Three Sarah Faires Scenes: I

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Scene One

The Hack had been bumping down a rough track and across open meadows for about forty five minutes now and Sarah, no willing carriage passenger or horsewoman was heartily sick of the journey. However, the Hack was now bowling more smoothly along a well beaten lane and Sarah thought she must be nearing her destination at last. Sure enough, soon, a painted wooden sign came into view, bearing the legend Barkley Ranch.

Sarah was irritated by how nervous she felt and mentally took herself to task. This was to be a standard interview, like many she had conducted in the past, why then was she so jumpy? Examining her feelings, in her analytical reporter's way she thought her apprehension was probably due to the fact that this assignment was not of her own making. Sarah was coming to undertake a Society page interview with Victoria Barkley, and at Mrs Barkley's own invitation.

When Martin Erskine had first broached the matter to her, Sarah had speculated as to why Mrs Barkley should bother in this way and she had concluded that she probably had her new friend Audra Barkley to thank for this kindness. Victoria's letter had been gracious and had hinted at further advantages to Sarah's career, a prospect which had led Sarah to eagerly agree to the job.

The Hack was pulling up now outside a substantial white pillared mansion with a bountiful rose garden and a small lawn set forward of a terrace beside the big front door. As the Hack halted the door opened and an elderly white jacketed black man came out and exchanged greetings with the driver. To Sarah's surprise he paid off the driver before turning smilingly to offer her his hand to assist her to alight.

She came gracefully out of the carriage but before the servant could speak there was a delighted cry of "Sarah!" and Audra Barkley came rushing out to greet her friend with a warm embrace. This welcome put a little heart into Sarah and she smiled as Audra said "Sarah how wonderful to see you!"

"Thank you Audra, I'm very happy to be here."

Audra waved the servant aside and said airily "it's alright Silas, I'll take Sarah to Mother".

The dapper man showed signs of agitation "oh no Miss Audra, I have my orders!" he began, but Audra put him firmly aside and seizing Sarah's hand led her through to the library.

Victoria was seated before a cheerful fire and looked round expectantly as the two girls came in. She showed annoyance at the sight of her daughter but rose and came forward.

"Mother, this is my dear friend Sarah!" began Audra but was silenced by a rather satirical lift of Victoria's eyebrows. "Yes Audra, I know that, after all I did invite Miss Faires to visit me this morning". Victoria extended her hand "how do you do Miss Faires?"

"How do you do Mrs Barkley", Sarah was at her most demure and wondered what sort of first impression she was making.

Her hostess turned to the smiling Audra, "thank you for showing Miss Faires in Audra, if you will excuse us now?" Audra was disconcerted, "oh...well I'll make some coffee then."

"No Audra", her mother's voice was firm, "Silas will do that, just leave Miss Faires and I to get on with our business please." Audra's face was decidedly stormy now and Sarah felt the need to intervene. She turned to her friend and said apologetically "I'm afraid Mrs Barkley is right Audra, I am here on business and Mr Erskine might not be very pleased if he thought I was socialising with a friend when I'm supposed to be working." Her words were accompanied with her singularly attractive smile and Audra returned the smile. "I understand Sarah, I'll bring in the coffee."

"No Audra!" Her mother's voice was compelling and Audra pouted whisking herself from the room with a decided flounce.

Victoria smiled ruefully at the embarrassed Sarah, "there are times when I regret the fact that my daughter is too big to spank!" She indicated the Chesterfield, "do sit down". Both women sat turned a little to face each other and Sarah busied herself opening her notebook. Victoria looked at her with open curiosity, so, this was the girl that had roused Nick's admiration and Jarrod's...Jarrod's what? Victoria wasn't sure, one of the reasons they were here this morning was that she hoped to find out the extent of her eldest son's involvement with this unusual girl. An extremely attractive girl at that, Victoria thought, Strawberry blonde, with porcelain skin and frank grey blue eyes. She wasn't tall like Audra but her figure was very good and she carried herself gracefully.

The library door opened and Silas brought in a silver tray. When he had gone, Sarah plucked up her courage as her hostess poured the coffee. "I have to thank you Mrs Barkley, this interview will be a Godsend to me, I daresay you know that and..." she hesitated. Victoria handed her a cup and saucer, "and you wonder why I did it?" Sarah nodded, "yes Ma'am" she said simply. Victoria found herself warming to this girl, liking her frank confiding manner. "I have my reasons," she smiled to remove any sting from her words.

"I need you to know that I didn't try to use any influence with Audra" said Sarah quietly.

"I'm well aware of that," Victoria assured her, "if you had, believe me you wouldn't be here now." Victoria could see that Sarah was genuinely troubled and she covered one of Sarah's hands with her own. "Miss Faires, Sarah, I have a number of reasons for offering you this interview. Some of them need not concern you, however, I admire you for carving out such a challenging career for yourself and I also know how highly Martin Erskine values you. I know that things have not been made easy for you so far and I sincerely think I can help you. Does that answer your question?"

"yes! Thank you," stammered Sarah, much relieved.

They got down to business then and the interview proceeded along standard lines, Victoria was a good interviewee, answering questions frankly and adequately. She had a sense of humour too and a rather trenchant wit which the highly intelligent Sarah appreciated. By the time Sarah put her notebook away both parties were well satisfied with each other and Victoria had delighted Sarah by telling her that she had persuaded her old friend Minnie Perlman to agree to be interviewed.

"But I asked her and she said no," exclaimed Sarah.

Victoria laughed, "well Minnie likes to look before she leaps, but she is the queen of Stockton Society and she can help you Sarah."

"Yes, thank you so much Mrs Barkley," stammered Sarah.

"If you want to thank me Honey you can stop calling me Mrs Barkley, I would like you to call me Victoria."

"Oh you don't have to do that" protested Sarah pink with gratification.

"I insist" said Victoria kindly. Sarah thanked her again and prepared to take her leave. Victoria glanced at the clock, "it's lunchtime, would Martin really mind if I asked you to stay and keep Audra and I company?"

Sarah smiled, "that was for Audra's benefit, he told me to take all the time I want."

Victoria led the way to the dining room and they seated themselves. "Silas would you ask Audra to join us please?"

The elderly man looked uncomfortable "Miss Audra stepped out Ma'am."

"Stormed out more like" sighed Victoria when he had served them and gone.

"I'm sorry," said Sarah.

"Don't be, my daughter has many fine qualities but she is also a little spoiled, comes of having three older brothers I guess."

"I have seven brothers myself and three older sisters also," said Sarah, "I would have liked a little spoiling I think." She had spoken lightly but Victoria was a discerning lady and could sense a measure of pain and loneliness behind the girl's words.

"Sam told me you had a pretty disrupted childhood and also that you took your sister Martha's death very hard."

Sarah was an independent spirit, she didn't open her heart to others easily but Victoria Barkley was a woman she could talk to and before long she had confided her hopes and fears and many personal details about herself. The wonderful thing from Sarah's point of view was that Victoria really did understand about bereavement, she spoke of her own premature widowhood and how self- destructive could be the walls with which one tried to surround oneself to avoid further hurt. Sarah had tried to thank her hostess for her understanding but Victoria had simply said "you are a brave, good girl and I'm beginning to value your friendship as much as Audra does."

They drank their coffee on the sunlit terrace and Victoria remarked that it was a pity Audra had not shared their pleasant lunch. " At times I'm afraid she is as stubborn as her father," she said, adding reflectively, "mind you they all are!"

Sarah wanted to talk of the exasperating but fascinating Jarrod but didn't want to betray her interest, so she made a more general comment, "both your sons are very handsome, do they resemble their Father or do their good looks derive solely from you?"

Victoria laughed, "thank you for the compliment Sarah, actually the two youngest resemble Tom physically, Eugene and Audra have his colouring, Jarrod and Nick have mine, although Jarrod has Tom's blue eyes. In fact I see him in all of them, in a way."

"Do you mean that each of them have some of his character traits?"

"Yes, Eugene has Tom's idealism, his sense of humour and heaven help me, his sense of adventure!" laughed Victoria.

"Does he get in lots of scrapes?"

"Yes , yes he does rather, still Jarrod keeps a watchful eye on him, Gene respects Jarrod."

"Audra seems very fond of all her brothers," said Sarah, "I envy her that closeness, it's something I haven't had to any great degree."

Victoria patted the girl's hand, "you must have been very lonely at times my dear."

Sarah nodded " yes, at times I was." She shook off her depressed mood and said brightly "tell me more, what does Audra inherit from her Father?"

"His impulsiveness, and his warm heartedness," laughed Victoria. "there are times when she acts before she thinks, but Jarrod and Nick take excellent care of her.

I can always depend on them both. Nick has his Father's hot temper and his courage but my Husband had a truly kind nature and Nick has that too. As for Jarrod, well he has Tom's keen intelligence and his charm of course." Victoria shot a sideways look at Sarah but the girl's expression told her nothing. "all of my children are very stubborn, which I suspect they get from Tom and from me too." Sarah spoke with sincerity, "you must be very proud of them all?"

Victoria took Sarah's hand, "yes I believe I am, but don't tell them I said so!"

The two women laughed together and remained hand locked and at that moment Jarrod appeared from the direction of the barn and stopped short at the cosy scene before him. "Good afternoon" he said in a decidedly frosty tone of voice.

"Jarrod darling, what a nice surprise, you're home early," exclaimed his Mother.

"I had a case adjourned, so I thought I would keep you company, but I see you have a visitor."

"Of course you two have already met haven't you?" said Victoria smoothly not betraying that she had noticed Jarrod's cool reception of her guest.

"Yes, we have." Jarrod answered tersely.

"well you'll be seeing a lot more of Sarah from now on because Audra wants lots of visits from you dear and so do I."

Sarah eyed Jarrod defiantly then turned to his Mother "thank you Victoria, it will be a pleasure." She thought Jarrod's frown grew blacker when she used his Mother's first name and she was glad.

"By the way Sarah, I almost forgot to invite you!" Victoria laughed, "Minnie is giving one of her parties tomorrow night and she wants you to come, you will won't you?"

"I would be thrilled to."

Victoria glanced mischievously at her eldest son, "Jarrod dear will you please drive Sarah to town for me?" she asked in her most dulcet tone.

"Oh please don't bother!" said Sarah hastily, but Jarrod after glaring at Victoria for a moment nodded "of course Mother."

The two women said their goodbyes and to Jarrod's obvious annoyance his Mother gave Sarah a most kind and warm embrace at parting. In silence he led the way to the barn and curtly ordered Ciego to harness the buggy. He did not speak until the buggy was bowling along the lane. then he turned to his companion and in a tightly controlled voice said "I think it only right to warn you Miss Faires that you had better be circumspect about anything you decide to print about my family, especially my Mother!" Sarah was caught off guard "I beg your pardon?" she asked in surprise.

"I believe you understand me!" Jarrod answered grimly.

There was a martial light in Sarah Faires fine eyes,"no! I don't believe I do, and if I did I wouldn't bow to bullying by you or anyone else!"

Jarrod's icy calm was deserting him fast, "you print anything I object to and you will find out what I can do to you and your paper!" he flashed.

"You are the most pig headed pompous stuffed shirt I have ever met and I won't ride another yard in your company," declared Sarah jumping hazardously from the buggy. Jarrod had to jerk the restive horse to a standstill and watched incredulously as Sarah strode off down the lane. She had completely disconcerted him and for a moment he didn't know what to do. At length he set the horse in motion once more.

Sarah didn't glance back at him. "Are you proposing to walk all the way to Stockton?" asked Jarrod in some amusement.

"I'll CRAWL back there before I ride with you!"

Jarrod was slightly conciliatory, "I didn't mean to offend you Miss Faires I simply wanted..."

She turned on him, "I know what you wanted. You wanted to warn me to keep my place... you...you." The redhead had quite a temper and despite himself Jarrod smiled. "Won't you get in again?"

"Never!" she declared.

Jarrod's scowl descended again, "you are completely unreasonable!" he said and then he realised with a sinking heart that Nick was trotting along the lane towards them.

Nick had taken in the little scene as he approached, his hazel eyes were twinkling and his face wore an expression of unholy amusement. He pulled Coco up in front of the stormy little beauty and turned on his most flashing grin. "Good afternoon Miss Faires, or may I call you Sarah?"

Sarah was breathing fast and still put out but Nick's grin was engaging and she smiled back at him, "Sarah is fine, Mr Barkley."

"Nick please!" He looked at his seething brother and spoke reprovingly "Jarrod are you gonna make the little lady walk all the way to town?"

"I won't ride ANYWHERE with him!" Sarah said flatly.

Nick pretended surprise, "oh... well would you like to borrow my horse?"

Sarah glared at him, "I don't ride."

Nick smiled winningly, "is that from lack of opportunity or choice?"

"I never got around to learning, you wouldn't understand that."

"Sure I would, just cos I love to ride I don't expect the rest of the world to be crazy about horses too."

His tone was friendly and Sarah smiled "forgive me."

"With pleasure and please let me teach you to ride sometime soon? I taught my sister you know and Audra rides pretty good."

"Thank you Nick perhaps I will!"

"Please let me escort you back to town?" Nick dismounted and led Sarah back to the buggy. He assisted her to mount in and went to Jarrod's side. He smiled blandly at Jarrod "excuse me big brother!"

Jarrod could see no alternative but to climb out and stride over to Coco. He swung himself into the saddle jerking the reins so sharply that the big horse started to sidle. "Think you can handle a cutting horse Pappy?" Nick was gleeful, "Perhaps I should give you lessons too!"

Jarrod pointedly ignored him and and spoke to Sarah, "I apologise for upsetting you Miss Faires, goodbye."

"Goodbye Mr Barkley."

Nick spoke again, "oh Jarrod?" Jarrod glared at him, "give Coco a good rub down will ya?" Jarrod rode off without a word and Nick gave way to the pent up laughter he had been suppressing."I believe you enjoyed that!"Sarah reproved him, "promise me you won't tease him?"

"Don't make me promise!" begged Nick, "you have no idea how often he gets the better of me, I deserve to have some fun with this!"

"I'm afraid I behaved very badly!" Sarah confessed.

"Don't give it another thought", said Nick gallantly.

They proceeded amicably into town and Nick who usually avoided Minnie Perlman's parties like the plague, not only assured Sarah he would be there but begged the first dance too. Nick deposited Sarah at Martin Erskine's office and drove home in thoughtful mood. A pretty dainty little thing Sarah and it was as plain as day Jarrod was smitten with her! They didn't seem able to get from one end of a conversation to the other without falling out and Nick wondered where it would all end. He would tease Jarrod a little and see what was what!

However when Nick got home Silas told him his Mother had comprehensively scolded Jarrod for upsetting the fair visitor and with great forbearance Nick held his peace. Except for telling Jarrod at dinner that Sarah had promised him the first dance on the morrow. Audra was delighted, "oh Mother you never told me Sarah was coming to Minnie's party!"

"If you hadn't missed lunch you would have heard me ask her."

"Oh did she stay for lunch?" said the crestfallen Audra. Victoria relented and told Audra how taken she was with Sarah and how she had made Sarah promise to visit them often.

"Good!" said Nick with a wicked grin at Jarrod "she's a lovely little gal!"

Jarrod put down his napkin and rose, "excuse me", he said quietly and left the room.

Audra pouted, "I don't know why Jarrod dislikes Sarah, Mother!"

"Does he dear? I'm not so sure" answered her mother thoughtfully.

Nick smiled at Victoria, "neither am I."

Victoria was pensive, "don't tease him anymore Nick," she begged.

"I won't", he promised with the smile he kept for her alone.

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