I do NOT own The Big Valley or any of the original Barkley characters.
To Catch a Falling Star
Chapter Two
Nick groaned and covered his eyes as the sun sent down its morning rays through the window and danced upon his face. Slowly, he opened his eyes. It took him a moment to remember he was in Rockville and was supposed to be looking at some cattle with Heath. Heath! Nick shot up only to find himself grabbing his head and looking around. Where on earth was he? This wasn't the hotel room he and Heath had rented! The living room he sat in was unfamiliar to him though the pictures on the west wall were gorgeous; one was of two deer and one was of an eagle soaring high. A picture of Christ hung on the east wall.
"Mama!" a dark haired boy stood at the top of the stairs looking down at him hollered quite loudly, "That fellow that walked you home last night is in our house!"
Nick covered his ears; someone needed to tell that child to lower his voice. If he was surprised to wake up in a strange house with a child yelling for his mother, he was shocked to see the black haired woman he vaguely remembered meeting the night before appear at the top of the stairs; she wore a plain reddish skirt and a white top. "I'd lower your voice if I were you; Mr. Barkley has a headache. I'll explain things later. Go get dressed and don't wake your sister." She turned the child around and sent him off to his room then descended the stairs.
Abigail walked through the living room and into the kitchen; the two rooms were separated only by an archway. Nick could see her standing at the stove as she began cooking breakfast. He stood up and made his way slowly to the table. "Do you mind telling me who you are and what I'm doing here?" Nick pulled a chair away from the table and sat down, his head in his hands.
Abigail didn't know whether to lay into the man or start laughing at the situation. She forced herself to remain calm though as she answered flatly, "I told you last night my name is Abigail Miller and I am a widow," she turned around and looked at him, her eyes holding a look that felt like it was piercing him to the center. What on earth was coming? "Do you remember any of last night?"
Nick thought for a few moments. He remembered going to the saloon, he remembered getting drunk, he vaguely remembered walking the woman home and then going back to the saloon, everything after that was a blank. He said as much, "What happened?"
Abigail shook her head as she told him about his return, what the banker had seen and what he'd told her to do. She had to stifle a laugh at the look of horror that came upon Nick's face. It's what he got for getting so blasted drunk in the first place. "What has he been saying?" Nick asked hesitantly.
"I have no clue, but knowing him…" Abigail was interrupted when a knock came on the door, "I have a strange feeling we're about to find out." She headed for the door that sat behind Nick; he was still holding his head in his hands.
Abigail groaned inwardly, but put a smile upon her face as her next door neighbor, Joy, appeared in the doorway. The woman was nice enough at times and Abigail couldn't count the number of sick people she'd helped, but her mouth didn't know the meaning of stop or the phrase, 'Give it a rest'. Sure enough, Joy took one look inside the door and her mouth started running.
"Well, well, I didn't think Mr. Taylor knew what he was talking about, but I see he does. Why didn't you go tell me you'd gone and gotten remarried? I could have held a reception for you! Are you staying here? Mr. Taylor said your new husband was from out of town…."
New husband! While it didn't shock her that's what the banker was saying, she had hoped that would not be the case either. The woman continued talking a mile a minute.
Nick couldn't believe the audacity of the woman showing up at someone's house at this time of the morning, shooting one question out after another; she wasn't even giving Abigail a chance to talk. He'd had enough. It was obvious he was going to have to marry the Widow Miller to save both their reputations, but that didn't mean he had to put up with her neighbor's mouth. He stood up and turned on the woman, "We haven't even had breakfast yet," he barked as politely as he could, considering his head was pounding, "and I'm not feeling well!"
An appalled look came onto the woman's face, "Someone should teach him some manners."
Now it was Abigail who'd had her fill. "Teach Nick some manners?" she put her hands on her hips and raised her voice slightly, "Look who's knocking on my door at eight in the morning shooting one question off after another! I wouldn't be talking about teaching anyone any manners until you learn some yourself! Now please leave!"
"Fine, but," Joy turned to leave, "You should know there was a major mess up somewhere along the line and whoever the judge married in the past two weeks is having to retake their vows. Don't ask me what the mess up was, or why it affected the marriages, Judge Hammer wouldn't tell me when I asked him. Anyway, you'll have to take your vows again, unless," she turned up her nose, "It is a handy excu…" the woman never got another word in as Nick flew to the door and slammed it shut, and then grabbed his head.
Abigail turned and grinned from ear to ear, if Nick hadn't slammed the door shut she would have, well, considering his condition, she may have just been 'rude' and shut the door with less force. "You'll be need'ng this." She set a cup of coffee down in front of Nick only to have someone knock on the door again. She sighed not wanting to explain how she'd got a husband when she hadn't even been dating, then started for the door only to find Nick stopping her, "You didn't ask for this, let me deal with it." Abigail nodded and went back to cooking. If she was going to get an unexpected husband, she wasn't going to argue if he wanted to deal anyone crazy enough to come around the house at this time of the morning.
Nick opened the door to find one very disgruntled Heath standing on the other side. "I don't suppose you have a good explanation for not being where you were supposed to be this morning?" Heath asked as he stepped inside the house. Abigail turned and looked at the men.
"This is Abigail," Nick sighed and shut the door gently, "Abigail, this is my brother, Heath. It's a long story, but to make it short, before we can get the cattle and head home we need to find either the preacher or judge and then get her and," he turned when he heard the sound of footsteps coming into the kitchen. The young boy who had announced Nick's presence and his sister were standing in the room, "my step children on a stagecoach heading to Stockton." He looked back at his brother.
Heath's eyes widened in disbelief, as did Richard's. Heath had heard the talk, heard the description given, but hadn't believed it. After all, hadn't Nick sworn up and down on the way back from Cheyenne he could never make a connection that fast? Now here he was saying what? "Please, Heath," Nick sat down and started drinking his coffee, "Just go find the preacher, the judge, anyone with the right to marry two people and send a wire to the family. Ask them not to question Abigail. I'll explain everything later." Heath could tell the way Nick was staring at the space in front of him he was in no mood to talk.
Heath looked at Abigail questionly; she only gave him a look that said "Don't ask me to explain. He can do it". Heath hesitated, something was not right; he could feel it. Then again, he'd be getting no answers before Nick wanted to give them. "Will do." He opened the door, looked at Nick and Abigail once more, shook his head slightly and shut the door behind him.
