After the excitement of the afternoon had passed and Victoria was put to bed with something to help her sleep Nick tackled Sara about leaving and staying with Margaret in San Fransisco until the trouble with Samuelson was over.

“Honey I’m only thinking of you.” Nick told her as he paced around the bedroom they shared.

“I know Nick, believe me I know.” Sara said as she sat on the bed watching her husband. “But I won’t leave you now. I couldn’t bear it if, and I pray it doesn’t happen, you were hurt because of this monster and I wasn’t there to help you.”

“ It would make me feel better knowing you are out of danger.” Nick stopped his pacing and sat by his wife clasping her hands in his.

Looking at her husband Sara Barkley sighed. She loved Nick so much and would do anything to please him, but on this issue she chose to stand firm. And there was another matter that needed to be raised.

“Nick I won’t split our family up not now.”

“Our family?” Nick was taken back by this announcement. “You mean you me?”

“Yes Nick.” Sara smiled at her husband. “We’re going to have a baby.”

“When?” Was all he could ask. He wasn’t prepared for this at all.

“In about six months time. Now don’t go all protective on me. Dr Walker says everything is just fine.”

“Honey a baby that’s great. Me a dad.” Nick practically beamed.

“I’ve seen you with Thomas and Victorialeah, Nick you’ll make a wonderful father.”

“Kelsey.” Jed Samuelson called as he headed toward the small tent pitched close to the telegraph pole. “Kelsey you about at all?”

“Where else would I be?” Kelsey Bleu grumbled to himself. Out loud he called back “Yeah Jed.”

“Any news?” Samuelson asked as he poked his head into the tent.

“Audra Barkley’s coming home with her husband.” Kelsey reported. “She sent a message to that lawyer.”

“What about..?”

“Sent the message just like you said.”

“And the answer?”

“As you thought it would be.”

“Good. Keep listening. With things going the way there are it won’t be much longer.” Samuelson said confidently.

“Telegram Miz Barkley.” Silas handed the wire message to Victoria as the family gathered for breakfast the next morning.

“Thank-you Silas.” Victoria took the envelope and opened it. “Heather’s decided to stay with the group after all.” She announced after studying the page.

“Good.” Nick said, feeling relieved, although he thought bringing her home was initially a good idea the events of the previous day made him have a change of heart.

“Wise decision.” Jarrod agreed. “She’ll be safer with the group.”

“What does she say Mother?” Heath wanted to know.

“Staying with the group.” Victoria read out “ Having a wonderful time, but missing you all. Hug my brothers for me and kiss my baby. Love Heather.”

“Jerry, Frank and Keith will see that she’s safe.” Victoria told her family.

Jerry Walker, the son of Dr Walker, Frank Cousins, the local blacksmith, and Keith Ranger the assistant bank manger were all young fit men. Samuelson would have a hard time getting past them.

“What about Audra?” Sara asked.

After having spilled the beans to Heath about Audra and Joe Cartwright arriving and with the constant threat of Samuelson hanging over the family Jarrod felt he had no choice but to inform the rest of the family about the arrival of their sister and brother in law.

“Well when the time comes we’ll all go to the station and greet them.” Victoria decided.

“Seems logical.” Jarrod agreed.

“Ok by me.” Nick made his feelings known.

A knock at the door interrupted their discussion.

“Miss Audra and Mr Joe are arriving.” Silas the family butler announced “I think you Mr Nick and Mr Heath better come quick Mr Jarrod. Miss Audra looks like she’s needing some help.”

Silas held the door open as the Barkley men rushed out and into the entrance hall. Audra indeed looked like she needed help.

Sitting beside her in the hired buggy was a very badly cut and bruised Joe Cartwright.

“Audra, my god what happened? “Victoria gasped “ Are you all right sweetheart?”

“Mother.” Audra sobbed as she hugged her mother. “Oh Mother it was awful, this man, he grabbed me at the station and Joe fought him off.”

“Nick, Heath, help Joe.” Victoria took charge. “Jarrod, water and cloths Silas arrange for somebody to drive back to town and sent Dr Walker out here.”

As each of her children set about their appointed tasks Victoria led the clearly distressed Audra into the parlour and handed her a brandy.

“Did he hurt you sweetheart?”

“No.” Audra sniffed “But Joe.”

“Now Joe’s going to be just fine.” Victoria soothed. “Don’t worry.”

Later after Dr Walker had been out and pronounced the apart from the cuts and bruises Joe would be fine. The family gathered in one of the guest rooms

“He was tall, well built with dark hair going grey.” Joe Cartwright said as he described Audra’s attacker. “And his eyes, there was something, I don’t know, almost cruel about them.”

“He tried to grab me, push me into some sort of cart.” Audra continued “He shoved this into my hands as he left.”

She handed to Jarrod a piece of paper.

‘ Thought I’d forgotten about her didn’t you? J.S’

And under the words ‘Heather, Mary Nick Jarrod’

‘Which one will be next?’

Jarrod handed the page over to Heath.

Without even looking at it Heath tore it into little pieces and quickly strode out of the room.

“I don’t understand.” Audra looked from her mother to her brothers “What’s going on?”

“Long story honey.” Jarrod told her.

Nick followed Heath as he tore out of the house and to the stables.

“Heath, Heath wait up.” Nick raced to his brother’s side “Where are you going?”

“Leave me alone Nick.” Heath said angrily. “I’m going to do what I should have done in the beginning. Hunt Samuelson myself.”

“Oh no you don’t.” Nick’s voice rose. “We’ll both hunt him.”

“Nick I can’t let you come along, what if he…” Heath couldn’t bring himself to complete the sentence.

“ When I chose to stay here instead of leave.” Nick looked at his younger brother. “I knew what I was getting myself into. Heath I’ll be careful.”

So that they could cover twice the ground in half the time the brothers decided to split up, Heath to do the lands furthest away from town, Nick the ground between the house and Stockton. They agreed to meet back at the house in four hours.

Nick had searched every inch of the Barkley land between the boundary of the property and Stockton that anybody could possibly think to hide in and came up empty. With that out of the way he decided in the next best place to hide would be some deserted warehouses right on the edge of Stockton close to the Barkley boundary.

“Hey Jed get here quick.” Nate Bleu called to his stepbrother. “Company coming” He drew his gun.

“Who?’ Jed Samuelson asked as he moved to join Nate.

“Nick Barkley.” Nate smiled.

“Wrong one, I was hoping to play with that lawyer Barkley first. “Jed hated it when things did not go his way. ‘Oh what the hell one brother is as good as the other.”

“Shall I?”

“Go for it.”

Nate lined up his victim and pulled the trigger.

With the four-hour time frame almost up and no sign of Jed Samuelson anywhere near the places he’d been looking Heath headed back to the family home.

Nick was nowhere in sight when Heath opened the front door and let himself in but Jarrod was.

“ Hey Jarrod.” Heath greeted his eldest brother. “Seen Nick at all?”

“No” Jarrod replied, “ Not since you tore out of the house and he followed you. Why?”

“He’s supposed to meet me back here and times almost up.” Heath went on to explain what had occurred in the stable and the plan the brothers had come up with.

“I’ve just got this bad feeling something’s not right.” Heath said as the hair on the back of his neck stood up.

“Look, if it’ll make you feel any better how about you and I go look for him?” Jarrod asked.

A sharp rap at the door prevented Heath from protesting.

“A parcel for a Mr H Barkley.” Nate Bleu, in the guise of a delivery boy, said as he handed over a bag.

“Thank-you” Jarrod handed over a small tip to the lad whom he considered just another odd job boy and closed the door. “For you Heath.” He handed over the bag.

Heath cautiously opened the bag. Reaching in he brought out the bullet hole ridden, bloody Stetson of his brother Nick.

“Oh no Nick.” The voice of their mother came from the top of the stairs

Both of the brothers turned and saw Victoria coming down the stairs, never once taking her eyes off the bloody Stetson.

“Now Mother.” Jarrod cautioned her” We don’t know anything yet. This could be just another of Samuelson’s games. For all we know Nick may’ve lost his hat and Samuelson happened upon it. Heath and I were just about to go and start looking.”

“We’ll find him Mother.” Heath kissed the top of Victoria’s head.

For all the front Heath was putting up Jarrod knew that underneath it all this whole business with Samuelson was getting to him.

In the two days since he’d come back to Stockton and ended up helping Heath to find the missing Victoria, Jarrod had seen that haunted fearful look on his youngest brother’s face more and more. He did a good job of hiding it when in a group with the family, but more and more when Heath thought he was alone it would appear.

Heath, as the thoughts spun around in Jarrods head, had made his way to the library and was standing in front of the cabinet that held the Dragon headed Dagger. Sunlight streamed through the window and caused the ruby eyes to glow.

“Heath?” Jarrod asked gently.

“Sometimes I stand here and wonder if it’s worth it” Heath said, not taking his eyes off the dagger. “Wonder if it would have all been simpler if I’d told Samuelson where the dagger was all those years ago.”

“You did the right thing back then.” Jarrod stood next to his brother. “You stood up to that bully, that took courage Heath. Those were terrible times, but the strength and courage you displayed then helped make you the man and the brother I know now. Don’t give in to Samuelson, don’t let him win.”

“Well?” Jed Samuelson looked up as Nate Bleu entered the warehouse.

“Delivered just like you said.” Nate threw off his smart jacket. “Peeped in through the window as they opened it. Worked a treat you should’ve seen Barkley’s face.”

“He’s starting to wear down.” Samuelson announced triumphantly. “One more nail in the coffin should do it.”

“Stopped by and saw Kel on my way back.” Nate reached into his pocket. “Asked me to give you this.”

Samuelson took the message and read it.

“Good, things are working out perfectly.”

Jarrod held the door open and was allowing Heath to precede him when they both nearly bumped into the clerk.

“Message Mr Barkley.” The young man handed over the document.

Quickly Jarrod tore the envelope open.

“Well?” Heath asked impatiently

“Heather and the other guild members will arrive back here this time tomorrow. The group decided it would be in everybody’s best interest.” Jarrod folded the message back into it’s envelope “I’ll leave this here for Mother, come on let’s find that brother of ours.”

Consciousness slowly returned to Nick Barkley. Sitting up slowly he gently felt the back of his head. Wincing as his hand made contact with the lump and the blood.

He shook his head and quickly decided that that was a bad move as he felt the dizziness and nausea set in.

Where was he? What had happened? As his head cleared a little more memories started to return. The warehouse, the gunshot, Stealth rearing and tossing him off, and finally hitting his head on a stray boulder near the door.

But as to where he was that was a different matter. It was too dark and cold to be the warehouse he spotted. He reached out and touched one of the walls. Cold and damp. Cold, damp and stone. He was in a cave. Staggering to his feet Nick gingerly started toward what he hoped was the cave mouth.

“Where do we begin to look?” Jarrod asked frustrated .The Barkley lands were bigger then he remembered and his missing brother just one man.

“Really don’t know.” Heath too was feeling a little frustrated and worried. He should never have allowed Nick to even think about helping him hunt for Samuelson. Now Nick was missing and the bloody black Stetson didn’t do much to calm his fears.

Jarrod turned to say something further when Heath grunted in pain and clasped his head near the base of his neck.

“What?’ Jarrod was at once concerned. First Nick was missing and now something was wrong with his youngest brother. “Heath what’s wrong?”

“Headache.” Heath gasped in pain. “Blood I can feel blood.”

Jarrod examined his brother closely.

“Heath, I can’t see any blood, maybe you just imagined it.”

Heath favoured his eldest brother with a look one would almost call scorn.

Then Jarrod remembered. A time nine years ago when outside a series of caves near a town called Still Waters Nick had experienced the same thing.

“Nick?” He asked. But even before Heath could even reply Jarrod knew the answer. “Close by?”

“Yeah.”

As Nick staggered toward the light he became aware that he was not actually in a cave but a mine and the light was coming in from the shaft. Who ever had left him there made it clear that they didn’t expect anybody to find him in a hurry.

“Giving Heath more time to worry and fret.” He surmised. “The debt is mounting up Samuelson” He fumed. “And collection time is going to be sooo good.”

A rickety ladder led to the surface, problem was when Nick placed his weight on the first rung it collapsed due to age and other factors.

“Great.” He thought, “No getting out that way. Only one thing for it.”

“HELLO CAN ANYBODY HEAR ME?” He let loose with his best Nick yell.

On the surface above neither Jarrod nor Heath could contain their joy at the sound of that voice. Nick was alive.

“Nick, keep yelling.” Jarrod called “We’ll follow your voice.”

“JARROD? HEATH?” Nick continued. “CAN YOU STILL HEAR ME?”

“Jarrod over here quick.” Heath was standing close to an opening in the ground. “He’s here.”

Looking up at them from the bottom of the shaft was their brother, battered, bloody but still alive.

“Mr Heath.” Silas intercepted Heath on his way to the dining room .In Heaths hand the latest telegram for his twin reconfirming she and the rest of the artists guild would be back sometime during the day. “I found this on the porch it’s addressed to you.” Silas handed Heath a ladies handkerchief and a very familiar note.

It was the morning after he and Jarrod had brought Nick home.

Heath didn’t have to look twice at the handkerchief to know it was one of the set he’d given Mary shortly after they’d become engaged. The note this time had a very sinister overtone.

‘Mary or Heather’ Who lives and who dies? J.S’

Coming down the stairs Nick caught the tail end of his brother’s frown

“Another message?” He asked.

Heath handed him the note and the telegram from Heather.

“Mary?” He asked.

“Has to be.” Heath confirmed. “ Frank and Keith would’ve let us know by now if there was any trouble with the group. Make my excuses to Mother will you? I’m heading for town.”

“I’m coming with you.” Nick’s tone indicated that he’d take no arguments.

“Mary!” Heath shouted with relief as his fiancé stepped out of the general store.

“Heath, Nick!” Mary O’Hara exclaimed as the two brothers rushed to her side. “What’s all the commotion?”

“We had a message telling us your were in danger.” Nick informed her.

“And this was sent to me.” Heath handed over the hankie to his betrothed.

“I’m just fine as ye can see.” Mary said, not understanding what was happening. “ A great giant of a man bumped into me two day’s ago. He must’ve taken it then. I’ll be thanking ye for your concern. Now me Ma’s waiting for these things.”

Nick and Heath smiled as the feisty Irish girl walked away smiling and shaking her head.

“She will defiantly make a good addition to the family Heath.” Nick clapped his younger brother on the shoulder.

“Speaking of additions to the family Nick congratulations on yours.” Heath said. “Sara told us yesterday.”

“I was going to tell you.” Nick ducked his head sheepishly.

“Heaven help us if he/she’s like you. I don’t think we can handle two of you.” Heath joked.

“Hey, you take that back.” Nick playfully punched Heaths arm.

“Only kidding Nick.”

“Just you wait till you and Mary have one.”

The brothers were still laughing as they walked back down the street. Neither was really looking where they were going and ran straight into a man coming out the station.

“Sorry.” Heath said he bent down to help gather the man’s things.

“It’s fine thanks Nick, Heath.”

“Jerry.”

The voice belonged to Jerry Walker, son of Doctor Walker and a member of the Stockton Artists Guild.

“When did you get back?” Nick asked looking around for Heather.

“Just now, had a marvellous trip. Didn’t Heather tell you about it?”

“No, we haven’t seen her.” Heath fear starting to creep into his voice. “She came back with you yes?”

“No. She got a telegram from your mother yesterday asking her to return home at once, something about her daughter being sick.”

Nick and Heath looked at each other. No telegram had been sent.

“Boys.” Fred Madden called as Nick and Heath took their leave from Jerry Walker. “Just the two I’ve been looking for. I need your help. Seems some unauthorized person has been spotted close to the telegraph lines, looks like he maybe intercepting messages. With my deputies still out hunting the Cotham boy’s I really like your help.”

“Samuelson.” Heath swore.

The brothers looked at each other for a moment and as one voice said.

“Heather!”

“That business with Mary had to be a trick.” Heath swore bitterly.

“And we fell for it.” Nick’s eyes were dark. “The question is where..?”

They both knew the answer before either of them could voice it.

“Meadows Creek.”

The dream both of them had had was becoming all too real.

With hearts pounding both of them urged Stealth and Rush to greater speeds. Every second now was vital if they were to find and keep their sister alive.

The creek came into view. The grassy meadows on either side of the road were clear no signs that anybody had been there recently.

Crossing the bridge and trotting up the slight incline on the other side Nick began to get the feeling that this was just another of Samuelson’s sick jokes.

And then he heard it. A sound he would never forget. Heaths bloodcurdling, haunting cry of “NO!!!!!”

Heath was off his horse and kneeling in the grass holding something in his arms. It took Nick only seconds to dismount and race to his brother’s side and then he saw her. Cradled in the arms of her twin was his red headed sister, beautiful, peaceful and dead.

As he looked into the peaceful face of his twin Heath felt the life and the fight drain out of him. A part of him had just died.

With tears swelling in his eyes and cascading down his cheeks he looked up and saw not the field nor the shape of his older brother kneeling beside him but his home town of Strawberry and the red haired girl whose eyes fired blue as they played together, teased each other and spoke about how they’d find a better life for themselves and their mother.

“I’m sorry,” He repeated over and over again as he gentle rocked backward and forward.

Both brothers were so lost in their grief that they did not hear or see Jed Samuelson appear from behind a strand of trees.

“Thank you Barkley. You got no idea how much I’ve longed for this moment.” He gloated, “To see you broken and defeated. I knew eventually I’d find your weakness. I knew you had a sister Barkley but you never told anybody she was your twin. The moment I found out about her I knew how to get to you. I didn’t have to physically do anything to you. All I had to do was hurt her.” He circled the trio. “ Do you want me to describe how it felt as I watched her die? How good it felt to slowly drain the life out of her. How she struggled as I squeezed the life out of her. She fought me and that only made it more enjoyable.”

As Samuelson continued his taunting the rage in both Nick and Heath Barkley rose. In front of them was the S.O.B who had just stolen one of the most precious things they had from them.

Samuelson opened his mouth to continue his verbal assault but the words never came out.

Two shots rang out as both of the Barkley boys pointed their guns in his direction and let loose. Samuelson was flung back to the ground blood pouring from his chest where two bullets had lodged themselves.

Heath dropped his gun, shaking hard and with tears rolling down his cheeks he collapsed to the ground.

Nick knelt on the ground next to Heather. Sliding his arms around her he bent his head and kissed the cold cheek of his red headed sister. Holding her to his chest he too let his emotions and grief consume him.

He was still crying when Jarrod Barkley and Joe Cartwright drove up in the Barkley wagon ten minutes later.

On returning to the main part of the house after having gotten Sara to their bedroom, Nick’s first port of call was Heath’s room. He and Jarrod had just about carried him up to it after they’d gotten home. While they explained to the women what had happened and dealt with the after effects of the announcement Silas had volunteered to sit with Heath.

“He just sits there Mr Nick.’ Silas reported as Nick entered the room. “Not saying a word. You want I go sit with Miz Sara now?”

“Thanks Silas. What about Mother and Audra?”

“Mr Jarrod is with Miz Barkley and Mr Joe is with Miz Audra.”

Nick watched Silas depart and moved to stand in front of his brother.

Heath was sitting on his bed just staring at the wall, tears still running down his face.

“She’s …gone.” The voice that had said those words was not the normal voice of his younger brother. This voice was full of sorrow, grief, and it still contained the haunted ring to it Nick had heard earlier at Meadows Creek. “Nick I didn’t even get to say goodbye.”

“I know little brother, I know.” Nick felt so helpless. Nothing he could say or do would ever take this kind of pain away. Sitting beside Heath he drew his little brother’s head onto his shoulder and whispered. “Let it out little brother, let it out.”

“Audra’s finally asleep.” Joe Cartwright reported to Jarrod as he quietly slipped out of the guest bedroom he and Audra shared when they stayed at the Barkley mansion. “Don’t whether it was what the Doc gave her and whether she ended up crying her self to sleep.”

“Mother’s the same.” Jarrod told his brother-in-law. “I sat with her until she to fell to sleep.”

“I just feel so inadequate.” Joe thumped his fist against the wall. “I can’t help her. She’s my wife and I don’t know what to say or do to help her.”

Jarrod acknowledged the statement with a nod. He felt the same way.

After he and Joe had found Nick and Heath with the body of their sister Joe had been sent back to the ranch with Stealth to prepare Victoria, Audra and Sara for the return of the brothers. He had also arranged for one of the hands to be sent into town to fetch Dr Walker and Fred Madden.

Jarrod had stayed with his two younger brothers and had tried to help them come to terms with what had happened. Nick had looked up at him with that terrible lost look. Words tried to come but wouldn’t.

“I.” He had started “She’s.”

The sentences went unfinished.

Heath, on the other hand, had looked straight through him like Jarrod wasn’t even there. Heaths normally bright blue eye’s now seemed so empty. He wasn’t seeing anything or anybody just the body of his twin in Nick’s arms.

It had taken Jarrod a considerable amount of time to get his two younger brothers home. Getting Nick into the wagon was tough enough, but even getting Heath to his feet was a nightmare. His blonde sibling hadn’t responded to a single request or demand. In the end he and Nick had to drag Heath to his feet and assist him to the vehicle. All the way home he’d sat in the body of the wagon holding his twin, silently crying.

Joe had done his best to prepare Victoria, Audra and Sara. But how do you prepare a person to see the body of a loved one, a loved one taken in such a violent, sudden way and for no reason other than to spite another?

Audra had fainted into Joe’s arms as Nick had carried Heather into the house, Sara and Victoria had both managed to control their emotions until they’d both kissed Heather goodbye. Sara had collapsed and had to be helped to her bedroom. Victoria had gone parlour crying and was still there when Dr Walker eventually turned up.

Jarrod now looked around the house. It seemed emptier than it had that morning. A part of the house was missing and would never be returning.

“Jarrod,” Joe said quietly “Go be with Victoria, Heath, Nick, whoever, go grieve. I’ll handle Madden when he arrives.”

Fred Madden hadn’t turned up yet. Probably still with the body at Meadows Creek.

“I’ll also handle Mary and Bridie when they arrive.”

Joe had also had the foresight to notify Mary and Bridie O’Hara. The mother and daughter said they’d be at the house later when they’d gotten a few things together. God only knew what that meant.

“Thanks Joe.” Jarrod clapped his brother- in- law on the shoulder.

“Pa, Adam and Hoss will be here tomorrow. Margaret too.” Joe told Jarrod “I wired them while I was in town.”

Jarrod acknowledged this also. Ben, Adam and Hoss, like Joe, were practically family. His wife would travel back no matter how close she was to giving birth.

Leaving Joe downstairs Jarrod headed to the room Heath had occupied since he’d come to the ranch over ten years ago.

Nick was just leaving.

“I finally got him to settle.” Nick looked back room. His voice a little more controlled, but the haunted look was still in his eyes. “He sat there for the longest time just crying, saying he was sorry and repeating how he’d hadn’t gotten the chance to say goodbye.”

“Why don’t you get some rest?” Jarrod looked at his brother with deep concern. “You can’t run on adrenaline forever.”

“I can’t Jarrod, I try to close my eyes and I still see her. Standing on the stairs. Watching Heath and me breaking horses with that sketchbook close by. Laughing with the rest of us as we teased each other.”

“Walker left more than enough sleeping draught, let me get you some please?” Jarrod pleaded.

Nick had, by now, entered the nursery. Victorialeah was twisting and turning in her sleep. It was as if she sensed something was not right.

Bending down Nick lifted her out of the cot and carried her to the nearby rocker. Many times over the year and half since she’d been born either Heather or he had sat there and rocked her to sleep.

“What’s going to happen to her now?” Nick sat and began to gently set the chair into motion. “With both Paul and…” He couldn’t bring himself to finish the sentence.

“She’ll stay right here with us.” Jarrod bent down beside the chair and stroked the head of his niece. “Heather drew up a will soon after the little one was born. Details later, but she nominated several legal guardians for Victorialeah if anything did happen.”

Nick looked at Jarrod.

“Victoria Elizabeth Barkley, Heath Morgan Thomson Barkley, Nicholas Jonathon Barkley, Audra Victoria Barkley and Jarrod Thomas Barkley.” Jarrod reeled off the names. “You know she never got along with Paul’s parents?”

Nick nodded. It was an open secret. Paul Roberts’s parents never approved of Paul marrying again so quickly after the death of his first wife Dora. They had attended the wedding but had no contact with Heather since then and had never even seen their granddaughter.

“ To stop Paul’s parents, in case they did ever try to take Victorialeah, Heather had me draw up the necessary documents that would make it near enough to impossible. It even got the point of drawing up a document legally changing her name solely to Barkley and having Mother, Heath and you adopting her.”

“Nic, Jar” A small voice from Nick’s lap said. Victorialeah still hadn’t quite got the hang of calling them uncle nor could she get her tongue around Jarrod, and so called him Jar. “Mama?”

“Shh honey” Nick quickly soothed. “Go back to sleep.”

Dopey blue/green eyes looked up at him and then slowly closed.

Those eyes undid both of the brothers and together they cried and grieved for their lost sister.

Most of Stockton turned up at the community church for the service for Heatherleah Barkley-Roberts At the request of the family the actual burial was a private affair in the Barkley family plot.

Heath stood in front of the cabinet containing the dragon headed dagger. Slowly he opened it and removed the jewelled piece.

Nick and Jarrod, who hadn’t been more than five steps away from their blonde sibling in the last few days, watched.

“Here.” A still pale and shallow Heath said holding out the dagger. “Take it, bury it, throw it in the dam, send it back to the Redforths. I don’t care just get it out of my sight. That thing has cost me too much as it is.” He started to leave the room.

The dark haired Barkley brothers looked at the object Jarrod now held. The eyes glinted in the light.

“No.” Jarrod stated firmly “Giving it back or burying it would be tantamount to saying to Samuelson that he’d won. I won’t do that. Let me take it to San Fransisco and kept it there. When you’re ready I’ll bring it back. Ten days, ten months, ten years it doesn’t matter how long.”

As Heath listened to Jarrod speech he acknowledged the truth of the statement. It would be like saying to Samuelson that he had won. He couldn’t, he wouldn’t he loved his twin too much to do that.

“Thanks Jarrod.” The tiniest of smiles flashed across his face and then disappeared.

That smile spoke volumes to Nick and Jarrod. Their brother, they both thought lost to them during those dark terrible days, was home.

SIX MONTHS LATER.

“Nick” Victoria stood at the top of the stairs and beckoned to her second born son. “You can come in now.”

Since early morning the three Barkley brothers and their brother in law had been pacing the hall.

Sara Barkley had gone into labour during the early hours of the morning. It was now early evening and the cry of the newest member of the Barkley family had just been heard.

With Heath, Jarrod and Joe Cartwright on his heels Nick bounded up the stairs and into the room Victoria, Audra, Margaret and Mary had prepared for the birth.

Sitting up in the big bed was a pale, tired but elated Sara Barkley holding the youngest member of the family.

Victoria smiled as Nick carefully approached the bed and bent to kiss his wife.

“Meet your daughter Nick.” Sara said as she held the couple’s first child out so her father could see her.

“A daughter.” Nick breathed as he took his daughter in his arms.

In his arms was the most beautiful girl child he’s ever seen. On the top of her head was a tuft of dark hair the same colour as his own and looking up at him a set of blue/green eyes just like her aunts.

“Honey, thank-you.” He kissed Sara again. “She’s beautiful.”

Sara smiled a tired smile. She’d been afraid that Nick had wanted a son and would be disappointed.

“And I have a the perfect name for her.” Nick said

“So do I.” Sara replied.

After spending a few more minutes with his wife, Nick carried their daughter to the door where her uncles were waiting to meet their new niece.

“It gives me the greatest pleasure to introduce to you Heather Sara Barkley.” He said he held his daughter so his brothers could see her.

As Heath stood admiring his newest niece he thought about the parcel he'd asked Jarrod to bring back with him from his latest trip to San Fransisco.

He’d made the right decision.

Hurrying to his room he dug the parcel out of his bureau.

“I’d like you to have this for Heather.” He said once he’d gotten back. “Keep it for her and when the time is right tell her…” He handed the parcel to a surprised Nick.

As Sara held little Heather, Nick opened the parcel. Looking up at him was the golden headed, ruby-eyed dragon dagger.

“Heath are you sure?’ Nick asked as he took in the significance of the gift.

“You bet Nick.” Heath clapped his brother’s shoulder. “And I’m sure Heather would approve.”

“And you’re okay? With the name I mean?”

“Yeah Heather may be gone, but I see her everyday in her daughter and now in this little one. I know she’d be pleased, pleased and proud.”

And as if to agree with him the crystal prisms of the bedside lamp clinked as a slight breeze entered the room.