I do NOT own The Big Valley, nor do I own any of the original Barkley characters. Thanks again to my Beta Reader, for all the time she spent helping me this story.

Against the Crooked Sky

Chapter Fourteen

Victoria opened the front door and stepped inside; she'd been to town to do some shopping. A smile as wide as the Pacific Ocean appeared on her face. Jarrod had repositioned the couch making it so the piece of furniture faced the fire that was burning in the fireplace. He sat in the corner of the couch, and Sarah was curled up next to him. Her daughter-in-law had not been out of her room much, not since losing the baby and coming home. Best of all, Sarah had the book Audra had bought her and was reading it out loud; Jarrod was helping her with some of the words. It, the reading, was actually helping her English too. When the two realized they had company they turned their heads.

They smiled at Victoria as she made her way to a chair. "Well, it looks like I get the company of two lovely ladies," Jarrod said as she sat down.

Victoria smiled. "Talking about company, where are Audra and Brigham? I thought they were bringing B.J. over." She had gone to calling her grandson B.J. for the same reason Jarrod had, and it was quickly catching on with the rest of the family. "Come to think about it, the house is pretty empty. I thought Nick and Amelia were coming over, and where's Heath?"

Jarrod shook his head, "Brigham poked his head in on the way to San Francisco; he said Audra was a bit under the weather and would bring B.J. over when she felt better. Nick and Amelia will be over later for supper and Heath," Jarrod answered, "Should be back from riding soon. He and Sally broke up; he's pretty upset by it."

Sally. Victoria shook her head. The young woman was nice enough and, to her credit, was doing her best to be cordial to Sarah. Still, if Heath and she had broken it off, Victoria knew it was because the woman could not bring herself to totally accept a white man marrying anyone of a different race. As far as Victoria was concerned, it didn't make any sense. After all, hadn't the woman accepted Heath in spite of his parentage? Why couldn't she accept Sarah as well? She didn't understand it, probably never would.

"It's good to see you down and about," Victoria looked at Sarah and smiled. She hoped it meant her daughter-in-law would be ready to face town soon, though if that took a bit longer she wouldn't blame her.

Sarah laid her hand upon her husband's hand and gave her mother-in-law a genuine smile. Her face showed her contentment. "Jarrod and me, we help our hearts heal." He smiled back at her as he turned the hand she was holding upwards in order to wrap his fingers around hers.

Jarrod nodded. If they weren't leaning on each other, he knew they would fall apart individually and as a couple. It was bad enough that they'd lost their child; he didn't want to lose his wife as well. She'd told him, basically, the same thing just that morning when she'd finally found the way down the stairs and into the living room. "I wouldn't worry about us, mother. Things will work out. We'll be fine, just have to take one day at a time is all. Now, I think I'd best get back to my study. I may not have many clients left, but I do have them." He stood up just as a knock came on the door. He went to answer it.

Jarrod's eyes widened just a bit as he saw the Kendall's, the Johnson's and the Peterson's standing on the other side of the door. All three couples were prominent citizens of Stockton, and all had dropped him as their attorney the moment he'd brought Sarah home. What on earth did they want? "May we come in?" Mr. Kendall was the first to speak.

"Oh, yes, sorry." Jarrod was embarrassed to realize he'd just been standing there staring. Stepping aside, he let the three couples in. Victoria and Sarah stood up. Jarrod wasn't surprised to see his wife head for the staircase, but he was surprised when Mrs. Kendall spoke up.

"Mrs. Barkley, please," the woman begged as she took a step towards Sarah, "Please stay and hear us out." Sarah felt shock waves go through her. Hear them out? Slowly she turned around and looked into the faces of their visitors, really looked into them. She couldn't believe what she saw…the look of someone desperately wanting something, but, in this case, what? It was that question, what did they want so badly that kept Sarah from running up the stairs.

"Sarah?" Jarrod stepped by his wife and laid his hand on her shoulder. He didn't want her upset and going back behind the wall she'd been partially hidden behind for weeks.

"I am fine," Sarah nodded, "I listen." She followed Jarrod into the living room and sat back down on the couch, after he and Mr. Kendall had put the couch back in its proper place. Once the women were seated, Mr. Kendall started talking.

"We, the six of us, have been talking a lot the past few weeks." The man was turning his hat around in his hands and looking like a child who had been duly chastised. "Not only did you not deserve what happened to you that day Mr. Taylor and Mr. Langston ran you down, Miss Sarah, neither of you deserved what we have been handing out to you these past few months. You've been nothing but a lady, and Jarrod has been nothing but a gentleman. We're sorry." Sarah's hand flew to her mouth as tears formed in her eyes. She had never seen this coming. Jarrod too looked like someone had thrown cold water in his face. He'd come to terms that he should be grateful he even had enough clients to enable him to continue practicing law in Stockton. However, Victoria was grinning from ear to ear. She'd known all along that, as long as Jarrod and Sarah behaved the way they had, the majority of Stockton would come around. Okay, she didn't think it would take such a drastic accident to do it, but it had happened.

"If you're willing," Mr. Peterson spoke up; he too looked like he'd had someone put him in his place, "We'd, all of us, like you handle all our legal affairs again." The three couples, along with Victoria, looked at Jarrod and waited.

Jarrod sat stunned, an apology and they wanted him back? He looked at his wife. As he thought on it, he realized that while, yes, he had suffered greatly, she'd suffered even more. After all, he'd lost business and had a few break ins, but any comments were made behind his back. She'd suffered the verbal comments from all sides, and the verbal part was, a lot of times, the worst. "I think my wife and I need to talk about it."

Sarah started beaming. She appreciated her husband's consideration, but there was nothing to talk about. She shook her head, "No need to talk. They wake up. You help them. It is…" she paused as she found the word she needed, "It is okay." Jarrod gave her a quick hug, stood up and shook the hand Mr. Peterson was holding out to him, and then shook the rest of the men's hands. In the back of his mind, Jarrod couldn't help but pray that his brother Gene would also wake up. He missed the young man desperately.