The entire Barkley family was gathered around the table when Natalie swept in. The young woman had her hair pinned back and was in a dark blue gown. "You look dressed to meet the president," Gene complemented, jumping up to pull her seat out for her.

In the seat next to the young woman, Nick swiftly dropped his gaze to the plate in front of him. "Not the president, Gene," Natalie said cheerfully. "I intend on doing what we talked about last night."

"Really? I didn't think you would do it." There was a note of disappointment in Gene's voice.

"Care to share what 'it' is?" Jarrod asked.

Looking completely serious, Natalie placed her napkin on her lap. "I shall visit Mrs. Neville and offer my apologies for what I said the other night," she explained simply. "And I have written down as far back my family tree as I can remember so that we can compare relatives."

"That's...generous of you."

Natalie refused to look at anyone. "My mother would expect nothing less."

Heath and Audra both stared at her with open suspicion. "Would you like company?" Victoria asked as Silas brought in the first steaming bowl of food. "Or would you prefer to make this visit on your own?"

"If you would like to accompany me, I have no objection."

The rest of the meal passed peacefully enough. Nick and Heath discussed what they intended to accomplish that day with Gene, not giving the young man the chance to get out of the day's work. Jarrod, naturally, was going into his office, and didn't mention that he had another lunch date with Mrs. Neville. By unspoken consensus, Victoria and Audra both planned to go with Natalie into town.

With Victoria at the reins, the trio of women entered Stockton about mid-morning. The Neville house was on the opposite edge of town. A strange, haunting sound came from the tall house as Victoria set the brake.

"What is that?" Audra asked, staring at the building with wide eyes.

It was Natalie who answered. "That is the sound of a glass armonica being played," she said, her tone quiet. "Not many people play it as it's an extremely fragile instrument. I've only heard it once or twice before."

"I don't think I like it. It's so...melancholy," the fair haired young woman said, shaking her head. "No wonder people avoid the house!"

They approached the door, which opened when they were only a few steps away. "Mrs. Barkley!" Mrs. Anderson exclaimed with a broad smile. "This is a marvelous surprise! I had no idea you intended to visit today."

"Good morning, Mrs. Neville," Victoria said, holding out her hand.

Awkwardly, Mrs. Anderson shook Victoria's hand. "Please. You must call me Sarah. Surely we know each other well enough for that." She turned her smile on the two younger women. "Audra. Miss Ward. You are welcome as well. Please come in and I will make some tea."

The music continued as they entered the house. It stopped only when Mrs. Neville called out, "Prudence! We have company."

"Your sister is very talented," Victoria said as she sat down.

"However did you get it here?" Natalie asked, her tone nothing but sweetness. "I always considered such an instrument to be fragile and quite impossible to take anywhere."

"I made sure I packed it with care," Prudence Farnin said as she entered. She gave no greeting or even smiled.

"The armonica is Prudence's one weakness," Mrs. Neville said quickly. She gestured for the dark skinned maid to bring the tea tray to her side. "Don't dawdle, girl!"

"To have only one weakness is a feat indeed," Audra commented, anxious to take attention from the poor maid.

"It's far better than some weakness, such as chasing after any young man who passes by."

The barb made Audra flinch. Natalie's hand shot out and she caught her friend's arm, holding the blonde woman in place. "What lady doesn't enjoy the company of a good looking man?" she asked, her tone merry. "I remember Mama regaling my siblings and I about the picnics in Georgia which were for exactly that purpose. Never say she lied to me!"

Miss Farnin's expression shifted to one of suspicion. "Wouldn't you want to know your mother lied? Otherwise you might have to see some good in the south."

Natalie's eyes widened and glistened all of the sudden as though she were about to cry. "Oh, this has gotten off so wrong," she exclaimed, letting go of Audra to clasp her hands over her heart. "I did so want to apologize about being overly sensitive at supper, and here I am doing so again. You will never forgive me at this rate."

Victoria and Audra stared at her in astonishment. Mrs. Neville made a clucking sound. "Prudence, you mustn't tease the girl so," the widow said, her tone chiding. "Of course we forgive you, Miss Ward. We'll consider the matter closed. None of us shall bring it up again."

For a brief moment, a satisfied smile appeared on Natalie's face. "Lovely! You're too kind." She made a show of digging into her reticule. "Last night, I made a list of my mother's relatives and thought perhaps we might find a family connection somewhere."

"What an excellent idea!" Mrs. Neville exclaimed, reaching out. "Let me look."

Looking on, Victoria couldn't shake the sudden unease she felt. In her lifetime, she had seen those who were skilled at manipulation and had been victim of them herself. To see Natalie do so with apparent ease was alarming, especially considering Gene growing attachment to the young woman.

"Why, yes!" Mrs. Neville said, pointing to a name on the list. "This gentleman was our mother's uncle. Prudence, Miss Ward—do say I may call you Natalie now that we know we are family!—is our third cousin!"

"Astonishing," Miss Farnin said, her tone tight. "You are allowing the tea to grow cold."

"Never mind her. She is always upset over something," Mrs. Neville said with a laugh. She picked up the teapot and began to pour. "I am so glad you all came today."

Eager to change the subject, Victoria said, "Have you made a decision regarding your future? I recall Jarrod mentioned that you wished to move on once the estate was settled."

"We are," Miss Farnin said bluntly.

Her sister, though, shook her head with a laugh. "Do not let her fool you. Prudence does not enjoy travel, especially since her precious armonica is so fragile, " she said, handing over a cup of tea to Victoria. "I have grown accustomed to Stockton, I think. I see no reason to leave."

"Then we shall all have time to become better acquainted while I am here," Natalie said, her tone filled with apparent happiness. "How exciting."

"Should you not return to your brother's protection?" Miss Farnin asked sharply.

If anything, Natalie's eyes widened. Anything she would have said was lost by Audra jumping back into the conversation. "And deprive me of my company?" she asked, clearly taking a page fro Natalie's book. Her tone fairly dripped with sweetness. "She has only been here a week!"

"And I only just met Mr. Matt Bentell," Natalie added. "I intend to further my acquaintance with him while I am here."

The two sisters froze at the name. "Have you found time to join the quilting circle?" Victoria asked swiftly, giving the two young woman a sharp look in the hopes they would get the message. "I was tired and did not attend the last meeting."

As soon as the door closed behind their unexpected guests, Prudence turned on her sister. "What are you thinking? We cannot stay! It would be St. Louis all over again! Did you learn nothing?"

A stubborn set to her face, Sarah Neville strode back to the living room. The maid was there, gathering the used dishes and setting them on the tray. "I am not finished here, Pru. You worry too much."

"Girl, get out," Prudence snapped as the maid seemed far too interested in the conversation. Ducking her head, the maid rushed out with the tray in her hands. "Sarah, I don't like this. You are insane."

"Am I? Or am I merely not conforming to your expectations for me?"

Striding across the room, Prudence grabbed her sister by the arms. "Leave the lawyer alone. His family will not let the matter rest if—"

Sarah shook her off. "You worry too much. I know what I'm doing. Now I have to prepare for lunch. I'm meeting Jarrod Barkley."

"What if it's true and Bentell is here? If you've deliberately forgotten what happened during the war, I assure you that I haven't!"

Without answering, Sarah turned and walked away. Silently fuming, Prudence watched her sister vanish through the doorway.

The moment she sat on the buggy seat, Natalie's shoulders sagged and she put her hand to her forehead. She remained quiet the entire way to the ranch, looking much older than she really was. Victoria held her silence until they walked into the house. "That was quite a performance, Natalie," she said, pulling her gloves off her hands.

"It was exhausting is what it was," Natalie answered, turning to face the older woman. "And you don't approve."

"Of course not. You deliberately manipulated Sarah Neville into thinking well of you."

"No. I simply behaved in a way that she approved of."

Audra glanced between them and hurried towards the kitchen, no doubt anxious to escape the conversation. "How often do you act in such a manner?" Victoria asked. "You seem remarkably skilled at it."

Natalie tilted her head, her eyes narrowing with perception. "Are you afraid I've manipulated your family? You recognized what I was doing today. Have I ever behaved like that with any member of the Barkley family?"

"It's not kind." Victoria searched her memory, and couldn't pinpoint a time when she felt the woman was manipulating the family. One might say she had done so by arriving with her story, knowing she would find support from her friends. "How can you do it?"

An edge appeared to Natalie's smile. "There is nothing kind about war. I learned that lesson very well."

"Will you ever let go of the war?" Victoria asked, not tempering the sharp tone of her voice. "Or will you continue to hide behind it as an excuse for everything that goes wrong in your life?"

The young woman's smile vanished. "Is that what you think?"

"In the two times you have come to my house you have brought shadows from the war."

"So I shouldn't try to help my brother? Is that what you're saying?" Natalie took a step back, a hurt expression on her face.

"You know it isn't," Victoria said with as much patience as she could muster. "There is, however, a difference between talking to people to help your brothers and bringing the war up in conversation to fight with someone who was on the opposite side."

For a moment, Natalie just stared at her. "Please excuse me, ma'am. I have gained a headache from this morning."

"You still run," Victoria commented as the young woman turned. "You blamed your brother earlier this year, but it's just you now and you still run. I wonder if you will ever stop. Forgive a mother's worrying, but I ask you to make up your mind before you break my son's heart."

Natalie's shoulders tensed but she didn't look back as she climbed the stars.