The Streak

The Misadventures of Nicholas Barkley 2

by Arkangel

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.

"Nicholas Barkley, you get in that bath this instant. We have guests coming and I want you cleaned up and ready before they get here." Victoria scolded trying and failing to get her young son out from under his bed.

"I've already had a bath, I don't wanna nother one." Nicholas stated from the safety of his hiding place.

"That was two days ago, Nicholas, you are getting a bath and that's final." Victoria pushed a loose strand of hair out of her face, "I'm counting, you better be out from under that bed by the time I get to three."

"Mama, I ain't dirty." Nicholas reasoned.

"One!"

"I'll take one tomorrow, I promise."

"Two!"

"Okay." Nicholas scooted out from under the bed, seeing his mama's frustration, he put on his best long, sad face and turned pleading eyes upward. "I'm out."

"Nicholas, why must we have this discussion every time I want you to take a bath?"

"I don't like baths" Nicholas yelled stamping his little foot.

"You are not going to dinner wearing half the yard, now march." Victoria punctuated her statement with a finger jutting out the door of the bedroom.

Head down, Nicholas slowly walked to the door, followed closely by Victoria. "Can I just......"

"Bath, now."

"What if..."

"Nicholas....." Victoria said in a warning tone.

"Yes mama." Nicholas hung his head and made his way to the bath.

"I'll lay some cloths out for you on your bed, you get dressed and come down once you're done. No doddling."

"I will." Nicholas closed the door and Victoria went to his room and gather the clothes he was to wear that evening.

Heading down stairs, Victoria chuckled to herself, bath time was always an adventure where Nicholas was concerned. She never had any trouble with Jarrod, you just mention the word bath and he was undressed and in the tub. Nicholas, at five years old, was a staunch disbeliever in taking baths. Seeing Tom and Jarrod in the parlor, she made her way to the couch and sat down with a sigh.

"Is he in?" Tom asked

"Yes, finally."

"Only took you thirty minutes this time, dear. Good job."

Jarrod giggled at the withering look Victoria gave her beloved husband. "Next time, you can do it." Victoria calmly stated.

A knock at the door alerted the Barkley's that their company had arrived, forty-five minutes early. "Oh dear, Tom they're early."

"It's okay, Vic. We'll just have a drink before dinner and talk.....everything will be just fine."

Victoria rose, smoothing her hair and fluffing her elegant gown, she turned just in time to see their guests, eight in all, being shown into the parlor by Silas. "How nice of you to come." She smiled brightly.

Four sharply dressed men and their equally elegant wives stepped forward. Introductions were made and drinks served. This dinner party, though not formal, was important to Tom. These men were the top cattle buyers in California and they had come to meet and make possible arrangements for future purchases from the Barkley ranch. The money that could be made would be enormous, and their future set. The Barkley Ranch would be one of the top sellers of cattle in the state if this deal was made. Victoria was both nervous and excited at the prospects.

About thirty minutes after the arrival of their guests, Victoria realized that Nicholas had yet to make an appearance. "Excuse me, please." She said and headed upstairs to Nicholas' room.

Opening the door to Nicholas' room, she noted that the closes were still laid out untouched. She then made her way to the water closet door and knocked. "Nicholas, it's time to get out....we have company."

No answer.

"Nicholas?"

Opening the door, she saw that the bath was empty and the large bath towel sat, unused, on the vanity. She could tell that Nicholas had indeed taken a bath, the water was a dirty brown and the floor covered in wet footprints. "Oh dear."

Grabbing the towel, she then went room to room, following the little wet foot prints as they pattered from one door to the other. "Nicholas!" She whispered harshly, not wanted to draw attentions to herself.

As she started to open another bedroom door, a small streak of bare flesh flew across the hall and head for the...."Nicholas....no!"

Victoria ran to the staircase with the hopes to stop her son, naked as the day he was born, from barreling down the stairs and into the middle of their very important guests. Taking the steps as quickly as she could, she knew she would not make it. Three steps from the bottom, she heard a collection of gasps and 'oh my's' coming from the parlor, and the loud rumbling laughter of Tom.

Victoria's face flushed with embarrassment as she entered the parlor. "I'm so sorry." She started.

One of the men, trying hard to keep from laughing, pointed to the dinning room door. "Thank you." Victoria said as she hurried, towel in hand, in the same direction. "Nicholas Jonathan Barkley, you get yourself back here this instance." Victoria scolded through gritted teeth.

Another giggle and more gasps were heard from the parlor.

"Oh please, Lord. Take me now." Victoria mumbled as she went back into the crowded parlor.

"I take it this is what you're hunting." Tom said producing a very naked Nicholas Barkley from behind his leg.

"Yes." Victoria sighed taking her towel and wrapping it securely around her streaking son.

Victoria made her apologies again and marched a grinning, giggling Nicholas back up the stairs.

"Nicholas, I can not believe you did that......and in front of guests." She said once she was out of earshot of the others.

"But mama...."

"I don't want to hear it, young man. You are grounded from your pony for two weeks."

"Mama........I just wanted to see what all the fussin' was about."

"Nicholas, I'm sure your Father is very angry with you."

"Nuhuh, he was laughin' real hard."

Victoria narrowed her eyes and turned to look behind her. Tom ducked his head and proceeded to continue the conversation with Mr. Darringer.

"That was not proper behavior. What you did was wrong."

"Why?"

"Because you just don't do that. There were ladies present."

"They was laughing too." Nicholas smiled.

Making it to the safety of Nicholas' bedroom, Victoria calmly shut the door and firmly sat Nicholas on the edge of the bed. "Now Nicholas, I want you dressed and I want you to march right down there and apologize to those fine folks."

"Why?"

Emitting an unlady like growl, Victoria continued, "Must I go through this again........you will apologize and then you will be a perfect little gentleman until our guests leave."

Nicholas furrowed his eyebrows as if to think, "Okay, mama."

Victoria gave a satisfactory grin, "That's a good boy, now let's get these clothes on you and get you down stairs."

Once little Nicholas was dressed, he picked up his boots, pulled them on and grabbed the small silver spurs his papa gave him for his fifth birthday.

"Nicholas you are not wearing those spurs to dinner."

"I'll pull them up, mama, they won't jingle."

Feeling defeated, Victoria gave in and placed the small spurs on her son's boots being sure to pull them up so they wouldn't hit the floor. "There, now don't you look handsome."

"I don't know mama, I can't see the mirror."

Victoria laughed, "Take my word for it, you are a handsome fellow. Now let's get down there so you can make your apologies."

Victoria took her son's hand and, together, they exited the bedroom and descended the stairs. All conversation stopped and small snickers could be heard as Victoria and Nicholas entered the parlor.

"Well, young man." Victoria pushed.

"I'm sorry." Nicholas said trying hard not to smile.

"It's alright, young man. No harm done." Mr. Darringer said stepping to stand in front of Nicholas. "I must say, if you're the future of the Barkley empire, the state of California better watch out." The kind man laughed.

"Oh, I ain't gonna run around naked when I run this ranch, Sir, it ain't proper."

Mr. Darringer laughed heartily as did the others in the room, "No, it ain't." Turning to Tom he said, "I bet this young man is quite a handful."

Tom nodded, "You have no idea." He laughed smiling lovingly at Victoria who smiled back.

"You have no idea."

THE END