The Family Feud

Part 2

by Torie

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.

Summary: When Jarrod marries Maria Montero a quarrel ensues between the family and Maria’s father, one that Jarrod and Maria’s daughter could end

The train ride back to Stockton was long, tiring, and sooty. Abigail tried to pass her time without talking to either Jarrod or Maria. She sat in her seat looking at the snowy landscape or reading a book. From her private library at home she brought the books "Heidi" and "Little Women."

Jarrod gave her his coat when she got cold and Abigail took it without complaint. Jarrod often looked up at her while she was reading and wondered what his daughter thought of this whole situation. It was hard not to feel hurt when his daughter wouldn't even talk to him.

The train pulled into Denver, Colorado a week later. Jarrod, Maria, Victoria, and Abigail got off the train. Abigail's long black hair was tangled and in her eyes, as she tried to sleep on the train.

At the hotel Abigail went into the room her father ordered for her to sleep in and fell asleep on the soft bed. She slept for the next few hours, until Jarrod knocked on her door.

Abigail opened her eyes slowly and went to open the door.

"Katie, time for dinner," Jarrod said.

"Mr. Barkley, please can I just go to bed?" Abigail asked.

"Papa, May I please just go to bed?" Jarrod corrected her grammar.

"Very well then. Papa, may I please go to bed?" Abigail whispered.

"No you may not. It's time for dinner. It's hard for a person to sleep on an empty stomach, Jarrod said, massaging her cheek with his soft palm.

It was hard for Abigail not to cry. She was so tired that all she wanted to do was go to sleep. But it was a disgrace for a girl of 10 to cry. Abigail bit her lip in frustration and forbade the tears to roll down her cheeks.

Jarrod caught the look in her eyes instantly. "Katie, after dinner you may go to bed. I know you’re tired, but you'll get ill if you miss meals. Now I've brought your suitcase you can get dressed for dinner and I'll escort you down in 30 minutes," Jarrod said.

Abigail shut the door and broke down into tears. She was far from home and she was scared, tired and hungry. The sobs came out of her throat in hiccups. For the whole 30 minutes, she sat on the floor, tears rolling down her face and hiccupping.

Jarrod came back to her door and knocked. The only sound he heard was a strangled sobbing. "Katie?" Jarrod asked, rapping louder on her door.

Abigail stood up and swiped at her eyes. The hot tears still coursed down her cheeks in rivulets. Abigail opened the door. Jarrod's shock registered on his face. Abigail still wore the dress he saw 30 minutes ago, but she was crying.

Jarrod pulled out a linen handkerchief and handed it to her. Abigail wiped her eyes and blew her nose.

"What's the matter, Katie?" Jarrod asked.

"You wouldn't understand," Katie sobbed.

"Maybe I would. You want to tell me about it?" Jarrod said, leading her to a window seat in the room.

"I want to go home!" Abigail sobbed.

"Katie, you are going home," Jarrod said.

"No. I want to go home to my mother in Philadelphia," Abigail said.

Jarrod felt as if she had stabbed him. "Katie, that's not possible. I know you're scared. I also know this is not easy for you. But your mother and myself love you a lot. Right now though you need to be at our house in Stockton. I guarantee it, you'll love it, Honey," Jarrod said.

He wiped the tears on her cheek away with his thumb. "Just send me home, Mr. Barkley," Abigail said.

"I can't morally do that, Katie. Now go wash your face. It's a mess," Jarrod said.

Abigail tried to give him the handkerchief back, but he gave it back to her. "If you still feel like crying you can use it later," Jarrod said.

Jarrod left her so she could wash her face. The water stung her eyes a little bit, but it was refreshing to her reddened cheeks. She brushed the snarls out of her black hair and opened the door. Jarrod smiled at her and escorted her down to the dining room.

The breakdown in front of Jarrod made Abigail feel a little better, but she still wanted to go back to Philadelphia. Jarrod was a nice enough man, but she just wanted to go home.

* * * * * * * *

Later that night Abigail was reading "Heidi" in bed when Jarrod and Maria entered the room. Abigail laid aside the book and looked at her parents.

"We just wanted to say good night to you, Katie," Jarrod said.

"I am a little bit tired, Mr. Barkley," Abigail said.

Jarrod took the book out of her hands and set it on the night table next to her bed. Jarrod kissed her forehead gently.

"What time do we leave tomorrow, Mr. Barkley?" Abigail said.

"Early. Our train leaves at 5 o'clock in the morning," Jarrod told his daughter.

Jarrod kissed her head again and let his wife say her good nights. "Buenos noches, Katalina," Maria said, in Spanish.

"I don't understand Spanish, Mrs. Barkley," Abigail said.

"That's one of the good things of living with us, Katalina. You will learn Spanish. You have to," Maria said.

"Why do I have to?" Abigail asked.

"Because you are Spanish. Well half-Spanish. As soon as we get home you will go to Mass with me," Maria said.

"I'm not Catholic, I'm Methodist," Abigail said.

Maria's evident surprise was obvious. "Katalina, you were baptized in the Catholic Church! Your denomination did not change. Padre Enrique also says that you will take lessons every day with Sister Rosita in learning the saints and Latin," Maria said, obviously surprised and angry.

Abigail flinched slightly at Maria's angry tone. She didn't know that her confession would make Maria mad. It was just the truth.

"All right. I'll go to Mass with you. I'm a Christian and I was told that Christians were to honor their parents. If you want me to see the priest and go to Mass I'll do it. Also I'm sorry. I didn't know that you'd get upset," Abigail said.

"That's all we ask of you, Katie," Jarrod said.

"Katalina, I'm so sorry I got surprised. It wasn't your fault. You didn't know that what you would say would make me surprised," Maria said, kissing her daughter's cheek.

"It's okay. I didn't know. Mother was always getting on to me for not thinking before I spoke," Abigail said.

"Katie, it's time to go to sleep. We'll wake you up in the morning," Jarrod said.

Abigail nodded her head and fell asleep, her black hair falling over her face.

* * * * * * * *

The rest of the trip was taken in a Maria's talking to her daughter. Before they reached Stockton, Maria would teach Abigail certain things about the saints and the Spanish language. By the time Abigail got to Stockton, she could conjugate 10 different Spanish verbs in Spanish. She learned quickly.

Don Alfredo Montero was in town that day when the Barkley's got off the train.

The girl's Spanish features were obvious, even in the crowd blocking his vision. Don Alfredo found himself staring at her face. She had Jarrod Barkley's blue eyes and black hair, but her skin color was her mother's.

The child wore a simple, but expensive brown coat, and her lips were moving in the Spanish language.

"Pappy!" Nick Barkley's loud voice resounded above the noise of the depot.

"Hello Nick," Jarrod said, shaking Nick's hand.

Nick kissed his sister-in-law's forehead. "Hello Maria!" Nick shouted.

"Hola, Nick!" Maria said, her voice humorous. Nick's loudness was a source of humor in the family. Even the children in the family loved him. When they left for Philadelphia, Tommy asked if he could stay with Uncle Nick.

"Now, where's my beautiful niece?" Nick asked after saying hello to Victoria.

Abigail cowered behind Victoria shyly. She didn't know what to make of this loud man that was Jarrod's brother. He told her that he had three brothers and a sister. She had kind of wished they were all like Jarrod. This man seemed very different from Jarrod.

And yet his voice seemed familiar. Someone had told her that a baby couldn't have memories, but she remembered a loud voice that yelled a lot. John and Edna were not shouter's, but this man-Nick Barkley- could be the man from her memory.

Abigail found that thought ridiculous if not entirely impossible. "What are you doing, Girl?" Nick Barkley asked.

“I was trying to remember how to conjugate 'jugar' in the present tense,” the girl said.

Jarrod took her hand and helped her into the Barkley's buggy. "You can practice that later, Katie. Right now you can go home, take a nap, and go to the lessons tomorrow," Jarrod said.

Abigail nodded her head and looked at the scenery all the way home.

* * * * * * * *

The ride home wasn't unnoticed by Abigail. The air in Stockton was little warmer than in Philadelphia. Abigail yawned briefly. Her head fell against the leather seat and she fell asleep in a matter of minutes.

When the buggy stopped at the Barkley mansion, Jarrod gently touched his daughter's face. "Katie, time to wake up," Jarrod said, softly.

Abigail blinked her blue eyes, sleepily. "Mr. Barkley, I'm so tired," Abigail said, her voice a little groggy.

I know you are, Katie. But you need to wake up. You can go back to sleep after we eat," Jarrod said.

Abigail nodded her head. and let her father carry her out of the carriage.

After a light snack Jarrod took his daughter up to her room. "This is your room, Katie. I hope you like it," Jarrod said.

"I'm sure it's very comfortable, Mr. Barkley," Abigail said.

Jarrod closed his eyes in frustration. As often as he had told Katie to call him "Papa," she kept forgetting and calling him "Mr. Barkley."

"I'll come wake you when it's time for dinner," Jarrod said.

"All right. I'll be ready by then," Abigail said.

Jarrod walked down to his study and poured himself a shot of whiskey. His baby girl still wouldn't acknowledge him as her father or Maria as her mother.

"Jarrod, she is trying," Maria said behind his head.

Jarrod turned to his wife. "Maria, do you know that it seems that you can read my thoughts?" Jarrod asked.

"Of course I do. I'm your wife, remember?" Maria teased back.

"Maria, I don't know anymore. It was so easy to raise a daughter when she was a tiny baby. Now she doesn't even look at you or myself and she calls us by our last names," Jarrod said, all the pain of the past ten days coming out of his voice.

"Jarrod, we have to give her time. The poor girl is terrified. It may take her a couple of months before she's comfortable with us. And you forcing her to call you "Papa" is not going to endear her to either of us," Maria said.

"It just hurts so much, Maria. I remembered when she was my little girl. She would smile at me with that sweet smile of hers. Maria, will we ever hear our daughter laugh or see a smile out of her?" Jarrod asked.

"Jarrod, she will smile or laugh in her own time. If we force her to love us now, we could lose her forever," Maria said.

"You're right, Maria. How did I get so lucky in marrying a smart wife?" Jarrod asked his wife.

Maria kissed her husband lightly on the lips and smiled. "I'm going to the dressmaker's, Jarrod. Katalina needs some new clothes if she starts school in a month," Maria said.

Maria left her husband's office. Jarrod sat down to some paperwork feeling lighthearted. If his wife was right Katie would call him "Papa" in her own time. All he had to do was be patient and wait for her to call him that.

* * * * * * * *

After a long nap Abigail went downstairs after dressing in a clean dress. 3-year old Thomas Barkley was playing with some stones in Victoria's garden when his big sister sat in the gazebo.

Thomas, often called Tommy by Jarrod, toddled over to her and smiled a sunny grin.

"Hello, I'm Tommy," Tommy said.

Abigail looked over at her new little brother. He was an adorable little boy with a thick thatch of reddish brown hair. He had Jarrod's bright blue eyes and the shape of his mouth. Tommy came over to where she sat and sat next to her.

"Hello Tommy. I'm Abigail," Abigail said.

"But Papa said your name was Katie!" Tommy protested.

"Maybe to your papa I'm Katie. But I was called Abigail since I was a baby," Abigail said.

"Can I call you, Abby?" Tommy asked.

"Of course. The maids used to call me Abby," Abigail said.

"I like you. Your pretty," Tommy said.

"I like you too. You're a sweet little boy," Abigail said.

Tommy put his hand in Abigail's. "Tommy, time for dinner!" Audra Barkley yelled out. Audra was a blonde haired beauty with blue eyes. Abigail had met her briefly in the foyer when she and Jarrod had entered the house.

"You come too, Abby?" Tommy asked, breaking her train of thoughts.

"Of course I live here too," Abigail said.

Her little brother clung to her hand as they walked into the Barkley dining room. Jarrod smiled at his two children as they entered.

"Papa!" Tommy shrieked and made a beeline for Jarrod. Jarrod took his son in his arms and hugged him.

Jarrod still felt the same way about his son that he did a few weeks ago, but Nick was right. Just because he loved Katie didn't mean that he could pretend his son didn't exist.

"I missed you, Papa," Tommy said.

"I missed you too, Tommy," Jarrod said, ruffling his son's thick reddish brown hair.

"I met Abby outside, Papa. She's nice," Tommy said, indicating his sister.

"Is she now?" Jarrod said, looking at Abigail.

"Yeah. I think she's pretty, Papa," Tommy said.

"Yes she is, Son. Katie, sit down. Dinner will be ready to be served when you sit down," Jarrod said.

Abigail sat down next to Heath and started to eat. She almost expected Jarrod to start telling her the rules for living as a Barkley. But being a discreet person Jarrod waited until after supper.

At least Jarrod didn't tell his son not to call her Abby. Abigail was secretly relieved that he didn't say anything.

As soon as dinner ended Abigail made her way to her father's study. The house was huge, but not as big as her mother's house. Abigail was happy in this house. It was almost as if she was used to it. As if she had been here her whole life.

Abigail knocked on the ornate oak door. Jarrod opened it and smiled at her tenderly. The love for her in his blue eyes was a genuine fatherly love.

"Katie, I'm glad you could make it," Jarrod said.

Jarrod wrapped his arm around her slim shoulders and walked with her to the leather couch in the study. Maria was seated already on the couch.

Jarrod stood next to his desk as Abigail sat next to her mother.

"First things first. Katie, I'm sorry I pushed you to love your mother and myself," Jarrod said.

"Pardon?" Abigail asked, surprised.

"I can't make you accept or love your mother and myself. I was wrong to assume that I could. You'll call me "Papa" in your own time," Jarrod said.

"Does that mean I can go home to Philadelphia?" Abigail asked, her blue eyes and voice hopeful.

"No. Legally you belong to us. You have to stay here until your 21," Jarrod said.

Abigail bit her lip to keep herself from crying. Jarrod noticed the gesture.

"Katie, I'm sorry that you can't leave. But you are my daughter and a Barkley and you have to live here," Jarrod said.

"What's so important about being a Barkley?" Abigail asked, bitterly.

Jarrod's shock was evident in his bright blue eyes. "Everything is important in being a Barkley. It's part of who you are. Now I'm going to go over the rules to you living here," Jarrod said.

"All right," Abigail said faintly.

All right he HAD changed a little about not making her be a Barkley, but not much.

"First, you are to help with the chores around this place. Two, you are not to leave the ranch unless an adult is with you. Third, you are not to go near the Montero place. Don Alfredo doesn't exactly get along with us and we don't need to aggravate the situation," Jarrod said.

"Why doesn't he get along with you?" Abigail asked.

"Katalina, he's your grandfather and he never approved of your father and opposed the marriage," Maria said.

"So he doesn't like Tommy or myself either," Abigail said.

"Sí. He said when I married your father that he'd never accept any children your father and myself had," Maria said.

"The last time I talked to him, he was basically accusing me of not taking care of you when you had colic," Jarrod said.

"What was your reaction to that?" Abigail asked.

"I was furious. You are my daughter and to have someone accuse me of not taking proper care of my children makes me mad," Jarrod said.

"Why don't we stop talking about Father now? Katalina, tomorrow I'm going to take you shopping for school clothes. And then we'll meet your father for lunch. That's all right with you, isn't it Jarrod?" Maria asked.

"Of course. I'd love having lunch with my two best girls," Jarrod said, ruffling Abigail's dark hair.

"I'm going upstairs to read for awhile. Good night, Mr. Barkley. Good night, Mrs. Barkley," Abigail said. She opened the door to the study and went upstairs to her room.

* * * * * * * *

April came rather quickly after that. The weather got warmer than Philadelphia. Abigail still hadn't called Jarrod "Papa" or Maria "Mama," but she grew to respect them.

Jarrod was kind and devoted father who truly loved both Tommy and Abigail. And Maria talked with Abigail every night about any problem she was facing here in Stockton or when she was in Philadelphia.

Since January Abigail was wearing boy's clothing. Mother would have a fit if she knew I was wearing boy's clothes instead of a dress, Abigail often thought.

Brown was still her favorite color and Maria had nearly all her school and church dresses in that color. Abigail often begged Maria not to spend so much on her wardrobe, but Maria just laughed and asked her what she thought of a certain material.

After the dresses were finished, Abigail would try them on and show them to her father and the family.

One night was no exception. Abigail was up in her room as Victoria and Maria hemmed the bottom of Abigail's brown skirt.

Abigail had stood for nearly an hour and her legs ached. Her patience was close to running out.

"Are we almost done?" Abigail snapped crossly.

Maria looked up at her daughter. Since Abigail had come home she hadn't done a lot of complaining on anything.

"I thought you liked the clothes we bought you, Katie?" Victoria asked.

"I love clothes, but I didn't think I'd stand an hour just so you and Mrs. Barkley can see if my hem is straight," Abigail said.

"I'm almost done little one," Maria said, sewing the hem in careful, neat stitches.

"Just don't stick my leg with that needle," Abigail said.

Abigail stood for ten more minutes. Maria broke the thread and stood up.

"There! Now I'm done. Let's go show your papa," Maria said.

After all Jarrod had said about her calling them "Mama" and "Papa" in her own time both of them still called themselves that in front of her.

She could still understand the two of them saying that in front of Tommy, but they said that when Tommy wasn't even in the room!

Jarrod was smoking a cigar when Abigail came down the main staircase with Maria. "Jarrod," Maria said, getting her husband's attention.

Jarrod looked up at his wife and daughter. Jarrod's bright blue eyes were shining with love for his daughter.

"What do you think of the dress, Mr. Barkley?" Abigail asked.

"It's beautiful, Katie. You're going to be the best dressed girl in that school in San Francisco," Jarrod said.

Jarrod and Maria had decided until September that Abigail wouldn't go to the school. Quite honestly Abigail couldn't wait to leave. She could call them "Mr. and Mrs. Barkley" without feeling guilty over it.

Abigail blushed slightly at Jarrod's praise. Since she had come to live at the Barkley's, Jarrod's compliments of her were becoming common. Every morning he told her how beautiful she was and how much he loved her.

John Stallingforth was always too busy to pay her compliments like that, so she felt she had never had a father to say those kind of nice compliments before.

Since she had come to live with Jarrod and Maria, she usually didn't know what to say when her father said those things.

* * * * * * * *

In late April Abigail walked down to the dining room and slid into her place next to Jarrod.

Maria leaned over and kissed her daughter's cheek. "What's that for, Mrs. Barkley?" Abigail asked.

"It's to wish you a very happy birthday," Maria said.

"Birthday?" Abigail asked, faintly.

"That's right, Katie, my girl. Today's your 11th birthday," Jarrod said.

"My birthday is July 31st," Abigail said.

"Katie, you have lived with us long enough to know that we are not going to change your name or your birthday," Jarrod said, his face and countenance becoming serious.

"Then if that's the case then I'm going upstairs, locking the door, and not coming out until this mad whirlwind of an existence comes to an end," Abigail said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Katalina Maria Isabel Barkley, you are behaving like a small child! I expect you to behave like a young lady and not a spoiled brat!" Jarrod said.

Abigail's blue eyes filled with tears and she ran blindly from the room. The tears were openly falling as she went to the stable, were her horse, Guinevere was stabled. One of the aspects of living here was that Heath Barkley had taught her how to ride a horse.

She saddled her horse and rode out, not paying any attention to where she was going.

Abigail rode off the ranch, her long black hair trailing behind her in the soft spring wind. Since she had come back she either braided her hair or left it hanging loose down her back.

The tears rolled down her face as she galloped in the empty meadow on the Barkley property. Through the tears, streaming down her face, she didn't see the fence line or the rattlesnake.

Don Alfredo Montero was examining the downed fence where his property and the Barkley's intersected. Since the argument 16 years ago about the young man had started he didn't come over to see the Barkley's. That was firmly reinstated when Maria married that lawyer and had the boy and girl.

Since Katalina came back he had often seen her in Stockton. She was either buying clothes or going to mass or confession at the church. The old gossips said that she was raised Methodist, but she was learning to be Catholic.

Don Alfredo smiled as he thought of his granddaughter. Her hair and eyes belonged to the gringo, but she looked like her mother did at that age.

As Don Alfredo looked up from the fence, he saw his granddaughter come up at a fast gallop. "Muchacha, don't come any closer!" The old man yelled in warning.

Abigail looked up at the old Spanish man; the tears still on her bronze-colored cheeks.

Before she could say anything the horse started to whinny loudly. And it threw her off its back, knocking her senseless.

One of Don Alfredo's vaquero's pulled out a gun and fired at the ground. Don Alfredo saw the remains of a timber rattler dead on the ground. He rushed over to his granddaughter and examined her head. It was bleeding, but not bad.

He scooped her up into his arms and put her into the buggy that was on his property.

* * * * * * * *

A few hours later Abigail woke up with a splitting headache. A Spanish maid was sponging her head with cool water. She was in a comfortable queen-sized bed in what appeared to be a child's bedroom.

Abigail stood up, the room spinning before her. "Señorita, you should not be up. You hit your head when you fell off the horse," the Spanish girl said.

"I'll be fine," Abigail whispered hoarsely. She looked down at her wrinkled clothes. The bottoms of her pants were covered in mud. I can fortunately change when I get back to the Barkley ranch, Abigail thought.

Abigail opened the door and walked out of the room into the cool hallway. Don Alfredo was in the sala enjoying some Madeira wine form Spain, when Abigail walked past the door.

"I see you have fully recovered from your nasty spill back there, Katalina," Don Alfredo said.

"Yes. I need to get back to the ranch. It's getting dark and Counselor Barkley and his wife will be terribly worried if I don't come back," Abigail said.

"What were you doing out there by yourself anyway?" Don Alfredo asked.

"Well, Mrs. Barkley told me that today is my birthday. But the birthday I've always celebrated is on July 31st. I don't know how to be Katie Barkley for them. All I am is a disappointment to Counselor Barkley. All he wants is for me to be someone I'm not or someone I forgot," Abigail said.

"My daughter and her husband are rather set in there ways. Would you like me to talk with them?" Don Alfredo asked.

"Don Alfredo, would you?" Abigail asked, her blue eyes hopeful.

"Of course I will. You're a frightened child. My daughter should show some understanding," Don Alfredo said.

"Gracias, Don Alfredo," Abigail said, in Spanish.

"De nada, Katalina," The Don said back, in the same tongue.

This old man made Abigail feel happy to be a part of the Montero family. He didn't push her to be Katie. He accepted the part of her that was Abigail Stallingforth. Abigail followed the old man to his buggy and both went to the Barkley ranch, where two worried parents sat in the parlor waiting for Abigail.

When Don Alfredo's buggy pulled into the Barkley's front yard, Jarrod and Maria both ran out. Worry and anger etched all over their faces.

"Don Alfredo, what are you doing here?" Jarrod asked in his best prosecuting attorney's voice.

"I'm returning Katalina to you. She was on the border of my property and a snake frightened her horse. She's hit her head," Don Alfredo said, his dark eyes coldly looking into his son-in-law's blue eyes coldly.

Abigail slept blissfully in the seat next to Don Alfredo. Her head ached a little and she was very sleepy, since she was an early riser.

Don Alfredo woke up the girl up next to him. Abigail got off the buggy dizzily.

Jarrod felt all the worry and anxiety come back that he had felt in the last hour or two. He was between taking his daughter in his arms and hugging her or spanking her. And Jarrod knew he never liked that idea.

Jarrod grabbed her by the elbow and shook her slightly. "You scared your mother and myself half to death! What have you got to say for yourself, young lady?" Jarrod snapped.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to happen," Abigail said, sluggishly. Her head was throbbing to hard to present herself with an argument.

Her head fell into Jarrod's chest. If it weren’t that Abigail was too proud to cry, she would have.

Jarrod's eyes watered up. Her tired haggard appearance worried him. She looked awful. Her black hair was a mess and her tan pants had a slight rip at the right knee.

Jarrod looked over at his father-in-law. "Don Alfredo, thank you for bringing her home," Jarrod said.

"She's my granddaughter. I had to bring her home. My daughter would worry," Don Alfredo said.

Jarrod bit back his anger at this remark as he carried his tired daughter upstairs to her room. After all these years married to Maria, Don Alfredo still just saw Maria as their mother, but not Jarrod as their father. These children were half-Jarrod, as they were half-Maria.

Jarrod entered Abigail's room and set her on her feet. Abigail looked up into his kind, blue eyes. "I'm sorry," Abigail said, in a lost, small voice.

"It's all right. I was wrong to force you to celebrate your birthday today. If you want we'll save it for July 31st," Jarrod said.

Abigail's tired face transformed into a look of pure joy. "Oh, thank you, Papa!" Abigail exclaimed without thinking.

Her face turned red. Jarrod's mouth turned up into a brilliant grin. "I'm sorry," Abigail said.

"Don't apologize for calling me that. That's who I am. Remember I told you that you’d call me that in your own time?" Jarrod asked.

"Yes you did. I just felt it was all right if I call you that. Can I call you that from now on?" Abigail asked.

"Only if you are ready to be my Katie again," Jarrod said, resting his left palm on her right cheek.

Abigail nodded and threw her arms around her father's neck. Jarrod stroked her tangled black hair and looked up to Heaven, thanking God for bringing his baby back to him at last. Jarrod kissed her cheek.

"Go to bed, Katie. I'll see you in the morning," Jarrod said.

"Yes Papa," Katie said, kissing his cheek. Jarrod ran his hand briefly through her hair and closed the door behind him.

Katie stood there thinking of what she'd just done. She just called Jarrod Barkley "Papa." A few months ago to admit that Jarrod was her father was a frightening idea. It was to say that John and Edna had kidnapped her.

Tonight when she saw the fear and anger reflected in her father's face it became a fact. This man was her father and he truly did mind her coldness toward him. Calling him "Papa" was the right thing to do, but she wondered if she could love him as a daughter would. Katie changed into her nightgown and crawled into bed. She fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

* * * * * * * *

Jarrod came downstairs, a smile touching the corners of his mouth, and a slight bounce to his steps.

Maria was talking to her father. She looked up at her husband. He hadn't looked this happy since the day Katalina disappeared.

"Jarrod, are you all right?" Maria asked.

"Yes, my dear. I'm just fine. But I do have some wonderful news. Katie has just come back to us," Jarrod said.

"What do you mean, Jarrod? She's upstairs," Maria said, confused.

"When I took her upstairs, she called me "Papa" I didn't have to ask her to. She did it of her own free will," Jarrod said.

"Jarrod, that's wonderful!" Maria exclaimed, throwing her arms around her husband's neck.

"I feel as if I got my baby back. It's really ironic though," Jarrod said.

"What do you mean, Señor Barkley?" Don Alfredo asked.

"I lost my daughter on her 1st birthday and she came back to me on her 10th birthday. She even said that she was ready to be Katie again," Jarrod said.

"Pappy, that's terrific!" Nick exclaimed with joy, slapping his older brother on the back.

"I also wanted to say something to you, Maria. What are you doing in regards to that girl's education?" Don Alfredo asked.

"Maria and myself are sending Katie to the best school in San Francisco and she takes lessons on being Spanish and Roman Catholic from Sister Rosita at the church," Jarrod said, trying to say to Don Alfredo that Maria didn't have all the say-so in their daughter's education.

"Maria, have you taught her anything about your familia though?" Don Alfredo asked.

"No Father. The only thing Spanish that I have taught her is a few words of the Spanish language. Sister Rosita is a capable woman and she has told me that Katalina is making tremendous progress in her lessons. She is speaking Spanish better than the old nun herself," Maria said.

"Do you want me to make a chart so she can go over all the facts about her Spanish heritage?" Don Alfredo asked.

"Father, would you? She doesn't know anything about my side of the family. And she doesn't know anything about Jarrod's side either," Maria said.

"I'll send one of my vaquero's over with the chart tomorrow. Tell Katalina that she should look at the chart every single day until she knows every bit of her lineage," Don Alfredo said.

"Don Alfredo, would you like to come over here on the 31st of July?" Jarrod asked, with an effort.

"Why do you ask, Barkley?" Don Alfredo asked.

"Katie's birthday is on that day and she'll probably like it if you celebrated it with us," Jarrod said.

"I suppose I could come. I have a necklace that belonged to her grandmother. I suppose that my wife would love for Katalina to have it," Don Alfredo said.

"The Katalina necklace?" Maria asked.

"Sí. Your mother made me promise that it would go down to the next Katalina in the family. And as much as I don't like it, your daughter is my granddaughter and the next Katalina to receive it," Don Alfredo said.

Heath entered the room holding his two-year old daughter Sara in his arms. Don Alfredo's gaze turned stony as his eyes fell on Heath.

Don Alfredo stormed out of the parlor and the next thing they heard was the sound of the buggy driving away. Maria sighed a sigh of relief and hugged her husband, happy for the first time since she had married Jarrod.

"What was that all about?" Heath asked, handing Sara to Dora.

"Father has decided to stop hating the children," Maria said.

"He may not hate the children anymore, but he still doesn't like you, Heath," Nick said.

"I know," Heath said.

"Pappy, is it really wise to let him come here on Katie's birthday? You know how he feels about you and our family," Nick said.

"I know, Nick. But apparently he's willing to forget that Katie and Tommy are my children and no matter how bad he feels about it that's not going to change," Jarrod said.

"And anyway how do you know that Katie's not going to change her mind and start being rude to you again?" Nick asked.

At that moment Katie came into the room. She had a robe on over her nightclothes and she looked at her father with bleary eyes.

"Papa, can I have something to eat?" Katie asked.

Jarrod walked over to his daughter and picked her up.

"Nick, I would think I would know my own daughter if she was lying to me," Jarrod said.

Jarrod took her into the kitchen and put her down. "Sit there while I get you some food," Jarrod said.

"Yes Papa," Katie said.

Jarrod got out some ham and bread and poured a glass of milk. Katie ate as if she was starved. After she ate she went back up to her room and fell asleep again, and slept without a dream all through the rest of the night.

* * * * * * * *

The next day was like the day before, nice and sunny. Katie woke up to the sun shining in her window. The bluebird that sang every morning was there.

Katie's head ached still from her fall the day before, but she remembered what had happened when she came back the day before. She had called Jarrod "Papa."

She had heard Nick Barkley ask Jarrod if she might change her mind and her father had said that he would know if she were lying.

Well, thought Katie, I'd show them all that I am not a liar.

Katie dressed quickly in a pair of boy's clothes and went downstairs to the dining room.

The whole family was eating breakfast around the table. Maria sat on one side of Jarrod and Tommy sat in Nick's lap, munching on a piece of toast.

Jarrod looked up at his daughter. Jarrod was surprised at her looks. She wore a pair of pants, shirt and vest and her hair was tied back with a blue string ribbon and hung like a mat down her back.

"Good morning, Katie," Jarrod said, pushing out the empty chair next to him with his foot.

"Good morning, Papa. Good morning, Mama," Katie said, shyly.

"Katie, sit down please. I have to go to town today and I told your mother that I'd take you to the mission," Jarrod said.

"Yes Papa," Katie sat down in the chair next to her father and put some bacon and eggs on her plate.

"Katalina, your grandfather is also sending you something soon," Maria said.

"What is it, Mama?" Katie asked, her interest perked up.

"It's a chart of the Montero family. Your grandfather thinks that you should now all your relatives," Maria said.

"It could be interesting to find out who's all in my family, but where do they come from? Are they Latino Spanish or Spain Spanish?" Katie asked.

"Well, my family came from Spain. Your Grandfather was given a land grant to his hacienda," Maria said.

"Yes. I went inside there yesterday. Grandfather has a nice house. I like ancient buildings," Katie said, twirling a piece of black hair around her finger.

"Yes. Father likes to follow the old ways of building a house. His house here is lovely and he owned much of Stockton at one time. The people who live here don't like it that much," Maria said.

"Well, I wouldn't either, I think," Katie said.

"He one time tried to kick Bert Hadley and his family out of their house six years before you were born," Jarrod said.

"What made him change his mind?" Katie asked.

"He changed his mind when he realized that he was hurting everyone," Heath said.

"Papa, where does your family come from?" Katie asked, trying to change the subject.

"Scotland," Jarrod said.

"Really? You come from Scotland?" Katie asked.

"Yes. The name Barkley is a Scottish name and now, young lady you are doing more talking than eating. I would suggest you get back to your breakfast and be ready to leave in five minutes," Jarrod said, pointing at her full plate.

"Yes Sir. I'm sorry, Papa," Katie said.

Katie picked up her fork and started to eat hurriedly.

* * * * * * * *

Jarrod and Katie were in the rig to town when they saw Bert Hadley and his family. Bert's wife was crying.

Jarrod stopped the wagon. "Whoah!"

Katie looked up at her father. "Papa, what's wrong?" Katie asked, alarm in her blue eyes.

"Nothing, I don't think. Stay here in the rig," Jarrod ordered patting her knee.

Jarrod walked over to Bert. "Bert, what's wrong?" Jarrod asked.

Bert looked up at Jarrod, anger in his eyes. "Don't talk to me, Barkley. If you hadn't married Montera's daughter none of this would have happened," Bert said, angrily.

"What are you talking about?" Jarrod asked perplexed.

"Old man Montera came by this mornin' and told us to leave and he burned our house to the ground," Bert said.

"What?" Katie asked, standing right behind her father.

"Katalina Barkley, didn't I tell you to stay in the rig?" Jarrod asked sternly.

"Yes Sir. Mr. Hadley, why would my grandfather do that?" Katie asked.

"Don't you know?" Bert asked.

"No. No one bothered to tell me anything about Grandfather. All I know is that no one in my family gets along really well with him," Katie said.

"I think he burned my house because of you, Barkley," Bert said to Jarrod.

Katie looked at her father. He was already upset that she had disobeyed him, but someone needed to go tell her grandfather that burning someone's house is not going to make anyone like him.

Katie ran off in the direction of her grandfather's property, ready to give him a piece of her mind. Jarrod hadn't noticed that she slipped off.

* * * * * * * *

Don Alfredo was in his parlor when a sharp knock rattled the door nearly off its hinges.

“Buenos días, Señorita,” the Spanish maid said.

"Good morning. Is my grandfather in?" Katie's voice asked.

"Sí," the maid said.

Katie came into the parlor. Her hair was a mess and her blue eyes flashed angrily at her grandfather.

"Buenos Dias, Katalina," Don Alfredo said.

"How could you do what you did to the Hadleys, Grandfather? What did they ever do to you?" Katie asked.

"Nothing," Don Alfredo said.

"Nothing! So you just came in and kicked an innocent family out of their house and burned it for nothing?" Katie asked.

"You know, Heath Barkley once stood up to me like this once," Don Alfredo said.

"Grandfather, don't change the subject! Did you do it because Papa married Mama?" Katie asked.

"No," Don Alfredo said.

Katie looked at her grandfather. He was obviously not a good liar.

"You know, you are a selfish, old man! You don't think of anything besides yourself! Don't come to my house on my birthday and I don't want to know anything about your family. Besides Mama, all of them are just like you probably. And what you did was not a nice thing to do!" Katie stormed angrily out and ran out.

Jarrod stopped the wagon in front of the Montero hacienda. Katie ran out, the tears dripping down her face. She had thought her grandfather liked her, but now he was willing to hurt the Barkleys neighbors because of Jarrod and Maria.

Katie sat on the window seat in her room, looking out at the birds flying in the sky. Since she had told off her grandfather she didn't feel like going to her lessons this afternoon.

Jarrod had understood completely about her feelings on the matter. He didn't object when Katie had gone up to her room and wouldn't come out.

Maria felt anger toward her father for the first time ever. She didn't understand why her father would do what he did to the Hadleys.

Around seven o'clock Maria tapped lightly on her daughter's bedroom door.

"Come in," Katie's voice was filled with both tears and pain.

"Katalina, are you all right?" Maria said, concern in her voice.

"I'm fine, Mama," Katie said, burying her face in her hands.

Maria sat next to her daughter on the window seat. She pushed up her daughter's face. Tears were streaming down her thin cheeks in rivulets.

"Katalina, are you upset about what your grandfather did to the Hadleys?" Maria asked.

"Why did he do it, Mama? He hurt those people for no good reason," Katie said.

"Your grandfather has problems accepting the people in this valley. He still hasn't accepted your father as my husband or your father," Maria said.

"Why Mama?" Katie asked.

"Your grandfather is part of the old Spanish aristocracy. He feels all Americans, especially your father's family is below the Spanish nobility," Maria said.

"But Mama, the aristocracy is dead out here in California," Katie protested.

"It does not matter to your grandfather. He still won't admit that you are part white too," Maria said.

"I still don't understand it," Katie said.

"My little one you will. Are you hungry, Katalina?" Maria asked.

"No Mama. Can I just go to bed?" Katie asked.

"Of course, Katalina. I'll just tell your papa that you didn't feel like eating," Maria said.

Katie crawled into the bed, the tears rolling down her face. Maria kissed her daughter's forehead and watched Katie fall asleep with the tears drying on her face.

* * * * * * * *

Jarrod was sitting at the table with the family when Maria entered the room.

"Where's Katie, Maria?" Victoria asked.

"She's upset, Mother. Katalina is asleep, the tears still on her face," Maria said, looking at her husband.

"Were you able to get her to understand about what happened, Maria?" Jarrod asked.

"No Jarrod. She's scared and I think she feels it's her fault that the Hadleys lost their home," Maria said.

"What kind of person is your father, Maria? Does he like to make ten-year-old girls cry?" Nick asked.

"I do not understand my father, Nick. It's like he's angry that my children are Barkleys," Maria said.

"Katie wouldn't even talk to me on the ride home, Maria. She was just biting her lip. It was like she was forcing herself not to cry in front of me," Jarrod said.

"What can we do, Jarrod? Our daughter has been hurt and we can't tell her it won't happen again," Maria said, desperately.

"I know. I wish she didn't have to cry either," Jarrod said.

"Jarrod, what he did to the Hadleys goes beyond just hating you and our family. I think his motive was to make the whole valley hate us as well," Victoria said.

"What could he gain from that? Our friends won't believe that we are to be hated," Dora said.

"I don't know," Victoria said.

Jarrod looked into his coffee cup. Maybe Victoria's hunch was right. Don Alfredo had hated the Barkleys since Heath had come to the valley. He had hated the marriage between Jarrod and Maria and hadn't said much about the births of both Tommy and Katie. That is until now.

The night before Jarrod had thought how kind it was for Don Alfredo to bring Katie home. Now he wondered if Nick was right when he said it might not be a good idea to have Don Alfredo over for Katie's birthday.

* * * * * * * *

The violent barging in of someone broke Don Alfredo’s train of thought. Don Alfredo looked up. Jarrod was standing there, his blue eyes angry.

"Señor Barkley," Don Alfredo said coldly.

"How dare you hurt my daughter and call yourself a human being!" Jarrod raged.

"I suppose that Katalina told you of our conversation yesterday," Don Alfredo said.

"No, she didn't have to. I could see it in her eyes yesterday. She also cried herself to sleep last night. You don't have any idea what it's like, do you, to watch your baby girl cry because someone broke her young heart?" Jarrod asked.

"I am sorry if I hurt her feelings, but the night she fell off her horse I remembered what I said when you married my daughter," Don Alfredo said.

"That you'd never accept any of my children as your grandchildren," Jarrod said.

"That is right. So tell that to Katalina," Don Alfredo said.

"I feel sorry for you. All Katie wanted was to be your friend. That's what she called you that morning before we found out what you did to the Hadleys house. And you took her gift of friendship and you threw it back in her face. Katie was right. You are a selfish old man who thinks of no one but himself," Jarrod said.

"I think you should leave now," Don Alfredo said.

"I am. Don Alfredo, Maria and myself feel that you shouldn't come to Katie's birthday unless you are willing to accept our children as your grandchildren," Jarrod said.

Jarrod opened the door and walked out. He rode back to the Barkley house.

* * * * * * * *

Katie was picking at her potato cake with her fork when her father entered the room.

"Jarrod, what did he say?" Maria asked.

"He hasn't changed, Maria. He actually brought up what he said the day he found out that we got married," Jarrod said.

"Oh Jarrod!" Maria said.

"What did he say?" Katie asked, looking up with dull, swollen blue eyes.

"What we told you in the study the night we came home, Katie," Jarrod said.

"About not accepting me and Tommy," Katie said.

"That's right. Your grandfather is willing to ruin the Hadleys because you are a Barkley," Jarrod said.

Katie bit the inside of her mouth. "Katie, this isn't your fault," Victoria said.

"No? Then why do I feel so awful? I wish Father and Mother were here to take me home," Katie said, standing up and walking to the window.

"Katie, what are you saying?" Jarrod asked.

"I tried, Papa. I really did, but I guess I'm feeling a little homesick for Philadelphia I guess," Katie said.

Jarrod stroked her long black hair with his uncalloused hands. "Katie, I've been thinking about what I said to Edna," Jarrod said.

"You have?" Katie asked.

"I'm not going to send you back to Philadelphia. You are going to stay here with your family," Jarrod said.

Katie turned to face her father. "What? You promised to send me back if I was unhappy, Papa!" Katie said.

"I know I did. But I don't think you are as unhappy as you are hurt," Jarrod said.

"But you promised!" Katie said, her voice getting shrill.

"Katalina Maria Isabel Barkley, don't raise your voice to me! I am still your father and I make the decisions if you go back or not," Jarrod said.

"My name is Abigail, Mr. Barkley and don't tell me what to do. You aren't my father," Katie said, her blue eyes flashing with anger.

Katie bolted out of the room before Jarrod or anyone else could say anything. Katie ran all the way to her favorite spot on the ranch. Uncle Nick said it was her father's favorite spot on the ranch. It was called Islas del Cielo- Island of the Sky.

Since she had come back she had found solace in the peaceful beauty of the place. She often thought God had made the place just for her.

* * * * * * * *

Katie sat at her favorite spot, poking at the blades of grass with her fingertips. She regretted her harsh words to her father, but she didn't know how to apologize for it.

Jarrod was by nature a forgiving person, but he might not forgive her for the words she said.

Katie looked at the calm water of the lake and felt her eyes burning with tears.

Katie was so depressed that she didn't even hear Isaac Barkley riding up on his horse. Isaac and Patsy, his twin sister, were 15-years-old. Isaac was said that he looked like his father. He had dark brown hair and green eyes.

He never acted as the bossy type who pretended his younger cousins and baby sister were pests.

Isaac rode up on his Appaloosa. "What's the matter, little cousin?" Isaac asked.

"Isaac, have you ever been mad when Uncle Heath tried to act like your father?" Katie asked.

"Nope. Heath is the closest thing I have to a father. My father died when I was really young, so I don't remember him," Isaac said.

"Do you ever wish you had known him?" Katie asked.

"Sometimes. When I was your age I often wondered if my father would be proud of whom I was," Isaac said.

"But did you ever say anything like Uncle Heath not telling you what to do? That he's not your father?" Katie asked.

"I did once. When I was ten-years-old once, like you, Heath got mad at me for shirking my chores. He told me if I did it again he'd punish me for it. I said to him the same thing you just said. Heath was really hurt though and I said I would never say that again. Did you and Uncle Jarrod have a falling out?" Isaac asked.

"Yeah. He said he's not sending me back to Philadelphia and I said what you just said to Uncle Heath and I called him "Mr. Barkley," Katie said.

"Why do you want to go back? Uncle Jarrod went through a lot of pain when he lost you before. I don't think he wants to go through that again," Isaac said.

"I just can't handle what my grandfather did to the Hadleys, Isaac. Does Grandfather really hate us enough to do what he did?" Katie asked.

"I don't think he hates you or Uncle Jarrod as much as he hates Heath," Isaac said.

"Why would he hate Uncle Heath?" Katie asked.

"Your father didn't tell you, did he?" Isaac asked.

"Tell me what?" Katie asked.

"Heath and your mother were in love five years before she married Uncle Jarrod. Your grandfather thinks that no Barkley is any good because of Heath," Isaac said.

"So I might have been Uncle Heath's daughter?" Katie asked.

"Yeah. That's why your grandfather treats you the way he does. He thinks you are trash because of your blood," Isaac said.

"You know, I think I understand now," Katie said.

"Good. Are you ready to go home, little cousin? Uncle Jarrod is worried half to death over you," Isaac said.

Katie mounted her horse and followed her cousin home.

Jarrod was in the parlor smoking a cigar when Katie entered. Jarrod put his cigar in an ashtray as his eyes met Katie's.

"Katie, I've given an awful lot of thought to what happened this morning. If you want to go back to Philadelphia I won't hold you here," Jarrod said.

"No. I want to stay here, Papa. I was wrong to hurt you like I did. Can you forgive me?" Katie asked.

"Of course I can, if you forgive me first," Jarrod said.

"Yes Papa," Katie said.

Jarrod opened his arms. Katie ran into her father's hug. Jarrod wrapped his strong arms around her shoulders and stroked her black hair and shoulder.

"Katie, I love you," Jarrod said.

"I love you too, Papa," Katie said without thinking.

When she realized what she said, her face turned slightly pink. It was the first time she had said it and meant it. She did love Jarrod.

Maybe Victoria was right; part of her remembered Jarrod from when she was a baby.

She looked up into her father's handsome face. He looked just as surprised and happy as she was. His blue eyes glowed with pleasure and he was grinning.

"Katie, don't worry. We're going to try to stop the fighting between your grandfather and us" Jarrod said.

"I hope so," Katie said, burying her face in Jarrod's chest. Katie felt reassured by her father's words. If Jarrod said don't worry then she shouldn't worry.

* * * * * * * *

The next day was very warm for April. It felt like July at least. Katie wasn't used to such weather, but Jarrod said that she should be thankful that it wasn't a drought.

Apparently Stockton was the drought magnet of the world, but Katie didn't say that out loud.

Often Katie wondered what it was like in Philadelphia. It was somewhat cooler than here and she wondered that if her mother came to see her if she could handle the weather.

Katie still went to lessons with the old nun at the mission. Right at this moment she was learning the names of the saints. The saint that she was learning the most was about Saint Maria, the mother of Jesus.

The old nun said that Saint Maria was who her mother was named after. Most Spanish names were patterned after saints. Katie's name- Katalina- was the name for Saint Katherine.

The old nun went on to say that there was a saint for all 365 days of the year, but it would take Katie much too long to learn them in one afternoon.

Katie walked out of the church, her Spanish prayer book in her hands. Since she had started to take the lessons she had also started to look more Spanish. She wore a flowered Spanish top and an orange skirt this day. Maria had made the clothes for her when Katie had said that she was interested in her Spanish heritage.

Katie walked all the way to the general store and stopped to look at the apples in a barrel. She picked up an apple and examined it. It looked as if it was not rotten, as there were no bad spots on it.

She took the apple and laid it on the counter. "I would like to buy this please," Katie said.

"I'm afraid I can't sell it to you, Miss Barkley," Tom Danforth said.

"Why not?" Katie asked, her blue eyes filled with confusion.

"I just can't. Tell your grandma that Barkley money and your family's credit is no longer any good here," Tom said.

"Very well. I'll tell her what you said. She might want to go to another store to buy groceries," Katie said.

As Katie walked out the door a tomato hit her in the face. Katie tried to hold her head up as she walked to her father's office and not cry. No one had ever treated her like this before. Katie opened the door to her father's office.

"Lavena, is Papa in?" Katie asked.

"Yes Miss, but what's that on your face?" Lavena asked, her gray eyes concerned.

"Never mind," Katie asked. She pushed open the door to Jarrod's office and went in.

* * * * * * * *

Jarrod was working on some briefs for a case when he heard the door open. Katie entered his office and sat on the leather couch.

"Katie, what are you doing here?" Jarrod asked.

"Nothing," Katie said, her voice low as she looked at the prayer book beside her.

"Katie, what's wrong? I've known you long enough to know when you're upset," Jarrod said.

Katie turned to face her father. The tomato had dried on her face, but some of it was still on her face.

"Katie, what's that on your face?" Jarrod asked, his eyebrows shooting up.

"Tomato," Katie said.

Honestly, she's worse than Heath, Jarrod thought. His brother wasn't much of one for talking, but apparently so was his daughter.

"Katie, how did a tomato get on your face?" Jarrod asked.

"It was thrown at me," Katie said.

"Thrown at you? Who threw it? Where was it thrown?" Jarrod asked.

"Yes it was thrown. I don't know who threw it. And it was at the general store," Katie said, answering all three questions at once.

"Do you know why they threw it?" Jarrod asked.

"No. Mr. Danforth wouldn't tell me. He just said our money wasn't good there anymore. Neither is our credit," Katie said.

Jarrod took out a handkerchief and handed it to her. She wiped her face with it.

Jarrod was angry. What kind of person would treat a child that way? Katie tried to act like she wasn't hurt, but she was.

Katie looked up at Jarrod. Her father apparently knew she was hurt, but he didn't ask if she was.

"Papa, why do the people of this town hate us now?" Katie asked.

"It's your grandfather. He said that he’d try to make this valley hate anyone whose name is Barkley," Jarrod said.

"So that's why Mr. Danforth won't sell any groceries to us?" Katie asked.

"Yes, but I'm going to go to the store. No man has any right to punish you," Jarrod said.

"I'm sorry I made you so angry," Katie said softly.

"You didn't, Honey. These narrow-minded people do," Jarrod said.

Jarrod kissed her forehead gently and walked out. Katie sat in her father's office. She started to read the prayer book. With her growing knowledge of the Spanish language. The words brought comfort to her hurt heart.

Jarrod stormed into the store, an angry look in his blue eyes. The general store owner looked scared. An angry Barkley was never a good thing. At least it ain't Nick, Tom thought. Nick would have started a fight if he had heard about Katie Barkley and the tomato.

"Tom, I want to talk to you," Jarrod said.

"Jarrod, if it's about your daughter I'm sorry," Tom said.

"You're sorry? Katie came into my office with a tomato on her face and you're sorry?" Jarrod asked.

"I didn't throw that at her Jarrod!" Tom said.

"But you didn't stop whoever did throw it!" Jarrod said.

"Look, I'm sorry that your little girl's feelings got hurt, but y'all are Barkleys," Tom said.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Jarrod asked.

"If it wasn't for your durn family Montera would have left my family alone," Bert Hadley said over in a corner.

"Is that why you felt brave enough to throw a tomato at a 10-year-old girl?" Jarrod asked.

"She's a Barkley like the rest of ya," Bert said.

"She has just recently come into the name, Bert. My daughter has just gotten over her shock and fear of living here. She wants to make Stockton her home and you have just made her impression on Stockton worse," Jarrod said.

"Then maybe you should just send your daughter back to Philadelphia," Tom said.

"No. Katie is my daughter and she is going to stay here," Jarrod said. He walked out. He went back to his office where Katie sat waiting.

* * * * * * * *

Katie was praying in Spanish when her father came in. She put down the prayer book on her father's desk and went to him.

"Well?" Katie asked.

"Katie, it was intentional," Jarrod said, flatly.

"Papa, I could have told you that!" Katie said.

"Bert Hadley threw that tomato at you, Honey," Jarrod said, sitting down on the couch.

Katie sat next to her father. Jarrod wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pressed his lips against her forehead.

"Papa, what are we going to do?" Katie asked.

"Well, I can't lock you in your room until this blows over. The best thing I can do is bring you to town every day and pick you back up in the afternoon," Jarrod said.

"Papa, I'm scared," Katie said.

"I know I am too," Jarrod admitted.

"You're scared, Papa?" Katie asked.

Jarrod smiled at his daughter. "You find that incredible to believe, Hmmm?" Jarrod asked.

"Yeah. I thought you were very brave. Are Papas' not allowed to be scared?" Katie asked.

Jarrod started to laugh. "Don't let Papas' fool you. We get scared like everyone else," Jarrod said.

"Papa, can't I just take my lessons at the ranch every day?" Katie asked, changing the subject.

"No. If you stay by me every day no one will throw food at you again," Jarrod said.

"That's good. I hate tomatoes any way," Katie said, wrinkling her nose.

Jarrod laughed again. His daughter never stayed scared for long. Jarrod knew that prayer changed things so the prayers she was reading probably helped in more ways that one.

As Jarrod walked out with Katie, he sent a prayer up to Heaven asking God for help in this matter.

* * * * * * * *

The days until the 4th of July dragged by and the town still hadn't changed in their opinion of the Barkleys. Katie was relieved that Jarrod would take her to town every day.

Katie was in the church praying on a regular basis after the tomato incident. A few times Maria would pray with her when Katie would go to bed at night, but the anger of the town would still not change.

One afternoon Katie was praying in the church when Don Alfredo entered. The old man looked at his granddaughter. Katie's black hair was braided and she wore a blue skirt and peasant orange shirtwaist. He had been told that Katie had started to get an interest in her Spanish heritage and that she liked to dress like it.

Apparently that was true. Katie was praying in Spanish as far as Don Alfredo could tell.

"I hope God answers your prayer, Katalina," Don Alfredo said as soon as Katie finished.

Katie looked over at her grandfather. "I think he will. Mama and Sister Rosita said that if I trust him, he’d answer it,” Katie said.

"What were you praying anyway?" Don Alfredo asked.

"If I told you, you might get mad at me," Katie said.

"I promise I won't," Don Alfredo said.

"I was praying for you to stop hating us for being Barkleys," Katie said.

"Sounds like a real good prayer," Don Alfredo said.

"That was only half of it. I was also praying for the people of this town. I suppose you heard about the tomato that Bert Hadley threw at me two weeks ago?" Katie asked.

"Sí I heard about that," Don Alfredo said.

"I was also asking God that he would help me not to be bitter and angry over it. Sister Rosita told me that a man can't forgive on his own, but with God they can," Katie said.

"Sounds like you have done a lot of thinking and praying," Don Alfredo said, surprised at the knowledge coming out of a ten-year-old.

"Grandfather, can I ask you something?" Katie asked.

"Go ahead, Katalina," Don Alfredo said.

"My cousin Isaac says that you hate Uncle Heath. If you hate Uncle Heath why do you hate my father? My father's not Uncle Heath," Katie said.

"I am well aware that Jarrod Barkley is not Heath Barkley. I suppose Isaac told you that you might have been Heath's daughter," Don Alfredo said.

"Yes. When I got angry with Papa for not sending me back to Philadelphia he said that my mother loved Heath 6 years before I was born," Katie said.

"Yes. When that happened and I took your mother away from here, I told her that all Barkleys were not of the proper bloodlines. That I wanted my grandchildren to be of the proper bloodlines," Don Alfredo said.

"So you think I am not of the proper bloodlines? That just because I was born with the name Barkley that I am trashes. You sound like my mother up in Philadelphia. When my father died she became a walking etiquette book. A young lady wore this kind of dress to a party. A young lady never was kind to servants. A young lady covered her mouth always with her hand when she yawned. A young lady always chewed each bite of food 24 times before swallowing. One mistake. One slip up and you would be trash like you just said Tommy and I was," Katie said, standing to her feet, Her bright blue eyes flashing.

Don Alfredo looked at her in amazement. He saw that Barkley stubbornness a few weeks ago when she stormed into his home, but Katie had just now made sense. Don Alfredo grudgingly admitted that that was the only thing the Barkleys had that he liked about them.

"Katie, it's time to go home," Jarrod's voice broke into Don Alfredo's thoughts.

Don Alfredo and Katie looked up at Jarrod. He was standing there, his briefcase in his left hand. Katie walked over to her father and took his hand. Both left the church; Don Alfredo sat there thinking about what should be done to help the Hadleys. Tomorrow he would send out some workers to rebuild their home.

* * * * * * * *

Jarrod and Katie were on their way to town the next morning when they passed the Hadleys property. Bert came up to the wagon, a huge smile on his face.

"Good mornin' Jarrod, Miss Barkley," Bert said.

"Good morning, Mr. Hadley. What's going on?" Katie asked.

"Well, old man Montera sent us an apology and he's sent some workers to rebuild our home," Bert said.

"You're joking!" Katie said.

"Nope youngun I'm not. Old man Montera said he saw you at the church yesterday and that you made him feel sorry for what he did to my place. He said his argument was with you Barkleys, not us," Bert said.

"So you're not angry any more with us, Bert?" Jarrod asked.

"No Jarrod. And I'm sorry for sayin' it was your fault that Montera was that way," Bert said.

"I understand, Bert. You don't have to apologize," Jarrod said.

"But I do, Jarrod. I also need to apologize to you, Miss Katie. I shouldn't of thrown that tomato at you. Your pa was right I was out of line there," Bert said.

"It's all right. I'm not mad," Katie said.

"Bert, I'm going to drop Katie off at her lessons. Then I'll go home and get Nick and Heath and we'll help you rebuild your house," Jarrod said.

"Thank you Jarrod. I really appreciate that," Bert said.

Jarrod got the horses moving again. After dropping Katie off at her lessons Jarrod, true to his word, picked up Nick and Heath and took them back down to the Hadleys and helped rebuild the house.

* * * * * * * *

Life in the valley was easy after Don Alfredo had stopped the quarrel with the Barkleys. After the quarrel ended Katie was happy to be a Barkley. After she decided to be Katie Jarrod was not as strict with her. It became easier to call him "Papa." The man obviously loved her.

Often she would sit in his study and watch him work. Once she asked him what he was writing and he tried to explain it to her. The law took on a keen fascination for her. She often took books out of Jarrod's office and would read them.

She didn't understand every word in the books and she would ask Jarrod to tell her what they meant. One day Jarrod finally gave up trying to explain new words to her.

"Here Katie, take my dictionary. It can explain the words better than I can," Jarrod had said.

Katie believed him when he said it was easy. In a few months time if Jarrod said it was true, it was true.

The more she read, the more she wanted to be a lawyer. She knew that it was uncommon for women to be accepted into the bar, but she knew that it must be possible. She remembered the time that her mother was looking for a lawyer to draw up her will and the lawyer that came was a woman.

At the moment she couldn't tell that to her father. He might think that a girl couldn't do it either and try to talk her out of it. Jarrod didn't seem like the type to make fun of her career choice, but she didn't know if he'd be pleased or not. He may have wanted Tommy to be the lawyer.

And she knew that she shouldn't talk about it to her Grandfather. He came to the Barkley ranch each day since he made amends to the Hadleys and they would talk about how life was in Philadelphia.

If she told her grandfather that she wanted to be a lawyer, he'd be shocked. He often said that a Montero woman should be poised, graceful, and let her husband make the decisions.

* * * * * * * *

The 31st of July came quicker than anticipated. Katie dressed in a simple orange-brown skirt and a top that was made in Mexico.

That day she looked like a Hispanic girl. She combed her black hair and pinned it.

She walked downstairs. Jarrod and the others were waiting in the parlor.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Everyone shouted.

Jarrod walked over to his daughter and hugged her. "Good Morning, Papa," Katie said, her voice muffled as her face was buried in Jarrod's chest.

Jarrod's soft hands were stroking her soft black hair gently. He cupped her cheeks in his hands and looked into her bright blue eyes.

"You know that after this year we are going to celebrate your birthday in April, Don't you?" Jarrod asked.

"I know," Katie said.

"Your mother and myself are just going to let you celebrate it today to give you a sense of comfort. Considering this is the only birthday you've had for 9 years," Jarrod said.

"I know, Papa," Katie said, respectfully.

Jarrod's blue eyes took on a glow of happiness. He got the look each time she called him "Papa."

"Katalina, remember your grandfather is coming today," Maria reminded her.

"Really? He's still going to come after all?" Katie asked.

"Yes. He's still coming. He'll have to put up with us Barkleys for today," Nick said.

"But I've been asking Padre Enrique and he says that my grandfather still doesn't like our family," Katie said.

"It's true. He doesn't like your uncles or myself. He never wanted your mother to marry me," Jarrod said.

"Why? I've heard that it's because of Uncle Heath. What's that got to do with you, Papa?" Katie asked.

"It all has to do with your Uncle Heath. When he came to this family your mother fell in love with him. Your grandfather forced her to choose between Heath or the Montero family and she chose her family. At that time he rationalized that no one in the Barkley family were any good," Jarrod said.

"What's wrong with Uncle Heath?" Katie asked.

"Your uncle was not born of your grandmother. He was Tom Barkley's son, but his mother was another woman. Her name was Leah Thomson. Your cousin, Sarah, actually looks a lot like Leah. But your grandfather said that if Maria married Heath, Nick, or myself the Montero bloodlines would be polluted. So that's all he thinks about. Wanting your blood to be that of the aristocracy," Jarrod said.

"But it's too late for that. Tommy and myself are already born and we're Barkley's," Katie said.

"I know. You'll always be my daughter. You will always be Spanish, but don't let that attitude affect you, that all people are of wrong or right stock. If a man loves you and is a decent boy I have no problems with you marrying," Jarrod said.

"Jarrod, let's not talk of this right now. Today is Katie's birthday. And Uncle Nick and myself have a surprise for you," Heath said.

Katie grinned and went down the hallway, hoping Edna sent her a gift for this day.

The sun was hot as Katie stepped outside with her father and uncles. The foursome entered the barn as a trio. Heath pulled a horse blanket off an odd shaped thing on a pile of hay.

It was a saddle. The saddle gleamed in the sunlight shining through the cracks of the barn.

"Uncle Heath, it's beautiful," Katie said, in awe.

"You have one uncle, Katie?" Nick asked, a stern look in his hazel eyes.

"I'm sorry, Uncle Nick. Thank you both for the saddle," Katie said.

"We're happy that you like it," Heath said.

"Papa, may I go riding until Grandfather arrives," Katie looked up at her father.

"I don't see any reason why not. As long as your home before 2:00," Jarrod said.

"Thank you, Papa," Katie said.

Heath saddled up her horse and Katie mounted. She waved to her father and raced out of the barn, her long black hair flowing behind her.

Continued…