I do NOT own The Big Valley nor any of the original Barkley characters.

Hold on Tight (Part two of Against the Crooked Sky)

Chapter Ten

The wind whipped through Jarrod and Sarah's hair as they raced their horses around the ranch. Figuring they needed a small break from people's prejudices in town (either directed at Sarah or Jarrod for marrying her) or having to hear, through the grapevine, that another recently hired hand had quit (or been fired) due to their attitude problem, Jarrod had decided to take Sarah out riding, so they could simply enjoy each other's company.

By the time they reached their destination, a river bed with plenty of foliage, they were more than ready to eat the food in the picnic basket Silas had packed for them. Some birds flew through the sky, and over their heads, as they ate and some sang in nearby trees. Thinking on things she'd overheard some people say in town concerning Jarrod, Sarah put down her food and asked, with her head slightly bowed, "You lose…", she struggled to find the words she knew would tell him what she meant, "people you work for, people who need help. You sorry you marry me?"

Jarrod choked on his food. He put what food he had in his hands down and tilted her head upwards. He had hoped that the fact that he'd lost a few clients would, somehow, be kept from Sarah. He should have known better. "I believe you mean clients, and yes, I've lost a number of them. Doesn't matter though, I haven't lost enough to put me out of business. Now, this idea that I might be sorry for marrying you…where did that come from?" He asked the question although he figured he pretty much knew. He wasn't.

"Yesterday, I hear Mrs. Butte tell nice lady you lose clients. She say you lose clients and lose important job for white chief too. She say all because of me, and you must be sorry you marry me." Sarah had heard that lie repeated many times while she'd been in town with Audra. True, Audra had told a lot of those people off and most had had the decency to be embarrassed by their behavior; still, Sarah found herself wondering.

Jarrod wasn't sure how Mrs. Butte found out that he'd lost an opportunity to work, temporally, in Washington D.C., but it infuriated him that she'd think he'd want any job over the love of his wife. "Mrs. Butte needs to go find a store where they sell attitude adjustments," Jarrod answered as he pulled Sarah to him, lowered his head and kissed his wife, "So does anyone who thinks like her. I love you Sarah Barkley, I'm glad I'm your husband and don't ever doubt it." He then wrapped his arms around his wife and, on the spur of the moment, took her with him as he rolled down the slight embankment; they stopped at the edge of the bank laughing as they did so.

Sarah, who lay on the ground looking up at her husband, reached up and ran her fingers over his chest, as his shirt had, somehow, come unbuttoned as the two rolled down the small hill. It was amazing to her that Jarrod was standing by her even when the cost of doing so was much higher than either one of them thought it would be at the first. She thought on the other news she had, the news she'd just learned about that very morning. She smiled and moved his hand to her abdomen. "You good husband. Make good father too."

Jarrod stiffened as he felt shock waves go through him. A father? His mind raced; they'd left Arizona two months ago, and he'd been with her almost a month before that. "A baby?" his eyes widened as he looked towards her abdomen and then up to her face, "How far along are you. I didn't hurt you bringing you down that small hill, did I?"

Sarah started laughing. Jarrod looked as if she might break just because she was going to have a baby. "I woman not china doll. I fine, baby fine. Doctor say I not quite three months. I think we make baby first time we lie together." Her eyes sparkled as she spoke, the memory of Jarrod pulling her gently into the teepee and laying her down upon the rug she'd given him still fresh in her memory.

Jarrod was beaming as he brushed her hair completely away from her face. "So much for an hour picnic, I think I want some dessert." He lowered his head once more.

By the time they arrived back at the main house, Nick was fit to be tied. "Where the blazes have you two been? You're late!" Nick's voice carried through the air and spread out over the entire ranch. Jarrod might have gotten upset with him, but Sarah started laughing. Her laughter confused both men.

"And what is so funny?" Nick put his hands on his hips only to have Sarah startle him when she walked up and gave him a quick hug. Jarrod grinned from ear to ear as Sarah answered his brother's question.

"I first see and hear Sound of Thunder, I worry Jarrod not have good brother. I wrong. You not bad man, more like mother bear." She then turned, gave her husband a kiss and hurried inside. She had things to do.

Jarrod chuckled as Nick looked a bit embarrassed. He was very grateful he and Sarah had Nick's support before they ever left Arizona. Somehow, Jarrod knew that things would not have worked out for him and Sarah on the ranch if this brother had not come around, though he did find it ironic that Nick had gone from swearing he'd not be within a hundred yards of the couple to being as protective as he'd become. Maybe it helped, that Amelia and Sarah had become quite good friends. "We lost track of time is all, sorry to worry you, Nick."

Nick tried to put on a highly agitated face, but failed. It got a chuckle out of Jarrod. "It's just that after what a few of the men we have let go have said…" Nick just didn't want anything happening to either Jarrod or Sarah, not at the hands of men like the ones he'd fired. "I guess I should just relax." That got a smile from Jarrod as he broke the other news Sarah had just given him. Nick's 'congratulations' and 'way to go' sounded through the air; it made more than one head turn.