Chapter 7
It was after six when Jarrod and Maggie got back to the house. The rest of the family, plus Carl Wheeler, had already gathered in the living room, and the scent of chicken roasted with rosemary wafted throughout the house.
"Well, we were just about to send out a search party," Nick said.
"Got sidetracked," Jarrod said. "You know how it is."
"No, how is it?" Nick asked, knowing exactly what he was asking and that it would not get a straight answer.
"I need to clean up a bit," Maggie said. "Would you please excuse me?"
"Same here," Jarrod said. "We'll be back in a few minutes."
As Jarrod and Maggie went up the stairway, Audra smiled. "I haven't given up on that double wedding idea."
"I'm not sure those two can make it until June," Heath said.
"I'm sure they won't steal your thunder," Victoria said to Audra.
"No, but knowing our Jarrod, he might very well bring Maggie here with rings on her finger next time they come," Nick said.
"Well, if he does, I can't say he's made a bad choice," Victoria said with a smile. "I think she's a lovely woman and just what the doctor ordered for your brother."
"She is something," Nick said with a smile, and a bit of jealousy in his eyes.
"We gotta get you married," Carl said to Nick, the best of his friends among the Barkleys.
"I keep trying," Nick said. "Funny, all these years, how many women have there been who've fallen in love with Jarrod, but this is only the second one he's fallen for? And me, I fall at least two or three times a year, and none of them really fall back."
"It's not fair to count his clients in that number," Heath said. "Professional hazard – your lawyer has your life in his hands. It's natural a girl would fall for him."
"Yeah, well, it's about time I hit the jackpot," Nick said. "And this year, I'm gonna do it."
"Triple wedding?" Audra mused.
"Guess you best throw me in there, too," Heath said.
"No, no! One is enough!" Victoria said quickly. "It's only January, and I'm going crazy with just that!"
After a few minutes, Jarrod met Maggie in the hallway outside their rooms. He immediately kissed her and asked, "All freshened up?"
She smiled that dazzling smile of hers, the meaning of the phrase being their own secret. "All freshened up."
"I'm glad we're going home tomorrow," Jarrod said and kissed her once more.
"Me, too," she said, and they went downstairs together.
XXXXXX
Drinks and dinner together made for a splendid evening, if a bit more crowded than it usually was. After dinner, Audra and Carl made it to the porch swing before Jarrod and Maggie could, so Jarrod took Maggie on a long walk around the grounds, promising "No cattle here."
Maggie said, "I know this was a difficult day in some ways, but I think it will be one of the days I remember most in our lives."
"I think you're right," Jarrod said. "And I have to thank you, for this morning. For being with me in my weaker moments. I don't often go to pieces like that, but I'm in unfamiliar territory these days. Forgive me if I'm needier than I like to be."
"There's nothing to forgive, and I want to thank you for being with me in mine. I think it's going to take me a few more visits to the ranch to get used to the cattle."
"We hit a couple important milestones today, didn't we?"
"That's one way of putting it," Maggie said. "But every couple has to hit the parts of life that sneak up on you and knock you down before you know it. I had no idea I'd be so afraid of being close to cattle."
"You might get used to it, I don't know," Jarrod said. "But if you don't – well, we'll just keep away from the cattle."
They were quiet again for a little while, just walking together. Then, Maggie said, "Jarrod, if we do end up getting married, I don't want there to be a double wedding. Audra's young and it's her first – she deserves to have all the attention to herself."
"You're right there, besides, knowing my little sister, she doesn't really mean it. She's young and the only girl in the bunch, so she was spoiled absolutely rotten. I remember when she was born. I was getting into that phase where I was noticing that boys and girls were pairing off more permanently, and then suddenly I was holding a tiny little baby in my arms and thinking – if I'm not careful – "
Maggie punched him playfully. "Here I thought you were going to say something sentimental, like 'This is what I really want.'"
"That was my second thought," Jarrod said. Then he stopped and face Maggie, seriously. "We haven't even talked about children, you and I."
"We've just touched the surface of marriage," Maggie said.
"I know this is probably a more serious question than you want to ponder but – how do you feel about children? I mean, if we were to have a child, it's likely I'd – " He stopped, unable to say it.
Maggie understood. "How would you feel, having a child, expecting that you wouldn't see him grow up?"
Jarrod sighed. "I don't know. My first thought is that what you'd feel is most important. Raising a child alone."
Maggie smiled, a sad smile. "I wanted to have Mark's child. It just didn't happen. I don't know, I guess it's possible I can't have children at all. But I'd want to have your children, I think, even if I do end up raising them alone. And you've got a pretty big, close family here. Somehow, I suspect I wouldn't be raising them all that much alone."
Jarrod smiled at that. "That's true, you probably wouldn't be, if you didn't want to. But I'm jumping the gun anyway. We're not even really talking about marriage yet."
They began to stroll together again. "Well," Maggie said, "you never know what's waiting for us right around the corner."
Jarrod squeezed her hand. "That's the scary part, but also the fun part, isn't it?"
Maggie laughed. "Yes, I think it is."
XXXXXXX
The next morning, Jarrod and Maggie said their good-byes at breakfast. There were hugs and "it was so wonderful meeting you"s and "please come back soon"s and even a tear or two from Victoria and Audra, and then Jarrod and Maggie were driven to the train station in Stockton by one of the hands. They did not take the family car to San Francisco, but settled themselves into their seats, and they both fell asleep before an hour had even gone by.
Jarrod woke up first, as the train slowed a few miles from the station for San Francisco. He gently woke Maggie, who was asleep on his shoulder. "Are we there?" she asked groggily.
"Just about," Jarrod said. "Decision time."
"About what?"
"About whether you put your rings on again and go with me to my place," Jarrod said quietly.
Without a word, Maggie discreetly took her rings off the chain around her neck and slipped them on her finger.
Jarrod had his answer, but he was still a bit uneasy about it. Mark's rings on Maggie's hand, not his rings. He took her hand gently. "You're sure Mark would be all right with this?"
"He'd be if you are," Maggie said. "He was the one who thought I'd need them."
"I kinda wish I'd known him," Jarrod said. "I suspect I'd have liked him."
"You would have, and he'd have liked you," Maggie said, "but it's our time to find our own way now. Are you sure you're all right with me wearing Mark's rings?"
"For now," Jarrod said, looking at her hand, but then he was overwhelmed by the fact that she was beside him, that they would be going to his home together, that they would be together all night. He leaned in and kissed her. "God, I love you," he whispered and touched his forehead to hers.
Before long, the train jerked to a stop. Jarrod got up and helped Maggie to her feet, and he tipped the conductor to help him with their bags. In a few minutes, they were seated in a hack heading for Jarrod's home.
Maggie had seen it from the outside, but had never been inside. Not proper in San Francisco society, but now, wearing the rings, Jarrod led her inside with no concern about what any of the neighbors might think. Once inside, Maggie removed the rings and put them back on the chain.
She took a look around the big living room and said, "Wow."
Jarrod laughed. "It is a bit ostentatious, isn't it?"
"Big was what I was thinking," Maggie said.
"It's still a bit masculine, too," Jarrod said. "I hope you don't mind."
"Not for the time being."
"Come on. I'll show you the bedroom."
Jarrod tucked one bag under his arm and collected the other two in one hand, then led Maggie upstairs. Since they passed the bath first, he pointed it out, and then he led the way into the bedroom.
It definitely was masculine, with dark paneling and clothing butlers. There was a desk full of paperwork under the window, and one stuffed chair. And a nice, big, soft bed.
Jarrod dropped the bags and gathered Maggie onto the bed. She laughed and he kissed her.
He smiled and said, "Welcome home, sort of Mrs. Barkley."
Epilogue
Late March 1880
It was the end of a long week. Jarrod had been tied up with a trial and felt like he was neglecting Maggie, so he made sure to take it extra slowly as they walked home from the café together.
Their little ruse had been working well. Anybody who might have cared saw the rings on Maggie's finger and didn't even ask. She kept her job – now as Maggie Barkley – but she kept her apartment, too, planning to be there overnight on occasion, but that wasn't happening. Instead, she found herself slowly moving her important things to Jarrod's home. And it was rapidly becoming their home.
As they walked, Jarrod talked about the trial for a few moments. Then he talked about their plans for the coming Sunday. The gardens at the park were beginning to come into bloom and Jarrod thought Maggie would really enjoy them. She had seemed a little worn out herself lately, and he wanted her to have a relaxed and carefree day.
They arrived at home, and Jarrod lit the lamps in the living room. Maggie sat down heavily on the sofa with a big sigh. Jarrod was a bit concerned – she seemed so tired and preoccupied.
"Is everything all right?" he asked.
Maggie motioned him to come to her, but as he sat down beside her, she said, "No. I think you should kneel."
"Kneel?" Jarrod asked.
"Isn't a man supposed to kneel when he proposes marriage?"
Jarrod smiled. "You want me to – "
Maggie smiled a secretive smile. "Yes, and I need you to."
Jarrod knelt in front of her, looking at her suspiciously. "Maggie, will you marry me?"
"I think our baby would appreciate his parents being married," Maggie said.
Jarrod went almost so white that Maggie grabbed hold of him to keep him from falling over. "Baby?" he asked.
Maggie nodded. "I know it wasn't in the plan – "
She never got to finish before he was beside her on the sofa and kissing her. He backed away long enough to say, "You haven't said yes."
Maggie laughed. "Yes. I will marry you."
And then she added something she had been saving up for the right time, since she first heard it used at the Barkley ranch.
"Pappy."
The End
