Old Flames

Chapters 1-9

by Stacey256

 

 

 

 

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

 

The sound of the train whistle sent a thrill through Victoria Barkley’s body.  The sharp chill of the December wind did not touch her; the excitement made her heart beat so fast that she felt warm all over.  That or the spirit of Christmas!

 

As the train steamed into the station, she slipped her gloved hand in the crook of Heath’s arm.  He gave her one of his wonderful lopsided smiles and a wink.  Without realizing it, she rose up on her tiptoes so she could get a better view of the back of the train as it steamed into the station.  Yes, there it was, Peter’s private railcar.  They were here; her only grandchildren and all the rest of her children were here.  It would be the first time that she had had all her children together for a Christmas at the ranch since, well, since forever, she thought, looking up at Heath’s happy face.  She tried not to dwell on all the Christmases that had been celebrated before Heath had come to be with his father’s family.  And, of course, there were all those years that Peter had been away.  Last Christmas they had all been together at Peter’s home in New Orleans, but this year, this year she would finally have the chance to draw her grandchildren into all the wonderful traditions that she had always shared with her children.

 

“Audra, quit dancing around like a five-year-old,” Nick’s voice sounded above the clang and hiss of the slowing train.

 

“Shush, Nick,” she refused to be chastised by her big brother.  “You know that you’re just as excited as I am about Peter and Samantha and the children being here for Christmas.”

 

“It’s not Pete’s family you’re excited about . . . or even Eugene, who also just happens to be on this train,” Jarrod teased.  “I’m sure you’re thinking about a certain bank vice president.”

 

Audra flushed but couldn’t keep back her smile, “Well, of course, I’m glad that Barton is able to join us for Christmas.  I would hate for him to have to celebrate the holidays alone.”

 

“Uh huh,” Jarrod scoffed, but any further teasing of Audra was interrupted by the shouts of two small boys.

 

“Grandmother!” Thomas Henri Barkley was the first off the train, jumping from the step on the private car to the platform by himself, but his younger brother, Nicholas Robert, got a hand from his Uncle Eugene.  Both little boys rushed to their grandmother who eagerly knelt to accept their sweet kisses on her cheeks.  Nick moved quickly to the entrance to Peter’s car.  He gave Gene a rough hug and then swatted his backside to head him toward the rest of the family.  Nick then reached up to take little Lisette Victoria or “Lizzie V.” from her mother.  He gave the little girl a noisy kiss on her cheek and then passed her along to Heath.

 

“Hey, you’re getting fat, girl,” Nick teased as he helped his sister-in-law off the train.

 

Samantha Barkley forced herself not to look down at her thickening waist and, instead, reached out to pinch her brother-in-law’s hand, “Why, thank you, Nick.  You know, I don’t understand why a silver-tongued gentleman like you hasn’t been snatched up.”

 

“Hah, hah,” Nick grumbled and kissed Samantha’s cheek as he rubbed the spot she had pinched.  “You’re so funny.  Here, Heath, watch out.  She’s not playing very nice today.”  He propelled her down the platform toward the rest of the family and then reached out to shake Barton Stievers’ hand.  “Good to see you again, Bart.  Seems like we just saw you.  Wait, yeah, we did just see you what, two weeks ago?”

 

“Merry Christmas, Nick,” Barton Stievers, Peter Barkley’s partner at the Merchants Exchange in San Francisco and Audra’s current beau, took the ribbing in stride.  “The lure of another of Silas’s wonderful feasts was just too great.”

 

“Yeah,” Nick scoffed, “food’s the only reason you’re here.”

 

“Of course,” Barton winked and then turned his full attention to the real reason he was here.  Audra, his beautiful Audra.  Had it not been for the fact that virtually all her family were watching them, he would have gathered her into his arms and kissed her ardently.  Instead, he just took her delicate hand into his, kissed it gently, and then leaned forward to place a chaste kiss on her cheek.  She dimpled as she accepted his soft kiss and their eyes locked.  Later, they would spend some time alone and express their affections more passionately.

 

“Where’s Peter?” Victoria’s eyes continued to scan the back of the train, thinking that her son was perhaps overseeing the uncoupling of his car.  Then she saw the guilty looks exchanged by Samantha, Barton, and Eugene.  Her eyes settled on her son’s wife, “Samantha?”

 

Samantha groaned inwardly.  She would be the one stuck breaking the news and she tried to paint it as positively as possible, “Peter wasn’t able to come with us, Victoria.  He got tied up in some negotiations on the mortgages for some property south of San Francisco.  I’m sure he’ll be here as soon as he can.”

 

“Oh,” Victoria had no idea at how dejected her sigh sounded or how it tore at the hearts of all the adults who were gathered with her on the platform.

 

“Victoria,” Barton added, “I tried to get him to let me take care of things, but he insisted that he didn’t want to disappoint Audra by delaying my arrival.  He was very stubborn about it.”

 

She forced a smile and a small laugh as she tried to hide her disappointment, “Well, that sounds like typical Peter.  I think we can manage without him for a bit.”

 

Samantha and Gene exchanged a quick look and it was the young man who smiled and nodded, “Wouldn’t surprise me if we don’t see brother Peter tomorrow.”  He hoped that was what would happen; his big brother had been so angry that Samantha had come on without him.  Hopefully that hot Barkley temper would cool down quickly and his big brother would get himself here soon.

 

“Of course, dear,” Victoria held onto her smile.  “We’ve got all sorts of fun things planned.  I’m going to need Tom’s and Nicky’s help in finishing some Christmas cookies.  And we’ll need to finish filling the stockings for the children at the orphanage.  We’ll have plenty to do to fill our days.”

 

Despite Peter’s absence, the day had been a wonderful experience for the children and the adults, particularly Victoria.  As promised, she spent much of the afternoon in the kitchen with the two small boys baking cookies, but Nick and Heath sneaked their nephews away for a time so that they could ride their pony around the corral.  Samantha found them but just gently chastised the two uncles for being so sneaky.  Although Nick had teased Sam about getting fat, he was actually relieved to see that she had gained some weight.  She had been plagued with morning sickness for so many weeks that he had worried that she wasn’t getting enough nourishment.  But now she was really starting to show so he guessed everything was going the way it was supposed to.  They teased back and forth for a few minutes and then Samantha had headed back into the house, leaving the four “boys” to entertain themselves.  When she went back in the house, Samantha found Audra and Barton sitting on the floor of the billiards room playing peek-a-boo with Lizzie V. around the legs of the billiards table.  As she settled herself in a comfortable chair to watch their antics, Samantha had to admit that coming to the ranch provided her with all sorts of nannies for her little ones.

 

At Victoria’s insistence, the family had had an early supper; she had wanted to have the grandchildren at the dining table.  Samantha had tried not to roll her eyes.  This was one of the few major differences she had with her mother-in-law on child rearing.  At home, the children almost always ate their meals in the kitchen.  She was always there helping them, and Peter was very often there for the children’s breakfast and supper, but, except for very special occasions, she and Peter enjoyed their meals in a peaceful, child-free dining room.  Victoria always insisted on having all the children gathered at the table for every meal.  Because she was just a guest, Samantha allowed the deviation from their routine when they were at Grandmother’s, but she wasn’t sure this was the best approach with the children.

 

After supper, she, Victoria, and Audra quickly got the children bathed and into their night clothes.  With slippers and robes on, the three children were allowed to go back downstairs to spend a few more minutes with “the uncles” as Tom collectively referred to his pappa’s brothers.  At least this was consistent with their bedtime routine at home, Samantha thought, as she carried Lizzie V. downstairs.  Whenever possible, she and Peter spent a little time with their children right before the little ones’ bedtime. Tonight the children were greeted enthusiastically by their uncles and “Mr. Barton” rather than their pappa.  For a time, Tom and Nicky crept around the Christmas tree, carefully examining the many gifts.  Lizzie V. ventured over but it was the ornaments on the tree that caught her eye.  She hesitantly reached out to touch one which drew a quick “No, Lisette” from her sharp-eyed mother.

 

“Ah, Sam, she’s not gonna hurt it,” Nick protested.

 

“She could accidentally break it and it’s glass, Nick,” his sister-in-law replied patiently.  “It’s better to be safe than sorry.”

 

“I’ll watch her,” he promised.

 

She rolled her eyes.  Honestly, Nick was worse than the children.  “No, Nick, she won’t understand that she can only touch them when you’re around.  It’s better just for them to always be a ‘no.’”

 

“All right,” he sighed and reached over to pick the baby up and bounce her on his knee.  “At least you didn’t whack her.”

 

“Nick, I don’t whack my children!” Sam instantly denied.

 

“Pete did, last spring up at Indian Springs, when Lizzie V. tried to take some trout off his plate,” Nick reminded her.

 

“He swatted her hand and told her ‘no,’ Nick,” Sam laughed.  “I guess you would have rather for her to have eaten a piece that he hadn’t checked and gotten a bone stuck in her throat.”

 

“Yeah, well, he didn’t need to swat her hand.  He really hurt her.”

 

“He did not.  He just barely tapped her.”

 

“She held that hand for days,” Nick insisted.

 

“She held her hand when you were around because she knew that you would pet her,” she shook a teasing finger at him.  “She knows all she has to do is to let that bottom lip quiver a little and Uncle Nick will offer her the world just so she’ll smile.”

 

“I do not,” Nick grumbled.  “And Lizzie V. wouldn’t tease her Uncle Nick like that.”

 

“Right,” Samantha wrinkled her nose at him.  “Now let me have her; it’s time to put her to bed.”

 

“Already?” he pouted.  “Just a little while longer.”

 

“Nick, you’re impossible,” Samantha groaned as she took the baby from him.  “Children, it’s time to go to bed.  Now let’s hand out hugs and kisses.”

 

“Already, Mamma?” Nicky gave a youthful version of his uncle’s pout.

 

“Come here, Nicky,” Victoria urged, “and give Grandmother a very special goodnight kiss.”

 

The little boy reluctantly got to his feet and trudged over to his grandmother.  She ignored his little pout and gathered him unto her lap.  She gave him a teasing kiss on the tip of his nose.  This caused him to giggle and he stretched up to hug her neck and kiss her cheek.

 

“Would you tell us a story, Uncle Jarrod?” Tom asked, leaning against the arm of his uncle’s chair.  “Pappa tells us a story ‘most every night.”

 

“Yeah, a story.  Like Pappa does,” Nicky echoed and then added in response to Mamma’s lifted eyebrow, “Please.”

 

Samantha relented and sat back down in her chair, settling Lizzie V. in her lap, “Well, I guess we can take time for one story.  You’re right, Pappa usually does tell a story.  Would you do the honors tonight, Uncle Jarrod?”

 

“Sure, I’ll tell you a story,” Jarrod grinned.  “So, do you have a particular story you want to hear or do you want me just to pick one?”

 

“The blanket story,” Nicky demanded.

 

“Yeah, the blanket story,” Tom nodded his head in agreement.

 

“Umm, I’m sorry, boys, I don’t think I know that story,” Jarrod hated disappointing the two little boys, but his mind could not turn up a story about a blanket.

 

“Oh, boys, I think that’s one of Pappa’s special stories.  You know, like the stories he tells about being aboard the different ships and being in faraway lands,” Samantha tried to explain.

 

“But, Uncle Jarrod was there,” Tom countered her.  “He should know the story.”

 

“Uncle Nick was there, too,” Nicky added.

 

Nick and Jarrod exchanged a puzzled look.  They had no idea what the little boys were talking about.

 

Tom frowned at his uncles, “Well, I know the story.  Maybe if I start it, you’ll remember.”

 

“All right,” Jarrod looked over to Samantha for guidance, but she just smiled softly and winked at him.

 

“Go on, Tom,” she encouraged, “you start the story.”

 

Tom stood a little taller, proud of the fact that he was going to get to at least start tonight’s story.  It made him feel very grown up.  Calmly, he started the story the way his pappa always did, “When Pappa was a boy, he lived on a big ranch in the middle of a beautiful valley in a place called California.”  He hesitated and then added his own comment, “It was this ranch, of course.”

 

“That’s right,” Jarrod dropped an arm around the boy and hugged him gently.

 

“Pappa lived on the ranch with his parents, our Grandfather Tom and Grandmother Victoria,” Tom bestowed a smile on his grandmother who sat holding a sleepy eyed Nicky on her lap, “and his brothers and sister.  When this story happened, he only had two big brothers, Jarrod and Nicky.”

 

“Nicky?” Nick couldn’t stop himself from objecting to the childish name.

 

But Tom just calmly informed him, “That’s what Pappa calls you most times, Uncle Nick.  He says that’s the name you used when he was growing up so it’s a hard habit for him to break.”

 

Nick’s mouth twisted a little in displeasure.  He had always hated the babyish name and had pressed to be called Nick for years, but it wasn’t until after his 16th birthday that the family had relented . . . and even then his father had often slipped.  Of course, his 16th birthday had been less than a year before Pete ran off so, no doubt, Pete was much more accustom to using Nicky.  And, it was curious, Nick couldn’t imagine calling Pete’s son anything but Nicky.  It just seemed, well, it just seemed more endearing.  He wondered if little Nicky would ever try to make the family shorten his name to Nick.  Funny, he hoped not.

 

Tom had just ignored Uncle Nick’s curled lip.  This was his story to tell and he was going to tell it as Pappa always did, “Because Pappa was the youngest of the three brothers, it seemed to him that he always had to wait FOREVER until he got old enough and big enough to do the things that his big brothers got to do.”

 

“Yeah, forever,” Nicky sighed, knowing that feeling well.

 

Big brother Tom gave a superior smile and used their pappa’s words, “That’s just how things are between big brothers and little brothers.  But that didn’t stop Pappa from always begging to get to do the things that Jarrod and Nicky got to do.  The beautiful valley was surrounded by big beautiful mountains, and his pappa would go hunting in those mountains and sometimes he would take Jarrod and Nicky.  When Pappa was six, he really, really wanted to go hunting with his pappa and his brothers.  But his pappa said he was too young, but Pappa kept begging and, he guessed he wore down his pappa because Grandfather Tom finally said he could go . . . even though Pappa was only six . . . which is just a little bit older than I am.”

 

“We all know how old you are, Tom,” his mother said sternly but barely hid her smile.  “And we know that you have been talking to your pappa about when he’s going to take you hunting.”

 

“I’m just saying Pappa was just a little bit older than I am when he got to go.  Pappa said maybe, next fall, maybe he’ll take me,” the little boy unabashedly replied.

 

“Well, Pappa and I are still discussing that,” Samantha refused to be swayed.  “Now, you need to finish your story because both Lizzie V. and Nicky are about to fall asleep.”

 

“Am not,” Nicky instantly denied the allegation even though his eyelids were getting heavy and he had laid his head against his grandmother’s shoulder.

 

“Hush, Nicky,” his mother said automatically.  “Tom, finish the story.”

 

“Yes, ma’am.  Well, you see, Grandfather said Pappa could go with them and Pappa was so excited.  He had never been up in the mountains with just his brothers and his pappa.  And he had never been hunting.  So he was real excited when they all rode out together that morning.  Pappa was a good rider and his pappa let him ride a full size horse so he had no problems keeping up.  He was only a little bit older than me and he got to ride a full size horse by himself,” the boy added another non-too-subtle hint.

 

“Tom,” his mother warned again.  This was another discussion that she and Peter were having.  Nick and Heath exchanged a quick look.  A specially picked horse was among the surprises planned for Christmas morning.  Hopefully Peter had cleared the way for this with Samantha.

 

The boy wiggled his eyebrows at his mother and then continued, “They rode a long, long way.  Finally Grandfather said they’d gotten to the place where they would set up their camp.  It was a pretty place, beside a real cold creek.  Grandfather helped Pappa fish and they all caught their supper.  It was just like when they went to Indian Springs.  Then they all bedded down for the night.  It was then that Pappa realized that things weren’t just like Indian Springs.  At Indian Springs, his mamma had always been there and they had always slept in a tent and his mamma had always made him sleep close to her since he was the littlest.  Out here they were just sleeping in their bedrolls, under the stars.  They were all sleeping in a ring around the campfire so he wasn’t really sleeping next to anybody.  Suddenly, Pappa started hearing all sorts of noises and he started thinking about wild animals that might come attack him.  He looked over to where his brothers Jarrod and Nicky were, and he was surprised to see that they were both already asleep.  Pappa tried real hard to go to sleep; he pulled the blanket up around his face and he tried to shut his eyes but every time he heard a noise, his eyes would just fly open.”

 

Tom’s eyes surveyed his audience.  He realized that he had captured their full attention.  He also realized that Uncle Jarrod and Uncle Nick still didn’t remember this story.  That meant it was all his to tell, “Pappa had just about decided that he was gonna have to stay awake all night, so that he would know if any big, scary animals came up.  That’s when he heard his pappa call to him real soft.  He said, ‘Petey.’  That’s what Grandfather always called Pappa.  And Pappa answered real quick, ‘Yes, sir.’  See that was one of the rules.  You were always to call Grandfather ‘sir.’  Grandfather was right beside Pappa and he whispered, ‘I need to ask a favor of you, Petey.  I didn’t do a good job of packing my bedroll and I didn’t put in a very warm blanket.  I was wondering if maybe we could share our blankets and that way I wouldn’t get so cold tonight.’  Pappa just nodded his head and whispered ‘Sure.’  He let go of his blanket and Grandfather lay down beside him and fixed the blankets for them both.  Grandfather told him that they needed to sleep close together so that the blankets would cover them both, so Pappa snuggled up against his pappa’s chest and Grandfather put his arm around Pappa to hold him close and then he whispered, ‘Now, don’t be telling Jarrod and Nicky about my carelessness, Petey.  It’ll be just our secret, all right?’  Pappa nodded and then he got real sleepy.  Just before he fell asleep, though, he thought that he had never felt so safe as he did right that moment with his pappa’s arm around him and rolled up in two blankets.  And that’s the blanket story.”

 

“That was a beautiful story, Tom,” Victoria’s eyes were bright with unshed tears.  To hide them, she bent and brushed the drowsy Nicky’s forehead with a kiss.  The little boy rewarded her with a sleepy smile.

 

“That was, indeed, an exceptional story,” Jarrod echoed, his voice thick with emotion, and he hugged the little boy.  His eyes found Nick’s and his younger brother’s look confirmed that he also did not remember any of this happening.  It was apparently a secret that only Pete and their father had shared until Pete had chosen to pass it to his sons.

 

“Did I tell it right, Mamma?” the little boy asked.

 

But it was a much deeper voice, coming from the entry to the sitting room, that answered, “You told it perfectly.”

 

“Pappa,” Tom slipped from his Uncle Jarrod’s embrace and ran across the room to throw himself into his pappa’s arms.

 

“Peter!” Samantha turned toward the familiar voice.  “How in the world did you get here?”

 

“Loaded Raider on the train to Sacramento and then headed this way,” the tall blond man swept his oldest child up and kissed his cheek.  As his wife came over to also claim a kiss, he admitted, “House was way too quiet.  Just couldn’t stand it.”

 

“Oh, my goodness, Peter, you’ve ridden hours and hours, haven’t you?” his mother scolded.  “And it’s freezing out there.  You’ll probably catch a cold.”

 

“I’m fine, Mother,” the young man said as he also planted a kiss on his sleeping daughter’s forehead and then walked over to where his mother sat holding Nicky.  “I never get sick.  Here, let me have that little one.”  He bent down to place a kiss on her cheek and then to scoop up the sleeping Nicky with one arm.

 

“Peter, I could carry him upstairs,” Victoria protested.

 

“Nah, let me do it,” Peter grinned at her.  “With the way these two are growing, I’m not going to be able to do this much longer.”

 

She smiled at how easily her son held his two little boys, “Well, I know you must be hungry.  I’m going to go fix you a plate.”

 

“I’m fine,” he replied.  “Let us get these little ones put to bed, then maybe one of my brothers will pour me a good stiff drink.  That’ll chase away the chill in my bones.”

 

“Already taking care of it, little brother,” Nick stood and started toward the decanters.  Along with the rest of the family, however, he watched as Peter and Samantha carried their children out of the room.  Once again, he thought how lucky his little brother was.

 

 

 

Chapter 2

 

“Nicky, eat your vegetables,” Samantha directed her younger son.

 

“Oh, Mamma,” Nicky protested.

 

“Do as your mother says, Nicky,” Peter’s tone was uncompromising.

 

The little boy took up a spoonful of peas and eyed them suspiciously before he put them in his mouth and gulped them without chewing.

 

“Nicky, you’re going to choke if you don’t chew your food,” his mother scolded.

 

“Peas is little,” he informed her.  “Don’t need chewing.  ‘sides if ya don’t chew ya can’t taste ‘em.”

 

“I see,” she replied and gave her husband an exasperated look.  When Nicky did things like this, she always referred to him as ‘your’ son.  She didn’t say anything this time, just put a few more pieces of food on Lizzie V.’s plate and encouraged the baby to use her spoon.

 

Samantha had prevailed upon her husband to convince Victoria that the children should have an early supper in the kitchen this evening.  Samantha had smiled to herself when she had overheard Peter patiently explain to his mother, “It’s what the children are used to, Mother.  Besides, it’s more fun for them in the kitchen.”

 

“More fun?” Victoria had obviously been stunned.  She had thought their suppers were fun.  Certainly she enjoyed having the whole family gathered around the table.

 

“Yep, in the dining room they know that they have to use their best manners, they have to speak only when spoken to.  But in the kitchen, well, they get to control the conversation.  They get to learn their manners, but no one gets upset if they have a few lapses.”

 

Victoria had protested, “Now, we never get onto them about their manners, Peter.”

 

“No, but they’ve been brought up with the understanding that eating in the dining room is a privilege and they must behave so, even here, they’re aware that at least their mother and I are going to be watching them.  In the kitchen, we give them lots more freedom,” her son had said patiently.  “Besides, if we let the children eat early in the kitchen, then supper is more relaxing for both Sam and me.  We’re not worrying about spilt milk or dropped forks.”

 

Victoria had acquiesced to her son’s wishes and now Peter and Samantha were overseeing their children’s supper in the kitchen.  Peter found it interesting that the rest of the family had found excuses to stop by and join in the animated conversations.  The children were all being relatively good.  Oh, there was Nicky’s gulping of the peas and Lizzie V.’s tendency to drop food she didn’t like on the floor, but these transgressions were met with gentle admonishments.  And the laughter and the children’s delightful conversations overrode all those moments.  At one point, Peter had grinned and winked at his mother as she was passing through the kitchen, and Victoria had smiled and acknowledged the comfort of the mealtime in the kitchen with a nod of her head.  Samantha saw her mother-in-law’s actions and sighed.  She had a feeling she wouldn’t have to fight this particular battle again.

 

Christmas Eve Eve, as Peter cheerfully dubbed the day, had been wonderful.  Just Peter’s presence made it better than the prior day.  He had cajoled all his brothers into going riding with him and his sons.  The crisp morning air had turned all their cheeks red and earned them a scolding from the ladies of the household.  Hot chocolates for the children and toddies for the adults were served to offset the cold.  Peter had convinced Sam not to make an issue about everyone being together for lunch in the dining room in exchange for getting his mother to allow them to return to the children’s regular routine for the evening meal.  So lunch was a noisy affair as the little boys told all about their morning adventure.  After afternoon naps for both Lizzie V. and Nicky, the fun had continued with games in the billiards room and a trip down to the barn to check out the kittens and puppies and other animals.  Now, finally, the children’s day was wearing down.

 

After their supper, the children were bathed and dressed for bed by their mother, grandmother, and aunt.  They were then turned over to Senora Carrillo while the adults prepared for their own supper and the community dance they would be attending in town.  Victoria had to admit that the evening meal was much more relaxed with only the adults at the table.  The bantering among the group was lighthearted, both Samantha and Barton entering in with ease.  She couldn’t help but feel a measure of pride as she surveyed the table, all of them dressed in their party clothes, all of them laughing, the conversation sparkling.

 

“So, Sam, did the doc really say that you could be going out partying like this?” Nick interrogated her.

 

“Nick, I’m not an invalid and, yes, I can go to a little community dance,” she wrinkled her nose at him.

 

“Tell him how many dances you get to dance,” Peter reminded her.

 

She rolled her eyes and replied a little bitterly, “Oh, that old fuddy-duddy told me I could only dance four dances.  That’s just ridiculous.”

 

“Now, Samantha, if that’s what your doctor told you,” Victoria started.

 

“I know, I know,” Samantha sighed, “I have to do what he says.  Believe me, I’ve already had that preached to me by my husband.”

 

“Yeah and we’re gonna be sure you follow directions,” Nick punctuated his pronouncement with a wave of his fork.

 

“Oh, please,” she groaned.  “Are you going to be my warden again?”

 

“If need be,” he informed her.

 

She curled her lip and growled at him which drew a chuckle and a soft rebuke from Jarrod, “You two behave, please.  There are times that the two of you act more like brother and sister than brother-in-law and sister-in-law.”

 

Samantha swung her eyes to the oldest brother, “Is there any difference?”

 

Jarrod’s eyes softened, “In this family, I guess not.”

 

“Say, you’ll never guess who came into the bank last week,” Peter suddenly remembered some gossip to share.

 

“Well, if we’re never going to be able to guess then perhaps you’ll allow us to forego the anguish and just tell us,” Jarrod teased his younger brother.

 

Peter threw his eldest brother an irritated look.  Did the man not understand the concept of a figure of speech?  However, he just said, “Old man Montero.”

 

Whatever Peter expected, the silence that greeted his announcement wasn’t one of the reactions that he had ever anticipated.  It was Victoria who finally broke the silence, “Don Alfredo?”

 

Peter tried to figure out the undercurrents of emotions that were circling around him, “Yep, el patron himself.”

 

Again there was a long silence.  Peter got the distinct impression that everyone was trying not to look at Heath.  Now what was that about?  Jarrod was the one who finally spoke, “What was Don Montero doing at your bank?”

 

“That’s the interesting thing,” Peter’s eyes swept over the table.  “He’s sold his ranch here.”

 

“What?” Nick boomed.

 

“We handled the mortgage for the buyer,” Barton interjected.

 

“Damn, I hadn’t even heard it was on the market.  Who the hell bought it?” Nick demanded.

 

“Nicholas, please,” Victoria scolded.

 

“Rancher from down south name of Mark Cramer,” Peter explained.  “We’d handled the sale of some of his land a few months ago.  Seems like a good fellow, should be a good neighbor to you.”

 

“Strange that Don Alfredo didn’t put it up for sale here in the valley,” Nick attacked his roast beef.  “There’s any number of folks around here who would have been interested in the property . . . us included.”

 

“Well, it was pretty much a done deal by the time they showed up at our bank,” the younger brother shrugged his shoulders.  He hoped Nick wasn’t angry about not getting a chance to make an offer on the land, but the deal really had been completed by the time Peter had learned about it.  “I think the don was in a big hurry to settle it.  I guess the ranch was his daughter’s dowry but his new son-in-law wasn’t interested in it so they sold it.  I didn’t even know Don Alfredo had a daughter.”

 

The silence at the table was deafening.  Again, Peter’s eyes swept around the table.  Only Sam and Bart looked confused; everyone else just looked terribly uncomfortable.  Heath said softly, “Maria.”

 

“Huh?” Peter focused on his newest brother.

 

“Don Alfredo’s daughter’s name is Maria,” Heath replied.

 

“Oh,” Peter could think of nothing else to say.  He had the distinct feeling that he should have kept his bit of gossip to himself.

 

Heath took a deep breath and looked up and down the table, “Well, you folks can take your time but I got a pretty lady in town waiting on me.  I’ll see you all at the dance.”

 

“Sure,” Nick blustered as he watched Heath slowly stand and then turn to leave.  “We’ll see you there.”

 

The whole room seemed to hold its breath until they could hear the distant sound of the front door closing.  Nick then turned angry eyes onto his younger brother and hissed, “Way to go, Pete.”

 

“What?” Peter raised his hands in honest confusion.

 

Their mother started to explain, “Don Alfredo and Maria came back to the valley a few years ago.  Maria and Heath grew very close . . . .”

 

“Grew very close!” Nick interrupted.  “He asked her to marry him and she agreed.”

 

“What happened?” Samantha asked in confusion.

 

“Don Alfredo did not approve of Heath,” her mother-in-law replied, her tone bitter.

 

“Maria ending up choosing her father over Heath,” Jarrod added.  “They left the valley, and their ranch has been run by the overseer ever since.”

 

Audra volunteered, “I’m not sure Heath has ever gotten over Maria.”

 

“Oh, jeez, I’m sorry,” Peter looked around the table.  “I’m sorry, I didn’t know.”

 

“Well, hell, you should have known,” Nick snapped.

 

“Nicholas,” Victoria started.

 

Peter interrupted, “Now how the hell am I supposed to know.  No one ever mentioned this and I wasn’t here.”

 

“Peter,” Victoria admonished the other son.

 

“That’s just the point.  You weren’t here and you should have been,” Nick shot back.

 

“Nick, we’ve been through this,” the younger brother said hotly.

 

“No, the hell we haven’t,” Nick pushed himself back from the table and stood.  “You had no business staying away 14 years.  You should have come back years ago and then you would have known.  Then you wouldn’t have said things that hurt Heath.”

 

“Quit protecting Heath.  He’s a big boy,” Peter unconsciously rose from his seat so that he could meet his brother’s stare levelly.  “I’ll tell him I’m sorry and he’ll understand.”

 

“Saying you’re sorry won’t take away the hurt,” Nick shook his finger at Peter.

 

“Quit waving that damn finger in my face or I’ll break it off,” his brother growled.

 

“Damn it, brothers, this isn’t the place,” Jarrod started.

 

“Shut up,” Nick and Peter responded in unison.

 

“Nicholas, Peter,” Victoria assumed her most authoritative manner.  “I will not allow fighting at this table.”

 

Nick continued to glare at his brother and finally spat out, “Outside?”

 

“Works for me,” Peter snapped back as he tossed down the napkin he had been gripping.

 

The whole table sat stunned as they watched Nick turn on his heel and stalk out with Peter striding purposefully behind him.

 

“Well, what the hell was that all about?” Eugene broke the silence that the two angry men had left in their wake.

 

“Eugene!” Victoria scolded.  Good heavens, what had happened to her boys?  None of them seemed to be able to talk without saying a swear word.

 

“Sorry, Mother,” her youngest at least had the good sense to drop his head.  “But I sure don’t understand what just happened.”

 

Samantha sighed softly, “I guess there’s a few unresolved issues between Peter and Nick.”

 

 

 

Chapter 3

 

Only the sound of boots crunching gravel and the fog of angry breaths in the crisp air marked the passage of the two men.  Not a word was said as the brothers stepped into cold barn.  They faced off, eyes flashing, fists clenched.  Nick raised his fists and Peter automatically brought his hands up to meet the challenge.  However, neither man moved close enough to throw a punch.  For several moments they simply glared at each other.

 

Finally, Nick took a step to close the distance between them but his fists wavered, “Look, we better take our jackets off before we do this.  Don’t want to get all messed up.”

 

Peter frowned but then nodded and said cautiously, “All right.”

 

Both men shed their dress coats and resumed their fighting stances, their crisp white dress shirts and braided leather suspenders accentuating their broad shoulders, their cufflinks glittering in the lamp light illuminating the barn’s interior.  Both brothers rocked on the balls of their feet, each eyeing the other suspiciously.

 

Peter broke the silence this time, “Look, same rules as when we were kids.  No punches in the face.”

 

Nick snorted, “That was so Mother wouldn’t know we were fighting.  She knows why we came out here.”

 

“Yeah, well, we’ve got the family picture scheduled for next week.  I’ll never hear the end of it from Sam if we have black eyes or fat lips.”

 

“Oh,” the older brother dropped his fists for a moment as he contemplated the younger’s statement.  “Yeah, you’re probably right.  We best not throw any face punches.”

 

“All right,” Peter gave a sharp nod, “let’s do it.”

 

Nick again raised his fists and shifted his weight back and forth, but he still didn’t throw his punch.  Peter shadowed his brother’s moves, but he also kept his fists tucked close to his chest.  After a few moments, Nick sighed loudly and dropped his hands, “Damn it, Pete, what the hell are we doing?”

 

“Damned if I know,” Peter snorted.  “This was your idea.”

 

Nick turned and walked to the stall that held Coco.  He reached out to gently stroke the horse’s neck.  Peter put his hands on his hips and shifted to lean against a post.  He waited; this was Nick’s party.

 

The older brother was uncharacteristically silent as he continued to pat his old pony.  When Nick finally turned to face him, Peter was stunned by the pain in his brother’s eyes.  “Pete,” Nick whispered, “I’m not even sure why I’m so angry at you.  It’s just that I feel the same way I do sometimes when I think about what Father did, being with Heath’s mother and then never going back to check.  How he robbed Heath of the life he should have had, how he robbed us of growing up with our little brother.  Sometimes I feel like he wasn’t just unfaithful to Mother; he was unfaithful to all of us.  He didn’t believe strong enough in us as a family. And, sometimes, when I think about you running off, about all the years you stayed away, I kinda think you didn’t believe in us enough either.  That you robbed us of a lot, too.”

 

Peter took a deep breath and let it out in a long sigh, “Nick, I’ve tried to explain.”

 

“I know, Petey, I know,” his brother interrupted.  “I know you suffered and a part of me understands that you were punishing yourself by staying away from us.  But you gotta know you punished all of us by doing it.  You stole so many memories from us all.”

 

“Nick, I’m sorry,” Peter started.

 

“That’s just it, Petey.  Like I told you before, being sorry don’t take away the hurt.  I know you’re sorry, but I still hurt.  I still hurt for all we lost, all the things we can never get back.”

 

Peter’s eyes dropped and he unconsciously scuffed his boot in the dirt floor, “Nick, I don’t know what to do.  I can’t change the past.  I can only try to do better in the future.”

 

“The future,” Nick whispered.  He walked away from the stall and sank down on a bale of hay.

 

“Yeah, the future,” Peter joined his brother on the hay bale.

 

“You know, Petey, I think that’s part of the problem.  I just can’t see what our future is gonna be,” Nick stared straight ahead.

 

“Well, shoot, Nick.  None of us are fortunetellers,” Peter snorted.

 

“I’m not saying that I want to know exactly what’s gonna happen; I’m saying I’m just wondering if you’re gonna be a part of our futures.  It just seems that even though you moved back to California you really haven’t come back to the family.  We hardly see you, rarely hear from you.  Sam seems more like part of the family than you do.”

 

Peter was offended, “Damn it, Nick, I’ve got a bank to run.  I can’t be running back to Stockton all the time just to spend time with the family.”

 

“Just to spend time with the family?” Nick repeated bitterly.

 

“I didn’t mean it that way, Nick,” the younger brother grimaced.

 

“Your words were pretty plain, Petey.  It’s pretty damn clear that we can expect to have you around only when it’s convenient for you.”

 

“That’s not the way I want it,” Peter instantly denied the assertion.  “It’s just that I’ve got a lot of commitments, to my stockholders, to my employees, to my customers.”

 

“But not to your family?”

 

“Of course, Sam and the children are my first commitment.”

 

“Sam and the children but not the rest of us,” Nick said flatly.

 

Peter was getting thoroughly irritated with his big brother, “Nick, I care about the family.  I left New Orleans to be closer to you, I took off and went to Indian Springs last spring, I took care of Gene when he was sick, when Gene and Jarrod are in town we spend time together, I’ve brought my family to the ranch for all the holidays.”

 

“Well, thanks for making time for us in your busy schedule, little brother,” Nick vaulted to his feet and began pacing.  “Can’t tell you how much it means to us when you favor us with your presence for a couple of days.  I’ll also remind you that you didn’t come for Thanksgiving,” not adding ‘or for my birthday’ because that sounded just too childish.

 

“Nick, we just couldn’t get away for Thanksgiving.  I’m doing the best I can,” he snapped as he also rose to his feet.

 

“Well, little brother, I’m getting the feeling that your best just ain’t gonna be good enough.  That you ain’t ever gonna really be part of this family.  That you ain’t ever really gonna know what’s important to this family, know what hurts us, what makes us happy.”

 

Peter jabbed his fists on his hips, “Just because I didn’t happen to know that Heath once had a thing for Don Montero’s daughter I don’t know anything about the family?  I think that’s a pretty brutal judgment.”

 

“It wasn’t just a thing,” Nick glared at his younger brother.  “He cared for her the way you care for Sam.  And it damn near broke his heart when she left.  And now, right here at Christmas, you had the nerve to just throw it into his face that she’d married someone else.”

 

“I didn’t know, Nick,” Peter replied through gritted teeth.  “I wouldn’t have said anything if I had known.”

 

“But you didn’t know,” it was Heath’s voice that answered him.

 

Both Nick and Peter turned toward the barn door; both flushed at the sight of their younger brother, embarrassed by what he might have heard.

 

“Thought you’d gone on into town,” Nick blustered.

 

“Took a walk, just to clear my head,” Heath led Charger into the barn and then stepped into the tack room to pick up his saddle and bridle.

 

“You all right?” the hazel eyes were gentle.

 

“I’m fine, Nick,” Heath began to saddle Charger.

 

Peter took a deep breath and tried to figure out the right thing to say, “Look, Heath, I’m real sorry for saying what I said.”

 

“It’s all right, Pete, I’m glad to know Maria’s doing all right,” he adjusted the cinch and dropped the stirrups down.

 

“Yeah, well, as Nick so kindly pointed out to me, dropping that news on you right at Christmas time was not very considerate.”

 

“Pete,” Heath picked up the reins and urged the horse toward the door, “you didn’t know.  There’s no way you could have known.  Don’t worry about it.  Now, I gotta get to town.  Like I told you, there’s a pretty lady waiting for me there.  See ya at the dance, brothers.”

 

“See ya, Heath,” Peter answered automatically.

 

“Heath,” Nick’s voice was curt but his eyes spoke volumes.  His heart hurt for his little brother.  Heath just gave him a small half smile and swung up on Charger.  With a squeeze of his legs he signaled the horse to move forward.  In just a moment, darkness swallowed him up and only the sound of hoofbeats marked his passage.

 

Nick and Peter exchanged cold looks and then Nick mumbled, “I’m gonna saddle Coco and head into town, too.  I’ll see you there.”

 

“All right,” Peter managed to nod.  “I’ll hook up the surrey and the buggy and then go in and get the family.”

 

As both turned silently to their tasks, both realized that although no punches had been thrown, things were worse between them now.  And neither could think of anything to say or do to make things better.

 

 

 

Chapter 4

 

Victoria’s eyes scanned the room for her family.  Her chest rose and fell in a contented sigh; they all looked as if they were enjoying themselves.  Audra and Barton were dancing together, lost in each other’s eyes.  Victoria wondered if there would be an announcement made soon.  And, perhaps Peter’s revelation about Maria Montero had not been that upsetting for Heath.  Certainly, her younger son seemed to be enjoying his evening with Evie Pratt.  The young woman had been in Stockton for about six months, working at one of the dressmaker’s shops.  In the surreptitious way of all mothers, Victoria had learned that Evie was, in fact, an orphan, having been raised in an orphanage near Salinas after her parents had died of fever.  She had learned her craft there and had worked at several shops before coming to Stockton.  She was a nice, polite, pleasant-looking young woman, obviously hardworking.  And, Victoria thought a little uncharitably, obviously looking for a husband.  Of course, she silently scolded herself, Heath could do much worse that Evie . . . but Victoria sometimes thought that Heath carefully picked his lady friends based upon their lack of an attentive family.  He seemed to want to ensure that he would not be rejected again because of a protective family’s disapproval of his parentage.  Victoria worried that he actually considered some young women outside his reach, and her heart naturally ached for her son.  Once again she chastised Tom for his failure to protect this child of his.

 

Her eyes shifted from where Heath and Evie were moving around the dance floor to where Gene was standing with three of his former schoolmates.  They were all sipping punch and laughing.  Her youngest son was talking animatedly, his hands moving through the air as he described some scene.  It was so hard for her to believe how much Eugene had grown in the last year.  He was no longer a boy.  Her darling baby boy was a young man now, ready to embark upon a career.  He had applied to Harvard University in Massachusetts to begin his medical studies next fall.  Jarrod, of course, was thrilled at the prospect that his baby brother might attend his alma mater.  Victoria’s heart ached just a little at the idea of her baby being so far away . . . but Eugene needed the opportunity to be on his own, she knew.  He had spent too many years in the shadow of his formidable older brothers.

 

Nick now moved into her view, gracefully waltzing Annie McKenzie across the dance floor.  He was smiling broadly and laughing, obviously at ease with the young woman.  Hopefully his happy demeanor meant that the angry words at the supper table and whatever had occurred between Nick and Peter in the barn had not ruined his evening.  Victoria knew that Nick had not asked Annie to allow him to escort her to the party; as was too often the case, Nick had come to the dance without a woman on his elbow.  He seemed to prefer coming to the community events without a companion, spending his evening dancing with other men’s dates or women who had come unescorted.  Victoria worried about him; it had been so long since he had shown a serious attraction to any woman.  There had been many passing fancies, but nothing that lasted more than a few weeks.  Nick needed a good woman to anchor him, she thought.  As she watched Nick deliver the young woman back to John Anderson, no doubt her escort for the evening, Victoria hoped that perhaps in this new year Nick would find someone.

 

And that wish immediately brought her eldest to mind.  Dear Jarrod, she sighed.  So often he seemed as if he were pulling himself out of the depression that had surrounded him since Beth’s death, but then something would happen and she would see the despair in his eyes again.  She wished he, too, would find someone.  Always the gentleman, he would attend social activities.  Like Nick, he escorted no one . . . almost as if he thought that would mean he was being disloyal to Beth.  Unlike Nick, he very rarely danced with anyone.  She knew that he had only danced three times this evening, once with her, once with Audra, and once with Samantha.  Victoria thought it was interesting that Samantha had given up one of her four dances to be with her brother-in-law.  The young woman had pointedly turned down her other brothers-in-law, saying she wanted to save her dances for “my Peter.”  Victoria knew that Samantha also worried about Jarrod; and she suspected her daughter-in-law was on the lookout for the “right woman” for her husband’s “Pappy.”  Although she generally frowned upon meddling, Victoria secretly hoped that Samantha did, indeed, find someone for Jarrod . . . even if it was just a short-lived romance.  Tom, indelicately, would have said that it was time for Jarrod to get back on the horse.

 

At this moment, Jarrod, Peter, and Samantha were standing together, talking and sipping punch.  Peter also looked relaxed and happy, so, again, Victoria surmised that the angry words of earlier in the evening had been put aside by the brothers.  Samantha was swaying to the music and teasingly pulled on Peter’s arm, but her husband shook his finger at her.  Samantha had already danced her four dances, Victoria realized, and was trying to talk Peter into just one more.  Peter, however, was being firm; he was so protective of his family.  Despite the fact Samantha had safely carried three children, Peter would probably insist that she follow her physician’s instructions to the letter.  Thinking of her newest grandchild, who was due to make its appearance in the spring, Victoria’s smile softened and her chest again rose and fell in a contented sigh.  She was still watching Peter, Samantha, and Jarrod, so she immediately saw the change in Peter’s face . . . and then Jarrod stiffen and his features harden.  Her eyes followed their harsh stares.  For a heartbeat, she couldn’t place the man who had stepped into the hall.

 

And then the name came to her.  Josiah Crowne.  What was Hannibal Jordan’s minion doing at a Stockton community dance?  How could someone from the Coastal and Western management think they would be welcomed at a Stockton social event?  It had only been three years ago that there had been open warfare between the railroad’s army of hired gunmen and the denizens of the valley.  A truce had been reached, but it was an uneasy one.  And Josiah Crowne’s presence here could only cause pain.

 

She watched as Crowne walked directly to where Jarrod, Peter, and Samantha stood.  Surprisingly it was Peter who first spoke, “What the hell are you doing here, Crowne?”

 

“Just paying a holiday visit to one of the towns on the Coastal and Western route,” the other man smiled.   “And just thought I would take the opportunity to readdress the business opportunity we talked about earlier this week.”

 

“Business opportunity?” Jarrod’s voice was sharp.

 

Peter stopped Crowne from replying, “The Coastal and Western approached us with a plan for the Exchange to manage some of their financing.  We passed on the opportunity.”

 

“Which was a very short sighted decision, I believe,” Crowne interjected.

 

“Short sighted or not, I think I made it very clear that the Exchange would never do business with the Coastal and Western,” Peter replied.

 

“Well, I’m wondering how your board of directors will react when they find out that you turned down a very lucrative deal,” Crowne rolled the cigar between his fingers.

 

“They might not be happy, but I am in a position to control the activities of the bank,” Peter said quietly.

 

“Oh, but you don’t hold a controlling interest in the exchange,” Crowne corrected.

 

“No, but my partner and I do, and we have an agreement that we’ll always vote together.”

 

“Always is a very long time.  Are you sure that Mr. Stievers will always vote with you, especially if you suddenly find your stockholders undercutting the value of your bank as they sell out in order to distance themselves from you?” Crowne prodded.

 

Before Peter could answer, Barton firm voice came from the side of the room, “Always is a simple concept.  Always is just that, always.”

 

“A bold statement, Mr. Stievers.  And an incredible commitment to someone who has only been your partner for less than a year,” Crowne expressed his skepticism with a raised eyebrow.  He wasn’t surprised to see Barkley’s partner here.  His informants had told him that Stievers was spending time in Stockton on occasion . . . and often in the company of young Miss Barkley.  But Crowne doubted that it was anything serious; Stievers was known for his dashing bachelor ways.  He had been seen escorting dozens of women in the months since he had moved to San Francisco.

 

“As you know, Mr. Crowne, in business, one learns to trust one’s instincts.  It’s often the only way decisions can be made expeditiously and, thereby, garner the desired result,” Barton replied calmly.  “My instincts about Peter Barkley have always proven correct.  Trust me, we will always vote together.”

 

“So, Crowne, I think your visit here was a waste,” Peter said pointedly.  “It would be good if you left.”

 

And then Crowne made an incredible miscalculation, “One would think that a man who has a wife and small children would be more circumspect in his business decisions.”

 

Crowne wasn’t sure what response he expected but it wasn’t the look of pure rage that flared in Peter Barkley’s blue eyes.  Instinctively he took a step back, but Barkley moved forward to close the distance between them.  Crowne instantly regretted his decision to come to Stockton to try to push the banker brother into dealing with the railroad.  The coalition of railroads and progressive banking institutes had always been a powerful alliance in the communities served by the railroad.  The combination could virtually control the business and politics of a city, a very lucrative position to be in.  Jordan and the Coastal and Western were trying to accomplish just this in San Francisco, and the Exchange was considered a critical part of their plan.  As he watched Barkley raise his clenched fist, Crowne actually now feared for his life.  He knew that his bodyguards would not reach him in time to stop Barkley’s actions and he instinctively cringed as he prepared for the blows that he knew were about to fall.

 

And then there was the sudden flash of color as someone stepped between them.

 

“Hello, Mr. Crowne.  I am Samantha Barkley,” her voice was incredibly calm and almost friendly.  “I heard you mention our children.  Perhaps you would like to see pictures of them.”

 

Crowne just stared at the beautiful young woman who now stood between him and Peter Barkley.  Barkley’s wife, he realized, a tiny, fine-boned woman, delicate in appearance and, apparently from her loose-fitting dress, carrying another child.  His informants had not told him this.  They had also not told him about the fire that burned in her incredible green eyes.  His eyes flickered from her face to Peter Barkley’s countenance.  The man was looking down at his wife now, a deep frown creasing his forehead.

 

Her voice brought Crowne’s eyes back to her face.  She had moved her hands to the pearl necklace that encircled her slender neck.  “Peter gave me this necklace last Christmas.   Each locket has a picture of one of our children,” her fingers moved to the first golden locket.  “This is our daughter, our baby.  Her name is Lisette Victoria but we call her Lizzie V.  She was named for both her grandmothers.  She favors my mother, Lisette, in looks, but she very much takes after her Grandmother Victoria in temperament.  Lizzy V. is a strong-willed little lady.  She, most certainly, will always be in control of her life and, I suspect, she will grow into the kind of woman who will see it her duty to do her best to take care of those around her, particularly her family.”

 

Samantha hesitated for a moment as if to give the man a chance to respond, but he seemed truly stunned by her actions so she continued smoothly, “And this is our younger son, Nicholas Robert.  I believe that you know my brother-in-law, Nick Barkley.  Our Nicky is so much like his namesake, the same energy, the same passion for life, the same sense of loyalty.  He’ll be just like his Uncle Nick; he’ll assume the responsibility of protecting his whole family.”

 

Crowne did, indeed, know Nick Barkley.  His eyes left the face of the beautiful young woman and found the brooding hazel eyes of her child’s namesake.  If the rage in Peter Barkley’s eyes had shaken him, the cold fury in Nick Barkley’s chilled his very soul.  He jerked his look from the man’s face back to that of the young Mrs. Barkley.

 

Samantha opened the last locket, “This is our oldest.  He was named for both his grandfathers . . . Thomas Henri Barkley, but Peter insisted that we call him Tom; he said that the world needed another Tom Barkley.  Our Tom is an amazing young man.  For such a little boy, he understands so much of what is happening around him.  He’s been to his Grandfather Tom’s grave; he knows that his namesake, his Grandfather Tom, was killed by evil men working for the railroad.  He wonders about the injustice of it all.  We can’t explain it to him; we just have to tell him that sometimes bad things happen and we all just have to work to try to be sure that they don’t happen again.  I think he’ll be most like his Uncle Jarrod in that respect; he’ll always be striving to correct injustices.”

 

Again, Samantha hesitated to allow Crowne to respond and again the man held his tongue.  This time her hand moved from the last locket to gently touch her rounded stomach and, very unconventionally, say, “And, God willing, we will be adding another locket this spring.  So you see, Mr. Crowne, there is a whole new generation of Barkleys already preparing to deal with the wrongs in the world.  So while it is true that no man lives forever, it is also true that the legacies of some men do live forever.  That is the way it is for Tom Barkley.  He may have been assassinated, but his children honor his memory and carry forward his ideals and his grandchildren will do the same.  So a railroad is just so much metal that will rust and break one day.  Tom Barkley’s legacy lives through his family and will go on forever.”

 

“Very fine words, Mrs. Barkley,” Crowne finally spoke, “but I assure you that we’re only discussing a business decision, nothing more.”

 

Samantha leaned forward and lowered her voice so that only Crowne could hear, “And I assure you Mr. Crowne that I have just saved you from my husband’s fists.  I have seen what he can do to a man when he is provoked.  I suggest you never cross him again.”  She raised her voice and added, “I am sure you have heard of the analogy of a mother bear and her cubs.  Trust me, Mr. Crowne, if you ever threaten my children again, you will come to very clearly understand the veracity of that analogy.”

 

She turned to look up into her husband’s angry face, “Peter, mon ami, I am so sorry, I suddenly feel so tired.  You know how I get during this time.  Could we please go back to the ranch?”

 

Peter’s flashing eyes flickered from Crowne to his wife and back.  Through gritted teeth, he murmured, “Of course.

 

 

 

Chapter 5

 

The ride home was made in virtual silence.  Jarrod had helped their mother into the back of the carriage, intending to let Peter and Samantha sit up front on the ride home, but Peter had lifted his wife and placed her on the back seat and then swung up on the front seat leaving the driver’s spot for Jarrod.  One look at his brother’s face stopped him from commenting on the seating arrangements.  Jarrod knew the look well; Peter was furious and he looked just like Tom Barkley at his angriest.  Nick and Eugene caught up with them before they were out of town.  Eugene was wisely keeping silent, and Nick’s few comments were pointedly ignored by Peter and drew only brief noncommittal responses from Jarrod.  By the time they were half way home, Heath had also joined them.  They had just gotten the carriage and horses put away when Barton and Audra arrived in the buggy.  Crowne’s appearance at the dance had certainly cut short the Barkleys’ festivities this evening, Jarrod thought grimly.

 

As they stepped into the house, Samantha announced to the group in general that she was going upstairs to check on the children.  Her statement brought no comment from her husband, who strolled purposely into the sitting room and poured himself a drink.  He did not offer to pour for any of the others and went to stand by the fireplace and stare into the flames.  Jarrod poured drinks for the other brothers and offered his mother a sherry when she also joined the group a few minutes later.  A short time after that, Audra and Barton also came into the sitting room and sat down together, Barton holding one of her hands between his.  As Peter continued to stare into the fire, there were a few murmured comments but generally the room was silent.  Finally, Nick could stand it no longer.

 

“Listen, Pete, given what Crowne said, maybe you need to leave the family here at the ranch for a while until we see how things work out,” Nick said in a fairly restrained voice.

 

Peter didn’t answer for several moments, seemingly lost in his thoughts.  He finally murmured, “There’s no need, Nick.”

 

“Pete,” Nick hated to intrude on his brother’s personal life, but he was truly concerned for safety of his sister-in-law and his nephews and niece.  “Pete, I think they would be safer here until things settle out a little.”

 

“There’s no need, Nick,” Peter repeated softly and then added, “because I’m going to send Sam and the children back to New Orleans for Robert to look after them.”

 

Nick and Heath exchanged a quick look.  While it was good that Pete had taken the threat that Crowne and the railroad posed seriously, it hurt some to think that he would want his brother-in-law and not his brothers to watch over his family.  Once again, Nick felt as if his little brother had come home but was still not part of the family.  He wanted to protest Pete’s decision, but he guessed it wasn’t his place.

 

Samantha Barkley, however, felt it was entirely her place to protest and she did so angrily, “No.”

 

Peter did not turn to face his angry wife who was now standing just inside the entryway, “Don’t start with me, Sam.  I’ve made my decision.”

 

Completely forgetting the room was filled with her in-laws, Samantha stormed to his side, “You are not sending us away, not to the ranch and certainly not to New Orleans.”

 

Jarrod watched as the muscle twitched in his younger brother’s jaw.  Surely Sam knew that Pete was furious.  If he was anything like their father, arguing with him in a loud voice was not a good idea.  Peter’s voice was little more than a growl as he continued to refuse to look at his wife, “Don’t argue with me, Sam.  I told you, I’ve made my decision.”

 

“It is not your decision alone to make,” she replied hotly.  “I am not a child who has decisions made for her.  I am a grown woman and I am not being sent away because of some silly man’s threat.”

 

“He is not a silly man, Sam.  He is a man who has hired guns who have killed dozens of men in the past,” Peter finally turned to face her.  “He is not a man to be taken lightly.”

 

“You and Barton obviously took him lightly or he wouldn’t have followed you to Stockton to try to change your minds,” she struck back.

 

“We did not take him lightly,” her husband spat out.  “We took him very seriously and we very seriously told him we weren’t interested in doing business with the Coastal and Western.  We did not take him to task in public.”  He shook his index finger at her, “And that little stunt of yours tonight is why I have to send you and the children away.”

 

“Ne me secoue pas le doight, Peter Barkley!” her eyes blazed.

 

“I will shake my finger at you if I damn well feel like it!”

 

Victoria had to bite her lip to keep from chastising her son.  Her eyes swept around the room; all her other children were watching the argument with varying degrees of surprise and embarrassment.  Peter and Samantha arguments had been alluded to in the past, but this was the first serious one that the family had witnessed.  If there were any way, she would have tried to make them all leave the room.  But any movement would just make Peter and Samantha more aware that there was an audience to their quarrel.

 

“I am not a child to be scolded,” her voice rose louder.  “I had every right to let that man know that he was not to ever threaten my children again.”

 

“And so you create that little spectacle and make certain that he knows exactly what you look like and what our children look like so that it’ll be that much easier for his henchmen to find you.”

 

“Oh, heavens, Peter, it’s not like half of San Francisco doesn’t already know who we are and what we look like.  He could walk past our house at any time and see me or the children in the yard.  You’re being ridiculous,” she snapped.

 

“I am not being ridiculous.  I’m just trying to figure out how to protect my family now that you’ve made a mortal enemy of a very dangerous man!”

 

“Now you’re exaggerating,” she argued.  “And I can protect myself and the children just fine.”

 

“Dammit, Sam, you weigh all of 100 pounds soaking wet.  What the hell are you going to do to stop someone from hurting you or the children?” he snorted

 

“I could shoot them,” her eyes flashed.

 

He snorted again, “You’ve never held a gun in your life.”

 

She shrugged, “Well, I could learn.”

 

“Dammit, Sam,” he repeated.  “This is not a game.  Do you not understand that there are men out there who would like nothing better than to extinguish that fire in your eyes?”  He reached out to grab her upper arms and gently shook.

 

“I know it’s not a game,” Samantha started and then gasped, “Ohh.”

 

Peter’s face changed completely.  He paled and his eyes widened, “Oh, God, Sam, I didn’t mean to hurt you!”

 

“You didn’t hurt me,” she said as she bent over.  “Cramp.”

 

Victoria gasped and started to her feet, but then Samantha added, “In my leg.”

 

Both Peter and Victoria audibly sighed.  Peter swore, “Dammit, Sam.  Don’t scare me like that.”

 

“Hurts,” she ran her hands down her right calf.

 

“Here, sit down,” Peter guided his wife to a chair and then knelt at her feet.  “Let me see.”  He pushed her hands away and began to firmly massage her calf.  After a moment, he removed her dance slipper and began to knead her instep.  He kept his head bowed over her leg, avoiding looking at her.

 

Samantha whispered, “Peter?”

 

“Hmm,” was his only response.

 

“Do you like the fire in my eyes?”

 

His head came up and, for the first time in hours, his eyes were gentle, “It was one of the reasons I fell in love with you.”

 

Her smile was shy and she blushed prettily, “Really?”

 

“Yep.” After a bit, he asked softly, “Better?”

 

“Oui,” she replied quietly.

 

“You ready to go to bed?”

 

“Oui, but would you carry me up?”

 

He grunted and then squinted at her suspiciously, “Are you sure you had a cramp?”

 

She managed a totally innocent look and defended herself, “You know I’m always getting leg cramps when I’m carrying a baby.  Please carry me.”

 

He growled softly but then stood and reached down to sweep her up in his arms.  He started out of the room and then turned to face the family.  “Good night,” he said shortly and then headed out of the room.

 

The family heard Samantha ask as he carried her upstairs, “You’re not going to send us away, are you, Peter?”

 

There was a brief silence and then her husband answered, “Nah, I’d probably die from the loneliness.”

 

Those left in the sitting room exchanged relieved looks.

 

“Well, that was interesting,” Barton ventured cautiously.

 

“Most assuredly,” Jarrod agreed, raising his glass in acknowledgement.

 

“They do get loud, don’t they,” Nick chuckled.

 

“Not any louder than you get, big brother,” Heath teased, which drew a grunt from Nick and a laugh from Eugene.

 

Audra was the one who asked the question that still lingered, “Do you think Samantha and the children are in any danger?”

 

Looks were exchanged among the brothers and finally Nick shrugged, “I expect that Pete can see to them fine.”

 

Jarrod nodded, “I think, perhaps, we all overreacted to Crowne’s presence and his statement about a man with a wife and children.  Perhaps it really wasn’t a threat.”

 

“I hope you’re right, Jarrod,” Victoria murmured.  “Now, children, if you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll retire for the evening.  I will see you all at breakfast tomorrow morning.”

 

A chorus of “good nights” heralded her exit.  After a bit, the others began to drift from the room until only Jarrod, Barton, and Audra were left.  Jarrod finished the last of his brandy and then smiled at the couple, “I bet you two would like to have a little time alone.”

 

Barton started, “No, that’s fine . . . .”

 

“That would be nice, Jarrod,” Audra interrupted, her eyes twinkling mischievously.

 

Her eldest brother chuckled, his eyes twinkling just as hers were, “All right, honey, I guess I can take a hint.  I’ll see you both tomorrow morning.  Good night, honey.  Good night, Barton.”

 

“Good night,” Barton’s voice held a laugh.  He shook his head at Audra’s boldness.  God, she was such a delight to him.  For a moment he just looked down into her eyes and then he leaned forward to capture her lips with his.  She met his kiss fully, and they enjoyed the sensations that flowed through both of them.  He slowly broke the kiss.  He lifted the hand that he had held between his and uncovered it, revealing the brilliant sapphire and diamond ring on the ring finger of her left hand.  He bent his head to kiss the finger.  “Are you disappointed that we didn’t tell your family tonight?”

 

“No,” she whispered as she used her free hand to raise his face to hers again and then brushed his lips with hers.  “The mood wasn’t right.  And, really, I love the idea that it’s our secret for just tonight.  Tomorrow morning . . . tomorrow morning we’ll surprise them all and then there will be all this flurry of activity as Mother and Sam start talking about wedding plans and the boys tease you about being caught.  Tonight, though, it’s our secret and all we need to think about is how we’re going to spend all of our tomorrows together.”

 

“Hmm,” he murmured as he leaned in for another kiss and he moved his arms to wrap them around her.  “I like the sound of that.  All of our tomorrows.  I love you, Audra.”

 

“I love you, too, Barton,” she said simply and curled her arms around his neck.  Before she gave herself totally over to the wonder of the feelings that his kisses and caresses brought, she contemplated for a moment the wonder of finally understanding how it felt to be loved and to love.

 

 

 

Chapter 6

 

Jarrod leaned against the platform railing of the railway station and checked his watch again.  The afternoon train was running late . . . again.  While he generally did not mind waiting for trains, he wasn’t sure why he was the one who had to meet this particular train.  He hadn’t even planned to go to the office today, but Samantha had cajoled him into being the family member who met the photographer from San Francisco.  It seemed as if Peter would have been a better choice; he, at least, knew this person.  But Sam had prevailed upon Jarrod’s sense of fairness . . . it seemed only right that Peter got to stay with his family.  His children were still reveling in the joy of the Christmas season, and Peter should get to be the one to share that . . . Jarrod guessed.  He sighed softly; he hated missing out on all the fun.  He wished the train would arrive soon.

 

His mind skipped over scenes from the last few days.  The family seemed to have recovered from the discord caused both by Pete’s announcement about Maria Montero’s marriage and by Josiah Crowne’s appearance at the social.  While the situations had not been truly resolved, their impact had not destroyed the season. Certainly, Christmas had been delightful.  While Christmas had always been a wonderful time in the Barkley household, this one had been especially memorable.  Having small children in the house seemed to add such a special dimension to the celebration.  Jarrod’s niece and nephews seemed to embody the wonder of the season.

 

And while watching their delight over their many gifts had been enjoyable what had truly touched Jarrod was their earnest reverence to the celebration of the Christ child’s birth.  Peter and Samantha and their children had attended the afternoon Christmas Eve church service with the family at the community church, but they had also stayed for midnight Mass at the mission after the whole family attended the annual Christmas show presented by the children at the orphanage.  Peter and Samantha also took the children to the Christmas Day Masses.  One look from Mother had silenced brother Nick’s grumble about all the time Peter and his family were spending in church.  When Nicky had picked up his Uncle Nick’s protest, Samantha had just smiled and explained about Holy Days.  The little boy quickly understood that there would be many, many days after Christmas Day to play with his toys and ride the pony that had been given to him by his uncles.  First they had to spend time in church thanking God for Baby Jesus.

 

And, a smile curled Jarrod’s lips, this Christmas would always be remembered as the Christmas that Audra and Barton had announced their engagement.  The scene of Nick being the first to notice the ring on Audra’s left hand the morning after the social and his loud shout announcing his discovery would long be remembered by the family.  Breakfast was forgotten as Audra and Barton were alternately congratulated and scolded for not sharing the news sooner.

 

In the days since, the family discussions had alternated between wedding plans and descriptions of the children’s antics.  Audra had forewarned her mother that she had no intentions of waiting the traditional year for her wedding.

 

“No, I want an early summer wedding, here at the house, in the garden,” she had announced.  “I have to wait until Sam is back on her feet and” she grinned at her sister-in-law, “has her figure back so she can be my matron of honor.”

 

“Oh,” Samantha’s eyes had rounded in surprise.  “I thought perhaps you would want one of your friends from here in Stockton.”

 

“Oh, I’ll have Emma, Polly, and Clare as my bridesmaids but, of course, my only sister will be my matron of honor,” Audra had replied calmly.  “Jarrod will give me away, Peter will be Barton’s best man, and Nick, Heath, and Gene will be the groomsmen.”

 

“I’ll be what?” Peter had snorted.

 

“Best man,” his sister had ignored his tone.  “You’re Barton’s partner so, of course, he wants you to be his best man.  He’s already said so.”

 

Peter had turned to stare at Barton, “You did?”

 

“As a matter of fact, I did,” Barton had backed up his fiancée.

 

“Sounds as if you’ve got it all planned out, Audra,” Gene had teased.  “What makes you think I’m going to dress up in a monkey suit to be a groomsman?”

 

She had reached over to tug his ear, “Because you’re my little brother and you always do what I ask.”

 

“So you got a date for this wedding, Sis?” Nick had grumbled.  “Best not be when I’ve got a roundup planned.”

 

“It’ll be mid June, Nick,” she had informed him with utter assurance.  “With the baby due mid April that will give Sam plenty of time to get back on her feet.  And we’ll still be able to make the trip up to Indian Springs in May.”

 

“Oh, Audra,” Victoria had protested.  “With all the preparations for the wedding, I don’t see how we’ll have time to go up to Indian Springs.”  She didn’t add the obvious that there was no way that Samantha and the baby would be able to go to Indian Springs this year and she doubted that Peter would leave them.

 

“We can’t miss our trip to the springs, Mother,” Audra had been askance.  “We’ll have plenty of time, I’m sure.  I already know what I want my dress to look like.  I thought I would go back to San Francisco with Peter and Samantha and see Madame Alexander and get her started on it.  I’ll come back here and you and I can work on the plans for the wedding.  I’ll go back to San Francisco at the first of February for the fittings and take all the measurements for the attendants’ dresses.  We’ll spend February and most of March here at the ranch finishing up the arrangements.  You’ll want to go to the city sometime late in March to wait for the baby’s arrival.  The girls can come up for their fittings so we can get the dresses all finished up . . . well except for Sam’s dress.  By the end of April we should have everything all done, so there’s no reason why we can’t go up to the springs late in May.”

 

“Dang, Audra, you HAVE got this all planned out,” Heath had shaken his head.

 

She had laughed and turned to smile at Barton, “Of course, I do.  I’ve been planning this wedding since I was six.  I just had to wait until the leading man arrived.”

 

Chuckling to himself, Jarrod pulled himself back to the present.  He heard the train’s whistle in the distance.  Good, it wouldn’t be much longer.  He had been a little surprised when Mother had gone along with Sam’s suggestion that they use this San Francisco photographer for this year’s family picture.  They had always used the Stockton photographer.  However, when he had seen the framed photograph of the three children that Sam and Pete had given Mother for Christmas, Jarrod had to admit the man was incredibly skilled.  He had posed the children with Tom and Lizzie V. sitting with a large storybook across their laps and Nicky leaning over the arm of the chair.  What made the picture so special, however, was the expression on each child’s face.  Somehow the photographer had captured the essence of each . . . the quiet intelligence of Tom, the wide-eyed wonder of Lizzie V., and the absolute exuberance of Nicky.

 

As the train steamed into the station, Jarrod reflected that it might be interesting to see how the family was portrayed in this year’s family photo.  Tucking his hands in his pockets he scanned the disembarking passengers for the photographer.  But none of the men getting off the train seemed to be lugging the boxes of equipment that generally accompanied a photographer.  He had about decided that the photographer had missed the train, when a woman in a business suit stepped from the train bearing two valises.  She turned to a porter who was trailing her and directed him to set two other cases next to her.

 

Jarrod strolled over and cautiously greeted her, “Hello, I’m Jarrod Barkley.  You wouldn’t happen to be the assistant for a photographer who’s coming from San Francisco to do a family portrait, would you?”

 

The woman looked him up and down, her expression definitely cool.  Jarrod mentally kicked himself for not remembering to ask Samantha what the name of the photographer was.  “I’m sorry,” he started.

 

“Actually, I happen to be THE photographer whom Peter and Samantha Barkley contracted with,” she interrupted.

 

“Oh, I see,” Jarrod swallowed hard, again mentally kicking himself for assuming the photographer was a man.  “Well, um, I’m Peter’s brother, Jarrod.  He and Sam asked me to meet your train and drive you out to the ranch.  May I get your bags for you?”

 

“You can help me with my cases,” she said shortly.  “Where’s your buggy?”

 

He nodded toward the buggy inscribed with the Barkley ranch insignia and then bent to pick up the two cases that the porter had left.  By the time he reached the buggy, she had placed her valises in the back and then climbed in by herself.  He added his cases to the stack and made sure the boxes and valises were secure.  He sighed deeply as he walked around the buggy and climbed in.  He couldn’t believe how he had gotten off to such a bad start with this young woman.

 

He picked up the reins and then hesitated.  He took a deep breath and tried to phrase an appropriate apology, “I’m sorry.  I should not have assumed that the photographer was a man.  It’s just that my sister-in-law did not specify whom was I was to be meeting.”

 

“My name is Christiana Wilson and actually,” she seemed ready to accept the olive branch, “I was a photographer’s assistant.  My husband’s assistant.”

 

Jarrod nodded as he flicked the reins to urge the horse forward, “I guess you’re both busy this season handling all the requests for holiday portraits.  It’s unfortunate that you’re not able to spend your holidays together, Mrs. Wilson.”

 

“It’s only me now,” she replied softly.  “My husband died four years ago.”

 

His eyes flicked to her face and his voice was filled with honest regret, “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize.”

 

“Of course you didn’t,” she was incredibly calm.  “Allen died of consumption.  It was difficult to watch him slip away, but he had time to make sure that I knew everything he did about photography so that I would be able to support myself after he was gone.  And I was able to use my work to keep me busy to help ease the loneliness.”

 

“Were you married long?” Jarrod wasn’t sure why he asked the question.  It just seemed to pop out.

 

“Six years,” she smiled softly, as if she were remembering better times.

 

Jarrod glanced at her again and frowned slightly, “You must have been very young when  you married.”

 

“I was 18,” she raised her chin slightly.  “Old enough.”

 

“I see,” he fought back a chuckle.

 

She blushed and dropped her head, “Well, my parents didn’t exactly agree but my marriage to Allen was the best thing I ever did.  My life would have been so different and not nearly as exciting if it hadn’t been for him.”

 

“You loved him very much,” he murmured.

 

She turned to look at him, her wide brown eyes crinkled in good humor, and she said with unabashed honesty, “Yes, I did.  Dearly.”

 

They rode along for several minutes in silence before Jarrod asked, “So you enjoy your work, Mrs. Wilson?”

 

“Yes, I do.”

 

“Your picture of Peter’s children, it was extraordinary,” he complimented her.

 

“Um, Peter and Samantha’s children,” she corrected.  He looked over at her, frowning in obvious confusion, so she added, “You had better never let Samantha hear you refer to them as just Peter’s children.  Nothing makes her angrier.”

 

“Really?” he was surprised.  “I didn’t realize that.  Of course, they’re hers, too.”

 

“Oh, but, too often society thinks of them as only the father’s children . . . you know, his wife, his children, his house, all his possessions.  The woman possesses nothing.”

 

The lawyer in Jarrod equivocated, “Well, the law does read that way, but, of course, Peter, well all of us, knows that Sam shares equally in everything he has.  I didn’t think that a slip of the tongue would upset Sam.”

 

“But a slip of the tongue often reveals what a person really believes,” she said with an air of superiority.

 

He flushed and then tightened his jaw and said distinctly, “I assure you it was just a slip of the tongue.  I would never consider a wife as just a possession nor would I ever denigrate a woman’s role in a family.”

 

“Really?” she seemed a little skeptical.

 

“Really,” he said abruptly.

 

The rest of the ride was made in uncomfortable silence.  Jarrod kept wondering what kind of woman his brother and sister-in-law had befriended.  She certainly was headstrong and she certainly seemed to jump to conclusions.  She was obviously a suffragette, he decided.  He also wondered what the woman thought of him.  He had the distinct feeling that it wasn’t particularly flattering.

 

Jarrod was amazed at how quickly her cold shoulder thawed when they reached the ranch.  It started immediately when Sam swept out onto the porch to greet them as soon as they pulled up.  The hug the two women shared seemed very genuine.  And then Mrs. Wilson graciously thanked Mother for the invitation to be a houseguest for the family’s annual New Year’s Eve party tomorrow.  Mother was equally as gracious and warm, thanking her for the wonderful picture of her grandchildren and leading the young woman into the sitting room.  Jarrod tried to decide whether to offer to take her bags up to the guestroom but wasn’t sure how she would react.  It didn’t matter, anyway, because Lizzie V. immediately captured Mrs. Wilson’s attention.  Jarrod, who thought that he and his niece had a special connection, tried to quell the jealous feelings that flared up when his little princess walked straight to Mrs. Wilson with her arms extended and chirping, "Missy Chrissy, Missy Chrissy.”

 

Christiana swept the little girl up and kissed her cheek, “Well, hello there, Miss Lisette.”  She expertly settled the child on her hip and jounced her for a few moments.  “Did you have a good Christmas?”

 

Lizzy V. nodded her head and lisped, “Dolwy.”

 

“Did you get a new dolly?”

 

“Yeth, dolwy.”

 

Samantha encouraged, “Why don’t you go get your dolly and show it to Miss Christiana?”

 

Jarrod watched with a tinge of envy as the baby happily nodded her head and toddled off to get her new doll.  He was surprised how Mrs. Wilson’s delightful laugh caused a flutter in his chest when she exclaimed, “Oh, Samantha, the doll is as big as she is!”

 

Samantha rolled her eyes and whispered, “I know.  Peter picked it out.  He swears that was the one she pointed out at the toy shop.  I couldn’t talk him into something more reasonable.”

 

“He only spoils his only daughter a little,” Christiana knelt down to admire the doll, much to Lizzie V.’s delight.

 

Jarrod would have offered to take Mrs. Wilson’s bags upstairs, but his brothers and nephews arrived just then and the house erupted with noise and commotion as the little boys greeted “Miss Christiana” with hugs.  Peter even leaned over and brushed her cheek with a kiss.  The other brothers immediately began introductions and before Jarrod knew it, they were all on a first name basis.  Christiana reminded Peter that he had promised to show her around so she could get pictures of a “real working ranch.”  Nick immediately protested that Peter was the banker brother and it should be one of the rancher brothers who showed her the ranch and plans were made for the next day.  Then Nick, Heath, and Eugene were taking her bags and cases upstairs.  Jarrod, feeling thoroughly supplanted, wandered off to the study and tried to concentrate on some paperwork.  There was nothing pressing for him to do, but he just didn’t feel like remaining with the rest of the family.  Even as he tried to work, however, he kept hearing the laughter from the other room.  And each time he heard Christiana Wilson’s laugh, his heart did that funny flutter.

 

 

 

Chapter 7

 

Jarrod quickly and efficiently tied his bow tie . . . perfect, first time, as always.  He studied his reflection for a moment.  He could do many things well, he knew.  He was a talented lawyer, a shrewd businessman, a good big brother, and he could tie a bow tie perfectly.  Was that enough, he pondered.  Frowning, he wondered why he was even questioning.  His life was a good one, certainly satisfying in most respects.  His mind wandered back, however, to a conversation that he and Nick had had this fall, about the possibility of marrying, of having a family.  Although he had been able to move on after Beth’s death in most aspects of his life, the idea of opening his heart to another woman had been hard to envision.  It had only been in the last few months that he had begun to consider the possibility, but he still couldn’t make himself take the step of singling out a woman and even doing something as innocuous as asking her to lunch.

 

And, sighing softly, given how poorly he had handled Mrs. Christiana Wilson he was apparently not ready to take that step.  It was incredible how comfortable she was with everyone in the family . . . except for himself.  At Sam’s urging, she had spent a portion of last evening showing the family her portfolio.  Jarrod had truly been impressed with her talent.  Like her portrait of Peter and Sam’s children, the formal pictures she had taken were all . . . not formal.  The subjects were not the stiff statues one so often saw in photographs; you could almost see their personalities in Christiana’s pictures.  But what really awed Jarrod were her landscape pictures.  She had blushed and admitted as she showed those pictures to her admiring audience that she really only did the portraits so that she could finance her landscape photography, that she truly loved trying to capture the majesty of the land through her lens.  Little Tom had embarrassed his father when he told her that his pappa thought that Miss Christiana was a “gifted artist who used a camera instead of a paintbrush.”  Peter had scolded his son, “Dang it, Tom, you don’t have to tell everything you hear, she’s gonna charge us more for our pictures,” but the little boy had just grinned and winked at his mother, garnering him a good hair tousling from his father.

 

After exclaiming over several of the pictures, Audra had begged Christiana to be her wedding photographer, claiming no one else could possibly do as well.  Christiana had laughed and said she doubted that but that she would be honored to photograph Barton and Audra’s wedding.  Jarrod had seen the look pass between Samantha and Peter and their smiles made him think that this had been one of the reasons that they had persuaded Mother to use a San Franciscan photographer for this year’s family photograph.  They had been nearing the bottom of Christiana’s portfolio when Sam had demanded, “You did bring the other pictures, didn’t you?  I really wanted Victoria to see those pictures.”  Peter had countered, “If she wants a place to sleep tonight, she better not have.”

 

Victoria had immediately scolded her son, “Peter Andrew Barkley.  Behave.  Christiana is our guest and you will treat her properly.”

 

Christiana, however, had not seemed to be the least concerned.  She had, in fact, teased Peter, “You’re just embarrassed because you’re in both of the pictures.”

 

She had then produced the first picture.  Jarrod had recognized the location immediately, it was inside Peter’s bank, actually it was in the boardroom.  One might have considered it a portrait but the two people in the picture did not apparently realize their picture was being taken.  The picture had been of Peter and Barton, obviously in an intense conversation.  Peter was leaning against the conference table with his arms crossed, and Barton was standing with his hands on his hips.  Their expressions were serious; their eyes locked on each other.  The picture said it all, Jarrod had thought, they were partners.  One could almost imagine the importance of the business decision they were about to make together.  It was a part of the business world that Jarrod had witnessed often, but one that he had never seen captured in a photograph.

 

Audra had gasped and taken the photograph from Christiana, “Oh, it’s wonderful.  Oh, please, could I please buy this print from you?”

 

“Audra,” Barton had groaned.

 

“Barton, it’s a wonderful picture of you,” she had replied.

 

“Hey, what about me?” Peter had immediately pretended to be offended.

 

“It’s a good picture of you, too, Peter,” Audra had said absently, “but I want it because of Barton.”

 

The honest comment had brought an “hrmpf” from Peter and laughter from the rest of the group.  “That’s all right, Peter,” Christiana had said as she reached back into her case and pulled out another print.  “I have one that I think your mother will like.”  She handed the print across to Victoria.

 

Jarrod had watched a parade of emotions flash across his mother’s face.  There had been surprise and then delight and then a look of overwhelming love.  Audra had leaned over her mother’s shoulder to see the photograph and she let out a soft “Awww.”  Jarrod had glanced over to where Peter sat, Sam perched on the arm of his chair with her arm around his shoulders.  Peter had been shaking his head slightly but Sam’s eyes had been dancing.  Mother had finally turned the photograph around so that the whole family could see it.  For a moment there had been absolute silence and then Gene had managed a “Wow” and Heath a “Boy Howdy.”

 

Jarrod had felt a smile spread across his face.  Again, Christiana had captured her subjects without their knowledge.  Peter was in the center of the picture, facing the camera, dressed in casual clothes, barefoot and his pants rolled up.  You could see the twinkle in his eye and Jarrod swore you could almost hear his chuckle.  His brother was squatting down and a tiny barefoot Lizzie V. stood between his legs, one little hand resting on his knee and the other holding two fingers to her mouth.  Her little eyes were wide with wonder as she studied her two big brothers.  Nicky stood to Peter’s left, also barefoot and the pants of his overalls rolled up.  You could see the muddy splatters of where he had been jumping in mud puddles.  But your eyes were drawn to his face, the absolute joy that was etched there for eternity.  Across from him stood a similarly attired and muddied Tom, his smile, Samantha’s smile, lighting up his entire face as he carefully held out his trophy . . . an incredibly large bullfrog.

 

Before he could stop himself, Jarrod had laughed out loud; it was a spectacular picture.  The laugh had drawn an irritated look from Peter who flushed and rolled his eyes.  It was Victoria, however, who had spoken, “Oh, Christiana, this is a wonderful picture.  Could I please buy it from you?”

 

“Oh, no, it’s a gift to you,” the young woman had said.  “I’m just glad someone appreciates it.”  She wrinkled her nose at Peter who again grunted and rolled his eyes.

 

Victoria had responded quickly, “Oh, no, dear.  I can’t accept it as a gift.  Your photographs are how you make your living; you can’t be giving them away.”

 

“Please,” Christiana had shaken her head, “accept this one as a gift.  And Audra, please take the one of Barton and Peter.  In exchange, however, let me take a picture of your entire crew of men and you can buy a copy for each man who wants one.”

 

“That sounds like a splendid idea,” Victoria had responded immediately.

 

“Watch it, Mother,” Peter had said dryly.  “Those two pictures could end up costing you a good deal more than you expected.  I let Christiana in to take a picture at the bank and ended up having to buy pictures for my entire staff . . . everyone wanted a copy.  And that’s also when she sneaked around and got the picture of me and Bart.”

 

“Well, I’m glad she did.  It’s a wonderful picture of both you and Barton.  And, I don’t care how much it costs me, I have to have this picture of you and the children,” his mother had said firmly.  “And Christiana, I think your idea of taking a picture of our crew is an outstanding one; it’s something we’ve never thought to do before.  And we’ll buy each of them a copy.”

 

The group picture had been done just as planned the next morning, and Jarrod had chuckled as he had watched a bunch of cowhands dude themselves up in their best gear and pose in front of the bunkhouse.  Christiana had then spent the day in the company of Nick and Heath, taking pictures as work was performed all over the ranch.  He had watched as she returned with them in the late afternoon.  She was laughing and the soft golden brown hair that had pulled loose from her sensible knot was dancing around her head.  He couldn’t help but smile at the sight of her as she refused Heath’s offer to help and skillfully balanced her camera on her shoulder and walked toward the house.  She was certainly an independent young woman.

 

And now, as he stood in front of the mirror, his fingers still lingering on his perfectly tied bowtie, he wondered what the rest of the evening would bring.  Oh, he knew what the agenda was.  They would have their family picture taken and then they would open their doors to their guests for an evening that would last until the new year was rung in.  It was always a festive occasion, but he wondered how Mrs. Wilson would enter into the festivities.  He had overheard a conversation this morning between Samantha, Audra and Christiana.  It seemed that Samantha felt Christiana wasn’t getting into the spirit of things.

 

“Yes, Christiana, you are here on a job but that job will be over at the very beginning of the evening.  Then you need to put your camera away and enjoy the party with the rest of us,” Samantha had said patiently.

 

“But, really, Samantha, I didn’t bring anything to wear to a New Year’s party.  I thought that after I took the picture that I would just borrow a buggy and drive into town and stay at the hotel.   That way no one would have to worry about taking me into town tomorrow to catch the train back to San Francisco.  I just don’t feel right barging in on your party.”

 

Audra had been the one to reply, “Oh, heavens, one of the boys will be glad to take you to town tomorrow, and you’re not barging in on our party.  You’re an invited guest.  You’re Peter and Samantha’s friend and we’re delighted you’re here.  And, as far as something to wear, I think I can help with that.  You’re not as tall as I am but I bet we can find one of my frillier blouses that would fit and go with one of the skirts that you brought.”

 

The women had gone off then, so Jarrod wasn’t certain whether Samantha and Audra were successful in convincing Christiana to stay.  His look met his own eyes in the mirror.  Why did he care whether Christiana was staying?  With a shake of his head, he once again pulled himself from his rambling thoughts.  He left his room and started down the stairs.  He heard the voices of his family in the sitting room.  All his daydreaming had made him late.  He automatically pasted a smile on his face and strolled into the room.  His late arrival was greeted with smiles and a little teasing.  His eyes roved around the room; the family was all there, all dressed for the evening’s festivities.  Tom and Nicky, both sporting short pants and big starched collars, were seated on either side of Victoria, looking through a picture book with her.  Little Lizzie V., dressed in a beautiful gown that had been hand embroidered by her grandmother, was playing horsey on her pappa’s knee.

 

“Well, looks as if everyone’s here except our photographer,” he commented.

 

A voice behind him corrected him, “I’m right here and I’m ready.”

 

Still wearing his pasted on smile, he turned to face her.  For a moment the smile dimmed and then it became genuine.  Christiana was staying for the party, he knew immediately.  In a heartbeat his eyes swept from the top of her stylishly coifed hair to the tips of her dainty boots that just peaked out from under the simple brown skirt that she wore.  He instantly recognized the blouse; it was indeed one of Audra’s, but the soft cream coloring highlighted with gold threads complimented Christiana’s coloring much better than it had Audra’s.  The silk of the blouse draped beautifully and the neckline, not overly daring but much deeper than any of Christiana’s sensible, business clothes, revealed a creamy white chest with just the hint of a swell visible.  In the center hung a simple but elegant gold heart.  The girls had picked very well.

 

For an instant, Christiana’s eyes locked on his brilliant blue ones and she silently acknowledged his unspoken compliments with just a small nod of her head, “I have everything set up in the billiards room if you all are ready.”

 

“Billiards room?” Jarrod’s eyebrows rose.  He had assumed they would take the picture in the sitting room . . . they always had before.

 

“Yep,” her voice was light with happiness, “I have a feeling that that particular room is a place where many wonderful evenings have been spent by this family.  I think it’s the perfect place for a family picture.”

 

As she swept from the room, the family could do nothing but follow after her.  When they reached the billiards room, they discovered that Christiana had, on her own, rearranged the furniture a little.  The settee now sat in front of the billiard’s table and in front of the settee were two small footstools, one of them moved from the sitting room.

 

“Girl, what are you doing moving furniture all over the place,” Nick had immediately scolded.  “Little thing like you could get hurt doing that.”

 

Christiana laughed, “Oh, this is nothing compared to some of the things I’ve carried.  Really, I’m a lot stronger than I look.  Now, Victoria, if you would sit in the middle of the settee and I want Audra on one side and Samantha on the other.  That’s good.  Now, Jarrod, you and Gene in the back behind your mother, and Nick and Heath, you two on either side of Jarrod and Gene.  Good, good.  Peter, you sit on the arm of the settee next to Sam.  Now, Tom, you and Nicky sit on the footstools in front and let Lizzie stand between you.  Barton, on the other arm of the settee.”

 

“Um, I’m not a member of the family yet,” Barton hesitated.

 

“Are you planning on not marrying her in June?” Christiana’s eyes danced.

 

“No, no, I’ll be marrying her,” he instantly replied.

 

“Well, then get in the picture,” she pointed to his spot.

 

“She’s right, Barton, we need you in the picture, too,” Victoria smiled at him.

 

With a shrug, he stepped across the room and took his appointed position next to his fiancée.  She reached up to take his hand and squeezed it, and he smiled down at her.

 

Christiana continued her directions, “Here, Heath, you hold this pool cue and, Nick, this one is for you.”

 

“What are we supposed to do with these?” Nick took the cue and frowned at her.

 

“Hmm, just lean on it, or hold it, I don’t care,” she said.  “Whatever feels comfortable.  Just hold them and lean up against the billiards table.”

 

Nick and Heath exchanged skeptical looks, but any comments from them were overridden by Nicky’s protest, “Lizzie’s pulling my hair!”

 

“Lizzie!” Samantha started to reach down for her daughter.

 

However, Christiana’s quick directions stopped her, “Tom, let Lizzie sit on your knee and then put you arm around her like you’re hugging her but actually hold her arm down so she doesn’t reach up and pull Nicky’s hair.  Good, that looks great.  No, Jarrod, go ahead and leave your hand in your pocket and your other hand on Gene’s shoulder.  And Gene, that’s fine, leave you hand on your mother’s shoulder.  You can keep holding Audra’s hand, Barton, and, Samantha, just relax and quit trying to hold your stomach in.  You don’t look fat.  Peter, be kind and hold your wife’s hand.  All right, everyone look this way.  Oh, perfect, now smile.”

 

The flash caused them all to jump.  Christiana grinned widely, “Oh, that’s a great picture.  You’re going to really like it.”

 

“That’s it?” Nick stood back up and laid his cue on the table.  “We done now?”

 

“All done,” she said cheerfully.

 

“Are you sure?” Samantha was surprised.  “I mean, do you think you need to take another one?”

 

“Nope, trust me, it’s a good picture,” Christiana started to disassemble her camera.

 

“Very good,” Victoria rose.  “Boys, look after the children while Samantha, Audra, and I help Silas finish setting out things.  Christiana, be sure to put your camera up in a safe place.  We don’t want any of our friends to disturb your equipment.”

 

As the older woman swept from the room, Christiana and Samantha exchanged a smile.  There was no doubt who was in charge of this world.

 

 

 

Chapter 8

 

The evening had gone just as Jarrod expected, he reflected as the midnight hour approached.  The house was bulging at its seams with guests, and everyone seemed to be having a wonderful time.  Even Christiana seemed to be enjoying herself.  She had danced with his brothers as well as a few other men.  As usual, Jarrod had danced with only Audra and Mother; he hadn’t even asked Samantha for a dance not wanting her to give up one of her few forays around the floor with her husband.  He envied the love that the two shared . . . how it showed in even their casual glances toward each other.

 

He smiled as he watched Gene and Heath confer over their watches beside the grandfather clock, arguing good-naturedly over when the midnight countdown should begin.  He pulled out his own watch to check the time.  Just a couple more minutes . . . according to his watch.  His two youngest brothers, however, were making their way over to the band to silence the music and conduct the countdown.

 

Jarrod wasn’t sure why he looked for her, but he only caught a glimpse of the golden brown hair and beautiful blouse as she slipped out one of the paned doors to the porch.  Frowning slightly he started across the room but it was slow going as the room was packed and he was required to make at least polite conversation as he worked his way across.  As Gene and Heath heralded the moment of the new year, he stopped and placed a kiss on Mother’s cheek and then waited patiently for Audra and Barton to come up for air so that he could also kiss his sister’s cheek.  He, of course, couldn’t bypass Samantha who hugged his neck and returned the kiss.  Jarrod finally was able to slip out on the porch.  He hesitated for a moment while his eyes adjusted to the darkness.  He saw her, standing at the edge of porch, looking up at the sky, and hugging herself.

 

“Cold?” his voice made her jump slightly.

 

She turned to face him, “It’s chilly but I’m all right.  You don’t have to worry about me.  I just needed a little fresh air.”

 

He could have gone back inside then; she had dismissed him.  But, for some reason, his feet carried him over to her side and before he knew what he was doing he had removed his tuxedo jacket and draped it over her shoulders, “We can’t have a guest catching pneumonia.  It wouldn’t reflect well on our hospitality.”

 

He could just barely make out her features in the moonlight.  For a moment, he thought she was going to hand the jacket back to him and once again show her disdain for him.  Instead, her features softened and she actually pulled the jacket tighter.  “Thank you,” she finally whispered.

 

Jarrod stood the proper distance away from her, just studying her profile in the low light.  It was a good strong face . . . in some respects it reminded him of Mother’s.  The continuing bedlam in the house wafted around them.  After a few moments, he nodded his head back toward the doors, “You’re missing all the celebrating.”

 

“Oh, I’d rather be out here, thank you.  It’s just a little hard . . . ,” she stopped and bit her lower lip.

 

“Christiana?” it was the first time he had used her first name.

 

She took a deep breath and repeated, “It’s just hard to see, to see everyone else kissing their loved ones.  And, and I’m not able to.”

 

“That’s why you didn’t want to stay for the party,” his words revealed his eavesdropping.

 

But she didn’t seem to mind, “I didn’t want to spoil it for anyone else.  Holidays are so hard.  I’ve found that it’s just easier for me to avoid being with anyone.”

 

He frowned, “What did you do Christmas?”

 

“Rented a horse on Christmas Eve and spent all Christmas Day riding along the beach south of Frisco.  Took some great pictures that day,” she finished with bravado.

 

His heart ached a little at how alone she was.  He had the family; while there were times that he was lonely, he was never really alone.  Without thinking he asked, “What about your family?”

 

Christiana lips pulled into a grim smile, “No, that’s really not an option.  I don’t want to go back East; I love the West too much.  And, when I married Allen, well, let’s just say some ultimatums were made which I chose to defy.  Trust me, this is best.  I’m doing all right on my own.”

 

He smiled softly and shuffled his feet a little, “Oh, I can see that you do very well on your own.  I just think it might be nice if you shared your life with someone.”

 

She turned her head to look at him directly, “So, Mr. Jarrod Barkley, whom do you share your life with?”

 

“Oh,” he chuckled.  “If you haven’t noticed, I have a rather large family that occupies a good bit of my attention.”

 

“But whom do you share your life with?” she repeated more gently.

 

He took a deep breath and let it out in a slow sigh, “My wife died shortly after we were married.  It’s been difficult to think about sharing my life with someone else.”

 

“I’m sorry,” she reached out to touch his arm.  “I didn’t know.”

 

“Sam and Pete didn’t tell you?” he was surprised.  He had thought that maybe Samantha was trying to play matchmaker between him and Christiana.  A widow and a widower; that certainly would have appealed to Samantha’s sense of romance.

 

“No,” Christiana shook her head.  “Sam just told me she had four bachelor brothers-in-law – the mischievous one, the quiet one, the loud one, and the suave one.  I take it you’re the suave one.”

 

“Well, I’m sure your first impression of me wasn’t suave,” he grimaced.  “I truly am sorry that I made the assumption that you were just a photographer’s assistant.  And I swear I do very much value the woman’s role in a family.”

 

She laughed softly, “Well, you don’t have much choice, not with your mother.”

 

He chuckled and nodded his head, “Yes, we’ve always had a strong maternal influence . . . even when Father was alive it wasn’t always clear who really ran the family.  Since his death, well, she has very much held this family together.”

 

“Hmm, to hear Peter tell it, you were also responsible for holding the family together,” she said.  “He says you raised Audra and Eugene, kept Nick in check, were the first to welcome Heath into the family as well as the one who insisted that Peter come home.”

 

“You know about Heath’s background?” he wasn’t sure how he felt about that.  It wasn’t a secret, of course, but he wasn’t sure why Pete and Sam felt the need to tell Christiana.

 

“Peter said that Heath wasn’t raised with your family, but that he is very much a full member of the family now, wanted by everyone, and now the family can’t imagine what their lives would be like if he hadn’t finally found his way here,” she told it just as Peter had related it to her.  She had been amazed at the incredible heart that this had shown.  Now that she had met the family, she fully understood.

 

“Peter is right,” Jarrod acknowledged.  “Our family wasn’t whole until Heath came.  We were truly blessed when he came to be with us.  Of course, we all feel that the circle was truly completed when Pete finally returned home . . . with the added joy of Sam and the children.  And, now, young lady, I think we should go back inside so that both of us can enjoy the festivities.  I think most of the midnight revelry has died down and things will be back to the usual dancing and conversation and refreshments.”

 

She took a deep breath and mustered a smile, “Oh, I guess you’re right.  Here, here’s your coat.  It wouldn’t do for us to go back in with me wearing your coat.”

 

“I don’t see why not,” he teased.

 

“Well, I won’t wear your coat but I will go back in if you’ll dance with me,” she pretended she hadn’t noticed that he had danced only with his mother and his sister.

 

He seemed a little taken aback by her forwardness.  Then he grinned, “I would be delighted.”

 

He took back his coat, slipped it on, and ushered her back into the house.  They worked their way to where couples were dancing and joined the crowd.  Because he was looking down into her eyes, watching them crinkle as she teased him about the suave brother actually being the best dancer of the group, he never saw the smiles exchanged among the family.  He only knew it was nice to be out on the dance floor again.

 

 

 

Chapter 9

 

Audra was having a delightful time in San Francisco.  Of course, she had always enjoyed coming to the city, but now the allure was not the shops or the restaurants or the opera.  No, now what made the city so wonderful was the idea that she was able to see Barton every day.  She was staying with Peter and Samantha, spending her days alternately working on her wedding plans and helping Samantha with the children.  Barton was there every evening, however.  Sometimes they went out to dinner or the theater or the opera together; very often they had dinner with Peter and Samantha.  Every evening they sat together in Peter and Samantha’s parlor, discussing their future late into the night.  Their future, Audra loved being able to say that, the future that they were going to share.  She had never felt so complete.  And, even with all the turmoil of planning for the wedding, she had never felt so content.

 

This afternoon Christiana Wilson would be coming over to show them the prints she had done of the photographs that she had taken at the ranch.  It was the first time that they had seen Christiana since she left Stockton on New Years Day.  Samantha had said that Christiana had several good paying jobs outside the city but that she would be back in Frisco in mid January.  Sure enough, they’d gotten a note from her just this morning saying that the prints were ready and she’d be by in the late afternoon to drop them off.  Samantha had said she hoped they could convince her to stay for dinner.

 

Audra reached down to pick up Lizzie V. and swung her up on her hip.  She figured that Samantha should be back soon from her thrice weekly trip to the park with Nicky and Tom.  Sam often took Lizzie V. but the young mother admitted to her sister-in-law that the little boys actually had more fun and it was less stressful for Sam when she only had to deal with Nicky and Tom.  Lizzie V. was not the least concerned about being left at home if her “Aunt Auda” was there to play with her.

 

As she walked down the stairs, Audra heard the voices of her nephews as they came up the front walk.  As usual, they were arguing about something.  Audra wondered if all brothers argued.  Certainly it was upsetting to Sam; she wanted her boys to get along.  But Audra could remember a household filled with arguments between her older brothers . . . particularly before Peter left.  And now . . . well, now, there were still arguments but she truly believed that her brothers would do anything for each other.  Sam had not grown up in a male-dominated household; she didn’t understand that those with strong personalities like Audra’s brothers occasionally clashed but that didn’t mean they didn’t love each other.  Tom and Nicky were just the same way, Audra was sure.

 

“Boys,” Samantha’s voice was filled with exasperation, “if you don’t quit fighting, neither one of you is going to get dessert tonight.”

 

“Yes, ma’am,” Tom grumbled.

 

“Yeth, ma’am,” his little brother echoed but then managed to bump into his brother without their mother seeing as they came through the door.

 

Audra gave them both a stern look, also outside of Samantha’s view, which kept the clash from escalating.  “Here you go, Lizzie V.,” Audra diverted attention from the two boys.  “Here’s your mamma.”

 

Samantha gratefully accepted her daughter, “Hello, mon cherie.  Were you a good girl for Aunt Audra?”

 

“Of course she was,” Audra interjected.  “Now, boys, why don’t you come upstairs and I’ll help you get washed up for your supper and you can tell me all about the fun you had at the park.”

 

“We got to see my friend Adam, Aunt Audra,” Tom took the hand she offered.

 

“My friend,” Nicky retorted as he took her other hand.

 

“I’m sure he’s both your friend,” Audra said calmly.  “Tell me about him.”

 

“He’s right between us in age.  He’s four and Nicky is three and I’m five.  Of course, I’m going to be six real soon,” Tom told her.

 

“I be four soon,” Nicky added.

 

“Not for months and months, Nicky,” his big brother corrected.  “I’ll be six long before you turn four.”

 

“Not long,” Nicky pouted.

 

“Yep, long time,” Tom said with big brother assurance.

 

“Tom,” Audra scolded, “don’t tease your brother.  Nicky’s birthday will be here before we know it and he’ll get to add another finger to his age.”

 

Downstairs, Samantha sighed as she listened to the exchange.  Why was it that her two boys had to argue so much?  They could play together for hours but there always had to be an argument or two.  She had tried so hard to make them understand that it was important that brothers love each other, be kind to each other.  She had tried to impress upon Tom that he was the big brother and that he had to be a good big brother to little Nicky, to help look after him, to teach him things.  It seemed as if all Tom wanted to teach Nicky was how to get in trouble.  And Nicky was all too eager to be led, or maybe it was pushed, astray.

 

As the voices faded away, Samantha looked down at her little girl, “You’re not going to cause Mamma any trouble are you, Lisette Victoria?  You’re going to be Mamma’s sweet little lady, aren’t you?”

 

Lizzy V.’s green eyes twinkled and she shook her head vigorously as she giggled.  Samantha rolled her eyes; heavens, she was raising a bunch of hooligans.  She would have scolded the baby but a knock at the door interrupted her.  “I’m getting it, Maria,” Samantha called out and balanced the baby on her hip so that she could pull the big door open.  Her ever-present smile widened, “Hello, Christiana.  Come in, come in.  We were so excited to get your message.  We’ve all been looking so forward to seeing all the photographs you took out at the ranch.”

 

Christiana lifted a large box up, “They’re all here, but I think you’re probably the one who’s been looking forward to seeing these.  I don’t think Peter is quite as eager.”

 

“Oh, ignore him, he likes the pictures just as much as I do.  He just likes to pretend he thinks spending money on photographs is wasteful.  He loves getting our album out and looking at how the children have changed.”

 

“Well, maybe he’ll like a few of these . . . considering I did get a few new ones of the children,” the photographer grinned mischievously.

 

“Oh, no,” the young mother laughed.  “You know I have no willpower.  I’ll have to have every one of them . . . and Peter will just moan and groan while he’s writing the bank draft.  All right, let’s see them.”

 

“No, we’ll wait until Peter gets home; that way you both can enjoy them at the same time.  Hey, where are the little boys?”

 

“Upstairs with Aunt Audra getting washed up for supper.  If you’re very brave, you can join us in the kitchen while the children have their supper and then you must join us for a nice adult-only meal in the dining room.  Say yes, because we’ve already planned everything,” Samantha goaded.

 

“Hm, well, I could say I already have dinner plans but you know I don’t and I can’t pass up one of Carlotta’s wonderful meals, so I say ‘yes’,” Christiana gave in easily.  “So, Audra’s still here?  Having a hard time leaving Barton and the big city?”

 

“I think that’s most of it.  Of course, I’m not going to complain one bit.  She is such a help with the children.  You don’t know how many trips up and down the stairs that she has saved me.  I’m going to miss her so much when she goes back to the ranch,” she sighed.

 

“Just think, after she and Barton marry, she’ll be here in town all the time.”

 

“I know and I’m so looking forward to it.  She and Barton are even thinking about buying a house that’s within walking distance of here.  Audra and I have already been talking about how we’ll be able to take our children to the park together and go shopping and, well, just everything.  It’ll be wonderful to have family here in town.”

 

“Jarrod and Gene are in San Francisco.”

 

“Oh, Gene’s busy with all his college classes and things and he’ll be going off next year to start his medical studies.  Jarrod never stays long in San Francisco.  He’s always in Sacramento or back in Stockton or gone back east to Washington.”

 

“Really?” Christiana was a little surprised.  “He talked as if he really liked San Francisco.”

 

“Oh, I think he does,” Samantha nodded, deciding not to speculate on when Christiana and Jarrod had talked about San Francisco.  “It’s just that his work keeps him traveling.”

 

Christiana’s response was cut off by a loud shout, “Miss Christiana!”  Nicky came dashing into the room.

 

“Hey, cowboy!” she gathered him up in a hug.

 

“Like Uncle Nick!” his eyes danced.

 

“Yep, you’re a cowboy like your Uncle Nick,” she agreed.

 

“Nicky, are your hands clean?” his mother asked.

 

“All clean,” the little boy presented his hands for inspection.

 

“Good,” she reached out and ruffled the short hair, still missing the soft curls that once framed his face.  “Tom?”

 

“Yes, ma’am. All washed,” the older boy also presented his hands and then he stepped over to take Christiana’s hand and leaned forward to place a soft kiss on the back.

 

“My, my, Mr. Tom, aren’t you the young gentleman.  Where did you learn to do that?” she teased the older brother.

 

His smile, Samantha’s wonderful smile, curled his sweet lips, “Watching Pappa.”

 

“Well, you’ve learned well,” Christiana put an arm around the boy and took Nicky’s hand.  “Are you boys ready for your supper?”

 

“Yes, ma’am,” they responded in unison.

 

“Well, let’s go!”

 

Audra slipped up beside Samantha and put an arm around her waist.  The sisters-in-law shared a laugh as they watched the two little boys compete for “Miss Christiana’s” attention.  Shaking her head, Samantha carried her baby girl in to join her brothers at their supper table in the kitchen.  The three women were laughing with all three children when Peter’s voice thundered from the front of the house, “Where’s my family?”

 

“Pappa,” Nicky shouted.

 

“Don’t you dare move out of that chair, Nicholas Barkley,” his mother said quickly.

 

“Me pappa, me pappa, me pappa,” Lizzie V. chanted as she pounded on her tray with her spoon.

 

Tom maintained a modicum of decorum but even his eyes were watching the doorway.

 

“Hey, family,” Peter greeted them all as he came through the doorway.  “How’s my big boys and my princess?”

 

“We had a great day today,” Tom said quickly, wanting to be sure he beat Nicky in relating their day.  “We went to the park with Mamma and saw our friend Adam and his auntie.”

 

“We builded roads and dams and bridges,” Nicky interrupted.

 

Tom glared at his little brother and asserted, “Me and Adam did most of the building, Nicky just played.”

 

“Did not,” his little brother’s eyes flashed.  “I helped.”

 

“Yes, you did, Nicky,” Samantha sighed and rolled her eyes.  “And, Tom, it’s Adam and I not me and Adam.”

 

Peter assumed his usual role as arbitrator, “Sounds as if it was a good day for everyone.  Now is everybody being good and eating their supper.”

 

“Sure, Pappa,” Tom replied.

 

“Sure,” Nicky echoed.

 

“Chur,” Lizzie V. copied her big brothers.

 

Peter laughed and kissed his daughter’s cheek, “Chur, huh?  Looks to me, Lizzie V., like you’re getting more on the floor than in your mouth.”

 

The baby’s eyes gleamed and she giggled as if she knew she was being mocked.

 

Peter now leaned over to kiss his wife’s cheek and to acknowledge the other two women, “Audra, Christiana.  Hope your day has been as good as Tom’s and Nicky’s.”

 

“It was, indeed, Peter,” Christiana smiled at her friend.

 

“Is Barton with you?” Audra’s eyes moved from Peter to the doorway.

 

He grinned at her, “He’s coming.  Was just finishing up with a customer when I left.  I figured he could find his way here on his own.  Don’t worry, you’ve got him firmly hooked, sis.  He’s not going anywhere.”

 

Audra flushed prettily, “Peter, that’s not very nice.  I was just curious if he was coming to dinner tonight.”

 

Her brother snorted, “Of course he’s coming to dinner . . . like he has about every other night for the past two weeks.  Oh, and Carlotta, we’re going to have one more for dinner.”

 

“Senora Christiana?” the cook turned from her stove.

 

“No, I mean Christiana is, of course, staying for dinner, but we have one additional guest,” Peter’s eyes begged forgiveness from the plump little woman.

 

“Hmm, good thing I chose a roast tonight so there will be plenty,” she pretended to be irritated.

 

“Oh, Peter, not a business client,” Samantha sighed loudly.  “I was wanting to have a nice quiet dinner of just family and friends.”

 

“Well, you’re safe.  It’s not a business client.  Brother Jarrod is back in town from Sacramento and stopped by the bank.  I invited him to dinner.”

 

“Yea, Uncle Jarrod,” Nicky grinned.  “He gives us big monies.”

 

“Nicky,” Samantha scolded, “we aren’t glad to see Uncle Jarrod just because he gives you money.  We just enjoy his visits.  But I thought he was going to be tied up all week in Sacramento?”

 

Peter just shrugged, “Guess he got done early.”

 

His further comments were cut off by Barton’s arrival.  His partner knew the family routine well enough by now that he had just come through the front door and headed directly for the kitchen.  Barton greeted those seated around the table and then slipped to sit beside Audra, dropping a possessive arm around her shoulder and sharing a quick kiss with her.  The couple ignored Tom’s snicker and Nicky’s loud groan as well as Peter and Samantha’s shared smirks.

 

 

 

Continued…