Hope’s Gift

Part 1

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: After the death of Jarrod's wife, his daughter, Audra Anne, tries to get her father's attention. This is an alternate universe that goes probably until the end of the show itself.

Part 1

Hope Barkley waddled down the hallway to her husband's office, her slender hands resting on her protruding stomach. Being 7 months pregnant with a baby had made Hope happier than she had been in a long time. Hope could tell that Jarrod was happy as well. Often when he thought that she wasn't looking he'd smile at the thought of having a baby.

Hope opened the door gently. Jarrod sat at his desk, putting papers in his briefcase. At 21 years old Jarrod Barkley had just recently started his own law firm and clearly enjoyed his work. Jarrod's eighteen-year-old brother, Nick, teased him about his choice of career, but Jarrod took the teasing well.

Hope stood next to her husband and pushed an errant strand of black hair behind his ear. Jarrod kissed her hand tenderly.

"How's the baby?" Jarrod asked, looking into his wife's greenish-gray eyes.

"Impatient as her father and Uncle Nick. She's already a true Barkley," Hope said, teasing Jarrod.

"What makes you think the baby might be a girl, Hopie?" Jarrod asked, using his nickname for her.

Hope smiled. Jarrod was the only one who could get away with calling her Hopie. She actually couldn't stand the nickname, but when Jarrod said it, it sounded different than if someone else said it. "Mother's intuition, I suppose, Jarrod."

"I can't argue with you there, Hope. But boy or girl I think our baby is going to have the most beautiful mother in the world," Jarrod said.

Hope winced as a sharp pain lanced through her back. "Hope?" Jarrod asked, concerned. It looked as if Hope's face had just drained of all color.

"I'm all right, Jarrod. The baby's kicks are just kind of strong right now. I think I'll go join your mother and Tracie for a cup of tea," Hope said, trying not to let on let this kind of pain had been happening for the last hour.

"All right. Just take care of yourself and the baby," Jarrod said, kissing his wife's forehead gently.

"I will. I love you, Jarrod," Hope said.

"I love you too, Hopie," Jarrod said, putting some more papers back into his briefcase.

* * * * * * * *

Later that evening Jarrod walked up to the door and opened it. He hoped that Hope was all right. Since she said the baby was kicking her stronger now, he hoped that she wasn't hurt by the kicks.

Tracie went by carrying some hot water. "Tracie, what's wrong?" Jarrod asked Nick's wife.

"It's Hope, Jarrod," Tracie said, pushing a lock of brown hair out of her eyes.

"What is it? Is Hope and the baby all right?" Jarrod asked, a panic in his voice.

"Jarrod, Hope went into labor an hour after you left," Tracie said.

"What? She couldn't have! The baby's not due for another month," Jarrod asked shocked.

"Hope complained of a backache this morning and Mother said it was time for the baby to be born if that's the case," Tracie said, surprised at Jarrod's reaction.

Jarrod nodded his head and went into the study, where Tom and Nick were already waiting.

The next two hours were the longest two hours of Jarrod's life. Often he heard Hope's screams fill the house. Jarrod tried to get into a game of checkers with Nick, but his thoughts were so filled with Hope and the baby he couldn't concentrate.

Finally the door opened to reveal Victoria. Victoria held a small pink bundle in her arms. "Jarrod, you have a baby daughter," Victoria said, holding the bundle out to Jarrod.

Tom clapped his oldest son on the back. "Pappy, that's great!" Nick cheered. Nick was happy that Jarrod now had a baby girl. Tracie was expecting a baby in August. If Jarrod held his new daughter Nick would figure out how to hold a baby himself.

"How's Hope?" Jarrod asked, taking the baby into his arms.

"Jarrod, I'm so sorry," Victoria said, the tears that she had been holding back now coursing down her cheeks.

"Why are you sorry?" Jarrod asked, feeling an ice-cold fear in his stomach.

"Jarrod, She... she didn't make it through the delivery," Victoria said, her voice breaking.

Jarrod stared at his mother in dumbfounded shock. Hope was dead? How could that be? She had been all right when she came into his office that morning? Jarrod then remembered the pain she had earlier.

Tom rested his hand on his son's slumped shoulder. Jarrod was a widower now with a baby to take care of. Hope would want her daughter well taken care of.

"Jarrod, what are you going to name the baby?" Tom asked, concerned for his first granddaughter.

"Hopie wanted to name her after Audra. Audra Anne," Jarrod said, his voice filling with tears.

"Audra Anne. That's a beautiful name, Jarrod," Victoria said, smiling through her tears.

"Mother, could you take the baby? I don't think I can hold her anymore," Jarrod said, his voice choking slightly.

Victoria took Audra Anne in her arms and looked at her son. He sank down onto the couch and cried bitterly. For the next few hours Victoria tried to get Jarrod to hold the baby, but he refused to hold and look at her.

The family sat in the church the day of Hope Barkley's funeral. As Victoria held Audra Anne, she felt pangs of sadness for her son and the baby.

Hope had died and Jarrod behaved as if work was more important than the baby at the moment was. Except for holding the newborn briefly, Jarrod hadn't picked up or looked at the baby once.

The baby had come to the funeral, but her father had refused to hold her. Tracie had to hold the baby when Victoria's arms were tired.

Victoria looked over at Jarrod. He hadn't cried much when Hope had died and today was no exception. He just sat there, his eyes facing the front of the church.

Victoria knew that Jarrod would never show his grief in front of any of them. If Jarrod were to cry over losing Hope, he would do that in his office or room.

The baby let out a soft whimper as she woke up from a long nap.

Tracie looked at Victoria. "Mother, I'll take Audra Anne," Tracie whispered softly, holding out her arms.

Victoria placed the baby in Tracie's arms and watched as her daughter-in-law gently rocked her back to sleep.

* * * * * * * *

Jarrod wasn't completely oblivious as Victoria handed Tracie the baby. Jarrod hadn't heard the child cry that much since she had been born, but this day when he heard his daughter's soft whimper his heart lurched.

The thought of raising a child made him feel faint. He had raised Nick, Audra, and Eugene, but raising this child frightened him.

He didn't know if he could do it. The bigger problem was that Hope had died bringing this child into the world. He didn't want to blame the child for coming. That would be cruel. But Hope had died giving birth to this baby.

Jarrod looked at his daughter out of the corner of his eye. She was blinking her eyes as they focused on Tracie's green eyes.

Victoria said that Audra Anne had Hope's eyes. A greenish-gray that had a golden look to them. Everyone said that Hope had handsome eyes. Now it appeared the same was going to be true of the baby.

Jarrod didn't know if he could ever look at Audra Anne and not think of Hope. By the time the service was over he had made up his mind.

Victoria and Tom could raise his child for him. The baby would always know whom her father was, but Jarrod wasn't going to be around were the baby's features could hurt him.

* * * * * * * *

The next few weeks were the hardest on the Barkley family. Jarrod had totally submerged himself with work and still hadn't looked at the baby. While Tom and Victoria had thought Jarrod was wrong for ignoring her they thought that Jarrod had to grieve for Hope.

Victoria was rocking the baby in a rocking chair in the nursery when Audra looked at Victoria and smiled. Silas was walking in with some clean diapers when it happened.

"Silas, she just smiled!" Victoria exclaimed, kissing the baby's soft cheek.

"Yessum, Miz Barkley. It be a shame Miz Hope and Mistuh Jarrod cain't see it," Silas said, putting the linens and baby clothes in a dresser.

"I know, but Jarrod will come around. I'll tell him when he comes home from San Francisco about the baby," Victoria said, putting the baby in her crib.

"What if he don' wanta know?" Silas asked.

Silas had been with the family since Nick had been born. He loved all the Barkley family and Miss Audra Anne was the sweetest little thing. Jarrod would have been foolish not to want to hear about her.

"He's in pain, Silas. He loved Hope very much. I'm sure when the time comes he'll want to know how the baby is," Victoria said, sounding more optimistic than she felt.

Victoria wasn't sure if Jarrod would come to see his daughter. He asked about how she was doing, but when he did there was pain in his eyes. Tom asked Victoria why Jarrod stayed away from the baby. Victoria said it wasn't because the baby had been born. It was because he felt he couldn't be as good a father as Tom.

By the time Audra Anne was five Jarrod had rarely ever had been back to the house. He came home every six months, but when he saw Audra Anne it was only at meal times and from a distance.

Jarrod often asked about how she was faring, to which everyone said that she didn't appear to be unhappy. Audra Anne had learned to read and write at the age of four and the reading material that she could read in a week was astonishing. Jarrod made sure to give Victoria plenty of children's books to keep her occupied, but Audra Anne didn't just read. She devoured the words in the books whole.

Often Lucy Barkley, Uncle Nick's daughter, said she thought Audra Anne dull to enjoy reading so much, but Audra Anne would just smile and go back to her book.

In the summer of 1872 Jarrod was visiting when something awful happened. Audra Anne was sitting on her footstool when Harry, the sheriff came to the door.

"Silas, who is it?" Victoria asked, rising from her chair next to Audra Anne.

"It be de lawman, Miz Barkley," Silas said, showing Harry into the living room.

Harry took off his hat to show respect to Victoria. "How do you do, Victoria?" Harry said.

"I'm doing just fine. How are you, Harry?" Victoria asked, sensing immediately that something was horribly wrong.

"Victoria, something has happened to Tom today," Harry said, not one to beat around the bush.

"What is it? Is he all right?" Victoria asked, concerned.

"There was a shootout today between the farmers and the railroad. I regret to say that Tom and 9 other men were killed today," Harry said, not meeting Victoria's eyes.

The news greeted Victoria like a slap in the face. Her beloved husband dead? She would never see him at the breakfast table again?

A buzzing sound filled Victoria's mind and ears. It had to be a vicious lie on Harry's part. Tom just couldn't be dead! Then Victoria's mind went to the reality of it. Harry had been the family's friend since Jarrod was a small boy. He wouldn't lie like that!

Tears filled Victoria's throat as she thought of telling her children and grandchildren about Tom. Audra Anne was sitting there wrapped up in her book. When people came and she was reading, Audra Anne shut out all sounds until she was finished with the book.

The death of Tom would hurt Audra Anne deeply. She loved Tom so much. Tom felt sorry for his motherless granddaughter, that he would treat her like Audra and Eugene at times. He was more of her father figure than Jarrod was.

"Victoria?" Harry asked, concerned for her.

"Thank you, Harry, for bringing me the news. I just have to be able to tell the children," Victoria said, her voice breaking slightly.

"How do you think Nick and Jarrod are going to take it? Jarrod lost his wife a few years ago and Nick lost his last winter. A blow like that after losing their wives is going to hurt them badly," Harry said.

"I know, but the children need to know," Victoria said, walking Harry to the door.

"I'm sorry, Victoria for bringing the bad news," Harry said, putting on his hat and mounting his horse.

Victoria closed the door, collapsed in the hallway, the deep sobs inside her throat coming out in loud hiccups.

The family sat in shock as Victoria relayed the news about Tom. Audra Anne and Lucy were sitting on Nick's lap, tears streaming down their faces. Audra was openly sobbing and Eugene was trying to act like he wasn't crying.

Jarrod and Nick were silent as they heard the news relayed. Both of them knew that Tom was going to meet with the ranchers and the railroad's hired guns that afternoon. They just didn't know that something awful would come out of it.

Jarrod looked at his daughter. She knew what death was, since her aunt had died last winter. And everyone had told her that her mother had gone to Heaven giving her life.

She was behaving very maturely during this difficult time. "Mother, when is the funeral going to be?" Eugene asked, having no tact.

"This Saturday. Melanie Peters came by and said that the whole valley would like to honor your father," Victoria said, overlooking the question asked by her youngest son.

"Will Uncle Jim be coming?" Lucy asked. Jim Barkley was a favorite of all the Barkley children and grandchildren. Jim was Tom's little brother and he lived in Nevada with his wife Amelia.

"I would think so. I sent a wire today telling him about Tom's death. He will be here tomorrow," Victoria asked, weary of all the questions thrown at her.

Audra Anne looked at her grandmother. Victoria looked exhausted. Having heard about Tom and then having to answer a bunch of questions was too much on her grandmother.

"Why don't we stop asking so many questions?" Audra Anne asked, speaking for the first time since her grandmother's news.

Everyone looked at her surprised. "What do you mean, Audra Anne?" Nick asked, looking into his niece's eyes.

"Grandma's tired," Audra Anne said, as if the answer was obvious.

Victoria's hazel eyes twinkled warmly at her granddaughter. Only Audra Anne understood her grandmother's exhaustion.

"Thank you, Audra Anne. You're very sensitive as your mother was," Victoria said, looking at Jarrod as she said this.

Jarrod blushed slightly. He hadn't spent as much time at home to actually know that. He didn't know that Hope's personality had become Audra Anne's as well. Actually tonight was the first time he had actually sat in the same room with his daughter and heard her talk. She spoke in a clear calm tone and acted as if she was smarter than five were. Usually when Jarrod was home, Audra Anne would never talk to him. It was like she knew that she had her mother's face and it hurt her father immensely.

Jarrod stood up, wanting to get back to the work at hand. "I have to go to the study. I have to get Father's affairs in order," Jarrod said, his own voice close to breaking as Victoria's was.

Jarrod walked out of the room and down to the office. He looked at the picture of Hope on his desk and tears came to his eyes. "Hopie, what have I done?" Jarrod asked the picture.

He had neglected his child and he didn't know how to tell her that he wanted to be her father now.

After the funeral of Tom Barkley the family rode home in silence. Jarrod sat next to Audra Anne in the buggy. She was looking at the scenery as they went by.

Lucy was also looking at her cousin. She reached out a smacked her cousin's knee, playfully.

Audra Anne turned to her cousin, a slightly perturbed look on her face. "Lucy, cut it out!" Audra Anne hissed.

Being the oldest cousin Audra Anne often was the one who was the example to her cousin. Lucy was like Nick in a lot of ways; while Audra Anne acted like Jarrod a great deal.

Jarrod smiled at the scene. It reminded him of when he and nick were boys. Nick was always in trouble while Jarrod was the older of the two and made Nick behave himself.

The buggy stopped in front of the house and Audra Anne jumped down and ran inside the house.

Jarrod was concerned. Something was wrong with Audra Anne. Victoria also looked concerned. She looked at Jarrod wordlessly.

Jarrod followed his daughter's tracks inside the house and went to the library. Audra Anne enjoyed the library. Jarrod knew in advance that it was where his daughter liked to sit and sort out her thoughts and feelings.

Audra Anne sat on the couch, crying softly. Jarrod sat next to her.

"Are you going to be all right?" Jarrod asked. Audra Anne turned to him, her eyes surprised. Her father didn't normally talk to her that much. He usually ignored her as much as possible.

"Yes Sir. Why are you talking to me?" Audra Anne asked, her voice as puzzled as her eyes.

Jarrod's heart nearly broke as he looked into her eyes. His daughter was confused as to why her father was suddenly concerned about her.

"I wanted to talk to you, Honey," Jarrod said reluctantly.

"I'm listening," Audra Anne said.

"Audra Anne, I...I...I was wrong to ignore you. I'd like to be your father if you'd let me," Jarrod said. He looked into her eyes to see how she was taking that bit of news.

"I thought you didn't like me," Audra Anne said, looking into her father's blue eyes.

Jarrod was taken aback. He had thought he would have been a terrible father and his daughter had thought that he didn't like her!

"Audra Anne, when your mother died I was heartbroken. I thought that your grandparents could do a better job than I could in raising you," Jarrod said, reaching out and placing his hand on her cheek.

"That's why you were never there," Audra Anne said, one lone tear making its way down her face.

"That's right. It was nothing that you did, Baby. I just didn't think that neglecting you was terrible at the time," Jarrod said, wiping the tear away with his thumb.

Audra Anne looked up into her father's eyes. He looked as if he wanted her forgiveness, but that didn't change the fact that he was never there for her in the past. How did Audra Anne know that Jarrod wouldn't neglect her again?

Jarrod saw the skepticism in Audra Anne's face. She doubted her father would want to be her father! The doubt was right there in her greenish-gray eyes! Jarrod's heart felt sick. Now he knew. He had made the worst mistake the day of Hope's funeral.

It was then that he resolved to show his little girl that he truly loved her and would be there for her from know on. Jarrod kissed his daughter's forehead and left the room to tell the family of his new decision.

Audra Anne sat there and touched her forehead. All her life she had wanted her father's love and attention. Right now she didn't know if she should feel happy that she got it or cry about it.

Five years later...

Audra Anne Barkley galloped her horse through the North Ridge as fast as she could. At ten-years-old she was one of the best riders on the ranch.

Audra Anne slowed the horse to cool him down a little. If Uncle Nick had known how hard she had ridden her horse, he would have had a fit.

Audra Anne smiled as she thought of Uncle Nick. After five years he was still an important father figure in her life.

Jarrod had kept his promise that he'd never ignore her again, but he still was more like a stranger than her father. At this moment he was in San Francisco trying to keep the railroad from taking the ranchers land. This was the battle that had killed her grandfather five years ago.

Audra Anne was tired of the battle, as was her cousin, Lucy. Victoria said that the battle could only get worse. 200 hired guns were in the town of Stockton ready to kill the ranchers.

Audra Anne mentally shook her head. She didn't like to think about the problems tormenting the San Joaquin Valley. She would leave that matter to her father and uncles.

* * * * * * * *

Jarrod Barkley sat in the dining car of the train, enjoying his lunch. He had been in San Francisco for the last two months and he was tired from the case he had just been battling.

The court wouldn't listen to him. They said the farmers and ranchers around Stockton would have to give their land to Crown and the railroad.

Jarrod didn't feel right about that verdict, but there was nothing he could do about it. It was one of those rare times that he felt as if he failed Audra Anne by not winning the case.

Audra Anne. He hadn't seen his daughter in two months. He had promised never to neglect her again, but this case was beyond his control. He just hoped that she wasn't mad at him for being too busy to write.

Charles, the steward came in and cleared Jarrod's plate. "Mr. Barkley, Mr. Crown is here," Charles said, bringing Jarrod's mind back to the present.

Jarrod turned to the steward. "Thank you, Charles," Jarrod said politely.

Crown came in. "Hello Jarrod," Crown said, shaking Jarrod's hand.

Crown was a tall man with dark hair and complexion. He acted real friendly toward people, but usually people could tell that he was crooked.

"How's your family?" Crown asked.

"Fine," Jarrod said shortly.

It was common knowledge that Jarrod didn't like Crown and Crown knew that as well as anybody.

"Jarrod, I'm terribly sorry about you losing the case," Crown started.

"No you're not. You are as happy as you were 5 years ago when the railroad killed my father and nine other men," Jarrod said, his voice hard.

"Jarrod, progress is coming to the valley. Your father stood in the way of that progress along with the farmers he died protecting," Crown said, trying to sound cordial.

"I'm not against progress, but when it forces men that have cultivated their land for years, then I am against it," Jarrod said, his voice firm.

"Jarrod, you can't stop what is going to happen," Crown said.

"I may not be able to, but that rider out their thinks he can beat the railroad," Jarrod said, looking out the window.

A rider on a Modoc pony appeared to be outracing the train. Jarrod and Crown stepped out and watched the race.

"I bet $100 dollars he doesn't make it," Crown said.

"Done. I bet $1,000 he does make it," Jarrod said, not taking his eyes off the rider.

Crown accepted the bet. Both men waited a few minutes. Just as the horse crossed the tracks, the train crossed.

Jarrod smiled as Crown gave him the $1,000 dollars. The rider had proved his point. That the railroad couldn't always win.

The train came into town 45 minutes later. Jarrod was putting his papers in his briefcase when Nick came in. "JARROD!" Nick shouted, coming into the room excitedly.

Jarrod smiled as his little brother pounded his back in greeting. "Hello Nick. It's nice to hear you come in so quietly," Jarrod said, a wry grin on his face.

"How was your trip?" Nick asked.

"Long," Jarrod said, not willing to talk about the court case.

"Hey, what's this? You puttin' on some weight there, pappy?" Nick asked, jabbing Jarrod's stomach.

"It's just a pound, Nick. Where's Audra Anne? I thought she would have come with you?" Jarrod asked, immediately turning the topic to his ten-year-old daughter.

"I told her you were coming home today and she ran off to ride that horse of hers," Nick said. Nick knew that Audra Anne was upset that her father had been gone for two months and hadn't written.

"Is she angry with me?" Jarrod asked, concern filling his blue eyes.

"Hurt is more like it, Pappy. She only runs off to ride that horse when you hurt her," Nick said, trying to excuse Audra Anne's attitude.

"Well, she's not like Hope was around horses," Jarrod said, trying to not to feel upset.

"If I remember correctly, Hope was afraid of horses," Nick said, understanding Jarrod's false cheerful tone.

"Well, I suggest we get home, Nick," Jarrod said, abruptly.

"I brought your horse, Jarrod," Nick said. Jarrod's horse, Jingo, stood quietly next to Nick's horse, Coco. Jarrod had had the horse since he was eighteen and the horse loved his master as much as Jarrod loved the horse.

The brothers mounted their horses and rode down the street leading to the ranch. Nick stopped his horse to talk to Harry Lyman.

"Hey Harry, ya need some new deputies!" Nick shouted over to the elderly lawman.

Harry looked up at Nick. "No thank you, Nick! I got all the deputies I want!" Harry said, grinning at the brothers.

It was common knowledge that Harry's deputies were not the best. They believed in fighting amongst themselves than protecting the town.

"Bye Harry," Jarrod called to the lawman.

The brothers galloped their horses hard to the ranch, just as Lucy came riding in on her horse.

"Papa! Uncle Jarrod!" Lucy squealed, hugging first her father and then Jarrod.

"Hello, Lucy," Jarrod said, patting her light brown head.

"Where's your cousin, Lu?" Nick asked, using the nickname everyone in the family used on Lucy Barkley.

"Don't know, Papa. She went riding this morning and I haven't seen her since," Lucy said.

Eugene came running out of the house at the sight of his older brother. At sixteen Eugene looked up to his older brothers as father figures. Jarrod especially.

"Hello Jarrod," Eugene said, his young face wreathed in smiles.

"How's the future doctor? Or is it a vet this week?" Jarrod asked, cupping Eugene's face with his hands.

It was a running joke that Eugene didn't know what to do with his life so everyone in the family teased him mercilessly about it.

"Jarrod, I asked Eugene to come to Stockton for this problem with the railroad," Nick said, his voice turning serious.

"Speaking of which, the Semple and the others are here, Nick," Eugene said interjected.

Jarrod looked at Lucy. "I'll see Audra Anne and yourself at dinner, Lu," Jarrod said, kissing his niece's forehead.

"See you at dinner, Uncle Jarrod!" Lucy said, as Jarrod went into the house.

Jarrod entered the parlor, a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. It didn't look as if the railroad and farmers were going to back down from this fight. If no one did, men like Tom Barkley would be killed as they did 5 years ago.

Audra Anne rode into the front gate of the ranch. Since her horse had thrown a shoe she had to walk five miles to get home.

Audra Anne's feet and legs were sore from the exercise and she felt as so as she got home she was going straight to bed.

As she turned within sight of the house a figure slightly smaller than herself ran toward her. "Audra Anne, we were so worried!" Lucy said, hugging her cousin tightly.

"My horse threw a shoe. I had to walk five miles just to get home," Audra Anne said, pushing a lock of long black hair out of her greenish-gray eyes.

"Uncle Jarrod's home," Lucy said as if that would make her cousin happy.

Audra Anne turned to look at her cousin. "Did Father say how long he's staying this time?" Audra Anne asked wearily.

"Nope. He was just concerned when you weren't here," Lucy said matter-of-factly.

Lucy knew that Audra Anne and Jarrod didn't always get along well. This was one of those times.

"Are ya going to tell him your back?" Lucy asked.

"He was too busy to even write me these last two months. Why don't I just see him at dinner?" Audra Anne said shortly.

After Audra Anne and Lucy brushed the horse down, the two cousins made their way to the house. A young man with blond hair and a little eight-year-old with red hair were in front of the house.

Jarrod, Nick, and Eugene were also outside as well. Audra Anne looked over at her father. He wasn't looking at her, but at the man.

"Hello," Audra Anne said to the little girl.

"Hi," the redhead replied.

"My name's Audra Anne and this is my cousin, Lucy. What's your name?" Audra Anne asked politely.

"Leah Thomson. My papa calls me Lee," the little girl said shyly.

Audra Anne looked over at her father and uncles again. Uncle Nick didn't appear to like this man. From what she could gather both Nick and the man had broke through the old swinging bridge and into the water. Audra Anne snorted at the thought, but tried to hide it.

"I was told Nick does the hirin," the stranger said, a southern drawl in his voice.

"That's true, but we're all full up. Where're you from, boy?" Nick asked, suspiciously.

'Everywhere and nowhere. I worked at the Corning ranch until a week ago," the stranger said flatly.

"But where were you born?" Nick persisted.

"Me and my daughter were both born in Strawberry," the stranger said, impatient with the conversation.

"Strawberry? We have holdings up there!" Nick exclaimed.

"Nick, hire him," Jarrod said, stepping into the conversation.

"But-," Nick started to say.

"Just do it. He did me a favor today. I saw that race you did with the train that was good riding," Jarrod said to the man.

"All right. Do you have a name, Boy?" Nick asked, sounding disgruntled.

"Heath Thomson and this is my daughter, Lee," Heath said, indicating the little girl behind him.

"Nice to meet ya, Kid," Nick said gruffly.

"Uncle Nick, why doesn't Lee stay in the house with us while Mr. Thomson stays at the bunkhouse?" Audra Anne asked, stepping into the conversation.

'You're kidding right?" Nick asked. Jarrod looked over at his daughter, finally noticing her.

Jarrod stepped over to his daughter, putting his hands on her shoulders.

"No I'm not. Please, Uncle Nick?" Audra Anne begged.

"Pretty please, Papa?" Lee begged of her father.

"I see nothin' wrong with it if the kids want it," Heath said, a lopsided grin gracing his features.

Nick threw up his hands in disgust and defeat. "All right! You win!" Nick shouted.

Audra Anne grinned and looked up at the girl. "Come on, Lee. Let's show you were your bunking down," Audra Anne said.

Lee jumped off her father's horse and ran up to Audra Anne and Lucy. Lucy took one of Lee's hands while Audra Anne took the other. The three girls ran into the house, happy for the moment that talk wasn't about the railroad.

Later that night Audra Anne made her way to her father's study with a tea tray in her hands. Victoria had said that her father wanted some coffee and would Audra Anne please take it to him.

Audra Anne knocked on the door to the study, balancing the tray with one hand.

"Come in," Jarrod's deep voice came out of the office.

Audra Anne opened the door with her free hand and set the tray on a low table. Jarrod looked up at his daughter.

"Audra Anne?" Jarrod asked, as she poured some coffee into a cup.

"Sir?" Audra Anne asked flatly.

Jarrod flinched inwardly. His daughter was mad like Nick said. She only called him "Sir" when she was upset.

"This question may sound rhetorical, but are you mad at me?" Jarrod asked.

"No," Audra Anne said, not meeting her father's eyes as she put two lumps of sugar in his coffee.

Jarrod didn't accept that answer. Also when Audra Anne was mad she wouldn't look at him either. Being a lawyer had made it easy to tell when people were lying to him.

"Audra Anne, I know you're upset that I haven't written in two months-" Jarrod started.

"I'm not upset!" Audra Anne said, her voice trembling slightly.

Jarrod felt his stomach turn slightly. By neglecting her these last two months he had broken his promise to her that he made when she was five.

"Audra Anne, I'm sorry. I never thought I was hurting you. I didn't think that not seeing you for two months would make you mad at me," Jarrod said, hoping that she would forgive him.

Audra Anne turned to face him; tears streaming down her cheeks. "Why didn't you even write me?" Audra Anne asked, wiping her face furiously with the back of her hand.

At the sight of the pain he had caused Jarrod felt almost like crying too. Jarrod rushed over to his little girl and hugged her, her tears wetting the front of his shirt.

"I'm sorry, Audra Anne. Even though I was busy with the case I should have taken time out to write to you. I hope you can forgive me," Jarrod said, looking into her eyes.

"Okay, I forgive you," Audra Anne said sniffling.

Jarrod took out his linen handkerchief. "Blow," Jarrod ordered.

Audra Anne blew her nose and wiped her face with his handkerchief. "What are you working on, Father?" Audra Anne asked, looking at the paperwork on Jarrod's desk.

Jarrod took her over to his desk. From what Audra Anne could gather it was a bunch of legal papers. It looked like eviction notices.

"Are they what I think they are?" Audra Anne asked, looking up at her father.

"Eviction notices," Jarrod said bitterly as if the words tasted bad.

"Are they for the farmers? You know Mr. Semple and the others?" Audra Anne asked.

Jarrod nodded, his eyes on a piece of paper on his desk.

"Tell me you're not going to deliver them to the farmers?" Audra Anne asked, her voice panicked.

"Audra Anne, I'm a lawyer. I have to obey the law," Jarrod said firmly.

"The law is wrong. What do you do when it goes against your morals and principles?" Audra Anne asked, tears running down her face again. She rushed out of Jarrod's office and upstairs to her room, slamming the door.

Jarrod sat there, his daughter's words running through his head. Tom Barkley had once thought like Audra Anne did and it cost him his life. If Jarrod thought like that would it take his life too?

Audra Anne was woken out of a deep sleep as the front door banged open. "JARROD! JARROD!" Nick shouted, as he came into the house roughly pushing Heath along. "GET DOWN HERE!"

Jarrod and Eugene came out of their rooms at Nick's bellows. Audra Anne, Lucy, Lee, and Audra opened the doors to their rooms, wide-awake by all the noise.

Audra Anne, Lee, and Lucy followed Jarrod and Eugene unnoticed. A shatter of glass in the study caused all three to jump involuntarily.

"Now I've had me a day. I've been dunked in a stream and near kilt by a train. This one's gonna be peaceful, y'hear?" Heath said, his voice deadly calm as he held a broken whiskey bottle in his hand.

Heath walked around the room. "So this is what it is," Heath said, stopping by the picture of Tom Barkley. "Well I wonder. Look at the old stud himself," Heath said, looking up at Tom's picture.

Eugene started, ready to pummel Heath when Jarrod grabbed his arm in a vice-like grip. At times Jarrod treated Eugene just like Tom did. This was one of those times.

"Boy howdy, don't he look proper! Y'know I bet they buried him in those clothes. With his buttons all shined and his hair all spit 'n' slickered! And a rose in his teeth and the honeybees buzzin'!" Heath said, his voice dripping with contempt.

"Oh now that's all-" Nick said, moving toward Heath to hit him.

"Nick!" Jarrod snapped, putting his hand on Nick's chest.

Heath went to the drink cabinet. "I bet a band played and there was singin' and wailin' and ever so good a time! And some parson readin,' " Heath said.

All the brothers looked at him, not knowing what he was driving at. Audra Anne, Lucy, and Lee out in the hall didn't know either. The three girls looked at each other, confused. What did Tom Barkley do that caused Heath to despise him?

"They buried my mama, but it weren't in refinement and no thousand people weeped over her grave. In a potter's field like she was nothin'! Human or anythin.' The night I was born she was alone. Content in the rotten rat-hole of a mining camp up the Stanislaw. And the rain beat down and turned the straw to mud. But do you know who she was? She was warm and gentle then. And left to her own when her husband got liquored up and drowned himself in some stinkin' creek. Until he came," Heath looked up at Tom's picture. Nick followed the gaze to the portrait.

"How long ago was this?" Jarrod asked, not phased by Heath's story.

"24 years," Heath answered.

"Where?" Jarrod asked.

"In a mining camp," Heath said vaguely.

"You told us that," Nick said, entering the conversation.

"What mining camp?" Jarrod persisted.

"Strawberry," Heath said finally.

Eugene looked over at Nick and Jarrod. Apparently his brothers knew about Strawberry. "C'mon you know there was a lot of men in those camps," Nick walked over to Heath. "You know the kind of women-" Nick started.

"Nick!" Jarrod said warningly.

"There was only one of my mother," Heath said angrily.

"Just the simple, sweet, innocent little-" Nick started again.

'What my brother is clumsily trying to determine is when you came to here-" Jarrod started, walking toward Heath.

"A month ago," Heath interrupted looking defiantly into Jarrod's eyes.

"Oh, yeah, yeah sure," Nick said, walking over to the fireplace.

"What happened a month ago?" Jarrod asked, ignoring Nick.

"My mother died," Heath said flatly.

"Confessions from a deathbed," Nick said sarcastically, his arms folded over his chest.

"Nick, that'll be enough!" Jarrod snapped sharply. To Audra Anne Jarrod's voice was like it was when he was angry with her. Which was more often than she liked to think about.

Jarrod turned back to Heath. "Well?" Jarrod asked.

It took Heath a few seconds to answer. "I've been up on the claim. They called for me. Said she was sick. Dying. She never talked about it. About who my father was. Not once in all these years. There was something she wanted me to know. Something she couldn't take to her grave. There was a Bible and a box. She told me to get it. She said turn to the back to the last page. I started to and this fell out," Heath said, taking something out of his shirt pocket. "I picked it up. I read it. And I looked at her and she was gone," heath said, handing the paper to Jarrod.

Jarrod opened the paper. It was a newspaper clipping of Tom's death five years back. Jarrod handed it silently to Nick. "This is it? All of it? One piece of paper?" Nick asked gruffly.

"He was my father," Heath said stubbornly. Audra Anne's breath hitched violently. It couldn't have been true! That would have made Heath her uncle!

"All right, Boy," Nick said, stuffing the clipping in Heath's shirt.

"You don't believe me," Heath accused.

"Get his horse, Eugene," Nick ordered his little brother.

"You're not dumping me and my daughter like he did her," Heath said, his jaw firm.

"Keep your voice down!" Nick shouted.

"You put together a very touching story. Not convincing, but touching. However whom it might hurt, even though it is a lie, I'm willing to pay. 300, 400, what do you think?" Jarrod asked in a patronizing tone as he took out his wallet.

"What I'm entitled to. A name, a heritage for my kid, a part of it all. What's mine," Heath said, still clinging to his stubbornness.

"All right. You listen to me, Boy. I want you out of this house, off this place, and out of this valley. And know this. If I ever lay eyes on you again, I'm gonna finish what I started tonight," Nick said, taking Jarrod's money and stuffing it in Heath's pocket.

Heath nodded, took the money out of his pocket, and after looking at it put it into his glass of whiskey. Heath walked over to the door and looked at his brothers, a lopsided grin on his face.

His eyes met those of Lucy, Audra Anne, and Lee's. A stricken look on Audra Anne's face convinced him that she believed his story. Heath grabbed Lee's hand and went out the door.

Audra Anne looked at Jarrod and her uncles. One lone tear streamed down her face, to Jarrod's concern. She did an about-face and ran upstairs, slamming the door to her room a second time that night. Lucy followed, slamming her door also.

Aura Anne sat on the bottom of the grand staircase, her hands twirling a lock of her black hair pensively.

Since Heath had said that Tom Barkley was his father and left, his words were on her mind. Audra Anne didn't doubt that his words were the truth, but who in the family would believe her when she said that?

Not her father! Jarrod would ask where her proof was and be totally right when he asked.

For once Audra Anne wished her father didn't always come up with perfect responses. It got her goat more than anything in this world. It was worse if he gave a perfect response with a smug look on his face. Then she would feel like slapping him.

So Audra Anne continued to sit on the step, thinking through the family's predicament, when Jarrod came into the foyer. Jarrod stopped as he saw his daughter on the step.

"Audra Anne, what are you doing up at 3 o'clock in the morning?" Jarrod asked, sitting on the step next to her.

'Thinking," Audra Anne said absentmindedly.

"Would you care to tell your father what you are thinking?" Jarrod asked, adopting the smug tone and grin Audra Anne hated.

"No," Audra Anne said simply.

Jarrod was taken aback by her answer. He knew his daughter was deep in thought a lot of the times. It was one of the ways she was like himself. She had inherited his quietness and usually kept whatever she was thinking to herself.

"Audra Anne, I would really like to know what you are thinking," Jarrod said, dropping the smugness.

"You're not going to get mad at me are you?" Audra Anne asked uneasily.

"I promise," Jarrod said.

"It's about Heath Thomson. Father, don't you think you, Uncle Nick, and Uncle Eugene may have made a mistake?" Audra Anne asked, looking into Jarrod's eyes.

"Audra Anne, you saw and heard the whole conversation. He didn't have much proof," Jarrod said, his face and eyes serious.

"I don't know. When he was walking past me tonight and our eyes met, I felt like I was looking into Grandfather's. It gave me quite a turn," Audra Anne said.

"Audra Anne, I know how much you loved your grandfather, but Heath Thomson and his daughter are not Barkleys," Jarrod said, wrapping an arm around her shoulder.

''Again I don't know. He did refuse your money, didn't he? It impressed me," Audra Anne said, burying her face in Jarrod's chest.

"Don't tell your Uncle Nick that I said this, but it impressed me too," Jarrod said, looking into his daughter's eyes.

"Don't worry. You're secret's safe with me," Audra Anne said, her green-gray eyes looking almost golden. Jarrod kissed her forehead gently as a man covered with soot came in.

'Hal! What are you doing here?" Jarrod asked, the Swenson's hired hand. Both Jarrod and his daughter rose from the steps.

"Mr. Barkley, the railroad has started to burn tactics. Mr. and Mrs. Swenson tol' me to get ya and your brothers. They burned the Swenson place to the ground," Hal said, a note of urgency in his voice.

"Is Swenson and the family all right?" Jarrod asked, concern in his deep voice.

"Mr. Swenson was shot, but I don' know if he's still 'kay," Hal said, running out the door.

"Where are you going?" Audra Anne called after the hand.

"Back to the Swensons, Miss Barkley. They need me to try to put out the fire," Hal called back.

Audra Anne looked up at her father. He looked as if he were thinking as hard as she was a minute ago. Jarrod looked down at his daughter.

"Audra Anne, I want you to listen to me really good. I want you to go into the study what's happened. They should still be awake and then go tell your grandmother and Aunt Audra. They need to be there for Mrs. Swenson," Jarrod said in the tone of voice Audra Anne knew not to argue with.

"Yes Father." Audra Anne started to walk to the study and turned back to look at her father. "Father, does this mean you, Uncle Nick, and Uncle Eugene are going to do what Grandfather did 5 years ago?" Audra Anne asked.

"I don't know, Honey. Just go do what I told you to," Jarrod said, his voice serious.

30 minutes later every member of the Barkley family-they couldn't find Audra-was heading for the Swenson farm. Lucy felt her cousin's fear and was quiet through the whole trip

The scene of the fire was devastating. Mrs. Swenson was crying, Mr. Swenson lay on the ground, and their children were crowded around their mother.

Audra Anne's greenish-gray eyes filled with tears as she looked at the heartbroken mother and the children. Life was going to be hard for those children. She knew firsthand what it was like to be without a mother. She shuddered to think what life could be without a father too.

Audra Anne jumped from the wagon and went to Mrs. Swenson's side. She put a sympathetic arm around the lady's shoulder and held her as her uncles, aunt, and grandmother did when she was hurt.

Some of the farmers in the valley were talking to Nick and Jarrod. From the way it sounded, it was a pretty big disagreement.

Audra Anne looked toward the road. She wondered where Harry Lyman was. Usually when arson was committed Harry and his deputies were the first to arrive.

Jarrod came over to where his daughter was. "How is Mrs. Swenson, Audra Anne?" Jarrod asked in a low voice.

"Upset. I feel sorry for her and the children. They're going to be all alone," Audra Anne said, stroking Mrs. Swenson's graying hair.

Jarrod was taken aback again by his daughter's outspokenness. It was something her mother might have said. It never ceased to amaze Jarrod how much like Hope Audra Anne was. It was more amazing since Audra Anne never even knew her mother.

Harry came riding through, followed by two riders. Jarrod and Audra Anne looked closely at Harry's companions. It was Audra and Heath Thomson! Lee was not with them and Audra Anne silently wondered where her youngest cousin could have been.

"Harry, you can't ignore this now!" Nick exploded, indicating with his arm the smoldering ashes and Mrs. Swenson.

"Nick, the Swenson's were told to get out!" Harry protested, looking at the grieving woman.

"They were told to get out, but did the railroad have to burn them out?" Audra Anne could be heard over the murmuring. Every voice in the crowd was quiet as they stared at the ten-year-old girl.

"Audra Anne..." Harry started.

"Don't 'Audra Anne' me. I may be ten years old, but I'm not dumb. I know bully tactics when I see it. It's the same thing that they did to my grandfather when he tried to change things," Audra Anne said, her eyes and voice mournful.

"She argues like her father and uncle," Semple said in wonderment.

"But she looks like her mother standing there," Victoria said, overhearing the conversation. Audra Anne looked back at hearing that comment and smiled faintly. She liked hearing about her mother and often tried to hear more about her.

"Audra Anne's right. If we want to keep our homes, we have to fight for them," Semple said, in his heavy German accent.

All the farmers gathered around Semple and looked at Nick and Jarrod. "Jarrod, don't do something crazy! It's suicide!" Harry said to his friend.

Nick and Eugene went to stand by the farmers. Audra Anne looked at her grandmother. Tears were in Victoria's blue-gray eyes. Nick and Eugene were Tom Barkley's sons and they couldn't be talked out of doing something right. Audra Anne and Victoria knew that as well as anyone.

"Harry, sometimes the law can be wrong. A smart young lady told me this evening what should a person do when the law goes against morals and beliefs. Audra Anne, you're about to get your answer," Jarrod said, walking over to the farmers and his brothers.

"You're going to kill yourselves! Your land's not worth it!" Harry said, trying to talk his friends out of it.

"Harry, I'd hold my breath," Lucy said, wiping her hand across her face.

"Yeah. If you and your railroad try to come on the Semple's farm tomorrow, you'd better come armed. We're not givin' up without a fight," Nick said, his voice calm.

Harry walked away, feeling defeated. The Barkleys were going to help the farmers and not listen to his advice it was like it was five years ago when Tom died. This time it was Nick, Jarrod, and Eugene who were putting their necks out. Heath looked at Harry and then his brothers. Heath wanted to help them, but he felt torn. These people hadn't wanted him here. He had made the decision to take Lee to Mexico. Now he wondered if he should follow through on this plan.

Heath looked up to see Audra Anne, Jarrod, and Victoria. All three seemed to understand the turmoil in his mind and felt sorry for him. Heath turned his horse and rode away, his heart feeling heavy with each mile put between him and the Swenson farm.

Audra Anne and Lucy Barkley sat around the kitchen table feeling dejected. Since their fathers had decided to stay at the Semple's to fight the railroad, a gnawing dread filled the two youngest members of the Barkley family.

"Audra Anne, do you think Papa, Uncle Eugene, and Uncle Jarrod are gonna come back?" Lucy asked, fear reflected in her hazel eyes.

"I hope so. Maybe nothing will happen," Audra Anne said, trying to convince herself more than her cousin.

"You were very brave tonight. I thought you was tired of the war with the railroad," Lucy said, trying to pass time with conversation.

"I am. I just felt it was the right thing to do at the time," Audra Anne said, taking an apple out of the bowl on the kitchen table.

"I think you impressed Uncle Jarrod though," Lucy pointed out to her cousin.

"It's funny. Half the time we can't get along and it's like at times like these we do," Audra Anne said, taking a bite of her apple.

"Uncle Jarrod does love you, though," Lucy said, trying to encourage her cousin.

"I know he does, but after ignoring me for the first five years of my life I'm not sure at times on how to be a daughter," Audra Anne said, trying not to cry.

"Hey, I understand. Uncle Jarrod can be annoying at times. My own father can be annoying at times-" Lucy said, putting her hand on Audra Anne's shoulder.

"At times! Your father likes to shout and shatter eardrums. By the time I get married I'll be deaf!" Audra Anne said, with a huge smile on her face.

Lucy looked at her cousin. A giggle escaped Lucy's mouth and Audra Anne snorted. Both cousins convulsed into laughter as they thought of Nick's booming voice.

Audra Anne took a deep breath as she tried to regain her composure. Tears of laughter streamed down her face. "All we have to remember is that Mother and Aunt Tracie loved our fathers very much," Audra Anne said, her voice turning subdued.

Lucy lowered her eyes as she thought of her mother. Tracie had died of cholera, but Lucy remembered how much her mother loved her. Even though she was four when it happened. And she was more fortunate than Audra Anne who never knew her mother and the only thing she had to know what her mother looked like was a picture that was taken on her mother's birthday.

The cousins sat in silence for a few minutes. "Do you want to go to the Semple farm?" Lucy asked, breaking the silence.

"Please. This worry is driving me nuts. I have to make sure Father's all right," Audra Anne said, relieved that the topic had changed.

Lucy and Audra Anne stood up and made their way to the barn to saddle their ponies. Audra Anne hoped that the shooting hadn't started yet. She also hoped that Jarrod wouldn't be mad at her for coming either.

The sun was just barely over the horizon as the Barkley girls were arriving at the Semple farm. Audra Anne's quick eyes took in all the men sitting on the porch, their rifles at ready.

Audra Anne picked out her father from among the men. She felt a flooding of relief fill her heart. The railroad hadn't shown up yet so Jarrod, Nick, and Eugene were still alive.

All the men looked up at the two girls. Nick and Jarrod's expressions turned from surprise to rage in a matter of seconds.

Jarrod stalked over to his daughter and held the horse by the reins. "Get off that horse, Audra Anne," Jarrod said in a deadly calm voice.

Audra Anne knew better than to argue when her father was this furious. The safest thing for her to do was nod a lot. Maybe she'd just be confined to her room for a very long time.

Jarrod placed his hands on her shoulders and shook her. "What were you thinking? What if you had met the railroad's hired guns? You could have been killed!" Jarrod said, his voice rising in anger.

"I know," Audra Anne said softly, the tears in her eyes spilling over onto her cheeks.

"You know? Then what made you behave like this?" Jarrod asked, surprised by Audra Anne's answer.

Audra Anne couldn't answer. The tears rolled down her cheeks in scalding hot torrents. As much as she disliked her father's smugness at times, she hated it when he was mad at her. His anger was terrible and she didn't like to look into his eyes because they scared her.

Jarrod knew that as well as Audra Anne. Before he could say anything, Lucy spoke up standing next to her father. "It was my fault, Uncle Jarrod. I asked her if she wanted to come," Lucy said, understanding Audra Anne's feelings.

"No, it was my fault because I'm the oldest. I should know better than to listen to harebrained, crazy ideas by Lucy Barkley," Audra Anne said, wiping her eyes with the back of her hands.

"We do know that we are going to have to punish the both of you," Nick said, remaining for the first time tactfully quiet in front of the neighbors.

Audra Anne looked at her uncle, feigning shock. “Incredible,” Audra Anne said, a teasing smile lighting up her eyes.

"What?" Nick asked.

"This is the first time you haven't shouted at us, Papa," Lucy said, a cherubic look on her face.

'Yeah. I was just telling Lu that I'd probably be deaf by the time I get married," Audra Anne said, a wry grin covering her face.

Every man in the yard laughed-except Nick-laughed at the comment.

"I'd reckon we'd best go home, Lu," Audra Anne said, cat5ching her breath.

"How'd you two like to stay in the root cellar with Mrs. Semple and her kids?" Nick asked.

"Can we, Papa?" Lucy asked, looking up into her father's hazel eyes.

"Of course you can if Uncle Jarrod's all right with it," Nick said, looking at his brother.

Jarrod looked down at Audra Anne. She was looking up at him. "All right. If any trouble starts, I want you to stay down in the basement. Don't come up at anytime unless Nick or myself get you out," Jarrod said, his voice stern.

"Yes Father," Audra Anne said quietly.

"Would you children like to help me serve lemonade to the men?" Mrs. Semple asked Audra Anne and Lucy.

"Of course we will," Audra Anne said before her cousin could say anything. Thus the waiting for the railroad continued. It would prove to be not a long wait.

The next few minutes were calm and quiet. Too quiet. Nick was telling everyone a story about a cat he had killed in the mountains, to Audra Anne's annoyance. Audra Anne disliked her uncle's bragging, but she wouldn't say anything about it.

Jarrod obviously didn't care much for Nick's story either. Audra Anne and Jarrod's eyes met briefly. Audra Anne smiled faintly and nodded in Nick's direction. Jarrod understood what his girl was trying to say. If Jarrod could please tell Nick to shut up.

His teeth were in my back and his claws were rippin' into my neck. Now I'd been up against some cats before," Nick said to his awestruck audience.

"How'd you get out?" Fry, one of the farmers asked.

"Her husband came home," Jarrod said, stopping the story by walking past. Audra Anne snorted, trying to hold back a giggle. Jarrod looked at her and winked.

"What time is it?" Nick asked, slightly perturbed at Jarrod's interruption.

Jarrod opened his pocket watch. "10 minutes to eight," Jarrod said, looking at the hands on his watch.

At that moment 30 hired guns and Harry came riding onto the Semple farm. "Audra Anne, Lucy, get down into the cellar now," Jarrod ordered sharply, not even looking back at the girls.

Audra Anne grabbed Lucy's hand and dragged her to where the cellar was. "I'll be right there in a few minutes," Audra Anne said quietly as she shoved her cousin inside and ran back to the partially closed kitchen door. Audra Anne peeked outside. Harry was taking a piece of paper out of his coat pocket.

"At eight A.M. by order of the governor of the state of California-" Harry started to read off the piece of paper.

"We know what it says, Harry," Jarrod said, cutting the lawman's speech short.

That was the first time Audra Anne had heard her father interrupt anyone. Jarrod didn't approve if she interrupted, but he could do it.

"By the power vested in me by sheriff of this county-" Harry continued, as if Jarrod hadn't said anything.

"We know what it says," Nick interrupted, his voice deadly as a cobra's.

"Frank, you have to leave," Harry said, looking at Semple, wielding his rifle.

"I am not leaving," Semple said, tightening his hands on the rifle.

"Frank, you can't win! Jarrod! Nick! Tell him!" Harry said desperately.

"Are you willing to wait until Monday morning at the courthouse to settle this?" Jarrod asked his friend.

Harry's silence was enough to convince anyone that the answer was no. A lone rider came galloping up in the silence. As his face got closer Audra Anne recognized him as Heath! He dismounted and took his rifle off his Modoc. He stood next to Nick and cocked his rifle.

The shooting started immediately after that. Audra Anne went back into the house and went to the cellar. She opened the door and crawled inside. The shooting lasted only a few minutes, but it seemed like hours to the people in the cellar.

As soon as all was quiet Audra Anne opened the door to the cellar. The railroad men were gone, Mrs. Semple was crying over Mr. Semple who had been shot, and Heath was sitting on a barrel, trying to roll a cigarette.

Audra Anne went over to her new uncle. "You all right?" Audra Anne asked softly. Heath's hands were shaking. Heath nodded his head, the tears forming in his eyes.

Audra Anne put a hand on Heath's shoulder, sorry for him. Heath tried to fix his cigarette again, but spilled the paper and tobacco.

Jarrod had by this time come over to where his daughter and Heath sat. Audra Anne took a good look at her father's right arm. "Father, there's blood on your arm!" Audra Anne exclaimed in shock, standing up and touching the wound with his fingers.

Jarrod nodded and handed Heath a cigar. He then saw what Audra Anne did. Heath was his brother! "Where's Lee, Heath?" Jarrod asked, sitting down next to him.

"Hotel. I didn't want her in the crossfire," Heath said.

"Why don't you go get her and come back to the ranch? We have a lot to talk about," Jarrod said.

"Ya said it all last night," Heath said, not meeting his older brother's eyes.

"Heath we were wrong. Would you please come back?" Jarrod asked of his brother.

"Please, Uncle Heath?" Audra Anne begged, her eyes pleading him.

Heath looked into Audra Anne's eyes. She wanted him to stay as much as Jarrod did. "All right. I'll stay. Just let me go get Lee," Heath said, standing up.

Audra Anne watched her uncle depart. He was going to go get her cousin and life from now on was going to be very exciting for the three Barkley cousins

The whole family waited with bated breaths for Lee and Heath. Victoria was checking the gunshot wound to Jarrod's arm while she scolded her granddaughters.

'What were you two thinking? You could have been killed!" Victoria scolded, while she applied a bandage to Jarrod's arm.

"How'd you take it if I told you that we weren't thinking, Grandma?" Audra Anne asked, her thin arm wrapped around Jarrod's neck.

"Then I'd say that neither of you showed the sense you were born with!" Nick exploded. Nick was furious that Jarrod had told Heath to come back to the ranch with Lee. Audra Anne knew that Nick wouldn't give her new uncle and cousin any respect at first. To him Heath and Lee were still not Barkleys.

A knock on the door caused them all to look up. "Welcome Mr. Heath, Miss Lee," Silas said, greeting the blond cowboy and his daughter at the door.

"Hi Silas," Lee's little voice piped up.

"Are they all here?" Heath asked quietly.

"In the parlor," Silas said, leading both of them to the parlor entrance.

Jarrod stood up as they entered the room. "Hello Heath, Lee," Jarrod said politely. Heath looked uncomfortable in the expensive parlor, but Lee was excited to see Lucy and Audra Anne.

"Hi, Audra Anne! Hi Lucy!" Lee said, her red hair flying as she jumped up and down.

"Hi Lee," Audra Anne stepped over to her cousin and gave her a kind smile.

"Jarrod said that we needed to discuss a few things, young man. Now your name is Heath, right?" Victoria asked as she took over the conversation.

Audra Anne took Lee over to a small settee and sat down. "Yes Ma'am," Heath said softly.

"Now, Heath, Jarrod has told me what you did at the Semple farm. That was very commendable of you. Why did you put your life at risk like that?" Victoria wanted to know.

Heath stood there quietly for a few minutes, not sure on how to answer. "I...I'm not sure why I did it, Ma'am. All those words you said to me made sense I reckon. That if I was your son that I should fight for my inheritance. Also I felt that if I didn't do somethin' I won't be able to look at Lee again because of my bein' a coward," Heath said, his face flushing with embarrassment.

"Those are two very good reasons, Uncle Heath," Audra Anne said.

"Now wait a second, Audra Anne! His claim doesn't make him your uncle!" Nick shouted, enraged at what she had just said.

"Uncle Nick, you'd know he's a Barkley by just looking at him. Grandpa used to have that lopsided grin on his face sometimes and his hair was the same shade too,” Audra Anne said, sticking up to Heath’s defense.

"Audra Anne's right. Your father was not perfect at times and I am not willing to throw Heath out because of it," Victoria said, a chilled note in her voice.

"Mother's right. Heath, we would like for you to stay," Jarrod said, laying a hand on Heath's shoulder.

Heath looked at the lawyer. He seemed to genuinely want Heath and Lee to stay. And Lee seemed to like it here and Heath did so want to give her a stable life. A stable life that didn't include going from town to town!

"Do all of y'all feel the same way?" Heath asked, looking at the rest of his brothers, nieces, and sister.

Everyone nodded their heads, except Nick. "I don't know about this," Nick rumbled darkly.

"Uncle Nick, you are outvoted," Audra Anne said, a steely look entering her greenish gray eyes.

"I guess I am. All right, all right. Just don't cause him any problems, Boy," Nick said, as he stalked past.

"Don't call me "Boy" in front of my kid!" Heath threw over his shoulder.

Nick turned back to face Heath. If looks could kill Heath would be dead and buried, Audra Anne thought as she looked at both her uncles.

Audra Anne didn't know if Heath living here with Nick disliking him was a good idea, but maybe things would turn out for the good. Audra Anne yawned, followed by Lucy.

"I'm going to bed. See you at breakfast," Audra Anne said, climbing up the stairs to her room. Audra Anne sank into her soft bed and instantly fell asleep, having no dreams at all.

Audra Anne woke up to a bird chirping outside her window. Since she had stayed up all night she still felt kind of tired. She looked over at the mantle clock. It read eight o'clock.

She combed through her tangled black hair and changed her clothes. After yawning widely she shuffled downstairs to the smell of ham, eggs, and biscuits.

The whole family except Heath was sitting at the table. Apparently Victoria had situated two more chairs at the table. Lee sat there among the family, staring at all the food.

Audra Anne slid into her place next to her father and poured a glass of milk from the pitcher. "How did you sleep?" Jarrod asked, looking at his daughter.

"Very well, Father. How's your arm?" Audra Anne asked, taking a small drink of her milk.

"It hurts, but it will mend," Jarrod said. Neither Jarrod nor Audra Anne was much for talking when things finally turned out right.

"Why don't we eat?" Nick asked impatiently, getting ready to spear a large piece of ham with his fork.

"We discussed everything last night, Nicholas. And we do not begin a meal without saying grace," Victoria said, reprimanding Nick.

"We thank thee, O Lord-" Nick started gruffly.

"We also don't say grace until every member of the family is present," Victoria interrupted the prayer.

Audra Anne looked down at her plate, waiting for the explosion Nick would give to that remark.

"Member of the family?" Nick said, still opposed to Heath and Lee's new status.

"Uncle Nick, Grandma did say that we talked about it last night. You were outvoted when it came to Uncle Heath and Lee staying here," Audra Anne said, looking at the crystal silverware by her plate.

"Yes, but just let him be lazy! THIS IS A WORKING RANCH! AND THAT MEANS HE HAS TO BE DOWN HERE EVERY MORNING AT FIVE A.M. JUST LET HIM COME TO ME WITH A PROBLEM AND SHIRK HIS WORK!” Nick shouted, standing up and going to the dining room door.

Heath came into the room, his shirt and face all sweaty. "Now where were you, Boy?" Nick demanded, looking at Heath's clothes and face.

"Fixin' the fence or cuttin' the patch of mesquite. Take yer pick," Heath said, pulling out the empty chair next to Lee. Taking advantage of Nick's flabbergasted expression he spoke again. "Also the bridge need to be fixed before my Modoc breaks a leg."

Nick sat down, momentarily speechless. Heath speared his fork into the piece of ham at the top, just as Nick did the same. Both brothers scowled at each other as their forks stuck out of the ham.

Everyone at the table started to grin at the brother's dilemma. Jarrod picked up his knife and split the ham right down the middle. Audra Anne, Lee, and Lucy looked at each other and grinned. Audra and Eugene started to snicker.

Heath and Nick's faces were priceless. The scowls turned to grins as what had just happened struck them. Heath tucked his napkin into his collar as Nick started to say grace.

After the grace was said, Audra Anne took a slice of ham. "Audra Anne, I didn't say this earlier, but thank you," Heath said, taking a bite of his ham.

"You're welcome. You just look too much like my grandfather not to be a Barkley," Audra Anne said, eating a bite of biscuit.

"Those are quite interestin' eyes you got there. No one else in the family's got 'em," Heath said, looking at her eyes.

"They are my mother's," Audra Anne said in a subdued voice.

"Where is your mother, Audra Anne?" Heath asked, not knowing that Hope wasn't usually talked about in front of Jarrod.

"She died when I was born," Audra Anne said bluntly.

"I'm sorry. My wife Ingrid died giving birth to Lee,” Heath said, kissing Lee’s head.

"At least you don't pretend she doesn't exist like my father does," Audra Anne muttered bitterly under her breath.

Jarrod looked at his daughter. After the incidents that happened the night before she still was very angry that Jarrod had stayed away for two months without even writing her. The tears were evident in Audra Anne's eyes.

The rest of breakfast was eaten in painful silence. When it was over Audra Anne bolted from the table. The slam of the front door made it clear that she was going out to ride her horse.

Audra Anne sat by her mother's grave, the tears rolling convulsively down her thin cheeks. After slamming her father with that comment at breakfast, Audra Anne felt guilty. He had truly tried to be a father after two months of neglecting her.

Audra Anne loved Jarrod, but it felt like in the last two months that he didn't love her. He often said that he didn't blame her for her mother's death, but sometimes Audra Anne blamed herself.

Audra Anne was feeling more guilty that day for her mother's death than ever. Again she wondered what it might have been if her mother had lived. At least Lee and Lucy remembered their mothers.

As she sniffled she didn't know that she was being watched. Jarrod had decided to visit Tom's grave and saw Audra Anne there as well. Jarrod gently laid a hand on Audra Anne's shoulder.

Audra Anne turned. She jumped up and wiped her eyes furiously, kicking herself for crying in front of her father.

"Audra Anne, it's okay to cry," Jarrod said, gently wiping a stray tear on her face with his thumb.

"It's all right for you to say that. You never cry!" Audra Anne lashed out bitterly.

Jarrod sat on the bench next to Tom's grave. "Audra Anne, I want to talk to you. Would you be so kind as to listen?" Jarrod said, his voice gentle, but firm.

Audra Anne sat next to him, tears still rolling down her cheeks. "Audra Anne, I cry all the time. Most of the time people don't see me, because I refuse to let the tears out," Jarrod said, looking into her greenish-gray eyes.

"I thought you were so perfect that you wouldn't cry," Audra Anne said, wiping her nose with the sleeve of her shirt.

Jarrod took out his handkerchief. He handed it to her. She blew her nose a few times. "Honey, I'm not perfect. I have cried lots of times. I cried the day you were born," Jarrod said, his voice trembling slightly.

"Why?" Audra Anne asked.

"Well, I had just gotten this new daughter and then I lost your mother. I cried because I loved your mother so much," Jarrod said, running his fingertips through her black hair.

"I wish Mother had lived," Audra Anne said, fresh tears falling down her face.

"I do too, but from now on I am going to be here for you. I'm not going to neglect you again," Jarrod said firmly. Audra Anne threw her arms around Jarrod's neck and hugged him.

"Never?" Audra Anne whispered in her father's ear.

"I promise, Honey. One day you're going to realize how much I love you," Jarrod said, kissing her forehead gently.

Jarrod and Audra Anne stood up and went over to their horses. The ride home was spent talking. By the time they reached home Audra Anne was excited about the newest change in the Barkley family. Heath and Lee would make for interesting times.

In the next few weeks the three cousins were inseparable. Heath teasingly referred to the three cousins as "Audra Anne and her shadows." Wherever Audra Anne went the two cousins were with her.

Five weeks after the showdown at Semple's the town of Stockton decided to do something to honor Tom Barkley. While the cousins were out fishing, Eugene had come home for the occasion.

Nick and Jarrod had driven to town to pick up Eugene at the train station. Heath was doing some chores on the fence line and would meet them back at the ranch.

Eugene, Jarrod, and Nick came home to joyous shouts from Victoria, Silas, and Audra.

"Eugene!" Victoria exclaimed, hugging her youngest son.

"Ya see Mother! He musta growed a foot!" Nick shouted as they entered the house.

"He always did have a big head!" Audra teased her younger brother.

The family went into the parlor. "I came as soon as I heard about the ceremony for father. Where's Heath and the girls?" Eugene asked, looking for his nieces and new brother.

"Heath is out doing some chores and the girls are out fishing. Audra Anne promised to have them home by the time the ceremony started," Victoria stated, pulling something out from under the settee.

Eugene looked in shock. Mother, what are those?" Eugene asked, blinking back the tears in his eyes. Eugene knew what they were. He just wanted his mother to confirm it.

"They're your father's. He always wore them on special occasions and I wanted one of you to wear them," Victoria said, handing the boots to Eugene.

Eugene took them in his hands. He turned his gaze to his brothers. "I would have worn them, but then I'd have to remove my big toe," Jarrod said in a cheerful mood.

"And I'm only a size larger than Jarrod," Nick said.

Eugene sat down in an upholstered chair and took off one of his boots. He put his foot in the boot and tried to get the boot on. After a minute of trying Eugene took off the boot and gazed at his mother sadly. "I'm sorry, Mother," Eugene said, his tone matching his eyes.

"That's all right. Just a silly idea I had," Victoria said, hiding the tears with a smile.

"No, it was not silly, Mother," Jarrod reassured his mother.

"What about Heath? He's a Barkley son. I'm sure he'd be glad to wear them," Eugene asked. Everyone in the room glanced at each other. Considering how Heath felt about Tom Barkley they hadn't asked him if he would want to wear the boots.

At that moment Heath came into the house talking to Silas. "They're in the parlor, Mr. Heath," Silas said. In the five weeks that Heath and Lee had lived there Heath and Silas had become friends.

"I saw the buggy, Silas. Eugene, how are ya?" Heath asked, standing in front of his brother. "You musta grown a foot!"

Eugene smiled at Heath's comment. "Yes, but the growing must have affected my feet," Eugene said, holding the boots out to Heath.

Heath looked at the boots, a question in his blue eyes. "They're Father's, Heath. I can't fit into them. We thought you could," Eugene saw the emotions crossing Heath's face as the words hit him.

The painful silence was broken by the joyful laugh of the cousins as they entered the room. The laughing died, as the expression on Heath's face was evident.

"Uncle Heath, are you all right?" Audra Anne asked, laying a hand on her uncle's arm.

Heath looked at his niece. She was concerned about him; a trait she had picked up from her mother.

"I'm fine, Audra Anne. I jes' gotta try these fancy boots on," Heath said, sitting down. Audra Anne looked at Jarrod. The look on his face was almost identical to Heath's. What had caused so much pain in Heath and her father?

The boots were a perfect fit. "Well, the best foot wins," Jarrod said, wrapping his arm around Audra Anne's shoulders.

The pain in Heath's face caused Victoria to feel sorry for him. "I think we are forgetting the most important question. And that is if Heath would like to wear them," Victoria said, her voice sad but kind.

"I don' know. I guess that I just don't care much for fancy boots," Heath said, pulling the boots off and running upstairs to his room. Everyone looked at each other confused. Lee was even more confused. As her father had passed, she could have sworn there were tears in his eyes and she had never seen her father cry once in her eight years.

Anne had quickly changed into her nicest clothing. The mint-green color of her dress went with her eyes. Audra Anne combed her hair and tied it back with a ribbon. As she made her way downstairs she saw her grandmother talking to Heath. He was also dressed in his finest clothes.

"I don't know how I can forgive Tom Barkley and what he meant to me and my mother. But I do know that he was respected in this valley by a lot of people and I'd like to honor him for that," Heath said.

Audra Anne came downstairs a smile on her face. "Uncle Heath, I'm glad you've decided to come," Audra Anne said, pushing a long lock of black hair behind her ear.

"Are you going to wear the boots?" Victoria asked, curious about them.

Heath shook his head no just as Jarrod, Nick, Audra, Eugene, Lee, and Lucy entered the room.

Jarrod wrapped his arm around Audra Anne's shoulders. "Audra Anne, you look so beautiful!" Audra exclaimed.

"Really, Aunt Audra?" Audra Anne asked, a skeptical look in her eyes.

"Really. You look so much like your mother today," Audra said, knowing that the words would hurt Jarrod.

Jarrod felt his heart lurch at the mention of Hope. Heath had learned early on that Hope didn't get mentioned in front of Jarrod. The memory of his wife's death was still too painful. Even Audra Anne knew not to mention Hope Barkley in front of her father too much.

"We're going to be late," Jarrod said, his voice gruff with pain. The family got into the buggy and drove off to town. Audra Anne kept glancing at her father. He was on his horse Jingo and looked as if he were going to cry.

The buggy stopped in front of The Cattlemen's Hotel; the finest hotel in Stockton. Audra Anne looked at the shrouded statue in the middle of the street. Heath went over to it and stared up at it. The fact that this was the statue of the man who'd abandoned him made him feel worse. Audra Anne knew the feeling quite well.

Audra Anne was curious as she saw her grandmother go to her buggy outside. Audra Anne went outside just as Victoria climbed into the buggy.

"Grandma, where are you going?" Audra Anne asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

“I have to run an errand,” Victoria said, not meeting her granddaughter’s eyes.

‘Where?” Audra Anne persisted.

"I have to go to Strawberry," Victoria finally said. While Audra Anne had inherited many of her mother's traits and looks, this was one trait he had picked up from Jarrod. At times like these she looked like Jarrod.

"Strawberry? That's where Uncle Heath and Lee came from. Why do you need to go to Strawberry?" Audra Anne asked, more confused than ever.

"I have to know, Audra Anne, " Victoria simply said, tears shadowing her hazel eyes.

"Know what?" Audra Anne asked, hurt by her grandmother's tears.

"I have to know something about Heath's mother," Victoria said.

"You’re going to miss the commemoration," Audra Anne stated worriedly.

"That's the least of my worries," Victoria said, picking up the reins.

"What should I say if Father asks me where you are?" Audra Anne asked.

"Tell him that I had to run an errand," Victoria said, flicking the reins.

"He's not going to buy that excuse," Audra Anne muttered under her breath as she went into the hotel.

Audra Anne climbed up into the window seat in the lobby and sat there. She was so deep in her thoughts that she didn't hear Jarrod sit down next to her.

"Hello there, young lady," Jarrod said by way of greeting to his daughter.

Audra Anne nearly jumped out of her skin as she turned to look at her father. "Hi Father," Audra Anne said absentmindedly.

"You seem to have a lot on your mind there," Jarrod said, noticing how she was twirling a lock of long black hair around her finger.

"You're very perceptive, Father," Audra Anne said, turning to look him in the eye.

"I usually tell. I would never have become a lawyer if I didn't notice a thoughtful look," Jarrod said, his tone light.

"Just my luck! I had to have a father who's a lawyer," Audra Anne rolled her eyes.

"Where's your grandmother?" Jarrod asked, changing the subject.

Out running an errand," Audra said vaguely.

"Out running an errand? Mind telling your old father where?" Jarrod asked, still using a cheery tone.

"Father, you're not old. And Grandma just told me to tell you that she'd be running an errand," Audra Anne said, her voice cross.

"Audra Anne Barkley, I don't appreciate the tone of your voice. Please change it," Jarrod said, his voice and eyes stern.

"Sorry. I just have a lot on my mind. I'm going upstairs. I need to fix my hair for the ceremony," Audra Anne said, jumping up from the window seat.

Jarrod felt frustrated. After making a truce with his daughter a few weeks ago, they still snapped at each other every now and then. At least Audra Anne apologized.

Audra Anne brushed her hair pensively. Her rudeness to her father caused her to flush with shame. He was trying his best to be a good father, but Rome wasn't built in one day and neither is a shattered relationship with a father.

Audra Anne found herself wondering what her grandmother hoped to find in Strawberry. She hoped that Victoria would be all right.

A small knock on her door broke her concentration. "Who is it?" Audra Anne asked.

"Lu and Lee," Lucy yelled through the door.

Audra Anne smiled as she opened the door. "What do you want?" Audra Anne asked her cousins.

Uncle Jarrod is angry with you," Lucy said as in the way of explanation.

"Tell me something I don't know," Audra Anne said. Jarrod was often furious with his daughter.

"What's Uncle Jarrod mad at, Audra Anne?" Lee asked timidly. After a month Lee still had trouble talking to her new family. Calling Jarrod, Eugene, and Nick "Uncle" was very strange to her.

"My father's a lawyer. Apparently he likes to forget that the lawyer stays in the courtroom or his office. I was withholding information from him," Audra Anne said, sitting down on a plush chair.

"What's withholding mean?" Lee asked, her eight-year-old face showing her confusion.

"That means that Grandma went somewhere and I didn't tell Father where," Audra Anne said.

"Where did she go?" Lucy asked.

"Do you to promise to not tell anyone as long as you both shall live?" Audra Anne asked, her face serious.

"Depends on what it is," Lucy said, cocking her head contemplatively.

"Okay. Grandma went to Strawberry to run an errand," Audra Anne said, watching her two cousins expressions.

"Strawberry? I have to tell Papa!" Lee said, jumping up.

"Lee, No!" Audra Anne said, clapping a hand on her cousin's shoulder.

"Strawberry's dangerous, Audra Anne. There's no telling what trouble Mrs. Barkley will get into on her own," Lee said, her green eyes sad.

"What trouble could there be?" Lucy asked Lee.

"Plenty. My father's Uncle Matt and Aunt Martha live there. Those two are horrible!" Lee said, making a horrible face at the thought of her father's aunt and uncle.

"Could she really be in a lot of trouble?" Audra Anne asked.

"Well maybe she's not. Not if she found Aunt Rachel and Hannah. They were friends of Grammy's and helped raise Papa when he was a boy and myself when Papa worked his jobs," Lee said, remembering.

"I thought you went with your father to all of those ranching jobs," Lucy said perplexed.

"I did some. But Papa said he wanted me to go to school. Grammy said she would keep me and let Aunt Rachel tutor me," Lee said.

"Well, if Grandma might really be in trouble let's wait to see if she comes back. If she doesn't come back in an hour then let's talk to Uncle Heath," Audra Anne said, making a decision.

The three cousins sat down and talked waiting for the hour to pass.

The tension could be cut with a knife. Everyone, except Audra was worried. As the hour drew to a close Audra Anne felt her confidence slipping. If Victoria was in as much trouble as Lee suspected then they should tell Heath, Jarrod and Nick.

Everyone was seated in the small sitting room off Audra's bedroom, waiting for Victoria.

"Where the devil could she be?" Jarrod asked to no one in particular.

Audra Anne felt her insides writhe. She was the only one who knew where Victoria was. She was uncomfortable lying to her father and not telling him where Victoria was, but it was still just an errand.

Jarrod turned a bright-eyed stare at his daughter. It was hard to look her father in the eyes when she wasn't being truthful to him. It was amazing that her nose wasn't like Pinocchio's when she lied to her father. Audra Anne looked down at her shoes. They pinched her feet and Audra Anne hated the style of them, but Victoria said that she had needed some dressy shoes to wear to church and special occasions.

"I'm sure she'd be back soon, Jarrod," Nick said, trying to be calm and collected.

"It is all my fault. If I hadn't been so wrapped up in making myself beautiful, I might have noticed something," Audra said regretfully.

"Audra, this was not your fault. Only one person knows where Mother went and she better come forward with the news," Jarrod said, his voice tinged with a slight warning.

Audra Anne looked at her father again. He was upset and had a hard look to his blue eyes. "Father, Grandma just ran an errand. I'm sorry. I can' reveal anything else," Audra Anne said, looking at her hands folded on her right knee.

"Audra Anne, I know you just think this may be an errand, but your grandmother may be in trouble. C'mon now, Sweetie, you'd feel much better once you've confessed," Nick said, his voice gruff and gentle at the same time.

"Uncle Nick, I can't Grandma just told me she was on an errand. And I refuse to talk on the grounds that I may incriminate myself," Audra Anne said, her voice light.

Jarrod felt all the frustrations come back. Hopie, where are you? I wish you were here to talk some sense into our mull-headed daughter, Jarrod thought, closing his eyes briefly.

"What's incriminate mean?" Lee asked, her voice breaking the long silence.

"It's a term my father uses as a lawyer. I do actually pay attention to his cases when I go to one of his trials and I've read his files," Audra Anne said, turning to her cousin.

All the grownups sat down, resigned to the fact that Audra Anne wasn't going to reveal anything.

Audra Anne sat, wringing her hands. Now was the moment of truth. Now she had to tell Heath where Victoria was. Heath would probably take it better than Jarrod would.

Audra Anne knew her blond uncle could really lose his temper if he was provoked. Hearing that Victoria had gone to Strawberry might be what could cause him to lose it.

"Uncle Heath?" Audra Anne asked, as her uncle sat with a thoughtful look on his face.

"Yes, Audra Anne?" Heath asked, running his thumb across his lip.

"I know where Grandma's gone," Audra Anne said in a tiny voice.

"Where, Audra Anne?" Heath asked, his blue eyes boring into hers.

"Strawberry. She said she had to run an errand. I told Lee and she said we had to tell you," Audra Anne said, looking down at her mint-green skirt.

"Lee was right, Audra Anne. You shoulda told me. Do you know where in Strawberry she might have gone?" Heath asked, feeling a panic come over him.

"No. She just said that she had an errand to run. That's all I know, Uncle Heath," Audra Anne said, biting her lip hard.

Heath picked up his gun. "I'm going to Strawberry," Heath said, grim determination all over his face.

"What do I tell Father, Lee, and the others?" Audra Anne asked, touching her uncle's arm.

"Tell them that I went to Strawberry. I'll be back as soon as I can with your grandmother," Heath said, putting on his hat.

"Are you mad at me, Uncle Heath?" Audra Anne asked, her voice sad.

"No. You should have told someone other than Lee; your father or myself. Right now don't worry about it, " Heath said in a soothing voice.

"Uncle Heath, be careful," Audra Anne said as Heath walked out the door. This trip to Strawberry was turning into a big mess. I hope it can be straightened out soon, Audra Anne thought, playing with a lock of her black hair

Audra Anne was twirling her hair nervously as the commemoration drew closer. Jarrod and Audra Anne had spoken stiffly to each other on account that she still hadn't told where Victoria was.

Jarrod felt even more annoyed that his daughter now knew that Heath was going to look for Victoria and didn't tell anyone until just five minutes ago.

As hard as Jarrod had questioned her she still wouldn't say where Heath had gone. In fact Audra Anne had seemed to grow annoyed with the prosecuting attorney lecture she was getting from him.

Jarrod knew full well that Audra Anne hated it when he turned into the prosecuting attorney instead of her father. She had once screamed at him to stop.

Jarrod's mind went back to the lecture he had given her five months ago. She had disobeyed him and instead of being repentant of her deed, she had flown off the handle.

"Audra Anne Barkley, don't you ever listen to anything I ever tell you?" Jarrod had demanded, his voice and eyes as cold as ice.

Audra Anne's silence at that moment had made him even more upset with her. "I am talking to you, young lady!" Jarrod roared, in a voice that always scared her.

"You're doing it again! Don't you ever stop?" Audra Anne screamed, her voice blanched with pain.

Jarrod's eyes turned to something akin to shock. Audra Anne rarely raised her voice to her father. Even when she was angry with him she managed to keep her voice well modulated. Her words had made him think before he lectured her. He wanted to sound like her father, not a lawyer. Of course they had apologized to each other and it was forgotten.

A gentle tap on the door caused Audra Anne to look up. "Who is it?" Audra Anne asked, turning to the door.

"It's me," Jarrod's masculine voice said on the other side.

"Come in," Audra Anne said.

Jarrod opened the door. One look at his blue eyes still told her that he was very upset with her. "Time for the ceremony," Jarrod said, his words short.

"Is Grandma and Uncle Heath back yet?" Audra Anne asked, trying to keep up with her father's long strides.

Jarrod stopped in the middle of the hallway. "No, but Audra Anne, you can tell me where they are," Jarrod said, his voice softening.

"I'm sorry, Father. I can't tell you," Audra Anne said, not looking into his eyes.

Jarrod took his daughter's face in his hands and forced her eyes to meet his. "Honey, I know you mean well, but if they are in trouble you should tell," Jarrod said, his blue eyes pleading her to tell the truth.

Audra Anne's lip trembled slightly. "I can't. Grandma's running an errand," Audra Anne said, her greenish-gray eyes filling with tears.

"It's more than an errand if it makes you cry. Come on, tell me," Jarrod begged his daughter.

"I just don't want you mad at me for not telling sooner, Father," Audra Anne said in a tiny voice.

"I won't be mad," Jarrod promised, running his fingertips through her thick black hair.

Audra Anne sniffled once. "Grandma's gone to Strawberry and Uncle Heath's gone to bring her back," Audra Anne said.

Jarrod looked into his child's eyes. He didn't know why she had to keep it a secret from him. "Sweetheart, you didn't have to lie to me about this," Jarrod said, keeping his voice gentle.

"I thought it was just an errand. Grandma told me it was. I told Lee and she said I should tell Uncle Heath," Audra Anne said, her voice sounding sad and small at the same time.

The tears rolled down her face in rivulets. Jarrod took out his handkerchief and wiped her cheeks gently. "Are you mad at me, Father?" Audra Anne asked in a voice that nearly cut out Jarrod's heart.

"No. Just disappointed that you couldn't tell me the truth," Jarrod said, taking her into his arms and hugging her.

"I'm sorry, Father," Audra Anne whispered in Jarrod's ear.

"It's all right. Your Uncle Heath has gone to bring her back. So all we can do, young lady, is get to the commemoration," Jarrod said, looking into her eyes.

Jarrod and Audra Anne walked downstairs, Audra Anne feeling as if a weight had lifted off her shoulders.

The commemoration had gone well. After a few words from the mayor of Stockton and Fred, the sheriff, Jarrod stood up to say a few words about Tom.

In spite of the earlier tension between Jarrod and his daughter, Audra Anne felt proud of her father. He looked so regal and handsome as he stood there talking.

Audra Anne remembered what it felt like when she was five and her grandfather had just died. Jarrod had really tried to be what a father should have been. He had talked to her without showing that he was hurt over her mother's death.

Audra Anne knew full well how much her father had loved her mother. That was the reason why he had ignored her as much as he had. After all these years she knew that her face was a reminder of her mother. It would have been different she reckoned if she had inherited most of her father's features.

Audra Anne brought her mind back to the present, as the statue was unveiled. A bronze statue of Tom Barkley on a horse towered over them all. Audra Anne looked up, tears starting to fall down her face.

Audra Anne felt an arm slip around her shoulders gently. She looked up into the sharp blue eyes of her father. He understood how much she had loved Tom Barkley. Tom had raised his daughter faithfully when Jarrod felt he couldn't look at her.

Jarrod hugged her tightly, rubbing her shoulder gently with his uncallused hand. The ceremony lasted only a few more minutes until the crowd dispersed.

* * * * * * * *

A few hours later as the streets of Stockton were turning dark, Audra Anne and Jarrod looked out the window for Victoria and Heath.

"You don't think they got into trouble, do you, Father?" Audra Anne asked.

"I don't think so. Remember your Uncle Heath did take his gun with him," Jarrod said, not taking his eyes off the road.

"Father, it's getting awful dark out there," Audra Anne said, sounding like she was very small.

Jarrod looked over at his daughter. Her eyes were still on the road. "Audra Anne, sit down. I want to talk to you," Jarrod said, in a voice Audra Anne knew not to argue with.

"Did I do something wrongheaded again?" An instant question came out of her mouth before Jarrod could say anything.

"No. Audra Anne, I didn't have a chance to say anything before the ceremony, but why did you feel like you couldn't tell me where your grandmother was?" Jarrod asked, looking into her eyes.

Audra Anne looked down and shrugged her thin shoulders. "I just thought it was an errand. I didn't think that Grandma could get into trouble," Audra Anne said, her voice barely a whisper.

"Sweetheart, I'm not angry at you. I'm just disappointed that you couldn't tell me the truth of where she was. How will I know when you are telling me the truth?" Jarrod asked, putting his hand under her chin and making her eyes meet his.

"I'm sorry," Audra Anne said, her eyes swimming with tears.

"I know you are. Whatever happens from now on don't you ever lie to me again. From now on I'd rather be told the truth," Jarrod said, his voice getting stern.

"Yes Sir," Audra Anne whispered.

Nick came running into the room. "Mother and Heath just rode up!" Nick yelled, running through the room like a tornado.

Audra Anne and Jarrod ran outside, joining their joyous family as the welcomed Victoria and Heath home.

Six months later Jarrod and Nick were in San Francisco lobbying a new case. Audra Anne and Lucy were in the courtroom watching Jarrod present his arguments. Jarrod had not gone back on his word. Because of the promise that he had made to Audra Anne, she had come with him.

Through the last six months both father and daughter were actually getting along together. Their relationship wasn't like Nick and Lucy's or Heath and Lee's, but both Jarrod and Audra Anne both were trying to understand each other.

Audra Anne's mind went to the case that her father was now fighting for. The valley had wanted a new dam in Oak Meadows and Jarrod was backing the whole valley on it. Audra Anne sat there, feeling the pride she had for her father return to her. Like at Tom Barkley's commemoration, Jarrod stood there noble and handsome. A few hours ago Audra Anne had found the nerve to ask her father how he had managed to let both Lucy and herself into the courtroom.

Jarrod had tweaked her nose gently. "I just promised that you wouldn't say anything and the judge agreed," Jarrod said, his tone light. Audra Anne touched her nose briefly. Tweaking her nose was something that Jarrod had recently started. Audra Anne tried to tell Jarrod she hated it when he did that, but he just smiled.

Audra Anne then thought about San Francisco. Jarrod had never taken her to San Francisco when he had to conduct business. With offices in San Francisco and Stockton Jarrod was in the city a lot, but he had promised to let her come with him whenever he had to go to the city. Audra Anne then shut out all of her thoughts and listened to her father's arguments.

"So, your honor, in Stockton, we feel that the dam will prove useful to the future of our children and will make the valley fruitful for crops and cattle," Jarrod said, concluding his statements.

The prosecuting attorney stood just then. "I don't agree with Counselor Barkley, your honor. I don't see where a dam could be beneficial to the good will of the San Joaquin valley. Counselor Barkley has brought his daughter, brother, and niece in here-" Amos MacNeil started.

"What does my daughter have to do with this?" Jarrod asked, interrupting MacNeil.

"Yes, I'm wondering the same thing. Counselor Barkley's family has nothing to do with putting in a dam," the judge said.

"All of you know that my sister, Hope MacNeil was his wife. That valley took Hope's life. I'm not going to okay something that killed my sister," Amos said, glaring at Jarrod.

"Hope moved to the valley gladly. And need I remind you that the valley didn't kill her. Hope died giving birth to our daughter 10 years ago. Building a dam has nothing to do with it," Jarrod said, his eyes like steel.

"Oh? And how does Hope's kid feel about that dam?" Amos asked, looking in Audra Anne's direction.

"She hasn't complained about it," Jarrod said, looking at his daughter as well.

"WHY DON'T YOU SHUT UP!" Nick yelled, bolting to his feet.

The judge hit his desk with his gavel. "Mr. Barkley, you do not have permission to speak. One more outburst and I'll hold you in contempt of court," the judge said, his tone like ice.

Nick sat down reluctantly. Nick and Amos never liked each other either. Amos felt that Nick was a hick. The only member of the Barkley family that Amos appeared to like was Audra Anne and that was only because she was his sister's child.

"And Mr. MacNeil, I am granting Mr. Barkley's request for a dam in Oak Meadows. Court is adjourned," the judge said, hitting his desk again with his gavel.

Audra Anne jumped up and ran to her father. Jarrod wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug. "Father, I'm so happy for you!" Audra Anne said, throwing her arms around his neck.

"Thank you, Audra Anne. It meant a lot that you came to support me," Jarrod said, running a hand through her heavy black hair.

"I feel sorry for Uncle Amos though," Audra Anne said, looking in her uncle's direction.

"I know. Your uncle never really liked me, but I am sorry that he lost the case," Jarrod said.

"But, Pappy, he shouldn't have thrown Hope into the argument," Nick protested. Nick was angry that Amos could be that insensitive toward his brother and niece.

"He shouldn't have, but I'm not angry. He lost Hope just like I did," Jarrod said, his voice sounding sad.

"Father, can we go eat? I'm hungry," Audra Anne said, looking up at her father.

"Of course, young lady. How'd you like to go to Monty's? They serve some really good food, if I say so myself," Jarrod said, pulling her long braid gently.

"Why not?" Audra Anne said, running up to her cousin. Audra Anne and Lucy flung their arms over their shoulders and walked out of the room, Jarrod and Nick following them.

Audra Anne looked out the train window. The scenery rolled by while she watched. The rolling hills and plains were beautiful. The apple orchards were even more beautiful as they were sprouting pale pink leaves. Audra Anne could almost smell a faint apple smell wafting through the window.

Audra Anne turned her eyes back to her father. Jarrod was pouring over some paperwork that he had taken out of his briefcase. Nick was sitting down, with Lucy fast asleep on his lap. Lucy's brown hair fell over her shoulder in a pool and Nick was gently stroking it.

Audra Anne turned her eyes back at her father. She didn't know how her father could do paperwork on a moving train without getting a headache. Audra Anne looked at her book, lying next to Jarrod. She had to stop reading the book because it caused her head to ache and her eyes to cross over.

Audra Anne scooted back to her place next to Jarrod and moved her book. "Are you going to be able to finish the book, Sweetheart?" Jarrod asked, never raising his eyes from the papers.

"How did you know that I hadn't finished it, Father?" Audra Anne asked, looking at her father.

"I'm your father. I know everything," Jarrod said, looking at her over the paperwork.

"I don't buy that story, Father," Audra Anne said, laying her head against Jarrod's shoulder.

Jarrod laid the papers down and wrapped the arm her head was on around her thin shoulders. "Ready to go back home, Audra Anne?" Jarrod asked, pulling one of her dark braids with his large hand.

"Yes Sir. I'm glad that you and Uncle Nick took me and Lucy to San Francisco, but I like the ranch better," Audra Anne said, trying not to complain.

"Lucy and I, Audra Anne," Jarrod corrected her.

"I'm sorry. Lucy and I," Audra Anne corrected her bad grammar.

"Pappy, if that girl gets punished for bad grammar, she'll be confined to her room forever," Nick quipped, his hazel eyes teasing his brother.

"Very funny, Brother Nick. And how do I know that she didn't learn all the bad grammar from you?" Jarrod said accusingly.

Nick laid Lucy down on the seat and put his jacket under her head. Audra Anne's eyebrows were quirked in amusement. Lucy snored!

"Uncle Nick, she's snoring," Audra Anne said, the amusement as clear in her voice as her eyes.

"I'm well aware of that, Audra Anne," Nick said sharply than he attended.

"Does she get her snoring from you or Aunt Tracie?" Audra Anne asked, practically choking with laughter.

"AUDRA ANNE BARKLEY, I DON'T SNORE!" Nick shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Of course not, Uncle Nick. Lee, Lucy, and I just are not able to sleep at night because we're not tired," Audra Anne said her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Jarrod laughed. "She's got you there, Nick," Jarrod said, kissing Audra Anne's forehead gently.

"Yeah, I'm stuck with her," Nick grumbled, looking like a surly bear woken early from hibernation.

"Remember what they say, Uncle Nick. You can pick your friends, you can't pick your relatives," Audra Anne said, pushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

"I think I have had enough teasing from you that I could take," Nick said, starting to look mad.

"Sweetheart, I think you should stop now," Jarrod said, his voice turning serious.

"Yes Father," Audra Anne said. Jarrod went back to his paperwork and Audra Anne tried to read her book. Audra Anne looked back to her father.

"Father, do you really think the dam will work for the valley?" Audra Anne asked, laying her book aside again.

"I do, Honey. I meant what I said to your uncle Amos. The dam will be beneficial to you when you are grownup," Jarrod said, putting the papers aside again.

"Speaking of Uncle Amos, why does he hate you?" Audra Anne asked, her eyes filling with tears.

"It's complicated, Audra Anne. He blames me for taking your mother away from the family. My family had just recently come into a lot of money and your uncle's family had been wealthy since the early days of this country. He felt I wasn't good enough for your mother," Jarrod said, the pain of all coming out of his voice.

"But he hates the valley too?" Audra Anne asked.

"He never liked it that your mother moved to Stockton when she married me. He thought Stockton was uncivilized. No place that your mother should have wanted to live. He blames the valley for her death," Jarrod said, stroking her forehead gently.

"I'll be glad to go back to Stockton, Father. I love it there. I want to ride through Oak Meadows before it goes under water," Audra Anne said, her voice trembling slightly.

Jarrod knew what his daughter wanted. She wanted the Barkleys and MacNeil's to get along, but at this moment that wasn't happening. Jarrod watched his daughter as she read. Jarrod wished he could change things between him and her mother's family, just for her sake. Hope would want him to. It would have broken Hope's heart if she knew that her husband and her family didn't get along well. The rest of the trip was taken in silence.

The train pulled into Stockton later that afternoon. Audra Anne and Lucy both breathed sighs of relief. After being in the city for two weeks and on that train the two girls were more than happy to be back home in the country.

A big crowd of men greeted Jarrod and Nick. "How was the trip, Jarrod? Did we get the dam?" Len Colter asked. Len Colter was a rancher that lived a few miles out of Stockton. Audra Anne didn't really like the man that much since he didn't mind stepping over people to get his wealth.

"Yes. It took all of two weeks, but we got it," Jarrod said, his voice not betraying what he thought of Len Colter either. Jarrod didn't much like the man either and it was for the same reason as Audra Anne.

"Did your late wife's horrible brother give you a fight?" Len asked in a voice that caused Audra Anne to feel angry.

"That right there is my business. I don't ever say anything wrong against Hope's family," Jarrod said, his voice low and even.

"Look, this trip was about the dam, not the MacNeils so let's get on to the matter at hand," Nick said, his face rivaling that of a bear's.

"Jarrod, we also have a problem. There's an old man out in Oak Meadows and he says that he's a friend of your ma's," Dutton, another rancher, said.

"Does he have a name?" Jarrod asked, concerned.

"He didn't give one, but he said that your mother gave him Oak Meadows," Len said, his face betraying his anger.

"Father, do you think Grandma could have given it to him?" Audra Anne asked, tugging on Jarrod's sleeve.

"I don't think so, Honey. She knew as well as anybody that Oak Meadows was where we wanted to put the dam," Jarrod said, looking down at his daughter.

"This is preposterous! Mother wouldn't have given the land to anybody!" Nick bellowed. He looked like an angry bull that just had a red cape dashed in front of his eyes.

"Papa, Uncle Jarrod, does this mean we are not going to have the dam?" Lucy asked, her hazel eyes mournful.

"It doesn't mean that, Lucille Barkley!" Nick shouted at his daughter. Nick only called her Lucille when he was furious about something.

"Don't take it to heart, Lu," Audra Anne whispered to her cousin while Nick and Jarrod were talking to the other men.

Both cousins watched and waited while their fathers were talking. Apparently some of the men of the town were going to go out with their guns and try to convince the old man to give up his property. Audra Anne didn't want to lose the dam, but what the men were planning was wrong.

At a young age Jarrod, Tom, and Victoria had instilled in her a firm sense of right and wrong and if this wasn't wrong Audra Anne didn't know what was. She did know that she would talk to Victoria about what the men of the town were planning. Or maybe the men of this town wouldn't be as cowardly as to go gunning an old man.

Oak Meadows. It was normally a quiet place for Audra Anne to think. Her father liked to go to Islas del Cielo, but Audra Anne found the place too quiet. In the Oak Meadows she often heard the twittering of birds and the wind passing through the grass.

This day was different. She heard instead a hammering of hammers and a sawing of axes. Must be Jubal Tanner, Audra Anne thought.

After the fight last night between Nick and Victoria about Oak Meadows Audra Anne didn't know if the old man and his grandson, Chad, should be there. Jarrod wanted to buy Jubal out, but Victoria apparently knew that Jubal wouldn't sell.

"Why don't we buy him out? Isn't there another piece of land he could have?" Jarrod had asked, frustrated.

Audra Anne had understood her father's frustration. After all his lobbying and talks, Jarrod could see the Oak Meadows slipping away from him.

"What piece of land could we offer? His wife is buried there," Victoria had countered Jarrod's argument.

Audra Anne could understand what Victoria was talking about. Her mother was buried on the North Ridge. She wouldn't have liked it if they flooded her grave with water.

Audra Anne felt like saying that to her father the night before, but he would say that it was none of her business and would she please go upstairs?

Jarrod may have changed in his approach of being her father, but not that much. Audra Anne loved her father, but he treated her as a baby at times.

Audra Anne dismounted at the skeleton frame of the house being erected in the meadows. An old man was hammering while an eight-year-old boy handed him the nails.

"Hello?" Audra Anne called, knocking on the frame of the house.

Jubal and the boy jumped at the sound of her voice. "Hello," Jubal said simply.

"My name's Audra Anne Barkley," Audra Anne said, by way of introduction.

"You're one of Tom Barkley's grandchildren?" Jubal asked, laying his hammer down.

"Yes Sir. My father's his oldest son, Jarrod," Audra Anne said, sitting on the dirt floor.

Your grandma told me about all of ya. She says that you're quiet and you like to read a lot," Jubal said, taking a drink from his canteen.

"Well, I just stopped for a few minutes to say hello. I have to be going. I hope you get your house finished," Audra Anne said, mounting her horse again.

Audra Anne galloped away across the meadows. At that moment she felt herself going to her grandmother's side. Jubal and his grandson should keep the land. Of course if I said that to Father and Uncle Nick the fat will really be on the fire, Audra Anne thought. Nick wanted this land as much as Jarrod did, but at least like Len Colter they wouldn't kick a helpless old man out.

Audra Anne entered the house, her black hair getting in her eyes. It was a lot of fun riding, but Audra Anne hated it when all her long hair got into her eyes and mouth. It was one of those rare traits that she had inherited from her father.

As she thought of her father, her uncle's loud voice reverberated through the hall. It never fails. If anyone thinks Uncle Nick could put a stop to it in a hurry, Audra Anne thought, trying not to laugh.

Knowing her next deed would get her into a great deal of trouble with her father, she crept up to the study door and listened to the loud conversation between her uncle, father, and grandmother.

"Mother, we shouldn't let that old man stay at Oak Meadows!" Nick bellowed, obviously not caring who heard his tirade.

"Nick, keep it down. Do you want the children to hear your conversation?" Victoria warned her son.

"Mother's right, Nick. Audra Anne and Lucy know too much about the dam," Jarrod said, his voice slightly raised at his younger brother. Her father's voice sounded like it did when he was upset with her. He'd definitely be more upset when he found out that she was hearing this conversation.

"Come on, Jarrod! All your lobbying and standing up to Hope's brother and you want to give the land away to some old man?" Nick asked, ignoring Jarrod and Victoria's warnings.

It was then that Audra Anne heard Heath's voice. Her uncle was the calmest of the Barkleys. In six months he had become her favorite uncle. He could be as quiet as her father at times. "Maybe that old man is here for the same reason I was. I wanted to find some roots for myself and Lee. A place where we could settle down," Heath said, his voice completely unruffled.

"I think so," Audra Anne said, opening the door.

All the grownups looked at her. Jarrod walked over to his daughter and took in her messy black hair. "Where have you been, Audra Anne Barkley?" Jarrod asked, his voice leaving no room for argument.

"I went riding. Grandma, I stopped at Oak Meadows. I met your friend Jubal Tanner to say hello," Audra Anne said, looking away from Jarrod to Victoria.

"How's the house coming?" Victoria asked, her voice showing none of the irritation she had for Nick's stubbornness.

"It's coming along fine. Grandma, if you want Jubal Tanner to stay, I think he should," Audra Anne said.

"AUDRA ANNE BARKLEY!!!!" Nick yelped in shock.

"Uncle Nick, could you keep it down? I only have two ears and I want to keep 'em," Audra Anne said, her voice just as stubborn as all the Barkleys.

"Audra Anne, it's not that we think Jubal shouldn't stay. We think that maybe he should find just another piece of land,” Jarrod said, stooping so he could look his ten-year-old daughter in the eyes.

"I don't think he would, Grandma, didn't you say that Mrs. Tanner is buried there?" Audra Anne asked, looking over her shoulder at Victoria.

"Yes, dear. When your grandfather and I came out west, Jubal and his wife, Margaret came with us. Margaret was killed and we buried her in Oak Meadows," Victoria said, her voice trembling slightly.

"Just what I thought. Father, I'm sorry if what I'm about to say sounds disrespectful, but what if Mother was buried out there? Would you flood her grave with water or would you fight to keep it?" Audra Anne asked, staring into her father's vibrant blue eyes.

Jarrod was taken aback by her attitude. Hope would have talked the same way. He wasn't angry with Audra Anne for talking like this about her mother's grave. In his heart Jarrod felt pride sneaking in there for her. Jarrod pulled her into his arms and hugged her tight. "She's right, Nick. I couldn't bring myself to flood Hope's grave," Jarrod said, looking at his brother over Audra Anne's shoulder.

"What should we do, Jarrod? The men in town think the dam should be in Oak Meadows," Nick said, his voice a little calmer.

"Father, can't the dam be put somewhere else?" Audra Anne asked, raising her head from Jarrod's shoulder.

Jarrod again felt his daughter was right. They really should put the dam in another place. Len Colter and the others just had to respect their reasons.

The next few days were not as quiet as anyone would have liked. Jarrod was still trying to find a way for the town to have the dam without taking Jubal's land from him. Nick was often seen brooding around the house. Even Lucy knew better than to talk to Nick when he was like this.

Because they approved of Jubal having the land, Nick wouldn't talk much to Victoria or Audra Anne. Audra Anne knew her uncle was mad that she had interfered with his plans, but she wasn't sorry.

Two days after Audra Anne's ride Audra Anne was in Jarrod's office in town. Since she had started to get along with her father she often went to join him for lunch. Jarrod was still trying to find a place for the am when Audra Anne entered the room.

Jarrod was hunched over papers. Apparently he had not heard her enter the room. "Hello Father," Audra Anne said, kissing her father's cheek quickly.

"Well, Miss Barkley, what are you doing here?" Jarrod asked, looking up at his daughter.

"I just wondered if you wanted to eat at the Cattleman's with me?" Audra Anne asked, pushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

"Sounds nice, but I'm too busy with this paperwork to stop now," Jarrod said, rubbing his eyes with his hand.

"All right. I think Uncle Heath and Uncle Nick are in town. Would it be all right if I asked them to lunch?" Audra Anne asked.

"I'm sure they would agree. Your Uncle Nick likes the steak at Cattlemen's," Jarrod said, his eyes going back to his paperwork.

"Bye Father. I love you," Audra Anne said, without thinking of the words.

Jarrod stopped. He often said that he loved Audra Anne, but this was one of those times that she said that she loved him. What am I doing? I'm ignoring her again, Jarrod thought, laying the pen aside.

"Audra Anne, wait," Jarrod said, coming from behind his desk.

Audra Anne turned, a puzzled expression in her greenish-gray eyes. "Yes, Father?" Audra Anne asked, her voice matching her eyes.

"I'm sorry," Jarrod said simply.

"What for? You're busy," Audra Anne said, still confused.

"I did say that I'd never ignore you again," Jarrod reminded his daughter.

"Father, I don't feel ignored. You're a lawyer. You have to do your job," Audra Anne said.

"My job doesn't require me to ignore my only daughter. I have done that way too much in your life. I'm not going to miss any more of your life, Audra Anne," Jarrod said, his voice serious.

"Does this mean you're joining me for lunch?" Audra Anne asked.

"Absolutely. I think Cattlemen's has a new dish there that you might like," Jarrod said, putting his arm around his daughter's shoulder.

"Which is?" Audra Anne asked.

"Fried Potatoes," Jarrod said, looking down at his daughter. Audra Anne loved potatoes. If there was a new recipe for them she'd be the first to try it.

"That sounds good. Are Uncle Nick and Uncle Heath going to join us?" Audra Anne asked, as they went out of the office.

"Why don't we ask them?" Jarrod said, pointing in the direction of the general store with his chin. Nick and Heath were loading a wagon with supplies.

"UNCLE HEATH! UNCLE NICK!" Audra Anne yelled at the top of her voice, running toward the wagon.

"Hey there, Audra Anne. Hi Jarrod," Heath greeted his brother and niece.

"Me and Father want to know if you and Uncle Nick can join us for lunch," Audra Anne rattled off without taking a breath.

Jarrod fought the urge to correct her grammar. Honestly, she's worse than Nick, Jarrod thought, biting his tongue. If anyone taught her bad grammar it would have been Nick.

"Well, how about it Nick, Heath? Do you want to join Audra Anne and I for supper>?" Jarrod asked, putting extra emphasis on the word "I." He hoped his daughter would take the mild correction on her grammar. She apparently didn't.

"Please, Uncle Heath? Please, Uncle Nick?" Audra Anne asked.

"All right," Nick said simply.

"I'd be glad to," Heath said, ruffling Audra Anne's hair.

Audra Anne walked down the street with her father and uncles. Audra Anne felt herself looking forward to Fried potatoes. She had never had it before. At this moment she could afford to forget about the dam.

Continued…