Author's Note: For a visual of Soo Lin, refer to the first episode 'Palms of Glory' when Nick comes aboard the railcar, to greet Jarrod. As a side note, Darcy's cologne is 'Number Six' from Caswell-Massey; it was George Washington's personal choice, and still available today, being a classic!
FYI, this chapter is only Audra and Darcy; the next chapter will have the other Barkley's, with the exception of Jarrod who returns from the seashore in chapter twenty-eight. Thank you to all who are taking this 'veer' – or the scenic route!
Chapter Twenty-Six
Darcy found himself in an opulent sitting room type of place, with a table and chairs for dining in a side corner. The gold brocade curtains complimented the gold velvet upholstery on the furniture, while the floor had an antique Turkish rug on it. The colors all glowed against the highly polished mahogany paneling of the walls. He took everything in, and his impression of family wealth was confirmed.
"Missy Audra, are you all right?" A round face oriental man, wearing a black satin vest, and round skull cap came rushing to them, as they walked in. "Who is this man? Has he bothered you?" Soo Lin took in the well dressed young man, who was standing to close to Missy Audra in his opinion. He gave the man a scathing glance, as he moved forward.
"Soo, no it's not like that at all. He saved me from being attacked by some ruffians, on the way to the train." Audra rushed her explanation, not wanting Soo to throw Darcy off of the train. The oriental servant took his protection of the family very seriously.
"My name is Darcy Randolph, and it is just as Miss Barkley says." Darcy introduced himself to the man, being careful to use formal address about Audra. He had heard tales of Orientals carrying thin, sharp knives that could cut a man quickly and deadly. There was fierceness in Soo's face that made Darcy think he would do just that, if his mistress was in danger. "I think she should sit down, and maybe have a cup of tea." He figured that tea wouldn't hurt; brandy would be more effective, but he wasn't going to ask for that.
"Mr. Randolph, there is some brandy in the cupboard, over there." Soo Lin stated, pointing in the direction of a small painted cabinet against the wall. "She should have some of that now, and I will go make her favorite tea." Soo had decided that the young man was not a threat, and he had liked how polite he was, as well as the fact he had saved Missy Audra's life.
Figuring that he had passed muster with the family retainer, and being glad that the man had suggested brandy, he nodded in agreement. Darcy carefully led Audra over to the sofa, and then went to the cabinet and opened it. Inside were several decanters, each one completely filled, and labeled with an engraved silver tag. Reaching for the brandy, he also saw some glasses on the lower shelf. Once he had poured a small amount, he brought it back over to Audra.
She took several sips, and then looked at the handsome young man sitting next to her. "I'm sorry you must think I am an idiot!" Audra declared, and then as she thought about the last week, along with what had just happened in the rail yard, she couldn't hold her sorrow in anymore. She burst into tears, which caught Darcy completely off guard.
"Shh, your safe now, and you are not an idiot." He went to reach for his handkerchief, and then remembered that it was tied around her wrist. Without a second thought, he put his arms around her and pulled her close, feeling her tears against his shirt. Darcy was worried that the oriental attendant was going to come back and see him holding her, but he didn't know what else to do.
"But I am an idiot! It is my fault I was alone and those ruffians attacked me!" Audra mumbled, as she rubbed her face against his shirt. Once again she picked up the wonderful fragrance of his cologne, which mingled with the slightly spicy masculine scent. She knew that she shouldn't be letting him hold her like this, but it felt so nice to be cared for.
"Now I disagree with that, Audra! Here, have some brandy." Darcy had felt her nuzzling against him, as his body responded to her movements. He didn't want a knife through his chest, from the family retainer, for inappropriate conduct with the daughter of the owner of the car. Reaching over, he picked up the glass and brought it to her lips, which caused her to sit up. She took several sips, and then reached in her reticule for her handkerchief, which she used to dry her eyes.
"I'm sorry Darcy; I didn't mean to break down like that! I've just had an awful week." Audra sighed, not believing that here she was with a handsome young man and all she could do was cry and wallow in her misery. He smiled at her encouragingly, as he patted her arm.
"Do you want to talk about it Audra? I am a lawyer, so anything you say to me I couldn't reveal to anyone else. Lawyer client confidentiality and all." Darcy offered, and Audra noticed how his eyes twinkled. That made her wonder if he was having a huge joke at her expense.
"You're a lawyer? Aren't you rather young?" She peered at him closely, trying to make up her mind. Darcy saw her scrutiny of him, and knew why she was asking what she was.
"I'm twenty-five years old, and I graduated from the College of William & Mary, earlier in the year, where I studied law. I passed the Virginia Bar Exam, so I'm licensed to practice, and my understanding is that the state of California will honor that license for one year." Darcy explained to her, and watched as Audra tilted her head.
"William & Mary? Is that a college? I've never heard of it." Audra was dubious, in spite of his comments about having a license. She knew about the Bar Exam, because she vaguely remembered Jarrod studying for it, when she was a little girl. He had come home for the summer, and her parents were always telling her to leave Jarrod alone, so he could study.
"Audra, I am shocked that you don't know about America's second oldest institution for higher education! Did you know that Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, and sixteen signers of the Declaration of Independence graduated from there?" He declared with humor, keeping quiet that he was descended from most of those individuals.
"The second oldest? Couldn't you get into the first?" Audra tossed her head as she said it, not letting on that she was rather impressed. She might not know about the college, but she knew who the men he mentioned were.
"Well now, the first is Harvard, which is located in this place called Massachusetts – you might have heard of it?" He teased, which made her giggle. "I am from Virginia, down in the tidewater, and William & Mary was almost in my backyard. Why should I go up north when I didn't have too?" Darcy didn't state that every male in his family, who didn't go to a military academy, usually went to William & Mary; it wasn't in his nature to brag about his family.
"The tidewater? Is that by the ocean?" Audra asked, knowing her geographical knowledge was sketchy at best.
"The tidewater is the name of the area around the lower James River, which you might or might not know opens to the Atlantic. At high tide, the water from the ocean washes quite far up the river, hence the land around there is called – tidewater." Darcy hoped he didn't sound like a school master. "My family has farm there, not far from the county seat of Charles City. Williamsburg, where the college is located is about thirty miles away."
"A farm? Like a plantation?" Audra was thinking of the grand mansions she'd seen pictures of, before a thought came to her. "Did you own slaves?" She had learned about the evils of slavery early on, and had had nightmares for a whole week after reading 'Uncle Tom's Cabin'.
"Let's settle on a very large farm, certainly not as grand as some of the plantations along the river." Darcy temporized, not wanting to mention the history of the brick house that dated from the mid-1700. He sighed as he thought about her other question, the one that had ripped a country apart.
"My family has always disliked slavery, and as soon as he could, my father freed our slaves. Audra, it's complicated because the people have lived on our land their whole lives. In the old south, the one before the war, it was very hard to be a free Negro." Darcy wanted her to be aware of what went on in the area. "A free negro couldn't own land, couldn't vote, and could be captured by slave hunters and sold down river. It was a bad system and a good thing for the country when it ended." He left out how his ancestor Thomas Jefferson had tried to abolish slavery in 1776, but his other ancestor, from South Carolina, fought to keep it intact. Darcy had a private chuckle on the two men debating the issue in the afterlife.
"I never realized it was like that. We just always heard about how the slaves should be free." Audra was glad that Darcy had been honest with her about the issue, liking how he talked to her as an adult with a brain, and not some well dressed doll. Before she could say more, Soo Lin came in with tea, and a plate of cookies. She busied herself pouring tea for her and Darcy.
"Soo, Mr. Randolph is going to have lunch, and ride with us to Stockton." Audra informed Soo, who turned his unreadable gaze on the young man. Darcy was very used to old family retainers, and knew that you never messed with them. He had been brought up to be twice as polite to the servants, as to anyone else.
"Miss Barkley was kind enough to invite me, Soo Lin. However, I would not want to do something to upset her father; I do have a paid ticket." He threw himself on the oriental man's good will. In fact, Soo was impressed with the young man's behavior, and his sense of knowing what was appropriate. Soo Lin had seen several of the young men Missy Audra had spent time with, and most of them were all too eager to take advantage of the Barkley name and money.
"Mr. Randolph, since you did save Missy Audra, I know that Miz Barkley and Missy Audra's brothers would be very upset if we didn't extend hospitality to you." Soo bowed, and excused himself, hoping he was reading the young man correctly.
Darcy for his part noticed that the servant said Mrs. Barkley – he didn't mention anything about a Mr. Barkley, which made him wonder about her father. The mention of her mother didn't concern him, because he'd already seen how mothers bestowed favorable regard on him. On the other hand, the mention of brothers was almost more worrisome than a father; he had two younger half-sisters and knew exactly how protective he was towards them.
"Thank you Audra, that is very kind of you!" Darcy decided to get back to what they'd been talking about, before getting sidetracked with his life. "While we are waiting do you want to tell me why your week was so awful? They do say that a problem shared is a problem halved!" He was curious as to why she was traveling alone, and wondered if the awful week was the reason why.
"It's going to sound so stupid, Darcy! I am a ninny!" Audra suddenly felt strange, telling this young man about how another young man had treated her.
"Audra, I told you that I am a lawyer, and I have practiced some, in my father's office. I also spent a summer working for a District Attorney; what I'm trying to say is that I doubt you could tell me anything that would really shock me." Darcy told her, mentally reviewing some of the cases in his mind. People were strange was the thing he'd learned quickly.
"I was in Newport, Rhode Island last week." Audra figured that Darcy had already seen her at her worst, so what did it matter, she thought. "There was a young man and he paid me a lot of attention. We went to parties, sailing, and all that kind of thing." She stopped, and remembered how happy she'd been at first.
For his part Darcy heard the mention of Newport, which only reinforced the fact that this girl moved in the upper echelon of American society. He had seen pictures of the grand mansions, and had heard all about the lavish lifestyle that went with that social scene. Darcy was also not surprised that a young man was somehow involved in the girl's problem either.
"He was charming, handsome, and came from a very old family." Audra hung her head, as she thought about how she'd been so impressed with all that, and overlooked his true person. "I thought I was in love with him, and I though he loved me too. He made his intentions clear that he was going to propose to me, and I was ecstatic." She stopped suddenly, and sighed, which caused Darcy to wonder if the gentleman had not been one.
"You are a beautiful woman, Audra! I can certainly understand why a young man would want to marry you!" Darcy said with sincerity, surprised that someone like her wasn't already married.
"That is just it! He didn't want to marry me for those reasons." Audra announced, completely ignoring Darcy's compliment. The next part of the story didn't show her in a good light, but she knew that he needed to know, so he could understand.
"Darcy, that old saying about eavesdroppers? Well it is true!" Audra said with vehemence, while Darcy was just relieved that the cause of her distress had not been his original thought. A new idea came to him, and her next words confirmed it.
"I overheard him talking to another woman – the one he loved! He had to marry me, because of – well – I can't say." She realized that it would sound like boasting about her family's money if she told him. "The man said hateful things about my family, and their lack of blue blood. He also made it clear the low regard he held me, and laughed at how I was in love with him." Audra's shoulders sagged, and she seemed to crumple in front of Darcy. Without a second thought he pulled her into his arms, just wanting to comfort her.
Audra put her arms around his chest, liking how strong and warm he was, as well as how good he smelled. Darcy had been nothing but kind to her, she thought, and she wished she was meeting him in a ballroom, instead of the circumstances now. She would have been content to have him hold her, but he removed his arms, and took her hands in his.
Darcy had removed his arms before he was tempted to kiss her, not wanting to take advantage of her distress. Obviously this man in Newport was a cad of the first water, and only wanted to marry her to save his blue blooded bank book. Darcy himself was very blue blooded, and on one level understood the other man's actions.
One of his cousins had married a wealthy young lady to save the ancestral home; he knew though that his kinsman was a gentleman, and the marriage had been arranged, with the young woman being aware of the circumstances. It struck Darcy as very low to take advantage of a young girl, just for her money. It was clear too that Audra had been hurt, and he wondered just how deeply in love she'd been with the man.
"It rather seems to me that you had a lucky escape, and should be thanking God." Darcy offered, and noted her puzzled look. "What if you had not heard that conversation, and married this man? Do you think you loved him enough to make it work?" He squeezed her hands encouragingly, and she turned a blue limpid gaze on him.
"No, actually I've realized that I really didn't love him! I was so blinded by his name and pedigree that I never saw what a shallow, critical person he was." Audra blurted out, relief coming over her as she voiced her thoughts. "He was very pompous and stuck up too!" She added, thinking about some of his comments.
"I think I know the rest of the story, Audra. The man wanted to marry you for your family's money, and having found out, you left in a hurry?" Darcy observed, and watched her blue eyes fly open wide.
"How do you know he wanted to marry me for my money?" Audra gave him a suspicious glance, remembering the lectures from Jarrod and Nick. She now wondered if Darcy had set this whole thing up to meet her, even as she was telling herself how farfetched it sounded.
"Audra, there is a saying in my neck of the woods – I might have been born at night, but it wasn't last night! We are sitting here in your family's private railroad car, and you are very well dressed. I don't need my law degree to know that you come from money." Darcy had seen how her mind was working, and sought to reassure her. "I had been trying to figure out why you were traveling alone." At least now he had the answer to his question.
"I'm sorry I acted like I did, Darcy. I guess I'm more wary now." Audra replied, a sad note in her voice. She didn't know if she would ever trust a man again.
"Don't be upset with the man because he wanted a rich wife, Audra. It is a common practice for girls like you, whose families are successful, to marry into high society. Look at those girls who marry English Lords." He could see how she was thinking, and didn't want her to get jaded – she was too pure and beautiful for that.
"You think its fine that he wanted to marry me for my money?" Audra sat up very straight, aghast at what he was saying, and withdrew her hands from his. Darcy sighed, and realized he was botching it badly.
"Audra, those kinds of arrangements work if both parties are aware of why the match is taking place. There are a number of girls who are so eager to marry well, that they overlook the important things. I don't think you are someone like that." Darcy told with sincerity. "It was wrong of the man to pretend to be in love with you, when he wasn't. A true gentleman would not do that." He hoped that he had phrased it right.
"Darcy, I see what you are saying. You're right too, that a lot of girls probably would not have cared, just wanting the old family name and place in society." She was honest enough to know how it worked in her world. Audra knew that if she could forget about wanting love, she could have been married, very well, a long time ago. Darcy's next words interrupted that train of thought.
"So did you leave the man a note telling him what you thought of him, before you fled?" It always amazed him at how indiscrete people were with what they put on paper. However, that behavior was always a help in a court case.
"No, I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction! I waited until the next day, when he was out sailing. I told my hosts that there was a family situation, and they had made arrangements for me to return home right away." Audra replied indigently, her old spirit rearing its head. Darcy gave her a pleased smile.
"Excellent! Now he will wonder if you really loved him as much as he thought you did! Men like that don't enjoy being put in an embarrassing situation, which is what you've done to him. Capitol!" He retorted with delight. Darcy saw her quizzical expression, so he explained. "Obviously it was important to this man and his family that he marries you, since they need the money. He is now in the position of explain to them, and his friends, that no engagement is imminent, which will reflect badly on him."
She mulled over what she was saying, and realized how right Darcy was. It had been her temper, the famous Barkley temper, which had caused her to flee so fast; for once though it was going to work in her favor. Audra started to feel a great deal more cheerful, until she remembered the letter she'd sent to her friend, two weeks ago. Even the thought of Andrew being grilled by his stern mother couldn't make her feel better. Darcy watched the change in mood, and asked what the matter was.
"That might be fine for him, but I wrote a letter to a friend, who lives in San Francisco now, telling all about Andrew – that was the man's name – and how he was going to propose to me. When I show up back in California, well she'll know what happened." Audra almost whispered, thinking of the social shame she would have to endure. Her friends were all married, and she knew that she was getting to be on the wrong side of twenty-one.
"No, all she knows is that you are back home. Maybe he proposed and you turned him down? Maybe you found out that he wasn't who he said he was." Darcy understood better than she knew, about how society worked for women. "My experience is that young ladies change their minds all the time. Or maybe you wanted to see how serious he was, and are waiting for him to come to California. Any one of those reasons puts you in a good light."
"I see what you are doing Darcy, trying to cheer me up! But thank you; you are very kind." Audra gave him a sad smile, and drank some of her tea. It came to her that she had done all the talking, and had not given him the chance at all. "Enough about me! Tell me why you are in California? I know that you are from Virginia, and a lawyer, but nothing else."
"I am out here to see my cousin, who has told me of all the opportunities out here. She is more like a sister really; we spent the war together in South Carolina." Darcy replied, and then listened as Audra asked about that. "My mother was from there, and we were down visiting when the war broke out. My father thought it would be safer there, away from the fighting." He went to tell her about the fever epidemic that took his mother's, and his aunt's lives, finishing with his father finally coming to get him two years after the war ended.
"My cousin had an awful time, because her family lost everything, and her husband had been killed in the war. We actually ended up living in a small town house in Charleston." Darcy shook his head ruefully, as he thought of that time. "When it was all over with, my cousin and her father – my uncle – came out west to start over. He was a lawyer, so my cousin is very well versed in the field, and said that if I wanted to come out, I could stay with her. She was supposed to be in San Francisco, but then I found out that she is visiting friends in Stockton."
"My oldest brother Jarrod is a lawyer, and practices in San Francisco and Stockton. He is the one who usually uses the car, to travel between the two cities, and Sacramento too." Audra stated, wondering if her brother knew Darcy's cousin. Darcy by now knew that while San Francisco and Los Angles were the trade cities, Sacramento was the seat of the government. Audra's brother was clearly an important man in California, he discerned, but didn't say anything, not wanting to look like he was fishing for a job.
"It sounds like he would be interesting to talk to!" Darcy stated, before he went on. "Maybe if I am allowed to call on you I will have the chance." He hoped he wasn't moving too fast, but she was beautiful and someone he wanted to get to know better.
"You want to call on me?" Audra managed to gasp in a strangled voice, not believing that after everything he knew about her, Darcy wanted to see her.
"Why wouldn't I want to call on you Audra? You are an honorable woman with a good heart and strong principles." Darcy flashed her a knowing smile. "There is also the fact that you are beautiful, but I'm sure you are used to hearing that." He meant it, being impressed that she'd seen through this Andrew person in the end. Audra wanted more than just to be married to an important man, which made her different from most of the other females he'd met so far.
"Darcy, I would be glad to have you call on me! And I know when my family finds out what you did, we will have you – and your cousin – over for dinner." Audra enthused, and then thinking about what he'd said about the woman added. "She sounds like an incredible person, and one I'd like to meet."
He agreed happily, and then suggested that Audra tell him about California. The trip passed quickly, and lunch was lots of fun. Darcy made her laugh, and feel like she was smart too. He asked her questions about agriculture, and the political scene, and listened to her answers. Audra was well versed in those areas, because of her brothers, but most young men didn't care about that.
By the time the train arrived in Stockton she was ready to thank those ruffians for attacking her. Darcy was handsome, kind, and someone who wanted to work for a living, she saw. The qualities reminded her of her brothers, all of whom had a great deal of money, but worked hard for the satisfaction of it. He helped her off the train, and escorted her to where a carriage was waiting for her. After helping her into the vehicle, he kissed her hand, and waved goodbye.
Darcy was sure that meeting Miss Audra Barkley was an omen of good fortune, and he had a happy smile as he collected his bag. He talked to the station manager, a gossipy man, and found out where the livery stable was. A driver was able to take him to his cousin's address, and it was just a little after 2:00pm when he was knocking on the door of the townhouse.
