A/N: Yep. I am upping the posting schedule to twice a week for this particular story since it is one of my longer stories. I know I could make the chapters longer, but the way I have them seems to be the right length for each one.

I know you're all looking forward to Heath meeting the Wards but first the rest of the family get to meet them.

Two days later, Victoria Barkley sighed and shook her head as she saw the cut flowers, looking slightly wilted, still sitting in the basket. "Audra," she said out loud as she walked to the table where the basket rested. Making a mental note to have a word with her only daughter, the Barkley family matriarch began to arrange the flowers into a vase.

"Miz Barkley, I can do that," Silas said as he came down the steps.

Glancing over, Victoria smiled at the man. "I don't mind," she assured him "I'm sure you have plenty to do before Eugene gets back. Especially since he's bringing friends with him this time."

"I believe we have everything all ready, Miz Barkley."

"Oh, I do hope so," Victoria responded. "Gene has spoken so fondly of all his friends, I am eager to make a good impression on them."

"Any friend of the Barkleys will be sure to love it here on the Barkley Ranch."

The man's unswerving loyalty made Victoria's smile widen. "Well, we'll see when they get here," she said, practically. "Now, have you seen Audra? She swore she would be making the prettiest flower arrangement I'd ever seen, but since I am now the one arranging the flowers, I can only wonder where she's gotten herself."

"Sorry, Miz Barkley. I haven't seen Miss Audra since breakfast."

Silas continued on to the kitchen. Victoria plucked the last few blooms from the basket and slipped them into the water. She was placing the basket on the floor when she heard the sound of hoof beats. Going to the window, she looked out and saw her daughter just riding into the yard. Unsurprised, Victoria just sighed and moved away from the window.

"They're coming Mother!" Audra called out, when she rushed through the front door. "They're almost here!"

"And just where have you been, young lady?" Victoria asked, facing her daughter. Audra's blue eyes were bright with excitement. "You didn't ride out to meet them by any chance, did you?"

The young woman's eyes widened. "Of course not, Mother!" she protested. Dimples appeared in her cheeks as she smiled. "I was just watching to see when they were coming! I have to go up and change into my new dress. I do so want to make a good impression on Eugene's school friend! I'll be right back, Mother!"

Audra darted up the stairs and out of sight. Smoothing her dress, Victoria took a seat in the living room to wait for her son. How well she remembered the last time one of her sons had brought 'a friend' home from San Francisco! It had taken quite some time for the family to recover from the effects of Hester Converse. Victoria could only hope that this time around, with Eugene's school friends, this vacation wouldn't end the same way.

She didn't have long to wait alone. Within a few minutes the front door was opening and she heard her oldest son's voice. "Mother," Jarrod called out, a laugh in his voice. "The great scholar has returned!"

Pleased, Victoria rose as her youngest son came bounding into the room. "Mother!" he said, embracing her fondly. He kissed her cheek. "You look as beautiful as ever! How have things been while I've been gone?"

"Thank you, dear, everything is fine now that you are home," Victoria said, feeling the contentment that only came when all of her brood were home together. Now, all she needed was Nick and Heath to return from the branding. Stepping back, she looked her young son over. "I think Silas and I are going to have to fatten you up while you're here. Have you been eating?"

"I told you she would say that," Jarrod said with a laugh. "Every time I come back, I've always gained a few pounds and you, Brother Gene, have always lost some."

Shaking his head, Gene half turned. "Mother, I'd like you to meet Ryan and Natalie Ward," he said, gesturing to the two strangers that were standing by the doorway. "I knew you wouldn't mind having them for a few weeks."

Victoria felt her heart skip a beat as she took in the black haired young woman, who was dressed in a stylish dark blue traveling dress. It was all too much like when Nick had brought his fiance home. "Welcome to our home," she forced herself to say with as much cordiality as she could muster. "I hope you had a pleasant journey."

"Thank you, Mrs. Barkley, we did," Natalie Ward responded with a smile, stepping forward. She held her hand out. "I hope the short notice wasn't any trouble for you. Gene kept insisting that it wasn't; that you and the rest of the family were 'up for anything', I believe is how he kept putting it."

"We are glad to have you," Victoria assured her, taking the slim, gloved hand in her's. "Short notice is better than no notice at all, which is what I can usually expect from my sons."

"Ward is in several of my classes at Berkeley, Mother," Gene explained swiftly, seeming to sense the chastisement hidden in his mother's comment. "I must have mentioned him at some point. When I learned that they would be spending all summer in 'Frisco, well, I invited them to escape the city for awhile."

Jarrod chuckled. "You just can't accept that some people enjoy the city, can you, boy."

"Oh, country living is in our blood," Natalie offered with a laugh. "Though maybe not the wide open space that you have on your ranch. But definitely space between houses."

"Natalie," Ward scolded. He held out his hand to his hostess, barely holding back a wince of pain. His face no longer was swollen from his fight, but his left eye was now surrounded by the interesting colors of a healing bruise. "We appreciate your hospitality, Mrs. Barkley. I can promise you that my sister and I won't be any trouble."

Smiling her welcome, Victoria shook his hand, wondering just what kind of 'friend' Eugene had brought home. "Well, you've had a long journey," she said. "Silas will show you both to your rooms and you can rest up before dinner."

"Thank you, ma'am" Natalie said, her eyes on her brother. "I believe some rest is what we both could use."

Gene and Jarrod stayed behind as Silas escorted the guests went up the stairs. "Well, Audra is going to be very disappointed that she isn't going to meet our guests until supper," Victoria commented, turning her full attention to her sons.

"I was wondering where my dear sister had gotten to," Jarrod responded. "I thought I saw her racing ahead of us on the road right before we got here."

"She was, and I do wish you'd speak to her about that, Jarrod."

It was an almost daily admonition Victoria made, though she knew a brotherly reminder seldom had any effect on the only Barkley daughter. "You really don't mind that I brought Ryan and Natalie, do you, Mother?" Gene asked anxiously, facing his mother.

Patting his arm reassuringly, Victoria forced another smile. "No, I don't mind," she answered. "Any friend of my children is welcome here, though a little bit more notice would have been appreciated. What prompted you to make such a sudden invitation? You've never mentioned either of them in any of your letters."

Gene shrugged a shoulder. "I just had the feeling that they both could use a change of scenery," he answered. "I found out that they're all that's left of their family. Two of their brothers and their father was killed in the war. Their mother, younger brothers, and two sisters died of the influenza during the war too."

"Oh, those poor children," Victoria exclaimed. She put all thoughts of the last San Franciscan lady to grace the house firmly from her mind. "Of course, you were right to bring them here. We'll make sure they enjoy themselves."

Swiftly, Gene kissed her cheek and then bounded for the stairs. "You can't hide your worry from me, Lovely Lady," Jarrod said to his mother, keeping his voice low. "You were thinking of Hester Converse, weren't you."

"I couldn't help it."

Jarrod smiled, putting his arm around his mother's waist. "Well, if it's any consolation to you, I didn't see any bit of romance between Gene and Miss Ward on the entire ride here," he told her. "I believe there is a bit of the poet in that youngest son of yours. You should have heard him go on about the beauty of the countryside!"

Laughing, Victoria reached up and patted her oldest son's cheek. "I seem to remember a bit of very bad poetry coming from you once, Jarrod," she responded. She stepped away from him. "Now, run along. I'm sure you have papers to look over, and I have supper to get ready."

"As if I don't know that Silas already has that well in hand," Jarrod teased before heading towards the library.

Shaking her head, Victoria hurried along to the kitchen.