Chapters 1-11
by NAHF
Disclaimer: The characters and situations of the TV program
"Big Valley" are the creations of Four Star/Republic Pictures and
have been used without permission. No
copyright infringement is intended by the author. The ideas expressed in this story are copyrighted to the author.
Chapter 1
Boy howdy was he
thirsty. He’d been on the trail for three weeks, and the summer sun was beating
down on him unmercifully. He’d stopped several miles out of town to water the horses
and refill his canteen, but all he could think about was getting into Stockton
and having a cold beer at Harry’s. Then perhaps he’d check in with Jarrod
before heading back to the ranch.
Nick was going to be
so pleased with the purchases Heath had made. The horse auction was a success
and Heath was now traveling back with two fine pieces of horse flesh. Just
about the best Heath had seen that had been bred. There was a herd of wild
horses running on Barkley property, and most of their stock came from there.
But they had discussed finding other avenues of getting horses for breeding and
leaving the wild horses to be trained for the army.
Heath loved
ranching. Even the "dirty work". The cattle on the Barkley Ranch were
the best in the state, at least in Heath’s thinking. Nick had done an excellent
job with buying good stock. But horses were what Heath really enjoyed.
Especially the training. Working with a horse, one on one, gave Heath a sense
of peace and contentment. Helping an animal to go from being wild and untamed
to docile and doing it in a gentle way brought Heath great satisfaction.
The words wild and
untamed brought forth images in Heath’s mind and he smiled. Nick was recently
married which was why he’d not gone to the auction with Heath. The night before
Nick and Abby’s wedding, the brothers had gone into town to celebrate. Before
they all got roaring drunk, Heath remembered a toast Jarrod had made.
"May you be
able to teach your new bride to become wild and untamed...behind closed doors
of course!"
They’d all gotten a
good laugh out of that one, yet all had gotten his meaning. Abby was as sweet
as they came, and Heath had no doubt Nick could bring out the wild side of her.
Heath grimaced.
Perhaps this way of thinking was not so good. Images were being brought forth
in his mind that he didn’t particularly want at this moment. Thankfully, he was
now in Stockton and could get that cold beer. He definitely needed it now.
After making sure
the horses were secure, Heath walked into the saloon, noting it wasn’t very
busy. The ever present Harry met him at the bar and without even asking, put a
cold beer in front of Heath. He drank it down then asked for another. Thanking
the bartender, Heath placed the money he owed in front of him while Harry
poured him one more for the road.
"How’d the
auction go?" Harry asked.
"Good. But it’s
good to be home. Anything new going on around here?"
"Paulson’s old
place was sold finally."
Jeb Paulson was a
neighbor of the Barkley’s and had suffered a stroke the year before. His family
put the fairly good sized ranch up for sale but no one seemed interested.
"Oh? Do you
know who bought it?" Heath asked.
"Older man. Sommers.
Joe I think someone called him. Jarrod’s the one handling the sale so you could
ask him. Got a daughter. Right pretty too," Harry said, giving Heath a
wink. Heath knew that if you wanted to know any gossip in Stockton, Harry was
the man to see.
"Thanks,
Harry," Heath said dryly.
Finishing his drink,
Heath headed out to find Jarrod. He was almost to his office when he spotted
his oldest brother walking down the sidewalk with another gentleman. The man was
the same height as Jarrod with salt and pepper hair. Jarrod spotted Heath and
motioned for him to join them.
"Jonathon
Sommers, I’d like you to meet my brother, Heath Barkley."
"A
pleasure!" was the greeting Heath received as Sommers shook Heath’s hand.
The man was in his 50's, but his eyes showed signs of youthfulness that belied
his age. From what Heath could tell, the other man was in top physical form.
"Likewise, Mr.
Sommers," Heath replied.
"Oh, call me
Jonathon. We’re neighbors now." Heath smiled, taking a liking to this man
immediately.
"Jonathon it is
then."
"Heath is the
one who did most of the wood work in the ranch house," Jarrod mentioned.
"You have a
good hand, Heath. I’d like to talk to you about doing some more work for me if
you could spare the time."
"I’d be happy
to help ya," Heath agreed.
"That’s great.
But I don’t want to take you away from your work," Jonathon said.
"Not a problem.
I can spare the time, I’m sure."
"Great,"
Jonathon said, looking back over his shoulder. To Jarrod he said, "I
wonder where the girls are?"
"Knowing Audra,
she’s buying up half the store. They’ll be along soon. You should stop by and
see her before you head home, Heath," Jarrod suggested. "We’re going
up to sign the last of the papers. I’ll see you at home tonight, Heath,"
Jarrod said, escorting Jonathon into his office.
Holding onto the
horses’ reins, Heath led them down the street, past Millie’s Dress Shop. Just
as he finished tying them to the post, the door opened and a lady stepped
through with boxes piled high. Heath could hear her speaking.
"Audra, we
don’t have to make this all in one trip. I can get my buggy and bring it
around."
"No, I’d rather
take it all now."
Just as Audra finished
talking, the first woman tripped and would have landed in the dust if not for
Heath’s quick reflexes. He caught the young woman by her waist, easily
steadying her to her feet.
"Oh no!"
she cried out. "I hope I haven’t ruined anything, Audra!"
Heath stared at the
young woman, hardly able to believe what he was seeing. The woman in his arms
had to be the prettiest girl he’d ever seen. Dark brown hair was piled on top
of her head, little ringlets falling down around her neck. She stared down at
the boxes that had fallen at her feet, clearly upset with herself for being so
clumsy. Heath stood mesmerized as brown eyes met his. She smiled, her full pink
lips parting to show an even row of white teeth.
"I’m sorry. I
didn’t thank you for helping me."
"Heath!"
Audra cried out in a glad little cry.
Heath went forward
to help his sister, reluctant to let go of the beauty he still held in his
arms.
"Audra. Your
friend was right, you didn’t need to get all these things at once," he
said gently. He placed a kiss on her cheek before taking a few of the boxes
from her. He turned to watch as Audra and her friend picked up the remaining
boxes, equally distributing the load between them, making it more manageable.
"I don’t think
anything was damaged, Ella," Audra said as she examined the boxes in her
hands.
"I hope
not," Ella replied.
"Oh Heath, this
is Ella Sommers. Ella, this is my brother, Heath."
"A
pleasure," Ella said, her smile once again capturing Heath’s attention.
"Where’s your
carriage?" Audra asked, before Heath could reply.
"Just over
here."
They deposited the
packages with Heath’s help and made sure they were secure.
"Now,"
Audra said. "We need to go to Bandy’s and pick up the linens Mother asked
for. Then I think we’ll be free to go home."
"Are those your
horses?" Ella asked. It took Heath a moment to realize she was speaking to
him.
"Oh,
uh...yes."
"Heath is just
returning from an auction. He’s been gone for a few weeks. It’s so good to have
you back!" Audra enthused.
"May I take a
look at them? I just love horses!" Ella asked, her wide brown eyes
sparkling.
"Of
course," he replied, though he cautioned, "They’re a little skittish.
A storm is coming up so be careful."
Ella graced him with
a smile before heading over to the horses. She spoke softly to the brown mare
who was nuzzling her hand for a carrot or some sugar. Ella laughed, causing
Heath to smile as he watched her.
"She’s
beautiful. Will you be using her for breeding?"
Before Heath could
answer, thunder was heard in the distance. The mare whinnied nervously and
tossed her head.
"We’d better
head back to your place, Ella. We don’t want to get caught in that storm,"
Audra said to her new friend.
"I agree,"
she said then turned to Heath. "You’ll let me know when she has her first
foal? I’d love to see it. She’s going to be a wonderful brood mare."
With that, the
little whirlwind stepped past him, leaving Heath with a huge grin on his face.
He gathered the horses reins and headed toward the ranch. He followed behind
his sister and Ella for a good bit of the way until they turned off toward the
Old Paulson place, which would now be considered the Sommers’ place. The girls
waved to him as he rode passed and he tipped his hat, making a mental note to
visit his newest neighbors soon.
Heath entered the
yard of the ranch and noticed the increased activity. One of the hands, Matt,
took the reins of the horses from Heath while explaining, "Lightening
struck up on the North ridge. A small brush fire has started. Nick and some of
the other hands have gone up to help stop it."
"Take these
horses to the barn and bed ‘em down. I’m going up to help Nick and the others.
Once you get that done, you and the others join us up there."
"Yes sir!"
the young man said, hurrying off to do Heath’s bidding.
Once Heath reached
the North Ridge, he could see the fire was raging out of control. Nick and the
hands were frantically digging a firebreak in an effort to quell the blaze. It
was hoped the rain would start soon to help, but it looked like the storm might
pass over without a drop to fall on them.
Some of the men were
carting large buckets of water from the stream down the hill, but it was
exhausting work and the horses were skittish from the smell of the smoke. Nick
and Heath yelled orders to the men which were carried out without question. It
looked like things were going their way until one of the horses decided to
bolt. Nick reached to grab the reins of the horse but the animal was too
frightened to stop. Nick cried out with pain as his shoulder was pulled from
it’s socket. He let go of the reins, allowing the frightened animal to run off.
"Nick!"
Heath yelled.
"I’m
fine," Nick gritted through clenched teeth. In reality he wasn’t, but they
had to keep the fire from spreading. "Get back to getting that fire
stopped. We’ll worry about this later."
"I’ve gotta pop
it back into place, Nick," Heath said, his tone not holding for any
argument. Nick nodded and braced himself for what was about to be a most
painful moment.
"Hold him
down," Heath instructed one of the other hands and together, they managed
to put his shoulder back in place. Nick’s features paled considerably, but he
didn’t pass out.
"Pete’s gonna
take you back to the ranch. The rest of us will stay here and get the fire
out."
"No, I should
stay," Nick argued, though his protest was weak.
"And what
happens if the fire shifts? You could be caught in it. We’re wasting time,
Nick. Do as I say!"
Nick’s anger flared
for a moment, but he knew Heath was right. He nodded and allowed Peter to help him
mount his horse. Heath watched for just a moment to make sure Nick and Peter
would be okay, then he turned to the other men, barking orders.
It was after
midnight before Heath made it home. Finally the rain began, but not before they
were given another scare. The winds did shift, and the fire stared toward the
Sommers place. Heath and the other men worked frantically and if not for the
intervention of the Almighty in allowing the rain to pour down on them, the
Sommers might now be homeless.
Soot covered and
exhausted, Heath entered the house. Jarrod was waiting for him in the parlor.
"How’s
Nick?" Heath asked, accepting a drink from Jarrod.
"He’ll be out
of commission for a few days, but the doc says he’ll be fine."
"Good. I’d love
to stay and chat, but I’m exhausted. Think I’ll get a bath and head on up to
bed. Audra make it home okay?" Heath asked.
"Oh yes. Well
before the rain started. Mother saved some dinner for you in the warmer,"
Jarrod said.
"Thanks, but
right now I want to sleep more than anything. Night, Jarrod."
"Night,
Heath."
Chapter 2
Nick was not happy
with being told he’d have to stay in bed for at least a few days until his new
wife reminded him how nice it would be to spend more time together, especially
since they would be busy soon with round up and the cattle drive. Heath
couldn’t help but laugh as Abby sweet-talked Nick into peacefully accepting his
fate.
"Should’ve had
her around a long time ago. Would have saved us a lot of grief," Jarrod
commented to the rest of the family.
Heath was busy with
managing the ranch. Nick was eager for a full report each night, and Heath was
only to happy to oblige. Nick didn’t question Heath’s decisions, having learned
since his brother had come to live with them that Heath had a good head on his
shoulders. Sure, he made mistakes, but they were rare, and Nick trusted Heath.
Heath had all but
forgotten about their new neighbors for the next few weeks until he was out
checking fence posts early one morning. He looked up to see someone riding in
the valley below and it took him a few minutes to figure out who it was. He
smiled as he watched Ella Sommers and her horse glide across the way. Her long
dark hair left a trail behind her, and he swore he could hear her laughing.
Since Nick was up and about more, Heath decided perhaps it would be a good time
to visit the new neighbors. Jonathon had seen Heath in town the day before and
asked him to come by one day that week to talk about finishing the cabinets in
the kitchen. Jeb, the previous owner, had hired Heath to help him replace the
cabinets. The old ones had seen better days. Heath helped until Jeb had his
stroke. He offered to come in and finish but Jeb’s wife asked him to wait,
hoping Jeb would get better. It had been important for Jeb to be a part of the
remodeling. When it became apparent Jeb would never get better, the spread was
put up for sale.
Heath had decided to
ride over to talk to Jonathon and maybe he would be lucky enough to see Ella.
He tied Charger to the hitching post and walked up to the front door. He
knocked and waited. The door opened and an older woman stood before him.
"Hello, my
name’s Heath Barkley and I’m here to see Mr. Sommers," he stated.
"Mr. Sommers
isn’t here. He’s in town. You can come back later," the small woman said
gruffly, closing the door.
"Wilma? Who is
it?" came a voice from behind her. Ella appeared and smiled at Heath.
"Heath! It’s so
good to see you. Please, come in. What brings you over here?"
Heath walked inside,
hat in his hand. Ella was dressed simply and her hair was put in a simple pony
tail at the base of her neck. She wore an apron that showed her tiny waist.
"Jonathon
mentioned something to me about finishing the cabinetry in the kitchen."
"Oh! He said
you might come by. Come this way. I’m sorry for the mess. Wilma and I were
baking some bread," Ella said as she led Heath into the kitchen. Wilma,
apparently the Sommer’s housekeeper, had returned to the kitchen and was busy
kneading the dough. She watched Heath warily, making him feel conspicuous.
"Did you do the
work?" Ella asked him, bringing his attention back to her. He noticed she
had a small smudge of flour on her nose and he longed to reach out and wipe it
off. He chanced a look at Wilma who continued to stare at him.
"I helped. Jeb,
who lived here before, was good with wood working. His hands were weak though
so I helped him with the installing. The wood he was using should still be in
the shed out back."
"I’m not sure
if it is or not. Wilma, do you know?" Ella asked, turning to the other
woman.
"No, but I’m
sure Mr. Sommers would know," she said, going back to her kneading.
"Well, he’s not
here to ask. I’ll try to remember to ask him tonight. We just pulled a loaf of
bread from the oven, would you like some?" Ella asked.
He wanted to say
yes, but one glance at Wilma changed his mind.
"Not this time.
I should get back," he replied. Ella walked him to the door and wished him
a good day. Heath smiled and in one fluid motion, mounted Charger.
* * * * * * * *
It was late, Audra
knew it, but she couldn’t bring herself to part from Luke’s presence. They’d
been on two dates, and she thought he was wonderful. He was so handsome and had
the cutest smile, and he was so very attentive to her on each of their dates. If
only she could convince her brothers what a wonderful man he was. At that
thought, Audra frowned.
"Hey, what’s
that look for? Did I say something wrong?" Luke asked, his deep voice
sending shivers up and down Audra’s spine.
"Oh, no. I’m
sorry, I guess I was letting my mind wander. What were you saying?" she
asked, her big blue eyes searching his.
"Well, what I
was saying wasn’t as important as what I was wondering," he said softly.
They were standing at the front door of the Barkley home, trying to say goodnight
to one another.
"What were you
wondering?" Audra asked, smiling.
"I was
wondering what it would be like to kiss you..." his voice trailed off as
he leaned in for a kiss. Audra’s eyes closed in anticipation. Just as Luke’s
lips were about to touch hers, both straightened at the sound of someone
clearing their throat.
"Isn’t it a
little late, Audra?"
"Nick!"
Audra said in surprise. She turned around and saw her older brother standing
just outside the veranda doors, arms crossed and legs spread wide. She knew
that stance. He was not happy with her. But at the moment she didn’t care. How
dare he?!
"He’s right,
Audra. I should go. I’ll talk to you later," Luke said, giving her hand a
squeeze. He tipped his hat to Nick who continued to scowl at him as he walked
away.
Audra walked inside,
barely able to keep herself from slamming the door and waking the entire
household.
"How dare you
Nick Barkley?"
"How dare I
what? You should have been home an hour ago!"
"I am a grown
woman who can do as she pleases. You had no right to embarrass me that
way!"
"I have every
right, Audra! You’re my sister, and I’m not going to let you ruin your life
with-"
"I wasn’t doing
anything, Nick! And I don’t see how I can have the chance to ruin my life because
of all of you! I wish you’d all just leave me alone!"
With those words,
Audra ran up the stairs. Nick could hear her crying and hoped no one would wake
up. He knew he should have waited until she’d come inside before confronting
her, but he wasn’t one to be patient. Good thing his shoulder was still
bothering him, causing him to need a drink to help ease the pain or no one
would have known that Audra was staying out way too late. Jarrod was in San
Francisco and Heath was sound asleep. And mother....
"Nick, did you
have to interrupt them?"
Nick looked up to
see his mother at the top of the landing.
"Sorry, Mother.
It’s just...she was coming home too late. She needed a reminder that just
because she is a grown woman-"
"Nick! I agree
with you that she came home too late. But I was waiting up for her and was
going to speak with her about it," Victoria said, cutting him off. Nick
could tell she wasn’t happy with him.
"You should get
back to bed. Is your shoulder bothering you? Do you need some of the pain
medicine Dr. Merar left for you?"
"No...I’ll be
fine," Nick replied walking up the stairs. As he reached his mother he
stopped and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Sorry. I’ll
try not to interfere next time," he said softly.
"Oh, you’ll
interfere alright. I just hope Audra will forgive you. I know we all still
think of her as a little girl we need to protect, but she needs to feel like a
woman, Nick. And you’re not helping her."
Nick thought on his
mother’s words. He knew she was right, but still....
He made his way to
his and Abby’s room and gently got into bed. Abby was awake though and snuggled
close to him.
"Is everything
okay?" she asked sleepily.
"Yeah. But I’ll
tell you this, Abby Barkley. You better not give me a passel of girls. I want boys...all
boys. I don’t think I can handle girls."
"Alright, Nick.
I promise to do my best."
"Good!"
Abby’s breathing
evened out, and Nick tried to get comfortable. He looked over at his wife, the
moonlight shining on her face. Okay, so maybe girls weren’t so bad. His wife
was a girl, wasn’t she? He smiled and then drifted off to sleep.
* * * * * * * *
Three mornings in a
row Heath watched as Ella Sommers rode on her big bay. She seemed as though she
were one with the animal, her body gliding along with the horse as they rode
full gallop. That she was an excellent horsewoman was evident.
Heath wanted so
badly to join her, but something always held him back. He enjoyed solitude at
times and wondered if she felt the same way. Watching her ride was almost a
spiritual experience for him. The look of peace and contentment on her face
filled him with such joy.
Ella always seemed
to notice him at some point. She would wave and smile, then ride on as though
it were the most normal thing in the world for Heath to be watching her. Most
young girls Heath knew would have been trying to get his attention by now, but
Ella accepted his presence and left it at that.
One morning, Heath
sat up on the ridge waiting for Ella to pass by him. The sun grew high in the
sky, and it was clear she wouldn’t be coming. It concerned him, because she’d
never missed a morning in almost a month. Not seeing Ella had put a damper on
his mood. It was amazing to him how much he looked forward to seeing her, when
they’d only spoken so briefly. He didn’t know much about her at all, and yet
felt he did know her well.
The next morning,
Ella was back, and Heath couldn’t resist joining her for the ride. She smiled
at him and with an almost imperceptible nod of her head, challenged him and
Charger to a race. He agreed, and they were off.
Up the hill and
around the tree, Ella stayed in the lead for most of the way. Heath and Charger
were definitely being given a run for their money, but in the end, Ella and her
bay were not a match for them. Ella conceded defeat gracefully, but Heath could
tell she was a bit put out by having lost.
"Your horse is
magnificent!" Ella said, swinging down from her horse in one smooth
motion. She was dressed in loose fitting black slacks and a cream colored
blouse. Her cheeks were tinged pink, and Heath thought she looked beautiful.
Her hat had fallen off of her head and hung around her neck.
"Thank you. I
have to say yours is too. What’s her name?"
"Carrington."
"It’s good to
see you back today," he said as he petted the horse’s mane.
"Back?"
Ella asked, as she gave her horse a carrot. She passed one to Heath to give to
Charger.
"You missed
yesterday."
Ella felt her cheeks
heat, and Heath noticed her blush.
"I was...not
able to ride yesterday," she said, unable to meet his eyes. Her cheeks
burned with embarrassment and Heath wondered why. He couldn’t have known that
Ella hadn’t been feeling well the day before. Her womanly time had come and the
first day was always difficult for her.
"Oh," was all
he said, and tried to think of something else to talk about. "How long
have you had Carrington?"
"Almost three
years," Ella answered, giving her horse a pat. "A gift from my
father."
"Your father
has a good eye for horses. She’s one of the best I’ve seen."
"Thank
you."
They walked their
horses, each feeling comfortable with the silence. Heath remembered the dance
that was coming up and almost asked Ella if she would go with him when she
began to speak.
"Thanks for the
race, Heath. I really must get going. I promised Audra I’d accompany her to the
orphanage today. It was nice seeing you again!" And with that she mounted
and rode off. Heath was left staring after her, grinning.
Chapter 3
Although everyone
seemed cheerful at the dinner table, there was an underlying tension radiating
around the room. Audra spoke to Jarrod, Heath, Abby and her mother, but rarely
said anything to Nick. It rankled him to be treated so coolly by her, but she
never did anything overtly enough to be considered rude. Nick shrugged,
figuring she’d eventually get over it. He felt Abby squeeze his leg, and he
gave her a wink, watching in delight as her cheeks blushed a soft pink. Then he
turned his attention to the conversation between Heath and Audra.
"And have you decided
who you are taking to the Spring Dance?" Audra asked, her blue eyes
twinkling.
Heath smiled
slightly. "Maybe. I do have someone in mind, but haven’t had the chance to
ask yet."
"Oh? Who?"
"Now Audra, Heath
doesn’t have to tell us if he doesn’t want to," Victoria gently reminded
her daughter.
"Who are you
going with?" Jarrod asked his sister. Everyone noticed Audra’s blush.
"I’m not sure
yet," she replied.
"What? You mean
no one’s asked you? Usually you have a string of beaus all lined up!" Nick
said, hoping that his joke would ease the tension between them. His hopes were
about to be dashed.
"I didn’t say I
hadn’t been asked. I said I wasn’t sure yet," Audra said icily. Victoria
watched the exchange and knew she would need to speak to her daughter soon
about her attitude toward Nick.
"If you’ll all
excuse me, I have some things to do," and with that Audra left the room.
Nick shifted
uncomfortably, wanting to go after Audra and confront her, but one look at his
mother and he knew that was not the thing to do. The meal was finished and
everyone else adjourned into the billiard room. By the time Victoria made it up
to see Audra, she found her daughter sound asleep.
* * * * * * * *
The afternoon was a
warm one and Heath and Nick had just finished eating lunch with Jarrod and were
loading supplies from the Feed and Seed store.
"You know, it
wouldn’t have killed him to pay," Nick said, griping about the fact Jarrod
had left Nick to pay the bill.
"Why should he
always pay?" Heath asked, smiling.
"He’s a lawyer!
He’s got plenty of money!"
"You’re a
rancher. You got plenty of money, too," Heath replied. Nick rolled his
eyes.
"Well, I know
one thing," Nick said, climbing into the wagon. Heath sat beside him and
settled in for the ride to the ranch.
"Only one? Poor
Abby, bet she thought she was marrying a smart man."
"Ha!" Nick
said loudly. "She knows I’m smart. I talked her into marrying me, didn’t
I?"
Heath couldn’t help
but laugh. The town was busy, the shops along main street crowded with people.
"So what’s the
one thing you know, Nick?" Heath asked as they were passing by Bandy’s.
"Next time,
you’re paying!"
Nick expected to get
a protest, or at least a laugh from his younger brother, but all he got was
silence. He looked over and saw Heath’s attention was on Bandy’s Store. Nick
couldn’t see anything out of the ordinary and was about to question Heath when
he saw her. He watched Heath’s face light up when the brown haired young woman
walked out of the store.
"You needin’
anything from Bandy’s?" Nick asked, a ready smile on his face.
Heath’s face
reddened at being caught staring at Ella.
"No," he
muttered.
"What’s her
name?" Nick asked, chancing a glance at his brother.
"Who?"
"Don’t give me
that. Your face was brighter than the sun when she walked out of that
store."
Heath sighed.
"Her name’s
Ella Sommers."
Nick thought for a
moment. That name sounded familiar.
"Any relation to
our new neighbors?"
"Daughter."
"Ah."
"Ah,
what?"
"Nothing, just
ah."
They were on the
outskirts of town now, and Heath had begun to relax. He’d wanted nothing more
than to go and talk to Ella, but having Nick as an audience wasn’t appealing to
him.
"She the one
you were telling Audra about?"
Heath sighed but
didn’t say anything.
"You asked her
yet?" One of Nick Barkley’s traits was persistence. It could be a good
thing, but right now Heath wished he let things go.
"Not yet."
Nick sensed Heath wasn’t
in the mood to talk about it so he dropped it. He couldn’t help but smile
though. He wanted to see Heath happy, as happy as he and Abby were. Jarrod was
seeing someone in San Francisco and it looked like there could be a wedding in
the near future. And Audra...well, if she’d quit being so flighty she might
settle down too. Nick shifted in his seat. He was a bit put out with his sister
right now for her attitude toward him. Abby had encouraged him to let it go for
now, but it was a struggle for Nick. He wanted to confront a situation and find
a solution. Maybe he’d try to talk to Audra again. Surely, she still wasn’t
upset about him interrupting her and that Connelly fella. Whenever Nick thought
about it, it made him angry all over again.
"Got something
you wanna talk about?" Heath asked, noticing Nick’s agitation.
"Nope,"
Nick answered.
* * * * * * * *
Although Heath did
not join Ella any more on her morning rides, he still watched from afar. It was
a morning ritual for both, but neither seemed to mind. Heath was late one
morning the next week and saw Ella walking Carrington instead of riding. He was
concerned something was wrong and decided to make sure she was alright. As he
approached she looked up, giving him a small smile and a wave. He noticed the
horse was limping slightly.
"Good
morning!" she called to him.
"Morning.
Something wrong?" Heath asked, dismounting from Charger.
"Carrington
threw a shoe. I was walking her to town."
"Why go all the
way into town? Can’t your blacksmith care for it?" Most of the larger
ranches in the area had their own blacksmith, and the Sommers’ ranch, though
not as large as the Barkley spread, was certainly big enough to employ a
blacksmith.
"We haven’t had
any luck in hiring anyone," Ella explained.
Heath thought for a
few moments.
"Let’s tie
Carrington up here....I’ll take you home on Charger, and then I’ll come back
and have our blacksmith replace the shoe."
"Oh, I hate to
bother you...."
"It’s no
bother," Heath replied, hoping Ella would accept his offer. He hoped it
would give them time to get to know one another.
"Well, if
you’re sure..."
Heath smiled,
mounted and held out his hand to help Ella up on Charger. She settled in behind
him, her hold on his waist light. The touch send shockwaves all through him,
and it took every ounce of control he had not to turn around. Ella sensed him
tensing up.
"Am I holding
on too tight?" she asked.
Heath closed his
eyes briefly and cleared his throat.
"Um....no....no.
You’re fine," he said, telling himself to breathe.
They rode in silence
most of the way, and Heath was finally getting up his nerve to ask Ella to the
dance when they arrived at the Sommers’ ranch. Jonathon Sommers was coming out of
the house just as Heath was helping Ella down from Charger.
"Ella! Are you
hurt?" he asked, quickly coming toward them.
"No. Carrington
threw a shoe, and Heath was kind enough to give me a ride home. He offered to
take Carrington to the Barkley Ranch and have their blacksmith replace the shoe
instead of us taking her into town. Isn’t that great?"
"Thank you,
Heath," Jonathon extended his hand, and Heath shook it.
"Not a problem,
Jonathon."
"Wilma has
breakfast ready for us. Would you care to join us?" Jonathon asked.
"No, but maybe
another time," Heath replied, remembering his cool reception from the
Sommer’s housekeeper.
"I’ll see you
inside," Jonathon said to Ella, and she nodded.
"When should we
come by to get Carrington?" Ella asked.
"I can bring
her by."
"No. You’ve
already wasted enough time today bringing me home. I was planning on dropping
by anyway to visit with Audra."
"I’m sure Mick
can have her ready by early afternoon."
"Great! Thanks
again, Heath," Ella said, turning away.
"It’s now or
never," Heath said to himself.
"Ella!" he
called out. She turned around and came back toward him, an expectant look on
her face.
"I was
wondering if you would go with me to the dance on Saturday night."
Ella’s eyes widened.
"The
dance?"
"It’s the
annual Spring Dance. It’s really a lot of fun. Audra will be there. Surely
she’s mentioned it to you."
"Yes...but...I..."
"Should I ask
your father?"
"My
father?"
"About the
dance? I can talk to Jonathon."
Ella’s hand went to
her mouth. "Oh Heath," was all she said.
"What is
it?" Heath asked, concerned.
"Jonathon isn’t
my father."
"Oh,"
Heath said, still not understanding. "Your uncle then? Or your
guardian?"
"Heath,
Jonathon is my husband."
Chapter 4
Heath stared at Ella,
completely dumbfounded. Never in his life would he have ever guessed she was
married. And especially to a man who was old enough to be her father...even her
grandfather! Jonathon was easily a man in his fifties. And Ella...
"I apologize. I
assumed you were....I mean to say...Your age. I thought you were Audra’s
age..." His words sounded silly to him, and he was sure Ella thought so as
well.
"Actually, if
I’m not mistaken, Audra is two years older than I. I turned nineteen last
month."
"But...Jonathon..."
"He’s fifty-
four. We’ve been married for three years now."
Heath didn’t know
what to say. His feet seemed rooted to the spot. Finally, he realized Jonathon
was waiting for his wife...his wife. Heath grew angry, wondering how any
decent man could marry one so young. Ella seemed to be more than just some old
man’s darling. Maybe...maybe she was waiting for Jonathon to die so she could
have all of his money....
No, Heath could tell
Ella wasn’t like that. He was a good reader of people, or at least he thought
he was.
"Heath?"
Ella asked.
"I’m sorry,
Mrs. Sommers. I need to be on my way. Have a good day," Heath said as he
mounted Charger. He would go back and get Ella’s horse and take her to Mick, then
he would make sure he was on the farthest side of the Barkley ranch when Ella
came to get her horse.
Ella watched him
ride away, her heart heavy. She hadn’t meant to lead Heath on in any way or
deceive him. Jarrod and Audra knew Ella was Jonathon’s wife, and she had
assumed Heath would know too. She had hated to see him embarrassed and had
noticed right away he didn’t call her Ella, but "Mrs. Sommers." She
sighed and made her way inside.
* * * * * * * *
Audra and Ella rode
in silence on the way to the orphanage. Ella had begun accompanying Audra just
after moving to Stockton, and she enjoyed the children. Ella felt Audra was
unusually quiet and was concerned for her friend.
"Audra, are you
alright? You seem quiet today."
Audra sighed.
"I’m sorry, Ella. I don’t mean to be."
"Anything you
want to talk about?"
Again, Audra sighed.
Ella assumed she didn’t want to talk, so she kept her eyes on the road, as she
drove the buggy toward the orphanage.
"It’s just my
brothers can be so annoying at times!" Audra blurted out.
Ella stayed quiet,
hoping Audra would open up to her.
"A few weeks
ago, Luke Connelly and I went out to dinner. He brought me back home, and we
were talking on the veranda. It was late. Too late, I guess. Luke was about to
kiss me when Nick interrupted us. I was so embarrassed! Luke seemed to take it
all in stride, and I thought he’d ask me to the dance on Saturday....but I
heard in town yesterday he’s taking Lucy Thompson."
Ella could tell
Audra was saddened she hadn’t been asked by Luke. She reached over and patted
Audra’s hand, letting her know she was there for her.
"You really
liked Luke?" Ella asked.
"Yes. He’s so
handsome and funny. And he made me feel special when I was with him," Audra
said, dreamily. Then her delicate features turned angry.
"My brothers
have never been happy with the men I’ve dated. Sometimes I think they just want
me to either remain single or marry some old man!"
As soon as the words
left her mouth, Audra gasped.
"I’m sorry,
Ella!"
"For
what?" Ella asked, puzzled.
"For the
comment about marrying an old man. Not that your husband is an old man...Oh,
I’m making a mess of things."
Ella laughed and
Audra was relieved her friend didn’t seem offended.
"Not to worry,
Audra. I know Jonathon is considered ‘old’, but I assure you, I don’t think
he’s an old man."
They were still a
few miles away from the orphanage when Audra decided to ask her friend
something that had been on her mind.
"Ella, may I
ask why you married Jonathon? I mean...the age difference and all. Did your
parents approve?"
"Yes, they
approved. In fact, they arranged the marriage."
"Oh,"
Audra said.
"My
grandparents came from Scotland, and over in the ‘old country’ as it is known, arranged
marriages were common. My parents’ marriage was arranged and seven children
were born from it. I’m the youngest of the seven. Anyway, they decided to carry
on the tradition."
"How did you
feel about that?"
"Not getting to
choose who I married?" At Audra’s nod, Ella continued. "My sister,
Clara, who is five years older than I, refused to marry the man Father had
chosen for her. I remember I was ten at the time. Clara had always been a free
spirit, doing her own thing. She ran off with a young man she’d met in town,
and they were married. My parents were devastated, but to keep family harmony,
they accepted their new son-in-law. Jeffery seemed like a nice man. They moved
to a town several miles away, and we rarely saw them. Clara had a son, Jeffery Junior,
we call him JJ. Clara came back to town for my sister Amy’s wedding. She
explained Jeffery couldn’t come because of his job, but in truth, she’d sneaked
away. Jeff had forbidden her to come home. We found out later that Jeff was
abusing Clara. I saw the bruises on her back and arms. When Clara returned to Jeff,
he was angry with her and began to beat her. He went too far and ended
up....well, Clara died from her injuries. Jeff was so upset, he killed himself.
At least, that’s what the sheriff told us. JJ now lives with my parents.
"The reason I
told you this story is because I realized early on that my parents were very
wise people. I placed all of my trust in them to find me a husband they thought
would be compatible for me. And I can honestly tell you, I love my husband.
He’s wonderful. And even if I had been able to ‘choose’ my husband myself, I
couldn’t have done a better job."
Audra was amazed at
the story. She couldn’t imagine not being able to choose who she would marry.
"Does the age
difference bother you?" Audra asked.
"No. There are
times, of course, that it is an issue, but usually only when someone else
brings it up. I’m happy and content with my husband. Well, almost. Audra, may I
tell you something?"
"Of
course."
"I long to give
my husband a child. His first wife, Christine, was unable to conceive for
several years, and when she finally did, she became ill and died. Jonathon was
devastated."
"I’m sorry,
Ella."
"Jonathon says
he doesn’t care if we have a child or not, he’s happy with me. But I know he’d
make a wonderful father. Our housekeeper, Wilma, knows a lot about herbs and
has been trying to find a combination of them to help, but so far, nothing has
happened."
"Maybe the
herbs aren’t helping?"
"Oh, I know
they do help. She was living with Jonathon and Christine when Christine
conceived. Christine was taking the herbs. Part of the reason we moved to
Stockton was so we could be close to San Francisco. There’s a specialist there
that we have seen a few times. We’re hoping that between Wilma’s herbs and the
doctor, we’ll be able to have a baby soon."
"I hope so too,
Ella."
Again the two woman
fell silent. Ella wanted to say one more thing to her friend, but was
concerned. She decided to throw caution to the wind.
"Audra, if I may
make an observation?"
"Of
course."
"Your brothers
love you very much. I know they want only your happiness. If you look back on
the men you’ve dated, the ones they’ve ‘run off’, could you honestly say you’re
not glad? Could you imagine being married to any of those men?"
Audra thought for a
few moments. She had to admit Ella was right. She wouldn’t want to be married
to any of those men. Maybe Audra should trust her brothers more. It just
irritated her when they tried running her life. She was a grown woman after
all.
The orphanage was
just coming into view, so the two woman decided to put an end to their
conversation. The children excitedly greeted the two ladies and the rest of the
day was spent playing, reading and taking care of their small charges.
* * * * * * * *
Later that night,
Ella and Jonathon were sitting up in bed, each reading a book. After reading
the same page three times and not being able to remember one thing she’d read,
she finally put the book down in frustration. Jonathon had noticed she seemed
agitated since she’d returned home that afternoon and knew she would eventually
talk to him about what was bothering her. He quietly placed his book on the
night stand and turned to her. It was then he noticed the tears in her eyes.
"Hey now,"
he said softly. "What’s this?"
Ella sniffed, and
covered her eyes with her hand.
"I’m sorry,
Jonathon."
"Don’t
apologize for crying, Ella," he scolded gently. "But tell me what’s
wrong. Did I do something?"
She shook her head
no, and took a few deep breaths to try and calm herself. Jonathon had retrieved
a handkerchief from his dresser drawer and after handing it to her, climbed
back into bed.
"Audra and I
were at the orphanage today," she began explaining. "It breaks my
heart to see all those children without someone to love them. So many are there
because their mothers and fathers didn’t want them. And I began thinking about
how we would make wonderful parents. It just doesn’t seem fair sometimes,"
she said and broke into sobs.
Jonathon reached for
his wife and she gladly let him hold her. Once she had quieted down, he spoke
to her.
"Ella, I know
you want a baby. It’ll happen. I think you’re putting too much pressure on
yourself."
Ella nodded against him,
knowing he was right. She ached to hold a baby of her own, and knew she needed
to let it go. As long as she worried over it, she wouldn’t be any good to
anyone.
"I will try to
relax, Jonathon," she murmured against his chest. He shifted so he could look
into her brown eyes.
"I know one way
to help you relax," he said, smiling. Ella returned his smile and reached
up to place her hand behind his neck. Their night ended in the throes of
passion. Ella refused to allow herself to think that perhaps this time, they
would succeed in creating a baby.
Chapter 5
The subject of who
Heath was taking to the dance was not brought up again, and he was glad. He
would have a difficult time explaining to his family how he asked a married
woman to go with him. Apparently, Nick hadn’t known about Ella and Jonathon’s
marriage, or surely he would have said something. Then again, Harry had said
Ella was Jonathon’s daughter...a mistake anyone could have made because of the
age difference. That was definitely the last time Heath would listen to Harry.
Heath dressed in his
blue suit and string tie. He hated it. Jarrod was comfortable in fancy clothes.
Even though Nick didn’t like to wear them, he was more accustomed to wearing
them than Heath thought he would ever be. He had decided he wasn’t going to go
to the dance at all until Audra had found out. She then begged him not to miss
and to be her escort when she discovered he wasn’t going with anyone either.
She briefly explained that the one she’d wanted to attend the dance with had
asked someone else. So Heath reluctantly agreed.
Nick and Abby had
already left for town with Victoria. Jarrod was in San Francisco attending a
birthday party for Melissa Ambers. They had been seeing one another for over a
year and the family wondered if there could be a December wedding. When asked
if that were a possibility, Jarrod would only smile and change the subject. He
was as tightlipped as they came, especially when it came to his personal life.
"Audra, we’re
going to be late if you don’t hurry," Heath called up the stairs.
"I’m
coming," Audra replied as she stepped out of her room. She wore a dark
blue dress that brought out the blue of her eyes. Heath smiled and gave her a
small kiss on her cheek when she reached the bottom of the stairs.
"Boy howdy.
You’ll be the prettiest girl there," Heath said.
"Thank you,
Heath," Audra replied, giving him her sweetest smile.
Heath helped her
into the small buggy and they rode most of the way into town in silence. Audra couldn’t
help but think how difficult it would be to see Lucy and Luke together. She had
really liked Luke a lot.
Heath was having
similar thoughts about Ella. He hoped she wouldn’t be there. It was hard enough
to imagine her married to Jonathon. The thing was, Heath liked Jonathon. He was
a kind man who ran a ranch with authority and fairness. Nick and Heath had seen
some of his stock and were impressed. There had been talk of perhaps mating the
Barkley bull, Prince Oxford, with the Sommers’ heifer, Lila.
Heath’s thoughts
were interrupted by Audra.
"You never said
why you weren’t going with anyone, Heath."
Heath sighed.
"It just wasn’t
going to work out," was his reply.
"How do you
know unless you try?"
"I did
try."
"Oh," Audra
said, biting her lower lip. She decided to let the subject drop, much to
Heath’s relief. By the time they arrived, the dance was in full swing. Couples
were gathered on the dance floor, and the small band was over to the left
playing a waltz. Heath and Audra joined in, though both were feeling a bit sad.
Nick and Abby were also among the dancers, and it was clear to see the love the
newlyweds had for one another. Heath watched as Nick bent to whisper something
in Abby’s ear and watched as she smiled up at him. He couldn’t help but feel a
stab of jealousy, wishing for the kind of love Nick and Abby shared. The music
ended and another began right after. Nick, Abby, Heath and Audra ended up next
to each other.
"Oh Audra, your
dress is beautiful!" Abby commented.
"Thank you,
Abby. That green is perfect for you. It really brings out your eyes,"
Audra replied and watched as Abby’s cheeks turned pink.
"I thought the
dress really brought out her-"Nick began.
"Nick Barkley,
don’t you dare!" Abby said, trying to hush her husband. He’d whispered in
her ear earlier that he felt the dress accentuated her form perfectly. Nick
laughed out loud and held his wife closer.
Movement at the door
caused Heath to look over. Jonathon and Ella had just arrived. Ella wore a burgundy
dress and her dark hair was attractively piled atop her head. She looked very
sophisticated and beautiful. Heath sighed and Audra followed his gaze.
"Oh there’s
Ella. I’m so glad she could make it," Audra said.
"Uh huh."
"I’m going to go
over to say hello. Do you want to come with me?"
"No, I think
I’ll get some punch," Heath replied. Or maybe something a little
stronger, he thought.
Audra wandered off
into the crowd, toward them and Heath made his way to the refreshment table.
Victoria was nearby, speaking with some of the committee members. She smiled to
Heath, and he nodded her way. Heath was on his second glass of punch when Nick
patted him on the shoulder. Abby had wandered over to where Audra and Ella were
talking.
"How’s the punch?"
he asked.
"Weak,"
Heath said, causing Nick to laugh.
"Probably just
as well. Hey, isn’t that Ella Sommers? How come you didn’t ask her?"
"Well, I didn’t
think her husband would have approved."
"Her husband?
She’s married? To who? And why did her father bring her-"
"Jonathon’s not
her father, Nick," Heath replied pointedly. It took only a moment for Nick
to understand.
"You mean she’s
married to him?" Nick said, shocked. "Why, she’s the same age as
Audra! And he’s old enough to be her-"
"Yeah, I
know," Heath interrupted him.
"When did you
find out she was married?"
Heath hesitated
before saying, "When I asked her to the dance."
Nick’s eyes widened.
He remembered how Heath’s face had brightened that day they’d seen Ella in
town.
"Sorry, Heath."
Heath shrugged, but
didn’t look in Nick’s direction. Another dance had started and Ella and
Jonathon were participating. Ella smiled at her husband, and Heath turned away.
He didn’t feel like being a witness to their marital bliss.
Audra and Abby joined
the men. Abby asked Heath if he’d dance with her, and he agreed. He steered
them toward the opposite side of the dance floor, away from Ella. Audra had
told Abby she wanted to talk to Nick so her sister-in-law had taken it upon
herself to give them the opportunity.
"Nick? Would
you dance with me?" Audra asked.
Nick showed some
surprise but gladly took his sister in his arms. Audra took a few moments to
work up enough courage.
"I wanted to
apologize for how I’ve been treating you lately, Nick," Audra said softly.
Nick, who’d been watching Heath, who was trying not to watch Ella, looked at
his younger sister.
"It’s alright,
Audra. I know I deserved some of it. I shouldn’t have interrupted you and
Connelly that night."
At the mention of
Luke’s name, Audra looked around. She hadn’t seen him or Lucy at the dance yet,
and she admitted she was relieved.
"You were
right. I shouldn’t have been out so late. I knew that. It’s just...."Audra
faltered.
"It’s just
what?" Nick asked, bending his head to catch her words, grateful she was
being so open with him
"When Father
died, you and Jarrod took over his role in my life. I didn’t mind it at the
time. In a way I found it comforting. But now that I’m older...I just wish
you’d both be my brothers. I miss him, Nick. More now than I did when I was
younger."
Nick hugged Audra
closer to himself.
"I know. I feel
the same way sometimes."
Audra caught a
glimpse of Ella with Jonathon and decided to ask Nick a question that had been
on her mind.
"Nick, have you
ever liked any of the men I’ve dated?"
Nick was happy that
he and Audra had finally settled things and was reluctant to do anything to
jeopardize that. Yet he knew she was expecting him to answer truthfully.
"I have to say,
there’s really been only one I’ve liked."
"Who?"
Nick smiled a little
and turned Audra around. She had a clear view of Carl Wheeler standing at the
punch table. He had been looking their way, but as soon as their eyes met, Carl
turned away.
"Oh, Nick! How
could Carl be the only one you liked? He tried to manipulate me, and he almost
got you and Josiah Freeman killed! And all over some silly sheep," Audra
replied angrily.
Josiah Freemen had
lost the sheep to Nick in a poker game on purpose, thinking Nick was actually
Jarrod. Josiah needed help getting his sheep to market, and thought no one
would challenge the Barkleys. Nick eventually agreed to help, and Carl Wheeler,
a childhood friend of Nick’s, took exception to the fact that he would allow
sheep in the Valley. Carl and Nick had come to terms with their differences,
but Audra had never forgiven him for his actions.
"He’s not so
bad. Maybe you should give him another chance?" Nick suggested.
"I don’t know,
Nick. I don’t know if I can forgive him for what he did."
"Maybe if you
talked to him, you could."
The dance ended.
Audra promised Nick she’d think about what he’d said. He kissed her cheek, then
went to find his wife. He hoped to convince her they’d stayed long enough. He
was eager to get her home and spend some time with her alone. It was rare for
the entire family to all be gone at once and Nick wanted to take advantage of
it.
Chapter 6
Audra had been asked
to dance by several of the young men, and Heath had gladly allowed her. He
stood over in a corner, watching the festivities. He would tell himself not to
look for Ella, but realized as long as she was in the same room as he, he’d
always be aware of her presence. He continually chastised himself. Ella was a
married woman, happily married from the looks of it. And even if she wasn’t
happily married, it wasn’t right for him to have the thoughts about her he was
having.
Heath felt someone
touch his arm and noticed Victoria standing next to him. He smiled at her and asked
her to dance. She accepted, and he led her out onto the dance floor. Just as
the song ended, they found themselves next to Jonathon and Ella. Heath was
trying to think of a way to excuse himself when Jonathon asked Victoria to
dance. She accepted, leaving Heath and Ella. Ella smiled at him, and Heath knew
it would be rude for him to walk away from her.
"Shall we,
Ma’am?" he asked and at Ella’s nod, Heath took her hand in his. It was
soft and warm, just as he knew it would be. The fabric of her dress was silky
against his work roughened hands. She fit perfectly in his arms and Heath found
it difficult to breathe. It was easy for him to imagine she wasn’t someone
else’s wife. That she belonged to him. That she wouldn’t leave with another man
and share his bed. Heath’s thoughts were going to a dangerous place when he
heard Ella speak.
"Heath, I...I
wanted to apologize about...I mean...I feel badly about you not knowing about
Jonathon."
Heath took a deep
breath before looking into her brown eyes. Her skin was unmarred and looked
like the color of cream. Her cheeks had a slight flush to them from the dancing
she’d done that night. Her full pink lips screamed to be kissed, but they
wouldn’t be. At least, not by Heath. Tendrils of dark hair hung down around her
long neck and it was all Heath could do not to take the pins from her hair to
allow the tresses to fall down her back.
"It’s alright.
I’m sorry if I embarrassed you or made you uncomfortable," he said softly.
"No, not at
all."
The sweet agony
ended for Heath when the song came to an end. Ella thanked him for the dance
and was swept up in her husband’s arms again. Victoria had been asked to dance
by Dr. Merar, and Heath found himself dancing with Audra again. Afterwards,
Heath asked Audra if she was ready to go home and she agreed. Normally, she was
one of the last to leave, but she was tired and ready for bed. She kept
thinking about Nick’s words from earlier and about Carl Wheeler. He never asked
her to dance, but he had stayed close to her for most of the night. Perhaps he
was still interested? Audra had a lot to think about and was eager to get to
her own room for some peace and quiet.
Victoria told them
she would be ready shortly, so Heath went to get the surrey. Nick and Abby had
taken the light buggy home that Heath and Audra had ridden in earlier.
As Audra waited for
her mother and brother, she watched the couples dancing. Her thoughts turned to
Luke and Lucy, realizing she had never seen them at the dance. Heath came up
quietly beside and watched with her. Again, his eyes were on Ella, even though
he tried to look away. Audra watched Heath, wondering who it was he’d asked to
the dance and how the girl could have said no. Heath was as nice a fellow as
any, and Audra wanted to see him happy. She followed his gaze and found that it
lay in the direction of Jonathon and Ella. For some reason she couldn’t
explain, it all fit into place.
"It was Ella,
wasn’t it?" Audra whispered.
Heath sighed and
turned to Audra.
"I didn’t
realize she was married," he explained and hoped she wouldn’t be upset
with him. "I had been told she was Jonathon’s daughter." Heath left
out the part where he had gotten that information from Harry.
"Oh, Heath. I’m
sorry."
He nodded.
"She and
Jonathon are very happy," Audra paused. Then said, "Does that make
you sad? That she’s happily married?"
Again Heath sighed.
"In a way. But it would make me more sad if she weren’t happily married.
If she were miserable. If Jonathon was cruel to her."
"He isn’t. He’s
a wonderful man, from what I’ve observed."
The siblings fell
silent, and Victoria announced she was finally ready to leave. Victoria noticed
both were quiet on the way home, but chalked it up to being tired. She too
couldn’t wait for bed. Dances always made her miss Tom. She loved being held
closely by him, looking up in to his blue eyes. He’d usually lean down and
whisper how beautiful she looked and how he couldn’t wait to get home. Victoria
sighed, missing Tom more at that moment than she had in quite a while.
Ciego was there to
meet them and took the horse and buggy from Heath. Audra and Victoria kissed
Heath goodnight, then went up the stairs. Heath decided to get a nightcap
first. After a few shots of whiskey, he went up to his room. He heard muffled
laughter coming from Nick and Abby’s room. He closed his bedroom door tightly
to the sound, quickly divesting himself of his clothes and climbing into bed.
He needed to get Ella from his mind. She was not someone he could pursue and
that was that. He tossed and turned before finally succumbing to a restless
sleep.
* * * * * * * *
The party was in
full swing, and Jarrod watched as Melissa cut the birthday cake. Presents were
piled high and would be opened later. Jarrod had given her his gift before the
guests had begun to arrive: a beautiful charm bracelet. Melissa’s blue eyes
sparkled as she opened the box and then she looked at him.
"It’s
beautiful, Jarrod. Thank you so much," she said, gracing him with a smile.
"I only had
them put a few charms on there. You can add more as you desire. A book, because
you love them so," he explained. "And a heart...so that you will know
that my heart will always belong to you."
Tears filled
Melissa’s eyes. In truth, she had been expecting a ring and a proposal from
Jarrod and was a little disappointed when she first opened the box. She was
thankful she had pushed aside her selfish desires. It would have ruined this
special moment.
"Melissa, I
love you. I’ve wanted to tell you for a long time, but it never seemed right
until now."
Melissa’s eyes
filled with tears. She’d loved Jarrod from the first moment she’d seen him. Her
father had been interested in purchasing a few mines in Mexico and had heard
the Barkleys were selling some. He’d asked Jarrod to come to his home to
discuss the sale. Melissa was the oldest daughter of Maurice and Elaine Ambers,
and the only one still single. At the age of thirty one, she was considered an
"old maid," but she didn’t care. She enjoyed her work at the San
Francisco Library. She had no desire to marry and had rebuffed every effort
made by young men to gain her attention. Until Jarrod Barkley had shown up at
her doorstep. Melissa had never seen anyone so handsome, and when Jarrod asked
her to take a walk with him, she gladly accepted. Since then, whenever Jarrod
had come to San Francisco, he would come and take Melissa to dinner or spend
the evening with her and her parents. The Ambers were delighted in Jarrod’s
interest and glad that Melissa seemed smitten.
"I love you
too," she whispered. Jarrod knew they would be interrupted at any moment,
but he decided to risk it and pulled Melissa into his arms. He tenderly kissed
her, wishing they weren’t about to be surrounded by one hundred guests.
Melissa came to
stand next to him, handing him a piece of cake. Jarrod looked up to see Maurice
Ambers give him a slight nod. Jarrod smiled and set the plate down.
"Don’t you want
any cake?" Melissa asked.
"Maybe a little
later. I wanted to talk to you in private for a few minutes though."
His face looked
serious, and Melissa felt a twinge of fear. Had Jarrod changed his mind about
her? She tried to smile, but found it difficult. If he had, then she would just
have to deal with it, but she wished he had at least waited until after the
party.
Jarrod led her to a
balcony and closed the door behind him. Melissa had gone to stand next to the
railing, her back to the city of San Francisco. They stared at one another for
a few moments. Melissa was beginning to feel very uncomfortable.
"Jarrod, I-"
"Shhh...don’t
say anything," he whispered. "Just let me look at you."
Jarrod walked toward
her and took her hands in his. His eyes roamed over her face, his hand coming
up to cup her cheek. Melissa couldn’t breathe and closed her eyes at his touch.
"I love you,
Melissa, but I can’t go on this way," Jarrod said softly. Melissa opened
her eyes.
"What do you
mean?" she asked, dread filling her.
"You’ve filled
a void in my life that I thought would never be filled. You’ve given me so much
joy over this past year. I can’t go on, without having you as my wife. Melissa
Ambers, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"
Melissa’s eyes
filled with tears. She wrapped her arms around Jarrod and hugged him tightly.
"Yes, yes, yes,
yes, yes," she whispered. Jarrod laughed and pulled back from her.
"I take it your
answer is yes?" he teased.
Melissa placed her
hands on either side of his face, kissing Jarrod with the passion she’d been
holding back. When they broke apart, Jarrod took only a second to decide to
kiss her again.
Finally, they came
up for air and Jarrod remembered the ring in his pocket. He pulled back to take
it out and watched as Melissa’s eyes lit up at the sight of the ring.
"Oh Jarrod. You
didn’t have to....it’s beautiful!"
He slipped the ring
on her finger and they kissed again. Reluctantly, Melissa broke the kiss.
"Everyone is
probably looking for us. I’m surprised we haven’t been interrupted," she
said softly, stroking Jarrod’s cheek.
"Your father is
standing guard at the door," Jarrod replied, wanting nothing more than to
stay out on the balcony with Melissa all night, but he knew Maurice was
expecting them to come back in and make the announcement.
"With your
permission, I will announce that the beautiful Miss Melissa Ambers has agreed
to become Mrs. Jarrod Barkley."
"Mmm, I like
the sound of that. Say it again?" Melissa asked.
"Mrs. Jarrod
Barkley," Jarrod replied. Melissa kissed him.
"Mrs. Jarrod
Barkley," Jarrod said again and was delighted to receive another kiss.
They would have played this game for a few minutes more when they heard a small
knock at the door. Jarrod and Melissa smiled at one another and made their way
inside. There were cheers and congratulations from all around. Jarrod couldn’t
remember the last time he’d felt so happy.
Chapter 7
Sunlight invaded the
room much too early for his liking. He usually was up before the sun, but the
late night, coupled with the wine he’d had to drink when they’d returned home,
left him feeling groggy. He reached over to the side of the bed and found it
empty, but still warm.
"You need to
get moving. This is a working ranch you know," he heard a voice say. Nick
smiled and opened one eye to look at his wife. Abby was standing next to him in
her dressing gown. Nick quickly reached out to grab her and pulled her down
onto the bed. He covered her body with his own and began tickling her. Abby
laughed and tried to fight him off, but was powerless. Nick loved listening to
her laugh and eventually decided tickling wasn’t what he wanted to do. He
kissed her tenderly, loving the feel of her beneath him.
Abby sighed and
smiled up at her husband. She was still amazed that she had been blessed enough
to be married to him. She didn’t use the word luck, because she didn’t believe anything
was left up to chance. She was certain God had brought them together.
"We’re going to
be late for breakfast. And for church if we don’t get a move on," she
said, stroking his bare back with her hand.
"Mmm," he murmured,
his face buried in her neck.
"Nick,"
Abby said with a bit more force, causing him to look at her. "We really
need to get going."
"Alright,"
he said reluctantly. "But I want a promise."
"What
promise?"
"That when we
get home, we’ll pick up where we left off."
Abby smiled.
"That’s one promise I’ll gladly make."
* * * * * * * *
Heath reluctantly
dismounted from Charger. He had seen Jonathon at church the day before, and he’d
been asked to come over to discuss the cabinets. Heath wished he could think of
a reason not to finish the job, but knew any excuse he came up with would seem
flimsy. He took a deep breath before knocking on the door. He didn’t know if he
was hoping for Ella or Wilma to answer. He thought he would prefer Wilma’s
coolness to Ella’s smile. She had greeted him at church with a warm smile and
it had brightened his day for the briefest of moments. Then he was reminded of
how she was off limits to him.
Heath, lost in his
thoughts, was startled when the door opened. He sighed with relief when he saw
it was Jonathon instead of one of the ladies.
"Heath! Come
in. Thanks for stopping by. I know you are busy this time of year, and I don’t
want to keep you," Jonathon said, leading Heath toward the spacious office
just off of the entry way.
"Wilma! Will
you bring us some coffee, please?" Jonathon called to his housekeeper.
"Of course, Mr.
Sommers," came the cheerful reply. Heath did a double take, thinking
perhaps he had misjudged Wilma. She’d been almost rude to him when he’d been
there before.
The office was
decorated much differently than Heath remembered it. There was a sofa along the
far wall instead of near the window where the Paulson’s had placed theirs, but
the furniture placement wasn’t the only thing different. This room had not had
any feminine touches at all when Jeb Paulson had lived there. He considered the
office his domain and wouldn’t allow Emily to do any decorating. Jeb had kept
the room plain but there was femininity all around now. A vase of fresh
flowers; a painting of a meadow; an afghan lying over the chair in front of the
fire place. All homey touches Heath would expect. What caught his eye, was a
painting of Ella mounted just above the fireplace. She wore a dress that was
white and covered in lace and she held a bouquet of roses in her hand She had
small flowers in her hair, which was swept up and piled atop her head. Large
brown eyes smiled back at him, and she looked as though she had a secret.
"So,"
Jonathon said, drawing Heath’s attention away from the painting. He motioned to
a chair opposite the large cherry desk, and Heath sat down. "I’d really
like to get the kitchen finished before summer if possible."
"I can do that,"
Heath replied.
"Good! Ella
asked me about the wood and yes, it is still in the shed out back. It looks to
be in good shape, but if you find it isn’t, let me know and I’ll order some
more."
"I’ll take a
look before I leave."
"Another thing,
Heath. I wanted to talk about...about Ella."
Heath’s heart
quickened, and his mouth went dry. Had Ella told Jonathon Heath had asked her
to the dance? Surely he would see Heath hadn’t meant any disrespect. He never
would have asked if he’d known she was married.
"Ella?" he
choked out.
"Well, not
about Ella so much as about her love for horses. You’ve seen Carrington and
what a magnificent animal she is?"
Heath nodded.
"Ella would
like to breed her, but feels she should have just the right mate. I know enough
about horses not to get cheated into buying an old nag, but when it comes to
getting prime stock, I need some help. Back in Oregon I knew which auctions
yielded the best stock and which sellers could be trusted. Not having lived
here long, I’m not sure where I can get the best horses. I’ve heard you go to
auctions from time to time?"
"Nick and I
usually do a few times a year. We have wild horses out on the range we capture
and break for the army, but for breeding, we usually go to auctions."
"I’d like to
accompany you to the next one, if I may? Perhaps you could give me pointers as
to which one to buy."
Heath shifted in his
seat. "Sure. I can do that."
"Grand! I’ve
heard there’s going to be one in Modesto next month."
Heath knew the one
Jonathon was referring to. He and Nick had made tentative plans to go.
"That should
work. Nick and I had already talked about going to it."
"You’ll let me
know when?"
"Of
course."
Wilma chose that
moment to enter the study with a tray of coffee. She barely looked in Heath’s
direction, but smiled at her boss. She poured them each a cup, handing one to
Heath first. He met her eyes, giving her a small smile, which quickly died. Her
eyes seemed cold and lifeless to him until she turned toward Jonathon. Then
they warmed considerably. He accepted the offered coffee cup dismissing her
with his thanks. Wilma smiled at him, but Jonathon had already turned his
attention toward Heath again.
"When can you
start on the cabinets?" Jonathon asked, bringing them back to the original
topic of conversation as Wilma walked quietly from the room.
"The end of
this week? Will that work?"
"That’ll be
fine."
"Excuse me, Mr.
Sommers?"
Jonathon looked up
to see Wilma standing in the doorway.
"Yes,
Wilma?"
"I was
wondering if Mr. Barkley is staying for lunch? I almost have it ready,"
Wilma asked, not looking at Heath.
"Heath? What do
you say?"
He almost said no,
but decided it might be good for him to get to know Jonathon a bit better.
Although it would be painful to see Ella, it would help him with getting over
the infatuation he had with her.
"Sounds good.
I’d like that," Heath replied, looking at Wilma. He could see that wasn’t
the answer she was hoping for. Jonathon wasn’t looking her way, or he would have
seen the barely concealed anger in his housekeeper. She quickly schooled her
features before Jonathon looked at her.
"Wonderful.
I’ll set another place," she said exiting the room.
Jonathon and Heath
spoke for a few more minutes before Wilma announced lunch was ready. They were
just about to sit down when Ella joined them. Heath felt a bit uncomfortable at
first, but both Jonathon and Ella went to great lengths to see that his needs
were met. The meal was delicious and just before they were finished, Wilma
brought in a tray of coffee for the men and a cup of tea for Ella.
"Here’s your
tea, Mrs. Sommers. Make sure you drink it all," Wilma instructed. Ella
smiled at the older woman and accepted the cup. Heath could tell she didn’t
like the taste of the tea by the way she grimaced when she took a sip.
"The herbs make
it so bitter. I wish she’d let me stir in some honey," Ella said softly.
Jonathon smiled and reached over to pat her arm.
"I should get
going. Thank you for lunch," Heath said. Jonathon walked him to the door.
Heath walked to the back of the house to the shed. He found it unlocked and
went inside. He gave his eyes a moment to adjust before he found the wood that
had been used for the kitchen cabinets. From what he could tell, it was all in good
condition. Heath walked out into the bright sunlight, closing the shed door
behind him. He turned toward the house and saw Wilma watching him from the
kitchen window. Her face looked as though it had been carved of stone. Heath
nodded her way and tipped his hat, walking back around the front of the house
to get Charger.
Chapter 8
Nick knew it was
fruitless to argue with Heath once he’d made up his mind, but he tried anyway. He
had been surprised when Heath informed him he’d be doing some work over at the
Sommer’s ranch. It wasn’t that Nick minded Heath helping out their neighbors,
because Nick expected no less from his brother; it wasn’t that Nick minded
having to take on some extra work that Heath would normally be doing, because
he knew Heath would only be gone a few hours and would make up for any missed
time. Nick was more concerned for Heath’s feelings, knowing how much he had
liked Ella.
"Nick, thanks
for your concern. I know Ella is Jonathon’s wife, and I hope you know I’d never
do anything to interfere in their marriage."
"Of course I
know that! It’s just...well..."Nick faltered, not sure if he should go on.
"What? It’s
just what, Nick?" Heath asked, turning away from saddling Charger.
"I just think
it would be easier on you if you didn’t have to be around her."
Heath sighed and
went back to tightening the cinch on his saddle.
"Maybe it
would. Somehow though, it’s good for me to see how happy she is with him. I really
like Jonathon. I’d like to get to know him," Heath said. Before Nick could
reply, Heath went on. "Besides, I already said I’d finish the cabinets,
and I’m not going back on my word."
Nick hoped Heath
knew what he was doing. He patted his brother on the back and told him he’d see
him in the afternoon. Heath said good-bye, then mounted Charger. The ride to
the Sommers’ was spent contemplating his conversation with Nick. Heath really
did want to get to know Jonathon better. The man seemed very wise and was a
good judge of cattle. He’d wasted no time in fixing up the ranch, restoring it
to its former glory. Jonathon had spared no expense on the house or the out
buildings. Though not as large as the Barkley spread, the Sommers’ ranch had
the capability to be just as prosperous.
It was still early
when Heath arrived and was met by one of the ranch hands who took Charger for
him. Heath went around to the back of the house to the shed. He opened the door
and began sorting through the wood stacked high on one wall. He took out a
small note pad he kept in his breast pocket and licked the stubby pencil. Heath
figured he’d only have to work about a week of half days to finish the
cabinets. He gathered the tools he would need and began his work. The sun had
not been up for long, but already Heath could tell it was going to be a hot
day. His shirt was soaked with sweat, and he wanted to remove it. He glanced
toward the house and noticed he was being watched. Wilma stood at the kitchen
window, her cold eyes watching his every move. Heath felt the hair on the back
of his neck stand on end. He tipped his hat slightly and nodded her way, but she
didn't acknowledge him.
Going back to work,
Heath eventually forgot about his observer, concentrating instead on the task
at hand. He needed to go into the kitchen to do some measuring and found he
wasn’t eager to face the Sommers’ housekeeper. He rapped lightly on the door,
but received no answer. He poked his head in, noting the kitchen was empty.
Heath stepped inside and began working. He was underneath the sink, taking
measurements and didn’t hear anyone enter the kitchen.
"Well, you sure
got an early start!"
Heath sat up
quickly, the voice startling him. He hit his head, crying out involuntarily at
the pain.
"Oh Heath! I’m sorry!
Are you alright?"
Heath crawled out
from under the sink and stared up at Ella. Her hand was covering her mouth in
shock.
"Yeah, I’m
fine," he answered her, his head throbbing. He’d whacked it pretty good
and knew he’d probably have one heck of a bruise.
Ella bent down and
moved his hand to see what damage had been done.
"Oh, Heath!
It’s bleeding!" she said and quickly got up to get a rag to place over the
wound.
"Here, put this
on it. I’ll get some ice."
"Don’t go to
any trouble-"
"It’s no trouble.
I’m sorry I startled you."
Ella went over to
the ice box and chipped off some ice to place in the cloth. She walked back
over to Heath and knelt down beside him.
"Here, let me
take another look."
Heath complied, moving
his hand. He watched Ella’s brown eyes as she examined his wound.
"I don’t think
you’ll need stitches. It doesn’t look that deep. Here, put this ice on it and
I’ll ask Wilma for some salve."
"Don’t go to
any-"
"Don’t tell me
not to go to any trouble, Heath Barkley! It’s my fault, and I will take care of
you!" Ella replied firmly. Heath smiled slightly.
"Yes,
Ma’am."
Ella disappeared for
a few minutes, then returning with a small bottle. She opened it, pouring some
of it’s contents onto a small cloth.
"Here, Wilma
said this will help the wound heal faster," she said as she applied the
salve to Heath’s head. He let out a little yelp, feeling the liquid burn his
scalp.
"What is it? It
smells awful," he said through gritted teeth.
"I’m not sure,
to be honest with you. Wilma is the expert with herbs and salves."
Heath allowed Ella
to minister to his injury, fully aware of her closeness. She smelled of
lavender and he wondered if it were perfume or soap. He inhaled deeply,
bringing in more of the scent.
"I hope you
know I’d never do anything to interfere in their marriage." Those had been his words to Nick that morning and he meant them.
Perhaps Nick was right though, and Heath shouldn’t have come. Heath shifted
uncomfortably and began to stand. Ella pushed him back down.
"Not just yet.
I’m not done," were her words. Heath sighed. Finally, she finished
bandaging his wound and sat back.
"There. You
might want to have Dr. Merar look at it," she said.
"Nah, I’m sure
you did a fine job," Heath replied, gingerly feeling his head. He and Ella
stared at one another for a moment before Heath began to stand.
"I should get
back to work," he said, swaying just a bit.
"I think you
should sit down and let me get you something to drink."
"I really want
to finish-"
"We’ve gone
this long without the cabinets being finished. One more day won’t make a
difference, Heath," she said, going to the cupboard for a glass, filling
it with water. She handed it to Heath and motioned for him to sit at the table.
"Thank you,
Mrs. Sommers," Heath said, taking a seat.
"Do you have to
call me that?" she asked, feeling a bit sad. "You called me ‘Ella’
before."
"I didn’t
realize you were married, Mrs. Sommers. It wouldn’t be proper."
Ella sighed, knowing
he was right. They were silent for a few minutes, each lost in their own
thoughts.
"Mrs.
Sommers."
Both Heath and Ella
looked up. Wilma was standing in the kitchen doorway.
"Yes,
Wilma?"
"It’s time for
me to fix you some tea," she said, her cold eyes landing on Heath. Heath
turned his attention to Ella, hating the way Wilma was staring at him.
"Thank you,
Wilma," Ella said with a smile.
Ella asked Heath
some questions concerning the cabinets while Wilma brewed her tea. She handed Ella
a cup then walked from the room. Heath watched as Ella took a sip, her face
showing her dislike of the hot liquid.
"Why do you
drink it if you don’t like it?" Heath asked.
Ella looked up in
surprise, not realizing she had shown her dislike.
"It’s good for
me," was all she said and Heath could tell she didn’t want to discuss it
further.
Feeling better,
Heath thanked Ella for the water and then went back to work. She came outside a
few hours later and informed him lunch would be ready soon.
"I was just
going to grab something off the chuck wagon," Heath explained.
"Oh no you
won’t! You’re doing work for us and the least we can do is feed you. Wilma has
made her famous roast beef sandwiches. You’ll love them. Jonathon should be
home soon and I know he’ll want to see you."
Heath nodded and
said he was going to wash up. Several minutes later, he walked into the house,
wishing he’d brought another shirt with him. The one he wore was soiled from
his work that morning. Ella, helping Wilma with dishing up the food, turned to
him and smiled.
"You can go on
into the dining room. We’ll be right there with the food," she said.
"I hate to mess
up your dining room..."
"Nonsense! We
can’t eat in here anyway because of the construction. Just take a seat,"
Ella told him, and Heath walked into the dining room off the kitchen.
Ella and Wilma set
the food down in front of him then Ella joined Heath at the table.
"I wonder where
Jonathon is? He said he’d be back by lunch," Ella commented. "Oh
well, we should go ahead and eat so you can get back."
The meal started off
in silence, but Ella was good at drawing people out. She asked Heath questions
about horses, a topic he loved. Ella couldn’t help but notice as Heath spoke, how
handsome he was. She wished she knew of someone she could introduce him to. Her
mind whirled, trying to come up with someone. Maybe she’d ask Audra. Perhaps
between the two of them, they could think of someone.
Heath was just
finishing his lunch and telling Ella a funny story about Nick when Jonathon
walked into the room. He surveyed the scene, with an uncomfortable feeling in
the pit of his stomach. Hearing Ella laugh was nothing new, but to see her with
Heath bothered him. Jonathon was not an insecure individual by nature. He
decided to push aside any feelings of jealousy that were starting to form. They
were not behaving in an inappropriate way.
"Hello,
Heath!" he said, sitting down at the table. He pointed to the bandage on
the other man’s head. "What happened to you?"
"Oh, Jonathon,
it was my fault," Ella replied before Heath had a chance to answer. If
she’d been looking at her husband, she would have seen him stiffen. Wilma, who
was in the room pouring coffee for Jonathon, did notice, however.
"Really? How
so?" Jonathon asked, glad his voice did not betray the feelings of
jealousy that were starting again.
"I startled
Heath. He was under the sink in the kitchen, and I said something to him. He
sat up quickly and hit his head."
"It was
nothing. I was able to finish out the morning," Heath said. Jonathon
nodded, then went back to his lunch.
Wilma entered the
room again with a cup of tea and set it before Ella. She smiled at her
housekeeper, but Heath noticed it seemed strained. She took a sip, keeping her
eyes downcast.
"I should be
going," Heath said, standing.
"So soon?
You’ve not had dessert yet!" Ella said.
"He has a ranch
to run, Ella," Jonathon gently reminded his wife.
"You’re right.
I’m sorry, Heath," Ella said, standing as well. "I’ll walk you
out."
"No, don’t
bother. I have to go through the kitchen anyway."
"Thanks,
Heath," Jonathon replied, relieved to have him gone. Ella talked for a few
minutes about her morning and then her plans for the afternoon which involved a
trip to the orphanage. Jonathon couldn’t help but sigh.
"What’s
wrong?" Ella asked.
"I’m wondering
if you should be going to the orphanage any more with Audra."
"Why?"
"You always
come back in a sour mood, Ella. Wishing for a baby," was his terse reply.
Ella’s mouth opened,
then closed. She looked around, grateful that Wilma was in the kitchen.
"Are you saying
you don’t want me to go?" she asked, feeling herself becoming angry. Ella
had, just that morning, been examining her calendar and noticed her womanly
time was supposed to begin within the week. She felt the familiar feelings of
anxiousness that accompanied it and was preparing herself for another
disappointment. She knew she needed to walk away from her husband to avoid an
argument, but couldn’t make herself.
"I’m just
saying, perhaps you could work on your mood before you return home."
"I apologize if
my mood ‘sours’ as you put it. I enjoy going to the orphanage and spending time
with Audra. I’ll make sure my mood suits you this evening," she said,
angrily getting up from the table. She grabbed her hat and gloves, then walked
out the front door. Charlie, one of their hands, had the buggy all ready for
her, as he had been instructed that morning. She nodded her thanks to him and
then slapping the rump of the horse to get him moving. By the time she got down
to the end of the lane, she knew she had reacted badly to Jonathon’s rebuke. It
was too late to turn around and go back, so she decided she would take his
advice and make sure her attitude was straightened out before she saw him that
evening.
* * * * * * * *
Wilma had been
standing outside the dining room door and overheard everything that had been
said. Thankfully, her mistress had been so upset, she hadn’t seen her hovering.
Wilma smiled slightly. She didn’t like Heath Barkley, but felt he would fit
into her plans nicely.
Chapter 9
Smack! The knife cut
through the fresh chicken, causing bone and flesh to separate. Wilma wasn’t
paying attention to her work though. She was watching from the kitchen window
as Heath worked on the cabinets. He was attracted to Ella, Wilma was sure of
that fact. Ella, however, had eyes only for her husband. She would never dream
of cheating on Jonathon, another fact of which Wilma was sure.
If only, she thought. If only I could get that little vixen to turn
her attention to the cowboy. She doesn’t deserve Jonathon! She’s got all of her
life to live still. He needs someone who would understand him. Not some child.
Smack! She placed the
piece she’d just cut into the large pot. She was seething. In her mind, she
wasn’t cutting the chicken, but the throat of her mistress. She hated Ella.
Hated her! She’d destroyed everything when she’d come into their lives.
Jonathon had been just about to realize how much he needed Wilma. Wilma smiled
slightly as she recalled the time they’d spent together. It was shortly after
his first wife’s death, and Jonathon was consumed with grief. He drank heavily
for days, trying to shut out the pain. Wilma, the devoted employee she was,
brought him his drinks when he asked. Once, in his drunkenness, he’d reached
for her. The night had been glorious, and he was as good as she’d dreamed he
would be. She thought for sure as soon as he awoke with her in his arms, he’d
realize how much he needed her.
Smack! Instead, he’d
been appalled by his actions, apologizing profusely. He had been drunk and
didn’t know what he was doing. Wilma tried to convince him otherwise, but he
wouldn’t listen. He offered to help her find another job; offered to give her a
large sum to help start a new life somewhere. She’d refused. She decided she
would wait it out, help him to see how he needed her. She didn’t want to work
somewhere else. She wanted to stay with him. They never spoke of that night
again. She could sense Jonathon was anxious for the next several months in case
their night spent together resulted in a child. It angered her the way he
breathed a sigh of relief when six months passed and it was clear no child had
been conceived.
Smack! Then Ella
came along. Sweet, innocent, young Ella. Whose body was lithe and whose figure
drove Jonathon to distraction. She hated the way he looked at Ella. That was
how Wilma wanted him to see her. She was closer to his age, and she could do so
much more for him. Hadn’t their night been glorious? Now...now he wanted only
Ella. Wilma could hear them at night. She knew when they made love. She heard
the laughter, the passionate way each cried out the other’s name.
Smack! Ella had to
be taken care of and soon. Wilma thought over and over how she could make that
happen, knowing she couldn’t kill her. Not like she had Christine. That would
cause suspicion to come her way. The herbs bought Wilma time, but that time was
running out. It was only a matter of time until the doctor in San Francisco
figured out the herbs Ella was taking were keeping her from conceiving. It had
been easy to poison Christine. She was such a simple person. Not a beauty in
any way, but Jonathon had loved her deeply. Wilma carefully placed the herbs
only in Christine’s food. It had taken several months, and although it pained
Wilma to watch Jonathon go through such heart ache, she knew it was worth it.
Christine died a slow, painful death. Wilma held her breath, hoping the doctor
would not dig deeper into the cause of her illness. The old man said it was
cancer though and Wilma was relieved. She had been sorry about the baby,
knowing if she’d been aware, she would have waited until after the child was
born before poisoning Christine. That was the past though, and there was
nothing to be done about it.
Smack! Heath went
into the shed, then came back out with more wood. Wilma smiled slightly. If she
could get Jonathon to doubt Ella’s commitment to him, even just a little, she’d
be able to sway him. It would have to be the perfect plan though. Jonathon was
a smart man.
Smack! Wilma would
wait and see how things progressed with Heath and his work at the house. She’d
seen how Jonathon had tensed up at lunch the day before. She’d heard the
argument and knew it wasn’t because of Ella’s trips to the orphanage. Jonathon
hadn’t liked the fact Ella was laughing with Heath. She was sure of it. Yet the
little twit wasn’t smart enough to recognize her husband’s jealousy. That could
work to Wilma’s advantage though. She smiled again. She’d be patient. Smack!
Chapter 10
The family greeted
the news of Jarrod and Melissa’s engagement with excitement. All felt Melissa
was a perfect match for the eldest Barkley son. She grew up in society, and
would be able to handle the situations the wife of a prominent lawyer would
face. Yet, she was as sweet and unpretentious as they came, and in no way put
on "airs."
Victoria was eager
to plan a party to announce the engagement to all their friends in Stockton. Jarrod
smiled at her enthusiasm and made arrangements with Melissa and her family to
come out to the ranch for a visit to discuss wedding plans.
The wedding date had
been set for September, only four months away. Jarrod was already clearing his
calendar and planning their honeymoon. He hoped they could take a month
together, traveling across the country. The Barkley rail car would provide the
privacy needed for the newlyweds, and they would also be staying in some of the
finest hotels along the way. Once they returned, they would live in San
Francisco for the first year, allowing Melissa to continue her work at the San
Francisco library. Meanwhile, a house would be built for them on Barkley land.
Once it was ready, they would live primarily in Stockton.
* * * * * * * *
Heath finished his
work at the Sommers’ ranch. Jonathon and Ella seemed pleased with the new
cabinets. Although he missed going there every day, Heath was glad to have the
job finished. His respect for Jonathon grew as he got to know the older man.
Nick was visibly
relieved to have Heath back at his side. He knew Heath wouldn’t dare interfere
in anyone’s marriage, yet Heath had fallen hard for Ella. He knew his
disappointment had been keen.
The weeks passed without
incident. Heath found himself in town one day getting supplies for the line
shacks. He had been asked to stop by the post office to see if some of the
things Victoria had ordered for the engagement party had arrived. His mind was
on the horse auction he and Jonathon would be attending the following week. He
walked into the small building and bumped into someone.
"Oh, excuse
me," he said, then smiled with delight when he saw it was Ella. He tipped
hat and smiled.
"Heath! It’s
good to see you. We just love the new cabinets!" she replied. Heath smiled
at her enthusiasm. He couldn’t help but notice how lovely she looked.
"I’m glad you
do. How have you been?"
"Very well.
Jonathon needed to pick up some supplies for the trip to the auction, and I
decided to ride along."
There were quite a
few people waiting in line, so Heath and Ella had a several minutes to talk.
"I can’t wait
for Jarrod and Melissa’s engagement party! Audra tells me Melissa is a
sweetheart. Actually, I’ll be over to help your mother and Audra with a few
things this afternoon."
"That’s nice of
you," Heath replied.
Finally, it was
Ella’s turn at the counter. Heath didn’t pay much attention to the conversation
between the clerk and Ella until Ella called his name.
"Heath, I’d
like you to meet Miss Ellen Brooks. She’s new to Stockton."
Heath removed his
hat and greeted the young woman. She had dark hair and large blue eyes. Heath
couldn’t help but notice how attractive she was. Ella stepped aside as Heath
asked for the Barkley mail. She had been speaking with Audra about finding
someone for Heath and when she’d met Ellen the week before, she thought they
would be cute together.
"Oh, I should
be going. There’s Jonathon. It was nice to see you both again!" Ella
called to them as she left. Heath watched her walk out of the office and felt a
twinge of jealousy as Jonathon bent down to kiss her cheek. Heath turned around
and looked into the smiling eyes of Ellen Brooks. Heath surprised himself when
he heard himself asking:
"Miss Brooks.
It seems I have some time before I need to get back to the ranch. Would you be
available for lunch?"
Ellen was also
surprised at his invitation. She’d heard many good things about the Barkleys
since she’d come to live in Stockton. She smiled and nodded, informing him
she’d be ready to go in about a half hour. Heath said he’d be back, then went
to the feed and seed to see if his supplies were ready. When he returned to the
post office, he found Ellen ready. He offered his arm which she gladly accepted
and walked to the hotel restaurant. Heath wouldn’t have believed it if he
hadn’t been there, but he actually found himself enjoying her company. So much
so, that he asked her to go on a picnic with him before he left for the
auction. Ellen shyly agreed. She knew she could easily like Heath a lot and was
eager to get to know him better.
* * * * * * * *
Ella spent several
hours that afternoon with Victoria and Audra. She hadn’t had much of a chance to
get to know the Barkley Matriarch, but found she was a wise and gracious woman.
Audra left them along for a few minutes and Ella couldn’t resist asking a
question that had been on her mind.
"Mrs. Barkley,
may I ask you something?"
"Of course,
Dear."
"I noticed you
employ Silas. Has he always worked for you?"
"Since Jarrod
was a baby. He’s been a godsend."
"Did you ever
employ any female house servants?" Ella asked hesitantly.
"No. Only
Silas. Why do you ask?"
"Oh, it’s nothing.
I’m sorry, I bothered you," Ella replied.
"Ella, is
something on your mind?"
"It’s
silly."
"Not if it
concerns you."
Ella found
Victoria’s friendliness her undoing and began to talk about her concerns with
Wilma. Although the woman had never done anything inappropriate, Ella had
noticed that she was always friendly to Jonathon but rather cold to her. She
wanted a baby so badly, and knew that Christine had conceived while using
Wilma’s herbs, but she got an uneasy feeling from her housekeeper. Victoria
listened to her concerns. She didn’t have any advice to offer, but just having
someone to talk to helped Ella tremendously. She left the Barkley mansion that
afternoon feeling relieved to have shared her growing burden.
* * * * * * * *
Ella awoke, feeling
dizzy and unsettled. Jonathon had left for the morning already, but his side of
the bed was still warm so she knew he hadn’t been gone long. She began to dress
for the day and it was then she noticed the blood. The truth hit her hard: another
month had passed, and she still had not conceived a child. She began to cry,
but continued to dress. Usually the first day of her cycle was the worst, and
she couldn’t get out of bed. Today, she pushed herself, not wanting to stay
inside.
She walked
downstairs and out the front door. She didn’t bother with breakfast but
instructed Sam, one of the hands that was working in the barn, to saddle
Carrington. Once she mounted her horse, Ella rode toward the west. When she was
clear of the fence line she nudged Carrington into a full gallop. The tears in
her eyes streamed down her face, but she didn’t bother to wipe them away.
Because Ella was
distracted, she didn’t slow Carrington down and took a turn too quickly. With a
cry of alarm she fell from the horse’s back and landed on the hard ground. The
wind was knocked out of her, and she succumbed to unconsciousness.
* * * * * * * *
Heath was at one of
the line shacks reloading it with supplies. His thoughts were on Ellen and the
picnic they’d been on the day before. He thought he could really like this
girl. She had shyly admitted that she didn’t know how to ride a horse. She’d
grown up in a large city and her parents hadn’t felt she needed to learn to
ride horseback. Ellen had always wanted to learn, and Heath found her an eager
pupil.
He heard a horse and
looked up to see Carrington approaching him. He called to the horse in a soft
voice and then grabbed the reins. Noting the saddle, he looked around for Ella.
Heath mounted Charger and led Carrington behind him. He went back in the
direction Carrington had come. His heart stopped when he saw Ella’s unconscious
form. He went quickly to her side and began to call out her name.
"Ella," he
said with urgency. He felt for broken bones, but didn’t think there were any.
He could tell she was breathing and sighed when he heard her moan.
"Jonathon?"
she said softly.
"No, it’s
Heath. Ella, can you hear me?"
Ella’s eyes opened.
She blinked a few times before asking, "What happened?"
"I was hoping
you could tell me. Does anything hurt?"
Ella thought for a
minute.
"No. The last
thing I remember was falling. I think I’m okay now. If you could help me
up?"
Heath helped her to
her feet and steadied her. She shook her head slightly, trying to clear her
mind.
"Let’s get you
home."
Ella didn’t argue
with him and allowed him to help her mount her horse.
"You sure you
can ride?" Heath asked, his voice filled with concern.
"Yes. Just
don’t go too fast," she replied, bringing a hand up to her head which was
beginning to pound.
They rode to the
Sommers’ Ranch in slowly. Heath would ask her a question every so often to help
her stay awake.
Jonathon was just
coming from the barn when he saw Ella and Heath enter the yard. His face paled
and he ran toward them.
"Ella! What
happened?" he asked, directing his question to Heath.
"I fell off my
horse," Ella answered before Heath could say anything as she allowed her
husband to help her off Carrington.
"I was one of
our line shacks when Carrington came galloping by riderless. I knew something
had to be wrong, so I went in search of Ella. I found her unconscious."
"Sam!,"
Jonathon called and Heath didn’t miss the way Ella jumped.
"Jonathon, not
so loud," she begged.
"I’m sorry,
Honey," Jonathon apologized. Sam had come running at his employer’s call.
"You wanted me,
sir?"
"Ride into town
and get the doc."
"No, Jonathon.
I’m ok. I just want to go lie down," Ella said softly.
"Go, Sam and
hurry. Let’s get you inside," he said to Ella, picking her up in his arms.
He turned back to Heath. "Thank you."
"Anytime.
You’ll let us know how she is?" Heath asked, reluctant to leave, but
knowing he would just be in the way if he stayed.
"Of
course."
Jonathon took Ella
up to their room and Wilma, having seen them coming, followed. Jonathon asked
her to brew some tea, and she gladly complied.
Jonathon placed Ella
on the bed and helped her get undressed. He slipped a white cotton nightgown
over her head, then tucked her in bed.
"I’m sorry,
Jonathon," Ella whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks.
"It’s ok,
honey. But I wish you’d be more careful. What if you are expecting?"
"I’m not,"
came the flat reply. Wilma was waiting outside the door, unable to contain her
smile. She took a deep breath, then entered the room. Jonathon asked her to put
the tray down and leave them alone.
Jonathon gathered
his crying wife in his arms.
"Shhh, it’s ok,
honey. Shhh," he whispered over and over. Ella eventually calmed down and
pushed from her husband’s arms to lie back down.
"I think it’s
time for another visit to Dr. Milton," Jonathon said softly. Ella nodded.
"I’ll let Heath
know we can’t go to the auction."
"No," Ella
protested. "I can go by myself."
"I don’t want
you going to San Francisco alone," Jonathon said firmly.
"Then I’ll ask
Audra to go with me. We’ve been wanting to go to San Francisco to do some
shopping anyway. The last time we saw Dr. Milton, he said we could stop in any
time. Please, Jonathon. I want you to go on this trip. We need to find a mate
for Carrington soon."
Jonathon sighed and
reluctantly nodded his head in agreement. Dr. Merar arrived a short time later
and checked Ella over. He declared she was fine, not even suffering a
concussion. Jonathon thanked the doctor then went back to sit with his wife.
Chapter 11
Audra was excited to
go to San Francisco with Ella. They had wired Jarrod who was already in San
Francisco for a trial, and he agreed to let Audra and Ella stay with him at his
townhouse. Dr. Merar had seen no reason why Ella couldn’t go since her fall,
though Jonathon was still a bit leery.
"I’ll be
fine," she had assured him over and over the night before he left with
Heath for the auction. They were lying in bed, watching the flames as they
danced around in the fireplace.
"I know. I just
can’t help but wonder if I shouldn’t go with you."
"What could you
do if you went? I’ll be sure to tell you all of what the doctor says. Besides,
I know you’re going to find the perfect mate for Carrington at this
auction."
Jonathon sighed as
he held his wife close.
"When do you
think you’ll be back?" she asked.
"Probably in
two or three days. I don’t want to stay away longer than that."
"So you’ll get
home before me?"
"Looks that
way."
They were both silent
for a few minutes, each lost in their own thoughts. Perhaps an outsider would
have looked at their marriage and taken pity on one or both of them. Yet
Jonathon had not felt this content since his first few years with Christine.
Once she’d become ill, his days were consumed with caring for her. He didn’t
consider Ella a child.
Ella, had never felt
as safe as when she was in her husband’s arms. True, Jonathon was only a few
years younger than her father, but she’d never thought of him that way. He was
a kind, considerate man, who rarely lost his temper or spoke a harsh word. He
was loyal, almost to a fault, some would say. Ella sighed and wrapped her arms
around her husband. Other people’s opinions meant nothing to them.
"I don’t think
Audra and I will stay longer than a four or five days," she said, yawning.
Jonathon kissed her
head and both fell into a peaceful sleep.
* * * * * * * *
"Ella? Are you
listening?"
Ella looked over at
Audra who had been chatting non-stop since the train had pulled from Stockton.
"No, Audra. I’m
sorry, I guess I wasn’t."
"Are you
feeling alright?" Audra asked, her blue eyes wide with concern. Heath had
told them of the fall Ella had taken and hoped her friend was not more
seriously injured than they had thought.
"Yes. I’m
sorry. I’m just distracted."
Audra decided to
leave her friend alone with her thoughts for the rest of the trip. In truth,
she had been talking non stop to keep from thinking about Carl Wheeler. She’d
seen the invitation for the party her mother had sent to Carl. They’d been to
many of the same functions since Audra had broken things off between them.
Audra had considered Carl a closed chapter in her life. She never wanted to
betray Nick and that’s what she felt like she would be doing if she started
seeing him again. It had surprised her to learn that Carl was the only one of
Audra’s beaus that Nick had liked. Carl and Nick had been childhood friends.
Audra had expected Nick to be upset when they started dating, but as she looked
back, she realized he hadn’t had a problem with it at all.
Maybe...maybe Audra
would have a chance to talk to Carl some at the engagement party. Nick had
obviously forgiven him. They met once a month to play poker in town, that much
she knew. Perhaps it was time for Audra to grow up and forgive Carl as well.
She had liked him so much. He didn’t treat her as his friend’s little sister,
but as a desirable woman.
Audra’s thoughts
were interrupted by the train’s whistle. They were arriving in San Francisco.
They were gathering their things just as Jarrod entered the car. He greeted his
sister with a kiss on the cheek and nodded to Ella. Jarrod took the heaviest of
the bags, and took them to the waiting hack that would take them to his
townhouse. Audra was standing beside the door waiting for Ella.
"Are you
ready?" Audra called to her.
"I can’t find
one of my bags."
Audra came back into
the railcar.
"Which
one?"
"The small one.
It was red with black fringe. It has the herbs in it that I need to take,"
Ella explained as she looked all around.
"Maybe Jarrod
picked it up by mistake?" Audra suggested.
"No, I think I
remember leaving it on the bed. Wilma said I’m supposed to take the herbs every
day for them to be effective."
"Do you know the
name of the herb? Perhaps we can buy more here?"
Ella smiled.
"Yes, it goes by two different names. Queen Anne’s Lace and Wild Carrot.
I’ve seen the names on the bottle."
"I’ll ask
Jarrod if he knows where we can buy herbs," Audra said, trying to sound
encouraging. Ella thanked her friend and the two went to find Jarrod.
* * * * * * * *
Heath and Jonathon
had ridden hard for most of the day. Jonathon was pleased with his purchase: a
handsome stallion. His eyes were clear, his coat shiny and Jonathon was certain
Ella would approve. He smiled when he thought about seeing the look on her
face.
Though they were
only a few hours from home, they decided to spend one more night on the trail
to give the horses some rest. Heath had enjoyed his time with Jonathon and
found that the man had a wonderful sense of humor. He could also tell the man
was deeply in love with his wife. Heath turned his thoughts to Ellen. He was
going to ask her to accompany him to Jarrod and Melissa’s engagement party.
They’d had a great time together during lunch and the picnic the week before.
She was an intelligent and vibrant person. Yet there was a softness....a
shyness that Heath found endearing.
"Ready for
dinner?" Jonathon interrupted Heath’s thoughts.
"Sure am.
Figure I could eat a bear all by myself," Heath responded.
"Well, this
ain’t a bear, but some small fish. Hope you’ll settle for that," Jonathon
said, chuckling.
They began their
dinner in silence, listening to the night sounds. The fire crackled, sending up
sparks of flame and ashes into the air. Crickets sang to one another and birds
called to one another.
"Beautiful
night," Jonathon said softly.
"Yup."
"I like it when
you can see the stars clearly and when the moon is full. Something about being
outside at night...fills me with peace."
Heath nodded, having
felt the same way many times.
"I bet you
wonder how any decent man in his fifties could marry a child, don’t you,"
Jonathon said. Heath hadn’t been expecting this turn in the conversation, but
years of playing poker kept him from visibly starting.
"Can’t say as
it’s any of my business, Jonathon," Heath replied evenly.
"It isn’t. But
I like you, Heath. And I’d like you to understand, not to gain your approval, I
don’t need that. I consider you a friend, and I want to tell you."
Heath took a deep
breath and exhaled slowly. Did he want to hear Jonathon’s explanation? He was
torn. Yes, he did, because he couldn’t fathom what Jonathon had been thinking.
And no, he didn’t want to know, especially if the reason weren’t good enough.
"I can’t stop
you from telling me, Jonathon. But I want you to know you don’t have to."
"Thanks, Heath.
I know that."
Jonathon was silent
for a few minutes, and Heath assumed he’d changed his mind. The stars twinkled
above their heads, and Heath focused on the brightest one he could find. His
mother had called that star the wishing star. Most thought the wishing star was
the first one to appear in the night sky. Heath’s mama had told her son
differently. The brightest star was the one you were to hang your hopes on, and
Heath was doing exactly that when Jonathon began to talk.
"I married my
first wife when we were eighteen. Neither of us had much, but we loved each
other. Christine wasn’t what some would call a beauty, but she had a good
heart. She loved people and always wanted to help. She’d give someone the
clothes off her back if she felt like they needed them more than she did. That
was what drew me to her. She was my best friend, the one I wanted to grow old
with. When she died..." Jonathon’s voice trailed off. Heath said nothing,
but waited for him to continue.
"When she died,
a part of me died. My grief was too much for me to bear by myself. I didn’t think
I could ever love anyone again. I was doing business with Ella’s father a few
years later and he said he wanted me to consider marrying his daughter. He
explained how he believed in arranged marriages and he thought we’d make a good
match. I’d been missing Christine something fierce about that time and thought
maybe I’d give love another chance. When I first met Ella, I had no idea she
was so young. I remember the first time I saw her, she took my breath
away."
Jonathon paused, and
Heath thought he knew exactly how Jonathon felt. Ella had the same affect on
him when he’d first seen her. He decided he wouldn’t share that thought with
his friend though.
"When I found
out Ella was only 15 and just barely that, I told Caleb it wouldn’t work. He
asked me not to make any decisions yet, but to get to know Ella. Have you ever
heard the term ‘Old Soul’, Heath?"
Heath nodded.
"That’s what
Ella is. She’s young, but she has a maturity about her most young women don’t
have. I fought my affection for her, knowing that in society’s eyes it wouldn’t
be right. I didn’t want Ella to feel she had to marry some old man to satisfy
her father. We talked quite a bit about it, almost as though we were discussing
a business deal. Guess we were, if you want to look at that way. I told Ella it
was her choice. I told her my age, about Christine...I let her decide. I told
her she had the freedom to tell me no. She smiled ever so sweetly and said, ‘I
made up my mind the moment I saw you. I know you are the one for me.’ And that was
that. We were married a few months later. Has she regretted marrying an old
man? I don’t know. If she has, she hasn’t let on in any way. Have I regretted
marrying what some would call a child? No...because she isn’t one. She's
brightened my life up in a way I never thought possible."
Jonathon poured
himself a cup of coffee and sat back against a fallen log. Heath watched him
for a while, noting that as he talked about Ella, his face glowed. Heath
sighed.
"I hope to find
that kind of love someday," Heath said quietly.
"You will. Of
that I have no doubt."