Except for Grace, who was out riding with James and Daniel, the girls were in the guesthouse, planning their time in San Francisco, though nothing, including the date, had been finalized.
Julia found her Aunt Audra in the parlor reading a book and asked her about it. Audra was happy to oblige and soon the two were sitting side by side, sharing stories. Julia learned about being on an ocean ship, places where people spoke different languages, and music bands that had more violins than she was able to count. Audra learned from Julia that Tom was bossy, Will was nice because he played games with her, Carrie was nice because she played school with her, and Daniel was a "bother." She also learned that Momma and Papa (for those were their names, of course) kissed on the lips and laughed when they rode horses together. Audra wondered what her son would say about his parents.
Jarrod emerged from the library when he heard Nick and Emily talking with Audra and soon Nick was asking his brother about the girls' proposed trip to San Francisco. Jarrod assured him that the girls would be supervised and chaperoned at all times.
"Frankly, Nick, I don't what you're worried about. My daughters live in the city and they're never in any danger, I assure you."
"I know, I know," Nick said. He was still uncomfortable with the idea.
"I think Nick is concerned because this is about his pretty daughter and he's afraid she's growing up. Soon she'll be a beautiful woman. Nick," Audra offered. Emily had held her tongue and was relieved someone else, and especially Audra, had called Nick out on this.
Nick looked at Emily for her response to Audra's comment but she appeared distracted by Jane bringing in a coffee tray and leaned over to clear the table for it.
"Nick, Ol' Boy, we're getting older and our children are growing up," Jarrod said. "Best we give them all the experiences we can while they're still under our guidance."
Nick groaned the groan of defeat, his shoulders sagging ever so slightly, and poured himself a whisky.
Heath and Sarah came in the front door not long after and they were chatting together, enjoying each other.
"What have you two been up to?" Emily asked them.
Heath put his hat on the table and strolled over to the table where Nick stood, the one that had the liquor. "Just takin' a walk, lookin' at the new horses." Sarah joined the other women, taking a seat by the low table.
Heath reported that Tom and Will had returned from their ride and were doing some barn chores, but he hadn't see Grace and the two younger boys. There was silence for a moment.
"You don't suppose . . ." Jarrod started.
"Nah,' said Nick, "Not if Grace is with them." Nick heard his own words and knew their significance. He knew in that moment how much he trusted Grace to know her limits and do the right thing. Maybe, he thought, there was a place for her in helping to run the ranch when the time came. He'd have to think more on that later.
Jane smiled at Sarah. "Grace seems wise beyond her years. I think she's wonderful. Leah, too, of course, but Grace has such a connection to this ranch."
"Both our daughters are precious to us," Sarah said, "but they are very different people."
"Amen to that!" said Heath.
Dinner was delayed that night only because James and Daniel caught a gopher snake on their adventure; its presence caused some excitement among the girls until Emily found it a temporary home in a barrel outside of the house. The boys had a lot of fun on their ride and James especially was full of excited chatter about it. Nothing, apparently, had gone amiss during the afternoon but as dinner drew to a close they began arguing in a loud volley of "Does so!" and "Does not!"
"Hey, you two! Stop it!" Nick yelled, turning around in his chair at the head of the table. They stopped.
"Papa," said Daniel, "James doesn't believe that girls shoot guns. I told him Momma shoots and he called me a liar, says ladies don't have guns."
Jarrod spoke up to set the record straight, explaining that, yes, some ladies do shoot guns.
Emily offered that their grandmother insisted she know how to shoot a rifle.
"Did you ever kill anyone, Aunt Emily?" James asked. Nick and Heath burst out laughing.
"She banged up that tree pretty good, though," said Heath.
After dinner, Nick went to find the spare key to the gun cabinet, fearing the boys might just decide to play with firepower deadlier than Daniel's .22 rifle. He couldn't find it and his panic was barely containable. He had a key, Heath had a key, and now the spare was missing. The boys were outside racing up and down the driveway and he made them stop. He demanded they hand over the key but they denied knowing anything about it.
"What was all that about?" Emily asked him when he came storming back into the house. She was helping clean up the kitchen, a full white apron over her black dress. Nick told her the spare key to the gun cabinet was missing. She smiled and pulled it out of the apron's pocket. "I did this the other day," then she winked at him and went back into the kitchen.
The following day, while Nick and Heath and the older boys were out with the herd, Emily and Jane took the children out to visit their grandmother's grave. Jarrod came, as well; Sarah elected to stay home.
Like her husband, Sarah was intensely private. Emily was her friend and she was happy to help when needed, but she liked her smaller home tucked away on a wooded hillside far away from the constant activity of the ranch. She and Emily both savored time alone; Sarah had more opportunity than Emily did.
Emily stood a distance from the gathering at the gravesite, simply observing and letting herself feel the loss of Victoria. Carrie walked over to her and put her arm around her mother's waist. "Momma, you were right. She's been gone almost a full week now and it almost hurts more now than it did a week ago." Emily nodded her head.
The boys spent the late afternoon exploring the nearby woods and, on Grace's insistence, let their snake go to find a home near the creek. James remained keenly aware of his own actions; he did not want to break any more rules and he sure didn't want to suffer any more consequences. Earlier, he suggested they take Daniel's rifle and hunt rabbit but Daniel said he would have to get his father's permission first and the subject was dropped. James soon forgot about the rifle and had fun anyway. He even almost enjoyed the afternoon barn chores he did with Daniel.
Sarah returned to the big white house for the last dinner the whole family would have together for awhile. Once again, glasses were raised to toast mother and grandmother. And each other. Tomorrow, Jarrod and his family would leave for San Francisco and life on the ranch would need to settle into a new routine without its matriarch.
The evening was quiet. Vicky played the piano while the others girls talked quietly in the parlor and most of the grown ups read and played cards in the billiards room.
Emily however sat in the parlor, apart from the girls, quietly reading to Julia when Carrie approached her. Emily looked up from the book.
"Momma? How did you and Papa meet? I know you said Aunt Audra invited you to the ranch with some other people and that he was rude to you at first and you said you were rude right back at him."
"Like Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy," Ellie offered.
Emily chuckled a bit. "Well, not exactly. How I came to marry Nick Barkley would hardly compare with the plot of a Jane Austen novel."
Ellie said, "Our parents met at a ball and they say it was love at first sight. They say they were struck by the same lightning bolt!"
Emily smiled, remembering when Jarrod first met Jane. She wasn't there but from his reports it was obvious that he was smitten with her and she with him. Emily recalled the deep relief and content of the family when Jarrod found love again. Victoria had been especially happy for him and thought he and Jane were very well matched. And, as it turned out, they were. Jane became a Barkley with grace and ease; she deferred to Victoria, befriended Emily and Sarah, and held her own in any debate. Jarrod's esteem for his wife was plain and they forged an impressive partnership, publicly as well as privately.
Nick walked into the parlor and said, "Please excuse the interruption, ladies, I need to get some liqueur for Aunt Audra," and opened a cabinet door.
"Father? When you met Momma, was it love at first sight?"
"What? Oh, uh, yeah." Bottle in one hand, he walked over and stood next to Carrie, put his other hand on the small of her back, and looked at Emily. "It was for me, but I thought she was too good for me." He bent down and kissed his wife on the lips, then said, "Still do" and smiled at her. She smiled back at him. Then he kissed Julia on the forehead. He straightened up again and looked down at his older daughter. "Any man who wants my permission to marry you will have to be as handsome and gallant as me." And, with that, he kissed Carrie's cheek and walked back to the billiards room.
Uncle Nick was hardly the stuff of his teenage nieces' romantic dreams. They appreciated his paternal sentiment but were at a loss to understand the romantic attraction between Uncle Nick and Aunt Emily.
But Julia understood. "Momma, when I grow up, I'm going to marry Papa."