Nick. I just
might ask her for the recipe.”
“Good, eh?” Nick grunted. “Maybe I’ll
try ‘em." Heath offered his can
and a spoon, which Nick did taste. “Not
bad. Course, it don’t take much to beat
Heath’s beans. Those things are poison
in a can.”
“Well, I’m going to sit down, if you gentlemen don’t mind." Heath sat down as well and reclaimed his
beans.
“We’re just finishin’ supper.”
“You’re welcome to join us."
Nick sat down grudgingly. The meal went quickly after that. Though Heath and Hope conversed freely,
trying to include Nick in the conversation made it strange and tense. Heath was puzzled by his brother’s behavior;
everyone else had liked Hope almost immediately. Why was Nick so cold?
* * * * *
Nick and Heath rode in silence after seeing
Hope to her door. Nick hadn’t changed
his demeanor at all, except in that he wasn’t saying much. Heath broke the silence just out of town.
“What’s wrong?”
“What makes you think there’s somethin’ wrong?”
“Nothin’, just the way you’re treatin’ Hope back there.”
“How I treat what’s-her-name is none of your business.”
“Her name’s Hope, and I’d think manners’s everybody’s business.”
“Well, now, you sound awful keen on Jarrod’s girl, that is, if she is Jarrod’s.”
“Nick, come out and say it.”
“She’s a two-timin’ tramp, and you’re goin’ along with it." Heath stopped his horse immediately and Nick
followed suit.
“You take that back right now. I ain’t
‘keen on Jarrod’s girl,’ and she ain’t anybody’s girl, just her own.”
“Anybody tell Jarrod that?”
“She’s been here a month and made friends with everyone she’s met until you,
and even you have to give her credit for the effort she made. She didn’t do anything to get Jarrod’s
attention, and she’s been nothin’ but kindness.”
“I don’t like her kind of kindness.”
“Nick, you stop that right now or I swear I’ll sock ya.”
“And you say you don’t care for her.”
“I believe what I’m doin’ is called bein’ a gentleman, somethin’ I hope Laura
teaches you soon. Now, I’ve heard
enough; I’m goin’ home." With that
he spurred his horse onward at a pace that took the dark into account and still
managed to be noticeably brisker.
Nick snorted before making a clucking noise to start his horse. Come
on, Coco, he thought. Heath’s fallen
into her trap, but I don’t buy it. And
I’m gonna do somethin’ about it, too.
Part 28
The letter began...
Dear Cousin,
Please forgive me for the
delay of writing this letter. I know
it's been months since last I've written but so much has happened since I
married. First let me start by telling
you the wedding finally happened, and it was beautiful. I so wish you could have been here. It would have been nice to have at least one
of my relatives....
A knock on the door stopped her from writing any
further. Laura looked up from the desk
her glasses sliding down her nose.
"Who is it?"
"Heath, can I come in?"
She pulled her glasses off quickly and hid them in the
deep pocket of her robe. She stood up
to greet her brother-in-law.
"Come in Heath.
.....Is something wrong? Nick
went out to find you, isn't he with you?"
"Don't worry he's coming. I just came in to say I'm sorry I missed your dinner party,
Mother just told me. Heard it was
really good," he stood at the open doorway. His compliment made her smile as she walked over to him.
"That's alright Heath, I saved you some, are you
hungry?"
"I ate already; went fishing."
"Oh, did you catch any fish for me?" She smiled.
"Sure did, got it in the ice box."
"Thank you, I've been craving fish for a while, I'll
have some .... Heath, what's
wrong? You look upset."
Heath hooked his thumbs in his gun belt and shook his
head. He moved further into the room,
so as to not be overheard by anyone who might be within earshot. "I don't know what's got Nick all fired
up today! He had no call to be like
that!"
"Like what Heath?
What did Nick do?"
"He acted like a real... , I tell you Laura, you gotta teach that man of yours
manners!"
"What happened?"
"All I can say is, if he says another word about her
I'm gonna bust his teeth!" Heath's anger surprised her, since her brother
in law rarely lost his temper.
Nick loomed in the doorway of his bedroom, "Just what
the hell do you think your doing in here?!"
"I'm apologizin' to your wife for missin' her fine
meal, and you might take a lesson in learnin' some manners!" Heath glared
at his older brother.
"That'll be the day I learn anything from you
boy!"
"Ya better learn manners some place 'cause you sure
don't know how to treat a lady!"
"I didn't see ya with no lady! All I saw was a two-timin' tramp!"
Heath pulled his arm back and let his brother's jaw have a taste of his fist,
which sent Nick down on the floor, in the middle of the doorway.
"HEATH!" Laura cried out. Heath climbed over Nick's prone body and
stormed away, mumbling, "Sorry Laura, but he had it comin' !" She
knelt down on the floor beside her husband and pulled him up by his shirt
collar, "Nick Barkley! What did
you do to Heath?!"
"What did I do?!
He's the one who punched me!"
"He wouldn't have hit you without good reason! Now, get up!" She let go of his shirt
collar, causing his head to bounce back on the doorway.
"OUCHHH!" he yelled out as his head hit the wood
frame.
Nick pulled himself up from the floor, rubbing his jaw
with one hand, and his head with the other.
He closed the bedroom door behind him, locking it. Laura walked over to the desk to return the
pad she was writing in the drawer. Then
she looked up at her husband shaking her head in disappointment, her hands on
her hips.
"I begged you not to go after Heath. I knew no good would come of it!"
"Do you know where I found him?! He was with that two-timing school
teacher!"
"The one Jarrod is interested in?"
"Well of course the one Jarrod is interested in! Stockton only has one blasted school
teacher! The two timing TRAMP."
"All right, tell me why you think this woman is a
tramp, not that you're an expert at determining one if you did!"
"Okay! Do ya
know where I found the two of them! In
the woods!"
"Really?! In
the woods, alone? What were they
doing?!" The idea of the couple alone in the woods piqued her carnal
interest.
"FISHING!"
"Fishing?"
"Fishing!" Nick stated angrily.
A smile began to crawl on Laura's face, "The
Hussy! Trying to seduce our poor dear
Heath with fishing!" Her smile had turned into uncontrollable giggles.
"WHAT THE HELL IS SO DAMN FUNNY?!"
"When I think of all
the women in town interested in Heath Barkley, and he never gave them so much
as a 'Boy Howdy' when all they had to
do was take him fishing to catch his eye!
What do you suppose this Tramp
will do next in her evil plan of seduction?!
Take our poor, unsuspecting Heath deer hunting?!" She held her
sides in as fits of laughter took over..
Frustrated Nick glowered at his wife with his fists on his
hips, "You're not taking this seriously Woman!"
The sight of Nick in so serious a stance, made her laugh
harder as she bent over holding her stomach, "I'm sorry Nick... it's just....."
"My brother is being two timed by this Tramp and you think it's funny!"
"Now Nick, that's not fair, besides you don't
seriously think that Heath would go after Jarrod's girl."
"Why not! He
went after you!"
"Now that's not true, when Heath realize it was you I
was interested in, he backed off."
"He backed off only because he knew I would kill
him! Jarrod's no threat! Hell, Jarrod would just talk him to
death!"
Laura covered her mouth to choke back a laugh then turned
away as to not incur Nick's wrath further.
She bit her lip, and clearing her throat she attempted to recover from
her mirth. "Tell me what happened
to make you think Heath is after Jarrod's teacher?"
"They had dinner!"
"Oh..., you mean he took her out to eat later?"
"NO, they ate right there! Had beans and fish!" Laura tried hard to stifle her laugh,
by covering her mouth with her hand again.
"So... they
ate beans and... fish?" her eyes
began to water as she bit her lip harder to stave off another giggle.
"Well, Heath ate the fish, the tramp didn't like
fish! Heath gave her beef jerky to
eat!"
"Beef jerky....," Laura bit her lip harder as
laugh tears ran down her cheeks, "...Oh that Heath is a romantic soul
....isn't he?"
Nick chose to ignore his wife's merriment, "She says
she likes TO fish but doesn't like to EAT fish!"
"Well, I can certainly see why you think she's a..a.... Tramp...she
likes to fish, but hates to eat it!" she laughs out loud, unable to
contain it anymore, "Nick, only you would think that dining on beans and
beef jerky is a romantic dinner!"
"Would you stop your damn laughing! That's it!
I'm gonna take a bath, and you can forget about coming in and washing my
back!" Nick stormed out of the bedroom slamming the door behind him. With Nick's last comment Laura collapsed on
the bed in uncontrollable laughter.
* * * * *
After leaving his wife in their bedroom giggling hysterically, he knocked on the bathroom door. It opened and Heath walked out. The two brothers scowled at each other.
"DAMN FOOL!" scoffed Nick.
"JACKASS!" scolded Heath, as they stood toe to
toe eyeing each other.
"DUMB ASS!" Nick snarled.
"HORSE'S ASS!" Heath charged. Hearing the insults swirling in the hall
caused Jarrod to step out of his room, holding a lit cigar in his hand, as he
leans on the door jam.
"Listen, if you two boys can't play nice then I
suggest you both go to your rooms, before you wake the whole house. Do like Pappy says now."
Heath is the first to move from the confrontation, but not
without making sure he purposely bumped into Nick's shoulder. Nick scowled back.
"What's going on here?" Jarrod asked Heath as he
walked by him.
"NUTHIN' !" Heath grouses. Nick walks in the bathroom muttering to
himself, "...Blasted idiot fool!"
Heath slams his bedroom door muttering, "... Stupid bullheaded Jackass!"
As Nick soaked in the tub, he thought about his younger
brother, and how best to save both him and Jarrod from that woman's clutches. Hell, he thought, he knew there were plenty
of women dieing to get their claws in one of his brothers, not that he didn't
wish both his brothers to be as fortunate as he in finding a good woman, but,
it ain't easy for a man of means to find a decent gal to marry. And this little beauty was trying to lay
claim to both his brothers, playing one off the other! Well not as long as Nick Barkley lives and
breathes is some little gal gonna play his brothers for fools, even if she's as
pretty as all get out! Damn women! Always lookin' to drive a man crazy....
But, Nick was determined to put that little gal in her
proper place, and he was gonna do it, come Monday!
Nick walked up to the open door of the schoolhouse just
minutes after school let out. Over the
weekend he’d spent time thinking up exactly what he’d say to her. Seeing her there, he wasn’t so sure
anymore. She looked almost like a
child, small, with long, dark hair pulled back and flowing down her back. The ribbons didn’t help, either. He wouldn’t back out, though, not from
saving both his brothers from her clutches, and he couldn’t back out now,
either, because Hope had looked up from her desk. He hadn’t known she wore glasses, but she squinted and took them
off before he could think on it.
“Oh, Nick, it’s you. Is there something
I can help you with?”
Nick walked boldly near the small woman who was coming to her feet.
“Damn right there is." His voice
was loud and angry.
“I didn’t know you swore in polite company." Hope’s thoughts hung perched, waiting for his move.
“I don’t see any, do you?”
“I don’t see the need for such a comment,” she said, her own tone rising. “Spit it out.”
“EXACTLY what I intend to do. I come
here in warning. You get your claws
outta my brothers." He was on the
threshold of a shout.
“So THAT’S what you think?!”
“You bet your bottom I do! You just
keep CLEAR of my brothers, ya hear?!!”
“I consider BOTH your brothers to be friends, and I HAD HOPED to call YOU one
as well! I don’t know what gave you the
idea that I’m TOYING with anyone, but it is SLANDER and ABSOLUTELY untrue!”
“Go ahead and deny it! I DON’T GIVE A
DAMN! We BOTH know WHAT you ARE. You just steer clear, Missie."
Nick pivoted on his heel, satisfied that his job was complete. He didn’t expect Hope to scamper in front of
him and block his path between the rows of desks. She stood there, a good foot shorter than he, and put her hands
on her hips, determined to stand her ground.
“Don’t you dare,” she threatened, her voice full of cold anger and gaining a
slight brogue. “Don’t you DARE just
come in, say your slanderous bit and leave.
You come to me with something you can say what you want but don’t you
ever just leave and not hear me out."
Nick was too taken aback to say much.
“Now you listen, Nick Barkley, and you listen well. I don’t play those games.
There are a lot of things you don’t know--”
“Yeah, like what?” he sneered down at
her. She was really angered now.
“I have tea with dear old Mr. Jenkins at the telegraph office every
Thursday. Am I toying with him? I stayed after last Wednesday to help Billy
Matthews with his geography lesson. Am
I toying with him? I spend Sunday
afternoons helping Padre Sanchez; am I toying with him?
“If you haven’t learned by now in your thirty-some years on this earth not to
judge hastily you haven’t learned much!
As far as I’m concerned, you can think whatever you like, but don’t you
ever, ever, ever come in here and treat me like that again! I don’t deserve it and I won’t take it. And if you’ll pardon me, I hear that we’re
not the only ones arguing.”
Hope stormed out the door. After a
moment, Nick followed. She was not in
sight. He followed his ear around the
corner of the little schoolhouse and found the young lady engaged in breaking
up a fight between two adolescents. The
boys towered over her and the small group of student spectators were lending little
help.
“Stop this nonsense right now!” Hope screeched at a painfully high pitch that
by its nature was guaranteed to halt many things. Nick winced. The boys
stopped. Hope kept a firm hold on both
boys’ shirts. She calmed herself with a
deep breath and proceeded to speak in a tone that was quiet and steeled with
force. “This is the third time I’ve had
to break up a fight. Fighting is not
allowed, and you all know it. There’s
no reason for a fight, especially at your ages. I stopped you now, and this wasn’t a very big fight, but what happens
next? Someday it won’t be a little
fight, and someone’s going to get hurt.
And shaking hands at the end doesn’t make it better.
“I wish I didn’t have to do this, but I want every single one of you back in
that schoolhouse right this instant. Those
who watched the fight and didn’t stop it will be getting a note to your
parents. Joe, Andy, you two will be
painting the schoolhouse come Saturday.
I’m sorry you’ll have to miss out on some of the fun of the festival,
but you will be doing it, together.
“Into the schoolhouse, everyone. And
don’t think you can sneak away, because I know everyone who was here. Now, scoot.
I’ll be in in a minute."
The children trudged away solemnly.
“Is there anything else you wanted to discuss, Nick?”
“No, uh.. not a thing.”
Part 30
She stood by the second story window looking
across the house and barn to a distant, very green hill that clear air made
close. A breeze crossed her face and
tossled her hair and blew her dress back.
Today was the Harvest Festival, and she was running a book donation
booth to start a library. She had
already dressed and readied, looking smart and stylish, hoping her good
appearance would convince Stockton to support her efforts. He looked up at her from the bed. Laura Barkley was a beautiful, fiery
woman. She sighed. He rose quietly from the bed and crept
behind her, then clasped her waist suddenly.
She yelped.
“Nick! You startled me!”
“Caught ya.”
“Oh, you.”
“What’s Milady doing up and dressed so early?”
“She’s getting ready for the festival."
Her hand went up to caress his face where it kissed her neck. “Stop that.
I don’t have time for that this morning.”
“I can change your mind, Milady.”
“Oh no you don’t!”
“Laura! Come on! You have plenty of time.”
“After the dance tonight.”
“Now.”
“Nick Barkley, I have a booth to run.
Tonight.”
“Who’s to say I’ll be in the mood?”
Laura laughed.
“You will be.”
“Damn you, woman!” Her laughter trickled to his ears as she picked up an empty
coffee cup and walked out of the room.
With a resigned sigh, he started pulling on a pair of pants.
* * * * *
Hope stood by her window and brushed her hair
with long, impatient strokes. No matter
how she braided it at night, it always came back tangled, and as the night
before she had merely tied it back, it was a mess. It was alright on regular days to wear it down, but today she
would see most if not all of her pupils’ parents and families, and it wouldn’t
do to look too young or not sufficiently serious.
She had her chemise, corset, and a small hoop
on, and a burgundy dress that brought out the rosiness in her cheeks waited
expectantly from where it lay on the bed.
Finally ridding her hair of those knots familiarly called rats, she took
a thick section near her neck and twisted it, then held and pinned it in a half
circle opening downward on the back of her head, a place for a burgundy snood
to hold onto. The rest of her hair bent
uncooperatively as she managed to pin it in just the right position for the
high society snood hair style.
With hair in place, she stepped over to the bed. She was proud of that dress.
It was her own design, one which she’d been told was absurd in theory,
and then had proved itself in actuality.
The main objection was to the buttons.
Hope liked buttons visible on a daydress, going straight down the front,
but in a more formal dress, it was impractical to have them on the back. How could a woman living alone do it? So there they were, on the side, not easy to
button, but buttonable just the same.
She slipped it on and buttoned it up with a practiced hand, then jumped
to smooth her skirt.
Today was important, today would she would talk
to Jarrod Barkley.
The Harvest Festival had excited her from the beginning. It was an opportunity to teach her young
students some of her craft. Thankfully
Heath had been there to teach the boys to carve. With his patient nature and skill, she had been certain that the
carvings of her students would be wonderful, and, despite small and clumsy
hands, they were.
Hope looked at her own entry. Little Maddie had been so insistent she
enter something. The little girl had
told wondrous tales of the beautiful altar cloth she’d embroidered, and none of
them would leave her alone about it.
There wasn’t time to start something new and
finish it in time while maintaining her own standard of excellence, and it had
to be sinful to enter a gift for the Church in a contest. Well, perhaps it wasn’t, but she didn’t feel
right about it. So instead, she’d
chosen a cradle quilt from her hope chest.
As a little girl she’d thought every hope chest was called after the
girl herself, and she could still remember her mother smiling as she asked
about the Bridget chest.
The little blanket was full of color and showed
a scene perfect for A Child’s Garden of Verses. She sighed sadly. She
wanted children; she’d bragged to her mother as a ten year old she’d have twelve
children someday. Sometimes it seemed
that there wouldn’t ever be anyone, especially because of what she would do
that day. Enough of that, Hope scolded herself. You have things to do.
The library.
She’d heard tell of it, the new Mrs. Barkley’s pet project. Stockton was sorely lacking in literary
opportunities. She’d already noticed
that the newspaper had interpreted freedom of the press as freedom with
facts. Maybe she’d do something about
that, some other time. For now, there
were books upon books to get ready.
She’d bring a basket over in the morning, and if she liked Nick’s wife
more than she liked Nick, the rest would come later.
The four of them arrived early, Audra, dressed in a bright
pink dress, drove the wagon full of supplies with Laura dressed in dark blue
flowing skirt, with matching vest, and a crisp, silky white blouse sat beside
her. Heath rode his horse Charger on
his sister's side of the wagon, while Nick rode near his wife on Coco. The two men rode silently, Heath with his
own private thoughts furrowing his brow, and Nick quiet, only because he was
tired and grumpy, since his wife insisted that they get into town early. He was looking forward to the end of the
Harvest Festival since his wife seem consumed by all its' preparations, and he
wanted her attention.
"Isn't it a perfect day for the festival?"
gushes Audra.
"Perfect Audra, I've so been looking forward to this
day."
"Me too," Nick mutters under his breath. Audra reins the horses to a stop, "do
you think this is a good place to leave the wagon Heath?"
"As good as any," he answers quietly as he
dismounts his horse. He helps Audra
down from the wagon then Laura. The
women look around at all the tents and the colorful banners and signs.
"Quite impressive!" Laura smiles as she squeezes
Audra's arm.
"Isn't it? It
gets more exciting every year!"
Heath offers the
ladies an arm each, "Come on, I'll show you where we set up your booth
first Laura."
"Oh good, I'm dieing to see it!" she glances
over to her husband, as he tethers his horse to the wagon, "Nick
sweetheart, please bring the boxes over."
The three walk towards the festival grounds. Nick scowls as he begins to unpack the first
of the boxes of books, "Damn glad to see the last of these!" he says
to no one in particular.
The sign above the counter said, STOCKTON LIBRARY BOOTH, painted posters on either side requested
donations. One side of the counter had
a large jar for money, and blank checks near it, the other side of the counter
a very large basket, gaily trimmed with colorful ribbons, with several small books
inside. Behind the counter was a large
polished book shelf that stood about five feet high, the border above it was of
a highly polished walnut , and in the middle was a picture carving of two
children, a boy and a girl sitting across from each other looking down at
picture books in their laps. On the
floor near the children were abandoned toys.
The little girl had a rag doll, leaning against the leg of her chair,
and the boy had a wooden toy train, laying carelessly under his foot. The detail in the carving was a delicate,
intricate work of art, showing even the smallest detail of the carved
children's faces. The sight of it, took
the women's breath away.
"Oh Heath, when I asked you to build me a book shelf
for the library I never expected anything so incredibly beautiful. My goodness, it's so... oh my...!" A tear escaped her eye.
"Aww, wasn't nuthin," Heath said, with a slight
smile, embarrassed by the praise.
"Don't you dare be modest Heath Barkley! It's positively beautiful." She hugs him gratefully. "It will look wonderful in the
children's section of the library."
"Nope, I didn't make it for the library, I built it
for you. I 'spect you'd find a use for
it at home in due time. I'm gonna get
some chairs for the booth, be right back." Heath leaves the women at the booth.
"You see, I told you Heath was talented,"
comments Audra.
"In more ways then one, that man's amazing,"
replies Laura, her eyes glistening with tears.
Nick walks up to the women with a box loaded with books. He notices his wife choking back tears.
"Now, what are you crying about? Every time I look at ya these days, yer
crying about somethin' !"
Laura wipes away her tears with the back of her hand, she
turns towards her husband, "Lets
get these books unpacked shall we. You can help me put them on the shelf."
"It don't make a lick of sense to lug all these books
inta town then hafta lug em all back home again!" Nick complains. She walked behind the booth where Nick was
and took the books from his arms. She
arranges the books on the shelf as she explains, "These books are all
cataloged Nick. I want people to see
how these books would be arranged in a proper library. You see they are numbered and will be
divided on the different shelves. Like
here, you see?" she points to the books, " adventure, history,
romance; you see all numbered for the different category."
"How do you tell which goes where?" he asked,
impressed by her organizational skills.
"This has an R on it, for romance. This book belongs here." She places the book on the shelf
in a section marked: Romance. Nick decides to get in the spirit, and grabs a book from the box.
"Hey, I know this one! It was one of my favorites as a boy, Ivanhoe; A for
adventure!
Right?"
"No, C for classics," she smiles and he returns
the smile, with a shake of his head. He
opens the book to the first page and notices the book plate inside, " 'This
book belongs to Hester Caufield Morton.' Morton?!" he reads. Laura's smile changes to a worried look, as
Nick frowns.
"Give me the book Nick, it belongs right here,"
she points to a space on the shelf, ignoring his question. Nick refuses as he pulls the book away from
her grasp.
"Where did you get this book?"
"All the books have been donated sweetheart, you know
that. Please give it to me." She moves to take it from him, but he pulls
it away again.
"And just how did a Morton book get into our house in
the first place?" Nick feels his blood start to boil as the word 'Morton' works its way out of his
mouth. His eyes changing into glaring
hazel orbs, causing his wife to take a deep breath, as she attempts to sound
cheery.
"The Mortons were kind enough to donate it," she
interjects sweetly.
"Kind enough?!
The word kind and Mortons do NOT go in the same
sentence!"
"Calm down Nick, people are starting to gather. Why don't you get the rest of the books from
the wagon, I really want this booth ready by the time the festival officially
opens."
He continues to hold the offending book in his hand,
"You tell me where in blazes did you get this damn book!"
"Nick please, lower your voice. I told you the Mortons donated it."
"Just tell me....tell me.... you DIDN'T go over to the Morton Ranch and
ask for donations!"
"Now Nick....I could tell you that,....but, it would
be a lie," She bites her bottom lip, shuts her eyes tightly and covers her
ears with her hands in anticipation of his hollering, but instead, Nick throws
the book at her feet then trudges off, his spurs jangling in an angry clatter
as he strides off.
"Nick?...Oh no...
I did it this time! He didn't
yell. I hate it when he doesn't
yell," she said forlornly. Audra
hurries towards the book booth, smiling gaily, "Laura, come on, you have
to enter your raisin bread! They are
going to close the entries soon! I know
you're going to win this year."
"Only if Heath is the judge."
"Come on, quickly, where's your raisin bread?"
Audra grasps her sister in law's hand and pulls her along.
"I left it in the wagon."
"Well come on then, you don't have much time,
quickly! I'll be at the booth and I'll
make sure they wait for you to enter it, hurry now."
* * * * *
Laura arrives at the wagon in time to see her husband silently gathering up the other boxes of books. She gingerly walks up to him, but he moves pass, ignoring her presence.
"Nick...., I...
I came for my raisin bread."
He moves to the front of the wagon, reaches in and pulls up a basket,
covered with a gingham cloth, silently handing it to her. He avoided looking at his wife because he
wanted to stay angry and he knew full well one look at her lovely but contrite
face and he was a goner.
"Thank you."
She said quietly, wishing he would face her.
Nick resumes pulling boxes out of the back of the wagon,
when one of the books falls open on the ground. He picks it up and reads the dreaded Morton name on the book plate again. He shows her the evidence of his anger, lifting the book to her
eye level.
"Alright, most of the books are from the
Mortons." She sighed resignedly.
Nick loudly slams the book shut and throws it in the box,
then carries the box to the booth. She
follows him. "Please Nick,
sweetheart. Let me explain!"
Audra rushes up to her sister-in-law and pulls her by the
arm. "Come on, you have to enter
it now! They won't hold it open much
longer!"
"Why don't you enter it for me, I have to speak to
Nick." She attempted to give Audra
the basket.
"No, you have to enter it yourself, otherwise it
won't be accepted; come on, you can speak to Nick anytime!" She pulls
Laura towards the baking booth.
Sam Gruber, editor of The Stockton Eagle, stood by the
display table dressed in his finest suit, as he was one of the blue ribbon
judges. It was his favorite thing to do
for the community because he got to eat all the wonderful delicacies that the
women of Stockton made; and he wasn't above a little bribery if the baker was a
pretty lady who knew how to sway a judge.
His wide smile gleamed as the two Barkley women approached the booth.
"Good morning Mrs. Barkley, Miss Audra."
"Good morning," they greeted in unison.
"My goodness, Mrs. Barkley, doesn't your booth look
very attractive? I feel rather proud
that I had a hand in your beginning the Stockton Library."
"Do you?" Laura says coldly, as she couldn't
abide being in the same proximity to the impertinent man after he had threaten
to publish the exploits of her arrest in Sacramento; although he thought better
of it for fear of inciting Nick's wrath, he still seemed to derive pleasure in
holding the incident over her head.
"I've heard that there will be a special wing
dedicated to the late Mrs. Morton."
"That is correct Mr. Gruber." She bent down to sign her name on the
entrance form on the table.
"I know the Mortons donated quite a few books to
receive that honor," Gruber claimed.
"Yes, they donated their entire library. What is your point Mr. Gruber?" She
stared at him with a stony glare, which did not go unnoticed by Audra.
"Well, I donated quite a few books to the cause as
well..."
"That you did, and as soon as you die, I plan to
dedicate an entire book shelf just to you; all about cold blooded
animals." Audra covered her mouth
to stop an escaping giggle. "Come
along Audra, show me your booth."
She took Audra's arm as they walked away. Audra couldn't help but chuckle. "Laura you are incorrigible!"
"Thank you, I'll take that as a compliment," she
laughed as they moved toward the Orphanage Booth, displaying the many trinkets
that the children had made to sell for their benefit. Audra handled an Indian doll, made by one of the children.
"Look at this, isn't it beautiful? Little Susie Goshen made it. Isn't it sweet?"
A small girl scampers up to the two women, "Look at my
new dress Miss Audra, isn't it beautiful?!"
"It most certainly is Macy," Audra says as she
crouches down to meet the girl at eye level.
Audra inspects the girl's dress. "well this is different.
Look Laura the buttons are on the side."
Laura was distracted as she searched for Nick in the
crowd, "What?"
"Look at Macy's dress."
"Oh yes, it's lovely Macy," she said
preoccupied..
"Did you ever see such a design? Look, the buttons are sewn on the
side!" exclaimed Audra. Laura
glanced back at the girl's dress.
"Actually I have seen that design before, in
Boston. Would you excuse me Audra, I
really need to speak to Nick."
With a final glance she moved away.
Audra smiled at the girl, " Is this the dress Miss Dougherty made
you?"
"Yes ma'am, she said the buttons are on the side so
that ya didn't need help dressing yerself."
"Hummm, I guess, it must be the height of fashion in
Boston these days," smiled Audra.
* * * * *
Laura found Nick at the book booth, sorting books on the
shelf. She noted it was an odd behavior
for Nick. She sighed, acknowledging to
herself that she really overstepped her bounds with him.
"Nick please don' t be angry with me honey, I know I
was wrong for going over there, but I didn't know it at the time, Believe me,
Jarrod and Heath were both furious with me when they found out about it."
Nick stopped what he was doing and glowered, "You
mean to tell me that you went over to the Mortons without telling the
family?! Woman! What the hell were you thinking?! Are ya trying to get yourself kill or
worse!"
"What's worse then getting killed Nick?" she
asked confused.
"YOU KNOW!
One of them could of...
well... Do you know what coulda
happened to you?! Those Mortons are
animals!"
"Now Nick,
nothing happened," she lied.
"Look me in the eye and say that!"
She stared down at the ground. "Couldn't we just forget about all that? It happened weeks ago."
Nick furrowed his
brow and roughly grabbed her by the shoulders, "If you had listened to me
and come to Boston then nothin' woulda happened. I leave ya alone for two weeks and even my brothers can't keep ya
from gettin' in trouble! Damnit woman,
you never listen to me!"
"Nick!
Please! You're hurting me!"
she cried out, as tears filled her eyes.
He immediately released his grip ruefully, "I 'm
sorry. Don't you realize I want ya to
be safe!"
"I was safe Nick, honest! I couldn't go anywhere without your brothers questioning my every
move," she embraced him, trying to appease his anger, with a loving attention.
"I thought we agreed before we got married that we
wouldn't keep anything from each other?"
"I know, I'm sorry, but ....actually, Mr. Morton was
very cordial to me. He donated his
wife's entire library to the cause, and in return I promised him that I would
dedicate a wing of the library in his wife's name."
'YOU WHAT?!
DEDICATE A WING TO A WOMAN WHO WHELPED THOSE LOWER THAN LIFE
MONGRELS!! " he roughly pulled her
arms off him.
"Nick please!
Lower your voice! ....You see, that's
why I didn't tell you! You get all
upset!"
"WOMAN, YOU AIN'T SEEN UPSET!"
"It's all for a worthy cause Nick. Surely you can see that!"
"I thought we were a worthy cause too Laura!" He
stormed away, leaving her shedding more tears.
He decided he had enough of the dreary paper work and
needed a break. He was doing it because
of a promise he made to her a long time ago, and it was only just now coming
together. Still there was more red tape
then even he had anticipated.
Fortunately he had acted as her attorney and that did help
somewhat. Still, dealing interstate was
a formidable task. What an odd gift it
was going to be; how does one give a burial as a gift?
He cared a great deal for her, maybe more than he should
these days, but he knew it was a slight infatuation and it would pass, at least
he hoped it would. He smiled as he
spied her looking so forlorned, leaning on the counter, waiting for anyone to
come by. He couldn't imagine anybody
ignoring this beautiful woman, so smartly dressed in a crisp white silky
blouse, and a dark blue dress that made her eyes look like two shining
sapphires. The frown on her face
changed to a familiar smile as he approached...
"Hello fair lady!
What a fine booth you have here.
How is it going?"
"Not well Jarrod," she sighed, "No one so
much as looked this way."
"I'm sorry to hear that; but it's still early. Why don't I start you off?" He takes
one of the blank checks, writes it out, then places it in the glass jar. She smiled at her brother-in-law, reached
over the counter and gave him a kiss, which he accepted with a smile.
"Thank you Jarrod."
"You know you may get a few more takers if you turned
this into a kissing booth," he joked.
"Oh I'm afraid Nick is angry enough already with
me."
"What now?" He leans his elbow on the counter.
"He found out about the Mortons' generosity."
"Ah... I
see..., I gathered he wasn't pleased."
"That's putting in mildly."
"Where is Nick?"
"I don't know, he paid some school boys to gather up the
rest of the books from the wagon, and help me with them, but he went off
someplace."
"At least he didn't totally abandoned you, he got
some people to help you."
"He's really angry Jarrod," she shakes her head
sadly.
"Ahh, he'll come around, he always does," he
winks an assuring smile.
The two Barkleys are interrupted by a deep male voice.
"Miss Laura.."
Laura stood straight up, as did Jarrod, pulling his jacket back to
reveal a gun belt at the ready. He
fixed a guarded gaze on Rufus Morton, flanked by his sons J.R. and Zak on either side.
"Mr. Morton," Laura greeted him.
"Rufus," said Jarrod warily.
"How is the collection coming Miss Laura?" Rufus
asked, ignoring Jarrod's terse greeting.
"Thanks to your generosity Mr. Morton, it is doing very
well, but now we need monetary donations to renovate the Judicial
Building."
"Then let me write a check for the cause," he
grabbed at the blank check and pen on the counter.
"Now Mr. Morton, you've already been more than
generous." Laura said demurely.
"Nope, don't want to hear that, it's for a good
cause." Rufus Morton leaned on the
counter, and wrote out the check, then he offered it to Laura, only to see a
black leather glove snatch it from his hand.
"WE DON'T NEED YOUR MONEY MORTON!" growled Nick
Barkley as he ripped the check in half, holding it at eye level for Rufus
Morton to see.
"Nick!" Laura yelped.
"Get out of here!
And take your vermin infested pups with you!"
J.R. and Zak stood
together, as they tighten their stance aside of their father, at the
ready. Jarrod moved toward Nick's side,
then seemingly out of nowhere, Heath flanked Nick's other side as the three
brothers stood shoulder to shoulder against the Morton family.
"You Mortons got a hearing problem?" questioned
Heath through clench teeth.
"Yes, I believe my brother here, asked you gentlemen
to leave." Jarrod reminds them as
Rufus gives a glaring eye to the three men before him, then looks at Laura
behind the counter.
"If it be your pleasure Miss Laura, we'll leave peaceable."
"Please do Mr. Morton," she said trembling.
Rufus Morton tips his hat, and leads his two scowling sons
away. After being sure that they are
out of sight, Nick turned to his wife behind the counter, "Need help
Milady?" He greeted her with an apologetic smile.
"I need you."
Her smile accepted his apology.
Nick joined his wife behind the counter, Jarrod and Heath
walk quietly away while Nick gave his wife a hug, "I'm so sorry for acting
like a jackass."
"Me
too," she replied as she rested her head on his shoulder. "Nick, you know, we could have used
that money."
He looked down at her, "Okay, whatever it was, I'll
double it."
"Really?" his wife beams, " It was for a
thousand dollars." She added
quickly.
"Oh, is that so?
I thought I saw a five and two zeros."
"Hmmmm, no, I don't think so, unless of course you
actually saw a five and three zeros."
Nick laughed at her, "No, I think you were right the
first time, it was a one and three zeros."
She bit her bottom lip smiling impishly, then gave him a
blank check, "That will be a two and three zeros, thank you Mr.
Barkley."
"I can multiply." He growled good-naturedly.
"Believe me, no one is more aware of that than I
am," she smiled sweetly, leaning on his shoulder she tugged at his ear
lobe.
Once he wrote out the check and handed it into her greedy,
waiting hands, Nick had decided he wanted to spend some alone time with her
before the festival and she became too busy.
"Laura, let's go for a walk around the grounds, okay?"
"I couldn't do that, what if someone comes, I won't
be here, it's almost ten o'clock, people will start to come." She leaned her chin on an opened palm
looking out on all the festivities, wishing she could take that walk with her
husband, but she made a commitment and she was sticking to it!
Meanwhile across the fairgrounds, heads turn to take
notice of the newest prominent citizen of Stockton as she hurried along,
carrying a basket full of books around one arm and an unusual looking smaller
basket, the likes of which no Californian has ever seen, as a purse on the
other.
Laura had gotten a few book donations that day
for her library, but the townspeople were not very open to it as a whole,
though she supposed she should console herself with the Morton donation, no
matter what her husband thought. Nick
wasn’t very open to it, either, and wanted his wife’s company.
“Laura! Forget about the books. I want to spend the day with you.”
“I didn’t know you wanted to collect books with me today. That’s very nice of you, Nick,
sweetheart." Laura turned her head
to him with a plastered grin across her face, enlisting him against her will.
“That’s not what I meant!”
“Oh,” Laura said, with just the right amount of sorrow and disappointment.
“And you knew it! Women!! Speak of the devil! There comes that two-timin’ schoolteacher!”
Laura looked to where he was pointing and marveled at her husband’s sharp eyes
into the ten o’clock sun. She lifted
her hand to shade her own eyes and looked at the girl with a Nantucket basket
for a purse and picnic basket full of books.
She swatted him angrily across the stomach. His hands flew to the offended area.
“Hey, what was that for?!”
“Two-timing schoolteacher!”
“I told you all about her! Now what’s
the matter?!”
Hope’s eyes scanned the festival. She
had heard that someone was trying to form a library and, as it was a worthy
cause and she the town’s teacher, she thought it only right she should put many
of the books she had brought with her to public use. There was the booth, and there was...
“Laura!” Hope called, still a good
thirty feet away. She trotted at an odd
gait to the pair, closing the distance rapidly. Laura came out front of the booth in a matched speed.
“Hope!” The two fell into a warm,
friendly, tight embrace. Nick’s eyes
popped out with surprise.
“I didn’t know you were married to Nick!”
“We were married in August. I didn’t
know you were here!”
“I sent a letter. I meant to look for
you, but I’ve just been so busy...”
“I know, I know how you are, Hope."
With her arm over the shorter girl’s shoulder, Laura pivoted them both
back to face Nick. “Hope, I see you’ve
met my husband Nick. Nick, I’d like to
reintroduce you to my cousin, Hope Dougherty, of the Boston Doughertys." Nick’s jaw dropped open, and the girls
laughed.
“Well, I heard about the library, so I brought my books.”
“That’s wonderful. How are things at
the school?”
“Just great. The children are for the
most part well behaved. I’m a bit
nervous: I’ll be meeting their parents today, and I’m scared they won’t think
I’m grown up enough for this job.”
“You haven’t grown an inch since I last saw you, so they already think you’re
not grown enough. There’s no need to
worry at all.”
“Thank you for your encouragement, cousin mine.”
“Nick, dear, would you watch the booth for a little while? I want Hope to show me what she entered in
the fair. Hope, just leave the basket
of books here. Nick’ll keep a good eye
on them, won’t you, sweetheart?” Laura’s question held an undertone of threat
and, knowing he was already in trouble for insulting his new cousin, Nick
grunted his agreement. “Good. We’ll be back in a while. See you later!”
* * * * *
Nick couldn't believe his eyes, that little two timin' gal
had turned out to be Laura's kin! He
had been raggin' on Heath about her, the result being he and his brother barely
speaking to each other, and now he had his wife angry with him. Nick tried to remember all the things he
said about the new school teacher to his wife, what did he call her, oh yeah, a
tramp! Nick leaned over the
counter, his head down, and a hand rubbing his forehead as he cursed himself, 'damnit Nick, will you ever learn to shut
your stupid mouth!'
"Excuse me, Mr. Barkley?" Nick jerked his head
up quickly to see Mrs. Chester, holding her twin boys in her arms and a basket
of books hanging from the crook of her elbow.
"Yes Ma'am?' Nick raised himself up to his over six
foot frame, trying to look dignified behind the accursed counter.
"Would you be so kind as to help me? I have these donations to give you and I'm
afraid I can't manage with the little ones, if you don't mind."
"Sure, what can I do for you Mrs. Chester?"
"Just take the boys from me will you please?"
She places one of her children on the counter so Nick can take him. He smiles at the one year old in his arms.
"Which one is this little fellar?"
"That's Orville, and if you would be so kind as to
take Oswald from me too Mr. Barkley I would really appreciate it." Nick takes the other child in his free arm.
"Orville and Oswald huh? Interesting names, hope your Pa teaches ya how to defend
yourselves," he grins at the twins.
Mrs. Chester places the book laden basket on the counter
and begins to pull the books out, "These are old books that I've been
reading to my older children but they are tired of the same old stories so I
thought I would donate them for other children to enjoy. We are all so looking forward to having a
library, then we will have all new books to read. I only wish your good wife were here so that I could tell her how
pleased I am that she has dedicated herself to this project, I tell you, it's
high time we had a library here in Stockton."
"Yes ma'am," Nick says in between the twins
poking at his face and eyes, trying to pull his hat off, and pulling at his
nose. "Hey kid, stop that!"
he smiles at the woman, "Cute kids, ya got more huh?"
"Oh yes," says the woman in a tired sigh,
"Three more at home, my dear Harold is getting them dressed for the festival. I tell you, with five children, I am so
fortunate to have a man like my husband, who helps me with them, I would be
dead on my feet otherwise."
"I can imagine," Nick replied as he tried to
juggle the two boys and save his hat from falling onto the dirt.
"You look very natural Mr. Barkley holding my
two," she smiles at him, "I would venture to guess you would be as
fine a father as my Harold."
"Well, thank you ma'am," Nick smiled at the
compliment. Mrs. Chester reaches out
for the babies. "Thank you Mr.
Barkley for helping me out, I'll take them now. Your wife is very lucky to have a man like yourself to stand
behind a counter doing this good work.
Mind you, most men would leave it to their wives to do these
things. She is a very lucky woman to
have you."
"I remind her of that all the time," Nick
grinned as the woman walked away with her squirming children in her arms.
Laura and Hope had left Nick at the book booth while the two of them
walk away to renew old acquaintances. The
two young women walk along the festival grounds, smiling and chatting.
"I just can't believe you're here, how long have you been in
Stockton?" Laura asked her cousin, as the two of them walk arm in arm.
"I arrived the end of August, from San Francisco."
"Oh, I was in Sacramento on my honeymoon."
"So I heard.
Why didn't you tell me in your letters who you were marrying?" Hope
stops walking, and puts her hands on her hips to chastise her cousin.
"I didn't tell you his name? Surely I must have, didn't I?"
"NO you did not dear cousin. I
tell you, it was very frustrating to read it.
Ma put it off as you being so head over heels that your brain wasn't
functioning! All you said was that you
were marrying a fine, sweet, handsome, wonderful man from a very prominent
family; and then I met Nick Barkley!
Handsome he is, and certainly from a prominent family, but the
rest! I beg to differ."
"Now wait Hope, Nick is all those things and
more. He is a sweet, wonderful, dear
and generous man. He's just a little,
well, he's passionate about things, that's all."
"Passionate?
Is that what they call rude behavior in this part of the country?"
she said half teasingly, then removed her hands from her hips to resume walking
quickly, Laura followed, catching up to her quick gait.
"Now Hope, I do want you to like my Nick, surely once
you get to know him..."
"Oh, I like him well enough, as I would any stubborn
mule who crossed my path." Laura
giggled and Hope followed suit, they stop walking, looked at each other, and
embraced.
Laura noticed they are outside the craft booth. "Come on, lets go see what they have,
I've been wanting to look in here."
They walk towards a table with handmade items, some for sale, others for
the contest. Laura picked up a child's
quilt, delicately made, with brilliant colors, "This is so beautiful,
isn't it? It should be displayed on a
wall, it's so breath taking."
"Thank you," Hope says with a slight embarrassed
tone to her voice.
"Oh Hope!
This is yours?! It's wonderful
work! I should have known; you were
always talented with your hands. Did
you make it for anyone special?" she asked hopefully.
"Myself," she said with a some regret, "but
I fear I may never use it."
"Good Lord, why would you say such a thing? I am sure you will marry and have children,
if it's what you want."
"There's really no one in my future, there was no one
in Boston and here, well..." her
voice trails off.
"Why I bet that someone special is right around the
corner. Why Good Lord, when I first
came here, marriage was the last thing on my mind, I just wanted to be free to
be myself for once in my life."
"Are you free now Laura, to be yourself?" Laura
carefully places the baby quilt just as she found it on display, her hands
wistfully smoothing out the wrinkles in it.
"I don't know.
Sometimes I think I am, other times I don't," she smiles sadly as
she looks at her cousin's concerned eyes.
"What do you mean?"
"They say when people marry they become one, but
sometimes, just sometimes, I feel like an appendage. It's like what Silas calls me."
"What does he call you?" Hope wondered.
"Mrs. Nick," she sighs, " ...it took me a
long time to get use to being called that.
I'm Mrs. Nick, Nick's wife ...worse Nick's woman.... God I hate that one! It's like saying, Nick's horse, Nick's gun,
Nick's boots, Nick's ranch.
Everything's Nick's, all with the Barkley name on it; and I feel like I
got it branded right on my backside!
Everything belongs to Nick, even this baby I'm carrying," she said
on the verge of tears.
"Laura! A
baby! That's wonderful!" Hope
clasps her hands together. Laura
quickly placed a finger to her lips in a shushing gesture, " Shhh, please,
no one knows!"
A shadow behind them moves closer with an keen ear and a
pasted on smile, listening. Hope
furrows her brow whispering, as she moves closer to her taller cousin,
"What the devil do you mean no one knows?
Surely your husband...."
"No, not yet, no one knows except you, though I'm
pretty sure my mother-in-law suspects.
Believe me, you can't keep anything from that woman, she is a force to
be reckoned with; even Nick wouldn't cross her, and he fears no one."
"What in the world are you waiting for? You must tell him!"
"I've tried several times, I was going to tell him the
day he came back from Boston."
"He was in Boston, what was he doing there?"
"Long story; anyway he brought back Aunt Polly."
"Your Aunt Polly's here? I can see why you didn't tell him. What ever possessed him to bring her here?"
"I don't know, he really was trying to please
me. The first day she was here we had a
quarrel. God that woman ....," she
shakes her head exasperated, "Nick adores her, and she him!"
"That's most odd." Hope shakes her head in disbelief.
"Agree.....
Then I was going to tell him on a picnic, but we never went. So I decided that I would cook dinner and
tell him after when we were alone, but he was so upset that Heath wasn't at the
dinner and went out looking for him, which led to a quarrel with Heath and the
two have hardly spoken to each other all week and that put Nick in a foul mood,
to the point where I just gave up!" she waved her hands in the air.
"What was the quarrel about that they didn't speak
all week?"
"You! And I
don't mind telling you I don't like the idea of my husband fighting with his
brother over another woman, even if it is you!"
"Me, why on earth would they do that? Wait a minute, did it have anything to do
with Jarrod and me supposedly two timing him!"
"Yes, how did you know that?"
"Because Nick paid me a visit Monday at the
school." Laura closes her eyes,
and shakes her head, "Oh no!"
"Not to worry, I put him in his place!" Laura
smiles at her cousin, "As only Hope Dougherty could."
"Of course!" The two girls giggle, "
speaking of Jarrod, have you seen him here?"
"He did come to visit me a little while ago, but I
think he went back to his office, he should be back in time for the
picnic. Why?"
"I need to speak to him."
"Then Nick's right, you are interested in
Jarrod?"
"No, just the opposite. I love him as a friend, I truly do, but regretfully, nothing
more."
"I'm sorry to hear that, for Jarrod and for
you," her cousin said contritely.
Hope sighs,
"Well, like Ma always said, there's a cover for every pot, an' Jarrod just
doesn't fit."
"Speaking of covers, I better go check on mine, I'm
afraid I left him at the booth too long, Nick may undo all the work I've done
so far. We'll meet later and go through
the other booths before lunch."
Laura starts to leave when Hope tugs at her sleeve,
"Laura, please tell Nick about the baby, promise me you will do it
tonight."
"I'll try."
"Don't try, do it!
Please tell him tonight, he has the right to know!" Hope pleaded.
"Alright, I'll tell him tonight."
"Good, now I'm off.
I will meet you later, I have more books to give you." Hope hurries away, Laura walks back to the
book booth.
Victoria had just laid a tablecloth over one of
the several picnic tables that dotted the grounds every year in October. Not quite noon, she picked up the basket
from the ground and placed it on the seat, leaning the top against the edge of
the table as she opened it. Heath came
up to the table.
“Mornin’ mother,” he said with a peck on her cheek.
“Good morning, Heath.”
“Have you seen Nick anywhere?”
“Last I saw him he was on his way to try to talk Laura out of that booth.”
“Well, Laura’s not there now. Saw her
not long ‘go with Hope going through the tents. I just finished setting up over on the other side.”
“You may not want to find him after all.
He doesn’t look too happy."
Heath’s eyes followed his mother’s arm.
“That look could get a cat to slither right outta it’s skin. Want to or not, I need to make sure he
remembered to bring the wine for tonight’s dance.”
Nick charged up to the picnic table.
“Have you seen Laura?!” he questioned gruffly.
“Saw her a minute ago with Hope; seemed to be havin’ a good time together, like
best friends,” Heath commented with a slanted grin that clearly showed he
enjoyed the couple’s differing opinions.
“Yeah, well, better than friends! Those
two are COUSINS!”
“Nicholas, must you shout? I think
that’s wonderful. I’m sure they’re
great friends. Whatever could be wrong
with that? Cousins. I should have known; they do have similar
looks, of course not in the hair, but then Laura got that from her father,
didn’t she say once, he was blond when he was younger. And, of course they have that Irish spirit,
and Laura does have family in Boston.
Why, you brought Polly here yourself, Nick. And Laura’s been there before, you knew that, Nick. Why are you so bothered?”
“Mother,” Heath began with a smile, “what you don’t know--”
“Can’t hurt you!” Nick interrupted.
“And you, little brother, had better keep it to yourself. Laura’s fit to murder me as it is!”
“What have you done now, brother Nick?” Jarrod asked, having just arrived. “Good morning, Mother.”
“Good morning, Jarrod. It seems Nick
has gotten himself into the troubled world of Laura’s extended
family."
“Again? What relative showed up now?”
“Hope did,” Heath replied. “She’s
Laura’s cousin, and old Nick here saw fit to offer his own opinions of the
young lady to his wife.”
“Would I be correct in assuming that Nick’s opinion was not favorable?”
“Yep. I’d even call it downright mean.”
“Nicholas!” Victoria censured. “She
happens to be quite a fine young lady."
She took in her son’s increasingly sheepish look and sighed. “You didn’t happen to tell her what you
thought of her, did you?” He looked down.
“You did! It’s a wonder she
hasn’t left here. I can just see you
telling her. She may still leave! Oh, Nick.”
“Now, Mother, I wouldn’t be afraid of her leaving. Not after the way she told me off.”
“She told you off?” Heath had been on the verge of laughter for several minutes
and now it burst forth with his question.
“I’d of liked to see that, now, boy howdy, I would indeed!”
“Well you didn’t!” Nick replied with a hint of a snarl, scraping together a
final shred of victory without success.
“Perhaps now you think better of her?” Victoria’s stern tone indicated which
answer was acceptable.
“Well, she did break up that fight..”
“A fight? What fight?”
“Just a schoolyard fight, Mother. Seems
it’s not the first time, either. Have
to say, though, she stands her ground.
Really gave those boys what for.”
“See? You found something about her you
like. Why don’t you give the rest of
her a chance?”
“Alright,” he grumbled.
“Good!” Victoria said in her peculiar way of invoking an effort while
superficially seeming merely pleased.
“Why don’t you go find them both now?”
“Okay, I’ll get them. Lunch almost
ready?”
“Yes, and there’s plenty.”
“Nick, I gotta ask ya somethin’ real quick before you leave.”
“Can’t it wait till lunch, Heath?”
“Nope. Promised a little lady I’d have
lunch with her.”
“What lady?” Nick was more than a little curious.
“Little Susie Goshen,” Heath replied with a pleased grin on his face.
“The orphan. Very funny. What did you want to ask?”
“You remember the wine for tonight?”
“Yes, I remembered the wine! Now, I’m
hungry. The sooner I get started the
sooner I find them the sooner I get to eat.
I’m going.”
* * * * *
He found them in the baking
tent. Laura had entered her raisin
bread and the judges were just beginning to taste the goods.
“Finally, I found you!”
“Nick!” Laura exclaimed with a smile.
“You were looking for us? Who’s
watching the booth?”
“No one, but it’ll be fine, I promise.
Now, Mother sent me to get you two.
It’s lunch time, and I’m hungry, so let’s go.”
“Alright, we’re coming,” Laura said with a sigh. “I just wish I could stay to see how they like my entry.”
“Don’t worry,” Hope assured. “Their
reaction will be evident when they announce the winners.”
“True. Well, let’s go then.”
“Sorry, I can’t,” Hope replied.
“Why not?” Nick questioned, his tone strong and angered.
“I promised to picnic with the orphans last time I was there.”
“Fine. I’ll tell mother,
then." Nick was blunt.
“We’ll catch up some more later,” Laura agreed. “See you then.”
“Yes. Hope your bread does well.”
* * * * *
Polly Thomas had her gray hair pulled back in a
conservative bun. She sat straight,
always kept her knees together and her ankles crossed, and wore a pleasant but
plain dress. Her smile did not match
her manners, yet it did match her. She
was in a cheery mood seated at the picnic table of her niece’s family.
“There’s Laura and Nick now,” Victoria announced. “Hope’s not with them, though.”
“That’s a pity. She was absolutely
incorrigible at times, but for the most part a dear girl. I should like to see her... Nice to see you, Laura. You were out early this morning.”
Laura
kissed her cheek. “Had to be, Aunt
Polly. I’m collecting books today, you
remember.”
“Of course I do. But I think I
remember, too, seeing your name in the bakery tent with some raisin bread next
to it.”
“I’ve been making it so often I thought I might as well enter.”
“Why exactly HAVE you been making it so often, Laura?” Nick questioned.
“You know I love to bake, Nick. Aunt
Polly, you should see what Hope entered in the embroidery contest! It’s
absolutely beautiful.”
“I’ll make a point of seeing it later.
Now, I hope you made some raisin bread for us, young lady.”
* * * * *
Jarrod saw Hope speaking to several of her
students and approached.
“Why, congratulations, Bobby! That’s
wonderful. I’m so proud of you
all. You worked very hard, and your
carvings are excellent. Now, don’t
spoil it by getting into trouble, boys, and I think you’d all better thank Mr.
Heath, so scoot!”
Her students trotted off happily and she chuckled. Jarrod came up from behind and put his hand on her shoulder. She jumped at the touch and turned.
“Oh, Jarrod! You startled me!”
“I didn’t realized you were so jumpy this afternoon. How are you?”
I’m fine. And you?”
“I’m well. Would you care to take a
stroll?” Here was her chance.
“I’d love to.”
The festival was just outside of town, on the schoolhouse side. There were large tents and several booths
ranging from salesmen to games and many things in between. They made polite conversation for a bit.
“Would you mind if we walked a little farther out, where there are less
people?” Hope asked suddenly.
“No, not at all." Silence
prevailed until they were mostly alone.
“I presume you wanted to come out here for a reason?”
“Y-yes. That’s right. You’re goin’ to have to be patient because
I’m nervous to be sayin’ this." He
noted the slight brogue. She breathed
for a few moments.
“Is this about you and me?” he asked gently.
She nodded shakily. “I’ve been
pursuing you too much?”
“No, that’s.. not it. You slowed down considerably, and I’m
grateful." She took another deep
breath. “I just don’t think it’s going
to work.”
“We barely know each other. Give it
some time.”
“I cahn’t. I just cahn’t. Some more time and you might think we’re
more than friends. I’m sorry,
Jarrod. You’re a dear man, and I
treasure your friendship. I don’t want
to lose it; that’s why I’m telling you now.”
“But Hope, think of how much we enjoy each other’s company. We joke and tease, smile and laugh, spar
over suffrage, relish each other’s intellect.
What’s wrong?”
“You don’t understand. Those things
make for a friendship, not a marriage.
Jarrod, you’re one of the finest men I’ve ever met, and a wonderful
friend.”
“Just friends?”
“There’s no ‘just’ in there. You know
I’m right.”
“Yes,” he conceded with a sigh, “yes, I do.
I’m sorry, but I must ask: is there someone else?”
“No, there isn’t. I hope there will be
someday, but no, no one.”
“But you want someone to be.”
“You’re makin’ this harder. Of course I
do. Right now there is no one,
alright?”
He heard the sorrow in her voice. “I’m sorry."
She sighed.
“So am I. Jarrod, I’m so
sorry...”
“Don’t say it. You’re, you’re right.”
“I’m still sorry. I-in a lot of ways, I
wish it could work."
He smiled gently at her honesty. “Thank you.
You’re a fine woman, Hope.”
“And you’re a true gentleman." She
paused. “Let’s head back.”
“Sure,” he replied agreeably, satisfied that a conclusion, while not exactly
joyous but not unhappy, had been met.
Part 37
After
lunch:
Laura and Hope walked back towards the festival
carrying a heavy basketful of books between them.
“I will never know how you got these on a transcontinental train, Hope
Dougherty!” an exasperated Laura exclaimed.
“You wouldn’t want to know anyway,” came the reply, accompanied by a
flirtatious giggle.
Laura eyed Hope seriously. “I’m not carrying these, ...these SOILED
books an inch further!” she declared as she abruptly dropped the basket.
At her impulsive action, they collapsed into giggles. It was this merry scene which Heath happened upon. He strode up to where the girls sat in the
grass holding their sides.
“Do I want to know what this is about?” he questioned, crossing his arms. As they only laughed harder, he sighed. “Guess not. What’s all
these books doin’ in the grass?” They took a few deep breaths with intermittent
giggles.
“Laura threw a fit,” said Hope, unable to suppress a grin, “so it was only
fitting she throw something.”
"They were too heavy,” Laura complained.
“You were the one that wanted a library."
Laura stuck out her tongue. Hope
replied in kind.
“Why di’n’t ya just ask me? I’ll carry
them.”
“Thank you, Heath, but you don’t have to.”
“Let him,” Laura commanded. “Never turn
down a gentleman’s offer of help.”
“Oh, I’m a gentleman now?”
“Well, you try."
He gave her a slightly annoyed grin and picked
up the books. “I’d better, considerin’
how tryin’ you can be." Laura
swatted his leg as he walked by, leaving them.
“Time to get up,” Hope declared.
“Really?”
“Yes." Her eyes scanned the area
at the advent of a sound. “Oh no!”
“What?” Laura asked seriously.
“Some of my boys are fighting by the schoolhouse!”
“Get help.”
“No, you go. I can stop them." She scampered off.
“Don’t do anything foolish!” Laura called.
“Too late,” she muttered after a moment.
* * * * *
The school wasn’t as far as it
had appeared and Hope arrived relatively quickly. She appraised the situation at once: the two boys assigned to
painting the school had started fighting, and the other boys had gathered to
watch and cheer. Hope pushed through
the ring of boys.
“STOP IT!” she shouted.
The fight was getting worse. They were
right near the front steps, and she worried that someone would fall on
them. She didn’t notice the help coming
as she squeezed between the two boys and placed a hand on each chest, trying to
push them apart.
“JOE, ANDY! STOP!” she shouted. But Joe’s punch made them all unsteady. Andy ducked too little and was knocked on
the shoulder, sending him down. Hope
fell back towards the steps, and Joe toppled down landing on her leg.
Seemingly out of nowhere, fathers appeared and pulled the boys up and
away.
“Miss Dougherty, I’m so sorry for m’ boy,” came a voice.
“Me, too, ma’am. He won’t do it
again. Looks like it’s time for a trip
to the shed.”
“It’s alright,” Hope said wearily from her odd position on the steps. “I think this time they’ll learn not to do
it again.”
“Hope! I told you not to do anything
foolish!”
“Aw, hush, Laura, and help me up."
Laura froze. “Please?”
“Can you stand?”
“Are you hurt, Miss?” came a little voice.
“I’ll be fine, Bobby.”
“You didn’t answer me, Hope Dougherty.”
“Maybe I don’t want to?”
“Maybe you don’t know?”
Hope sighed deeply. “I give up. ... No, I don’t know. Pull me up please?”
The boys and their fathers looked properly contrite at the pained words.
“Miss Dougherty,” Joe began.
“Enough of it, Joe. You too, Andy. I honestly don’t know why you two of all my
students won’t get along. You could be
great friends. I warned you the other
day someday someone’d get hurt. I’m
just glad it was me and not one of your classmates. And don’t think I’ve forgotten you boys, either. I distinctly remember saying not to get into
trouble. Watching is just as bad as
participating. Perhaps this time you’ll
learn. It shouldn’t have come to this,
but it has. No used worrying over
it. Just do better next time. And finish painting my schoolhouse. ....And Laura Meredith Thomas Barkley, help
me up right now!”
Laura offered a hand, and Heath appeared and
offered his.
“Where’d you come from, Heath?” She took a
strong hold on their hands.
“California. And you came from Boston,
and you’re going to the doctor.”
“Won’t be any use." She began to
pull up, but her leg wouldn’t support her.
“We’ll see. Forget about this idea,
Laura. There’s only one way you’ll make
it to Doc Merrar’s. Which side’s
worse?” She pointed to her left leg, and he made his way to her right
side. “Alright then. Excuse us, folks." He scooped her up and stood upright as
people parted.
“You don’t need to carry me!” she said in a forceful whisper.
“Yeah I do.”
“Hope, use some sense,” her cousin cautioned sharply.
“I have plenty, thank you.”
“Where’d you leave it?” Laura returned.
Hope rolled her eyes.
“Hope, what’s the matter?” Victoria questioned hurriedly as she joined the
now-procession to the doctor’s.
“Nothing Heath putting me down wouldn’t help,” she muttered.
“There was a fight at the schoolhouse, Victoria, and my cousin being, well,
herself, she couldn’t wait to try and stop it and she ended up on the stairs.”
“Are you alright?”
“I’m fine." At Laura’s glare, she
amended, “I will be, anyway.”
“I certainly hope so. Has someone gone
for the doctor?”
“Uh,” Heath stuttered.
“I sent Andy along, Victoria,” came a voice.
“Thanks, Bill. Oh, Laura, your raisin
bread won the bread contest.”
“Really?!”
“Congratulations, sis." Heath
grinned.
“That’s wonderful, Laura,” Hope said as cheerily as she could manage.
* * * * *
They reached the office and Laura opened the
door. Heath carried Hope in and laid
her on the examination table.
“Jesus, Mary, Joseph! I’m not an
invalid. I can sit up." She sat up as the doctor came in through the
door.
“Well, now that I’ve been rescued from a discussion of the quilts of Stockton,
what can I do for you, Miss Dougherty?”
“You can call me Hope.”
“Alright, Hope. We’ll take this to the
other room. Can you walk?”
“Yes.”
“No,” said Laura. In defiance, Hope
lowered herself down, hobbled a bit, and looked back at the doctor.
“Lead the way.”
“You’re a fool, Hope.”
“And you’re argumentative, Laura. Come
along.”
“Would you like Laura with you?” the doctor questioned.
“Yeah, contrary to all sense,” she smiled, “I would. L, you can help me answer some of the questions. Oh, and thanks, Heath, Mrs. Barkley. And don’t bother waiting. It’ll take around an hour. And if you see my students, please tell them
not to worry.”
* * * * *
“Where’ve you been, Mother,
Heath? And where’s Laura?” Nick
questioned as his mother and brother reached the table where he sat with Polly
and Audra around four.
“Laura’s with Hope at Doc Merrar’s,” Victoria answered calmly.
“Why wasn’t I sent for?!!”
“It’s Hope, Nick, not Laura.”
“Oh. .. What happened?”
“She was hurt breaking up a fight between two of her students.”
“That’s terrible,” said Polly with concern.
“Oh no,” exclaimed Audra.
“What’s this I heard about Hope being hurt?” Jarrod asked as he approached.
“Couldn’t walk,” Heath commented. “I
di’n’t think she fell that hard on the steps, even with that boy landin’ on
her, but guess it was harder than it looked." Polly paled a bit.
“Do you remember which leg was hurt?” she asked quietly.
“Her left.”
“You know somethin’ ‘bout this, Pollygirl?” Nick asked.
“Yes, I do. Poor dear." She looked up to expectant faces. “Oh, alright. But this goes no farther than our table, agreed?”
“Yes,” Jarrod spoke for them as everyone nodded their agreement.
“She probably wouldn’t want me to say, but she may need help and a little
leeway. Guess there’s no getting around
this. You know that Hope worked in her
uncle’s tavern? Her brother and sister
work there now, and her older brother worked there when she did. One night her brother had to stay late, and
Hope started home by herself. Now, her
parents weren’t ignorant of the dangers of being Irishers, so they armed their
children, and taught them to be careful.
It was dreadful, really. So
unfair to them. Why, in my lifetime,
they burnt down that convent.
Terrible.”
“Polly?” Nick reminded gently.
“Sorry. Well, she was walking home
alone. A man came out of an alley,
drunk, and assaulted her. She managed
to fight him off before he could... do
any more harm. She knocked him down and
began to run, but he tripped her with his walking stick and then used it on
her. He hurt her leg badly; the handle
ripped through it with terrible force.
She managed to grab the gun in her bag and shot him. Sean came running, helped her up, and they
told everything to the police before they got her to a doctor. She was in bed for a week just from the blood
loss, and couldn’t walk much at all for two months. Had to use a cane for quite a while. I know it bothers her sometimes, though she’s stubborn. It’s one of those things that can’t ever be
really fixed.”
* * * * *
Fifty minutes later, Laura sat
holding Hope’s hand as her cousin slowed her breathing after the last painful
test. She had sat amazed at the quiet
resilience and lack of complaints.
“Alright, Hope. You’re done. Care to reconsider telling me exactly how
you ended up with a thigh torn by the handle on a walking stick?”
“No. Thank you.”
“There’s nothing I can do for it, Hope, though I expect you know that.”
“Indeed I do.”
“You’ll need to use a cane. I have
several here. Have to find a small one,
but I’m sure I’ve got one.”
“No need. I have mine." She turned to her cousin. “Laura, would you mind getting it? It’s in the corner near the desk.”
“Of course. Don’t let her give you any
trouble, Doctor." Laura left the
room.
“Hope, I don’t suppose you’re going to listen to what I tell you?”
“Of course I’ll listen.”
“You know what I meant.”
“I’ll listen. I’ve been through this
before. There’s nothing you can
do. There’s not much I can do. Rest.
Use a cane. I do appreciate it,
doctor, but I know I’m stuck and therefore I’m just going to do what I know,
which probably won’t make you to happy but will definitely make me content.”
“Well, you said it yourself. I can give
advice, but you’re the one that lives with it.”
“Thank you.”
“It’s gonna hurt a lot.”
“It’s going to hurt like hell to be precise."
He chuckled.
“True enough. Just how are you
related to Laura?”
“Cousins.”
“You could be sisters.”
“I have a lot of those, all younger.
Guess I adopted Laura as a big sister when she visited.”
“Well, when she comes back with that cane, you can go.”
“Damn,” she muttered. She looked up and
saw he’d heard it. “Sorry,
Doctor." He smiled. “I was looking forward to dancing
tonight." He laid a tender hand on
her shoulder.
“Sorry.”
“It’s alright. I already promised to
help with the punchbowl anyway.”
“Atta girl." Hope smiled kindly at
the man.
“Thanks so much.”
Heath watched expectantly for them. He really didn't want to leave her at the
doctor's but Laura was with her....
Still, he wished he had stayed.
Nick stood behind Heath as the two of them watch Laura and Hope walk
from the doctor's office toward them.
Nick shook his head in disgust as he watched Hope deftly manage walking
with a cane.
"Would ya look at that?"
"What?" asked Heath.
"She's more accident prone than you are! Ya better stay away from that little
gal!"
"Why?" Heath turned with a questioning eye.
"Cause, between the two of ya, who's gonna wrap the
bandages?" Nick laughed wildly at his own joke.
"Aw shut up!" Heath moved towards the ladies,
Nick followed behind still smiling.
"How are ya feeling Hope?"
"Fine, thank you," she lied, ignoring the pain
she felt in her leg.
"Lucky the doc found a cane for ya to use."
"Oh, he didn't, it's my own, Liam, my brother, made
it for me." Heath heard Nick
snickering behind him, as he whispered in his ear, "What did I tell ya,
accident prone!" Heath elbowed his brother in the ribs. Nick clutched the offended area still
smirking.
Laura took Nick's arm and led him away toward the
fairgrounds. Nick looked behind him as
they walk, "We shouldn't leave them alone, no tellin' who's gonna bleed
next!" he laughed.
She swatted his arm, "Would you stop! For once mind your own business! They'll be fine." She looked behind, smiling at the pair. "If all goes well, I expect to be
giving my raisin bread recipe away soon."
"Huh?" She runs her hand down his arm,
"It's so wonderful having Hope here, it's been the best day I've had in a
long time, except for Hope's accident of course."
"Yeah, she's quite something that little gal, even if
she does look like the runt of the litter."
"Nick! Surely
you saw the rest of her family when you went to Boston. All the Dougherty women are short, and all
the Dougherty men are tall. Odd that
Aunt Maggie or Uncle Mick didn't tell you Hope was out this way."
"DOUGHERTY!
THAT'S THE NAME! DOUGHERTY!"
Nick shouted, hitting his head with the palm of his hand..
"Huh?" Laura squinted at him, "What in the
world...?"
"You know, that's not an easy name to remember!"
"Which is why I wrote it down for you and put it in your
breast pocket when you left for Boston."
"Yeah, I know, except, when I went to get it, all I
found was your Aunt Polly's address. I
lost your mother's family address."
"You mean you never went to the lighthouse?"
"You know how many lighthouses there are in..."
"Yes, which is why I gave you an address, and you
lost it! Oh Nick!"
"How do you expect me to remember a name like
Dougherty?! I mean, what the hell kind
of a name is that?!"
"It's my mother's name! Hope's father and my mother were brother and sister! And if you listened to me instead of minding
other people's business you would know that!" she trots ahead of him,
leaving him to follow close behind.
"Aw, come on...Laura? Honey? I didn't mean to
insult your kin... Laura? Aww Damnit!"
* * * * *
Separately they come upon the picnic area, where Aunt Polly was seated with Jarrod. Victoria was unpacking the picnic basket.
"Laura, how is Hope?"
"She's fine, she and Heath were right behind us; ah
here they come."
Victoria smiles at Hope, "You will join us for supper
Hope won't you?"
"Love to, thank you Mrs. Barkley. Hello again Miss Thomas," she sits at
the picnic table, resting her cane by her side.
"Well, Hope it seems we had to come across country just
to greet each other again."
"Yes, it is rather odd, isn't it?"
"Are you sure you are well Hope? Heath said you took quite a nasty
fall."
"I'm fine, really Jarrod, thank you for your
concern."
"It wasn't just concern, I was genuinely worried for you. Can I get you anything to make you more
comfortable?" a worried look evident on his face.
"No thank you, really." Grateful though she was for the care of the
Barkleys, Hope was becoming frustrated with their inquiries after her health.
"How about food!
I'm hungry, when do we eat?" interrupted Nick, impatiently.
"Well if ya'll excuse me." Heath gave a slight nod to the family.
"Where are you going Heath?" inquired his
mother, a little annoyed.
"I promised to eat with Susie."
"I thought you were kidding about that!"
comments Nick.
"No, I promised I would eat with her."
"She's a kid, who's got a school girl crush on
ya! You're just encouraging her!"
Nick abruptly sat down at the table.
"A promise is a promise."
"Heath why don't you get Susie and eat here with
us? There's plenty of room at the
table," Laura suggested, putting her matchmaking plan into action.
"Well, I suppose I could ask her."
"I'll make sure you get the first piece of my raisin
bread, if you do, " Laura bribed him.
"Don't haveta ask me twice. Be right back with my date," he gave her a wink, but he was
secretly grateful to have an excuse to eat with the family, especially now that
the lovely Hope was joining them.
"Good! Now,
do you mind if I make the seating arrangements Victoria?"
"Be my guest."
"Good, Nick you will sit there."
"I'm already sitting and waiting to eat!"
"Hope will
sit next to me, so we can chat...Heath and Susie will sit next to Hope."
"Well, that's one side of the table," Jarrod
quipped with a teasing smile.
"I'm getting to you, patience! You sit between your mother and Aunt Polly,
and Audra will sit on the end with Carl."
"Brilliant as usual my dear," smiled Jarrod
"Don't encourage her. Lets eat," Nick groused.
"Oh, you're always hungry," complains Audra
teasingly, as she settles in her seat with Carl by her side.
"You didn't haveta lug books all over the place
little girl."
"We'll eat as soon as Heath gets back, that is if
you're finished with the seating arrangements Laura," asked Victoria,
amused by her manipulations.
Heath arrives with young Susie, "Room for us?"
he asked.
"You sit right there next to Hope," Laura
suggests. Being a gentleman, Heath lets
Susie sit down first, and she sits near Hope, seeing this, Laura rushes over to
Susie, and grabs her by the shoulder, "Oh no dear, you sit here on the
end, Heath will sit near Hope, you wouldn't want to bang into Hope's hurt leg
now would you Susie dear?"
"No ma'am," the girl said shyly.
"It's really fine, Laura," Hope said.
"It doesn't matter Laura, I'm sure Susie will be
careful," Heath gallantly defends the orphan.
"Of course it matters! I arranged the seating and that's how I arranged it!" At the
determined tone, Hope grinned at Heath who gave her a shy lopsided grin as he
sat down. "Best not to argue with
her Heath, there is a method to her madness, though one may wonder."
"Just sit!
Please!" Laura demanded.
Heath nodded, amused by his sister in law, "Yes ma'am."
"Can we eat now?!" Nick piped in once more.
"Alright Nick since you're so anxious to eat maybe
you can say grace for us," suggests his mother dryly.
"Gladly; Bless us oh Lord of these gifts from thy
bounty, Amen."
"That was quite short Nicholas."
"Do you think the Good Lord heard you?"
asked Aunt Polly.
"Everybody hears Nick, even the Good Lord,"
muses Heath with a grin.
"Nick, weren't you suppose to bring the wine?"
reminded Jarrod.
"Damnit! Left
it in the wagon!" He throws his napkin down on the table as he stands.
"NICK!"
"What?"
"Your language!" his wife scolds.
"Sorry," he grabs a piece of chicken, and
munches on it as he walks away. Hope
pats her cousin on the hand, and says in her thickest Irish brogue, " Now,
dere, don't beh after yehr husband, now, dehrie; he's just bein' a wee bit passionate." The two girls giggle at their private joke.
Part 39
After eating a very satisfying supper, everyone sat back,
to digest their food and enjoy the festivities as they prepared to hand out the
blue ribbon prizes. All turned to face
a makeshift stage where a band sat at the ready to play for the dance that
evening. Sam Gruber, as self proclaimed
Master of Ceremonies announced the prizes.
"Now for the beautiful handmade crafts," Sam
Gruber continues, "the judges had a difficult time this year as everything
was so lovely, but they did make their choices; Now when I announce the winners
you must come up to the stage and get your ribbons..."
Audra interrupts as she leans over to Hope and Laura,
"...and a kiss from Sam Gruber as well."
"You didn't tell me that when you talked me into
entering this contest!" stated Laura, annoyed at her sister in law. Audra gave her an impish smile, "Oh
didn't I mention that?" Laura shook her head, "Your going to get
yours one day Audra! I promise
you."
"...and our second prize goes to Miss Audra Barkley
for her beautiful sampler of the Lord's Prayer." Audra walked up to the stage escorted by Carl Wheeler.
"I am glad I didn't enter this contest," stated
Laura to her cousin. "I'm sorry I
did!" Hope sighed.
Sam Gruber gives Audra a congratulatory kiss on the cheek
just before she leaves the stage.
Everyone applauds, as Carl assists Audra down the
stairs. "Now, for the first prize,
the blue ribbon goes to one of our newest citizen and a fine teacher, Miss Hope
Dougherty."
"I'll get it for you Hope," Laura volunteered.
"No, I'll get it, you sit right there, I'll bring it
to ya Hope," Heath promised.
"No, it's okay I'll get it," Hope insisted. Heath stood in protest.
Nick laughs,
" Let him go, I wanna see what happens when Gruber tries to give Heath a
kiss." They all laugh at the
thought.
"No, I'll get it, thank you," Hope stubbornly
asserted.
"You'll need an escort anyway, Hope," Laura said
hurriedly. "Let Heath help."
Acutely aware that she could wait no longer, Hope
relented. "Alright, but I'm not an
invalid! I'm quite capable of getting
there."
She did make the stage just fine with Heath politely at
her elbow, though she did not mount the stairs, simply standing below and
taking the ribbon from Mr. Gruber, and quickly turning as he showed signs of an
approaching kiss.
"Thank you Heath," Hope said politely as they
returned to the table.
"Congratulations."
"Too bad ya missed Gruber's kiss on the cheek, " laughs Nick.
"I'm sure I can live without it," was her
answer.
"Well everyone else gets one, ya shouldn't be left
out." Heath bends down and kisses
her cheek, making Hope blush the deepest crimson.
Laura sighs at the
sight, and whispers in Nick's ear.
"Now, that cover looks like a perfect fit." Nick looks at his grinning wife confused,
"Huh??"
"Never mind sweetheart, let's you and I go for a walk
around the fairgrounds," she pulls Nick by the hand as she stands.
"Oh Laura, you can't go now, they 're going to
announce the winners of the baked goods.
You don't want to miss your blue ribbon and kiss, do you?" Audra
teased with amusement.
"Oh very well, but I am never entering another thing
again!" She sits back down again, and gives Hope a shrug. Her cousin gives her an encouraging pat on
her hand.
"I don't know why you don't like that Mr. Gruber, he
certainly seems pleasant enough to me," interjects Aunt Polly.
"I wonder Aunt Polly if you are really that good a
judge of character," asked Laura good
naturedly.
"Oh I don't know, she loves me, doncha
Pollygirl?" adds Nick with a wink towards the aunt, as he stretched out
his long legs before him and crossed his arms.
"There's proof in the pudding if I ever heard of
it!" Hope said, not being able to resist teasing Nick, causing the others
within earshot to guffaw loudly. Nick
raised himself up, and leaning over to look pass his wife, glared at Hope.
"We don't need your little tidbits of wisdom over
there short gal," he said gruffly.
"If it wasn't for my little tidbits of wisdom, you'd
have no sense at all Nick." Heath
exploded again with laughter, and the others follow suit, with the exception of
Nick who sneered back, "Hummph, Tidbit!"
* * * * *
Sam Gruber cleared his throat before he announced the next
contest, he had be savoring this moment.
The one moment that he was going to put that little 'smart mouth princess' in her place. He was aware of the risks in coming up against the most powerful
family in the valley but this was too good to pass on. With the third and second prize announced
for the baked goods contest, the blue ribbon was the next and he looked forward
to it. His gleaming white teeth shining
and his best smile plastered on, he began,
"I take particular pride in announcing this prize
because I had the good fortune to once again be a judge this year, and this
little lady has certainly won over my palate with her talented baking, so
without further ado, the blue ribbon prize goes to Mrs. Nick Barkley."
Everyone applauded as Laura reluctantly stood from her
seat, "Don't forget to thank those who encouraged you Sis!" Heath
teased laughingly as he clapped the loudest.
She glanced back at Heath and stuck her tongue out. Nick escorted his wife to the stage.
"Congratulations sweetheart," he gave her a kiss
on the cheek as she ascended the stairs.
Sam Gruber grinned widely as he handed her the blue
ribbon, "Congratulations Mrs. Barkley."
"Thank you Mr. Gruber," she winced as she
received her obligatory kiss from the loathsome man. She quickly moved toward the stairs when Sam stopped her by
grabbing at her sleeve and taking hold of her elbow, in an effort to help her
down from the stage, "Please Mrs. Barkley, allow me to assist you
down! After all, you must be careful in
your delicate condition!"
"What?" she replied, her face draining of any
color.
Sam Gruber smiled out into the crowd, "Isn't it
wonderful ladies and gentlemen, Mrs. Barkley is with child, lets all applaud the
expectant couple." Laura was
thunderstruck as she watched the defiant editor smile with a vengeful glee, and
led the crowd of spectators in loud applause.
Then she turned to see the pained expression on her husband's face.
"Nick.k.k...., I..I 'mmm, s.s..sorry," her eyes
overflowed with stinging tears.
"Why.y.y...
?" Nick asked bewildered.
"I was going to tell you... tonight...I swear it...."
She was crushed by the look on Nick's face, and turned away, but he
cupped her face in his hands, "...you promised.... no secrets," his eyes glistening as he
tried to hold back his disappointed tears.
His pained look caused the full force of her own tears to begin,
"Forgive me...please," she begged.
The applause stopped as all eyes were on the couple. A murmur started in the crowd, as people
realized Nick didn't know his wife was pregnant until that moment. Suddenly a loud voice shouted out....
"HEY BARKLEY, MAYBE SHE DIDN'T TELL YA 'CAUSE IT
AIN'T YOURS!" Zak Morton yelled out; his brother slapped him on the back
joining in the laughter. Heath Barkley
flew out of his seat and seized Zak Morton by the throat punching him hard on
the jaw, sending him flying into chairs and tables, as several of the chairs
crack under his weight. J. R.
moved to defend his brother, jumping Heath from behind, pulling him back
with a chokehold. Heath struggled to
get J.R. off his back when chards of
glass rained down over him. Heath felt
J.R.'s body slide off his back with little effort. When Heath turned, he found his brother Jarrod holding the
remains of a wine bottle in his hand.
Heath nodded to him with a grin, "Now that's using his
head."
"You know, I've always wanted to do that! Glad we finished the wine first
though," Jarrod smiled at Heath, who grinned back, then looked around for
anyone else who wanted to challenge them.
The sound of Zak's vicious comment, caused Nick to turn
angrily, but noticing that Heath keenly dealt with the Morton problem, he
turned to the one man who caused it all.....
Nick rushed the stage and before Sam Gruber could react, pulls at his
pant cuffs, causing him to fall on his backside with a jarring thud. Then Nick jumped on the stage, and snatched
Gruber up by his jacket lapels to his eye level, and gave the Eagle editor a
generous taste of Nick Barkley's best right cross.
"THERE'S A KISS FOR YOU GRUBER!" And with that,
the formally grinning man, gave up several of his pearly white teeth. Once Nick was assured that his right cross
had done it's job, and the offender was unconscious, he jumped off the stage
and led his weeping wife away.
"NOW! WE
TALK!" Nick led her through the crowd; as they rushed through, some called
out their congratulations, Nick acknowledged them with a grunt, quickly pulling
his wife away in tears. They finally
stopped at a clearing where the wagons were located. Nick scanned the perimeter checking for prying eyes, then he
leaned against one of the wagons with his arms folded and a scowl on his face,
staring at his very contrite wife.
"NOW! How did
this whole damn valley find out before me?!"
"I don't know Nick, I swear it. I only told Hope!"
"HOPE?! You
told her! Not your husband?! Your blasted cousin hates me!"
"She doesn't hate you Nick, she really does like you,
in spite of yourself. You know, she
begged me to tell you about the baby."
"She had to BEG you to tell me?!"
"No, I didn't mean it that way; but she did encourage
me to tell you."
"She had to ENCOURAGE you to tell me?!"
"This is not coming out the way I planned."
"Were you planning on having this baby and them
introducing us?!" Laura smiled shyly at him, "Funny, you know that's
just what Belle said to me last week."
Nick's angry face changed to one of bewilderment, "Belle Blakesen
knows too?!"
"Oh damn, I guess I shouldn't have said that,"
she looked down at her feet, her arms crossed behind her back.
Nick took a deep breath before speaking again, "I
want to know everything, and I want to know it NOW! ....Start talking and don't you dare leave anything OUT!"
Laura took in a deep long breathe, "It all started
the day you left for Boston.....Did you know Lottie Mason couldn't read or
write? ........Well, she does
now."
* * * * *
By the time she finished telling Nick about her teaching
literacy classes to saloon girls, then Jarrod finding her in the saloon and she
becoming ill, and Belle assisting her at the doctor's office, and Victoria
taking over those same classes .....Nick was now sitting on the ground quietly
in awe of everything he had heard.
Finally Laura sighed as she stopped talking. He slowly stood up from the ground, staring at her, his hands on
his hips.
"Is that it?"
"Yes."
"...'Sure?"
"Yes."
"Ya sure did a lot in the time I was away. I wish I could hire men who could do all that
work in such a short time."
"Maybe you should try hiring women," she quipped
with a slight smile.
He moved close to her, putting his face inches from hers
and emphasized every other word with the jerk of his finger pointing to the
ground. "May I Be Dead and Buried in the Dirt, Rotting Away, the Day the
Barkley Ranch has Women Wranglers!!"
"Okay," she turned away trying to muffle a
laugh.
"You try my patience Woman! You really do! Now, is
there any more secrets you're keeping from me?!"
"Well, there is one.
A small one."
He raised his head, then looked down his nose at her,
"I'm waiting!"
She bit her bottom lip as she gingerly reached in her
skirt pocket and pulled out little gold frame glasses, which she placed on her
nose. At first Nick stared at her
astonished, then he roared with laughter.
"What are you laughing at?!" she cried out.
"You!" he held his sides in, bending down
laughing, "I warned ya about reading all those damn books! Ya look like a little old lady!" he
roared with laughter, doubling over.
"Now that's a real mean thing to say to me! Really mean!" She quickly took her
glasses off and shoved them in her pocket.
"Damn you Nick Barkley!"
"Your language!" he said imitating her, as he
continued laughing. Then he wrapped his
arms around her shoulders, still laughing, "...being married to you sure
ain't dull Woman!" He lifted her chin up with his finger and kissed her on
the lips. "Ahh, I need a drink
after all that. Come on let's go."
"You're letting me go to the saloon with you?!"
"Sure, why not?
They know you there about as well as they know me! No liquor though, it's not good for the
baby!" He shakes a warning finger.
"Nick?" He stops in his tracks, smiling
"What Sweetheart?"
"I love you
Nick."
He cupped her face in his hands, "You've made me a
very happy man Milady and I love you for that.
When's it gonna be?"
"Springtime."
"Springtime, a perfect time for new life." They kiss each other again as they walk
away.
Hope sat perched on a barstool behind the
refreshment table, thanking the heavens she hadn’t spilled the punch or broken
any glasses. She looked at the dance
longingly. The ladies of Stockton had
tastefully organized the dance floor.
The floor was only well compounded dirt, but it was swept and organized
and soft to step upon. The periphery
was bound by with large poles having rope strung between them, and lanterns
held in place by careful knotting gave a soft ethereal glow to a waning autumn
eve. The yellow glow gave a pleasant
hue to the pale pinks and blues found on the town’s ladies and near
ladies. Hope sighed, thinking of her
own dark dress. She loved dancing, and
she’d promised both Jarrod and Heath dances, and even old Mr. Jenkins had made
her promise to give him “a whirl ‘round
the floor." Enough of that,
she scolded herself. You’ve had a
wonderful day, Hope Dougherty, and there’ll be other dances, plenty of ‘em.
“Hello, Hope,” Audra said, sweet and kindhearted as ever. At the lack of answer, she continued,
“Hope?” The girl in question shook her head as if to loosen the trance
surrounding her.
“Oh, I’m sorry Audra.”
“You were a million miles away.”
“I was just thinking.. about the
dance.”
“Isn’t it lovely? I’m sorry you can’t
dance. Laura mentioned how much you
love it.”
“Thank you. It’s alright, though. How are you? I noticed quite a few dances with a certain young man.”
“I’ve been having a lovely evening, thank you."
Hope laughed cheerily at the dodge. “Fine, then. You may keep your confidences for now, but I’ll be hearing about
it later, whether you tell me or not."
Audra joined her in laughter. “I’ll tell you everything. Well, I should get back. I’ll see you later.”
“Thanks for coming by.”
* * * * *
Laura and Nick sat down from a dance
tiredly. She looked across the dance
floor where she could just see her cousin’s small form. She looked down a few seats to where her
brother-in-law sat, then stood up rather suddenly.
“Nick, sweetheart, would you excuse me for a minute?”
“Huh? Oh,” he grunted. “Well, okay, but I wanna dance again soon.”
“We’ll dance again. I just want to get
some punch. Heath?”
“Yeah, Laura?”
“Come with me?”
“Hey, he gets to come with you and I don’t?” Nick questioned.
“Yes. We’re going to bring back some
punch. You worked so hard all day; I
thought I could get it for you, but I need someone to come.”
“Okay I guess,” he mumbled.
Heath stood to join her. Halfway there,
he spoke.
“Laura, what are ya up to?”
She eyed him suspiciously, weighing what she
should say. “You’re friends with Hope,
right?”
“Yes.”
“And Hope loves to dance.”
“Didn’t know that, but I trust you do.”
“I do.”
“So what are we doin’? She can’t dance,
Laura; not with that leg.”
“Yes, she can.”
“Now hold on...”
“Just wait. I’m not going to do
anything that would hurt her." She
sighed in exasperation. “Heath, I
remember as a little girl my mother would try to teach me to dance. I was very young and not very skilled at the
time. My father wasn’t much of a dancer
himself, but she wanted me to learn. I
was small, Heath, and so she’d let me stand on her feet as we danced.”
“And?”
“And I certainly can’t do that for my cousin, but I want her to have a good
time. She might look happy, but I can tell she wishes she were dancing.”
“And so I’m supposed to do what your mother did?”
“Please, Heath? She’ll love it. And I’ll bake you more raisin bread if you
do.”
“I’d do it anyway. Now that you mention
it, raisin bread would be nice, though.”
“It’s yours.”
“Why me?”
“What?”
“Why not Jarrod?”
“I don’t know. Maybe I’ll make him do
it later. Maybe I’ll make Nick do it
later too.”
“That’s a recipe for trouble.”
“I don’t think so. She likes him,
despite everything, and I think he’s starting to like her, too. I’ll just help things along.”
“You sure Hope’ll go along with this?” Heath questioned, again cautious.
“Of course she will. After all, she
said it herself: she’s not an invalid.
Now come along." Laura
grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the refreshments.
“Laura, Heath,” Hope greeted. “Care for
some punch?”
“Well, yes,” Laura replied, “but no.”
“Yes but no. Interesting concept, L.”
“I’m going to be taking over the table for you, dearie.”
“And why ever would you do that, cousin mine?”
“Because you’re going dancing."
Hope blushed furiously. “I can’t,” she spake forcefully yet
softly. “Besides,” she continued
louder, “I promised to watch the table.”
“Is it going somewhere? I said I’d mind
it for you.”
“Nick’ll have your head, and probably mine as well.”
“No he won’t. Just go dance." Hope’s hands flew to her hips.
“How?” she questioned defiantly.
“Heath’s volunteered to let you borrow his feet."
Hope raised an eyebrow in suspicion. “Volunteered or was coerced?”
“I volunteered, Hope. After all, you
did promise me a dance. Can’t break a
promise.”
“No one has explained to me how I’m going to dance. Borrowing feet? Sounds
sickly morbid.”
“No, no, no!” broke in Laura. “Remember
growing up? Uncle Mick would let you
stand on his feet to dance, just like my mother did for me. You can do the same thing.”
At Hope’s quizzical look, Heath added, “It’ll be fine. Come on, girl. I mightn’t be the best dancer, but I can do alright. We’ll have some fun.”
“And you can go back to fruit punch misery afterwards,” added Laura.
“Alright,” she replied with a laugh.
“I’ll have you know, though, Laura, I haven’t spilled more than six
drops of punch, and have broken no glasses.”
“My goodness!” Laura exclaimed in feigned shock. “Good thing we arrived when we did, Heath; this girl’s murder on
glasses. Now, off with you!”
* * * * *
Nick had just escaped from a conversation with
a neighbor about crops and realized Laura still hadn’t returned. Standing up, he stretched, then craned his
neck to glance about the dance floor.
She sat where her cousin previously had, and was exchanging polite words
with punch-drinking couples. Nick
rotated his neck, then made his way to the table.
“Laura, what are you doing serving drinks?”
“Oh, hello, Nick. I offered to take
over for a bit so Hope could do some dancing.”
“How can she dance?”
“Look and see.”
“See what? She’s shorter than you
are. I don’t see her at all.”
“Oh, Nick! She’s dancing with Heath at
the moment." At Nick’s glaring
request for further information, she continued. “She stands on their feet, and they go slowly.”
“And how did THAT start?”
“It was my idea. You see, she really
does love to dance. And Heath was
willing to do it, and others just picked up on the same idea. She’s pretty popular, you know. Jarrod danced once, too, and even Mr.
Jenkins tried it. She’s so small, no
one minds.”
“Then I guess we won’t be dancing anymore?”
“No, it’s getting late.”
“Too bad; we’ll just have to push back the furniture in our room,” he said,
with a wicked grin. Laura’s mouth
formed a coy, welcoming smile.
“What can we do for music?”
“I’m sure we’ll think of something."
Placing his arm around her waist, he hugged her tightly and snuggled his
face in her hair.
“Look at those two, Nick.”
“Who two?”
“Heath and Hope, silly.”
“What about ‘em?”
“Don’t they look sweet?”
“Not as sweet as someone I know.”
“Aww. But Nick, don’t they look sweet?”
“I guess so.”
“She fits so well.”
“I told you she was a tidbit."
Laura laughed.
“I suppose you’ll call her that all the time now?”
“Yeah, I think I will.”
“Well, at least it’s better than ‘tramp’,"
Laura replied teasingly.
“Enough of that, woman! Why are you
thinking about them anyway? We’re gonna
have a baby, Laura."
She sighed contentedly. “I’m so happy.”
“Me, too.”
“What are we going to name it?”
“Well, Junior, of course.”
“I’m not naming my daughter Nick.”
“Oh, it’s a girl, is it?”
“Yes.”
“Well, I know what we shouldn’t name her, then.”
“What?”
“Laura." She swatted his arm. “What?
I have enough trouble with one Laura.
I can’t take a second.”
“I think if it’s a boy we should name him Heath.”
“Heath? My brother over me? No way, woman. It’s Nick Barkley, Jr., boy or girl." She smiled at him and he laughed.
“I can’t wait for the baby, Nick.”
“Neither can I. I could shoot Gruber
for telling it like that.”
“So could I.”
“We’ll take care of that tomorrow."
They said nothing for a few moments as the soft strains of a slow dance
relaxed them into each other.
“Oh, Nick. I love you so much,
sweetheart." He kissed her behind
her ear.
“I love you, too. Come on, let’s go
home a little early. Mother’ll
understand. Dance’s almost over
anyway.”
“What about the table?”
“I don’t care about it. The only table
I care about is the dinner table, and I’m not hungry for food right
now." She smiled.
“Love you, Nick. Time for our own
dance." Arm in arm, they walked
out of the soft glowing circle and to the carriage in the darkness.