Chapter 52: True Love?

Anger flashed through Heath's eyes as he watched Scott Breckenridge flirting with Audra. The man had made his intentions clear when he arrived the day before. He road in on a magnificent stallion, which matched Scott's own appearance of grandeur. Scott pleaded to talk to the family, including Heath in the list of family. He had made his case clear on his realization that he had fallen deeply in love with Audra Barkley. The man said all the right words. He acted all the right ways. He looked all the right too.

Heath had seen the look in Victoria's eyes at how Scott was a changed man. Jarrod was happy to hear his old friend become a new man due to the beautiful Barkley girl. Nick wasn't impressed but he wasn't opposed either. Eugene wasn't there to offer an opinion. All that didn't matter much to Heath until he saw the gleam in Audra's eyes at Scott's words. Heath hated the gnawing jealousy that clawed at his heart when he saw that look.

He thought his lungs were going to collapse when Scott took Audra's hand and asked her to take a walk. Audra grinned widely accepting Scott's hand. Then Heath watched Audra walk away with Scott to the garden. Without giving much thought to who was around, Heath punched the wall angrily causing no damage to the expensive wood but plenty to his knuckles.

"Heath Barkley!" Victoria exclaimed as she wondered what got into her blonde son. She scurried to Heath to check out his hand.

Blood pooled around the broken skin of his knuckles. Victoria shook her head as she watched her son's chest heaving with every deep breath he took. Jarrod furrowed his eyebrows wondering what was happening. Surely Heath had realized Audra would be over their silly infatuation by now?

Nick knew that look from Heath. He had seen it before. Heath was angry. The kind of angry that Nick knew to step away from. He had seen the blonde take down two men without help when that look appeared. Then, those men had said a derogatory remark about Heath's mother. Nick wondered what had caused the sudden seething in Heath now.

Heath jerked his hand away from Victoria. She looked up at him shocked at his actions. "Heath?"

Taking a couple of breaths to calm himself, he stated lowly to make up for his intense action. "I'm fine."

Heath marched out before anything else was said. Nick ran his hand over the back of his neck. "Well, Charger needs to have a good run anyway."

Looking away from the area in which Heath departed, Jarrod questioned. "Seems our young brother is a little agitated."

"Yep." Nick shrugged. "He'll race his horse to get rid of the anger. It's his way."

"I don't understand. What brought this on?" Victoria sat down with a worried look on her face. She doubted she'd ever figure out where and when Heath's sudden bursts of anger came from.

"Obviously, our dear brother doesn't want our dear sister near Mr. Breckenridge." Jarrod supposed Heath didn't think Scott was earnest of his words to Audra. Or Heath was still harboring unrealistic feelings for Audra.

"Scott seemed sincere in his words. Why come back to state his intentions unless he meant his words? There is no profit in them." Victoria sighed out. She hoped there wasn't going to be trouble on the horizon. Heath seemed very angry. Too angry. "Heath is just being over protective."

"Heath is a good judge of character. He may see a fox in the hen house. I'll go with Heath over any man." Nick stated before he placed his hat on his head. "I guess I'll head back to work. Heath seems madder than a wet hornet. That means he'll be out there working himself to the bone after he's done with running Charger. Some days it is hard to keep up with that boy."

Jarrod took out a cigar as he watched Nick exit quickly."Like that's a surprise."

Victoria looked up puzzled. "What is that, Dear?"

"Nick siding with Heath." Jarrod chuckled slightly. "Eugene pointed out the obvious when he was here. Those two are thicker than thieves as Heath would say. Eugene was a little jealous."

"Is he okay with them now?" Victoria switched her concern from Heath to Eugene. She hated the fact she rarely saw the boy. Sometimes, it felt as if the family forgot he existed.

"Eugene wrote me a letter. He understands Heath's and Nick's bond after..." Jarrod swallowed hard. His words were not with their usual charm of a few minutes ago.

"After the Mexican prison camp." Victoria finished Jarrod's thought. "They were close before but now they are like joined souls. Yes. Yes. That's it. I've noticed that Audra is also somewhat different around Heath too. It is as if she fears someday he won't return or something. I often spot them whispering to one another."

Jarrod took a deep inhale of his cigar. He prayed his mother was well enough to handle it if she discovered Heath's and Audra's feelings for one another. However, the son in him wouldn't take a chance of revealing that knowledge. Besides, Jarrod was sure Audra was realizing the ignorance of being with Heath in any other capacity than a brother.

Jarrod added thoughtfully. "I suppose she lets him know of her fears and he encourages her otherwise."

"All of our lives changed with Heath and even more so after his close brush with death." Victoria tried to shake away the thought of seeing her son lying there looking so lost for days after being in that place. She was sure memories of Carterson were haunting him as well.

Taking the conversation back to the original theme, Jarrod sighed out. "That being said, I think Heath is being extra cautious of our dear little sister's new love interest."

"I'm sure that's it." Victoria stood and offered her arm to her oldest child. "Escort your mother towards the garden. We may as well follow Heath's example in this matter. It is better to be safe for Audra's sake."

Victoria and Jarrod stayed far enough away from Scott and Audra as to not to feel like spies. However, as they rounded the corner of the garden, they were in very close proximity of the couple. Audra and Scott couldn't see them. Therefore, their conversation was overheard without hindrance of knowing there were others listening.

Scott took Audra's hands in his. He smiled genuinely as he held her hands. He stooped to one knee staring up at Audra with earnest love. Victoria wanted to run from the scene as to not be in on their private moment. However, doing so would only alert the two they were being watched. Jarrod nor Victoria wanted to interrupt the atmosphere of the magic moment.

"Scott, don't." Audra took a deep breath.

She knew she was guilty of flirting with Scott for the last few hours. Her reasons were more selfish than she cared to admit. She wanted to make Heath feel just a little of the jealousy that plagued her over Maria as well as the other females, who were constantly reminding Audra that Heath was well adored. She didn't mean to lead Scott on. Audra didn't realize the man was using sincere words rather than his usual charm.

"Audra, I made a mistake before. I love you. I didn't realize how empty my life would be without you. Say you will be my wife." Scott pulled a large diamond ring from his pocket.

Subconsciously, Audra fiddled with the chain that held the crude metal ring given to her by Heath. "I'm sorry, Scott. I don't love you."

Scott stood up allowing his shoulder's to droop. "I don't understand, Audra. I thought we were getting back to how it was."

"No." Audra drew in a deep breath. "I wasn't in love with you then either. I was a young girl infatuated with a man I wanted to prove I could attain."

"You have proven that." Scott stated as he felt his heart being wrenched.

Audra shook her head. "I don't want to prove anything, Scott. I know what true love is. Perhaps, you do love me with true love. However, I don't feel the same. True love has not escaped me. However, that love is for someone else."

Victoria felt confusion wrap around her. Jarrod placed his hands on his mother's shoulders as he too questioned if Heath was who Audra was speaking of. A sudden awareness caught Jarrod by surprise. Audra and Heath were in love. True love.

"I see. So there is some lucky young man, who has stolen your heart." Scott shook his head in defeat. "I guess it wasn't true love if you could change to another so fast."

Audra felt for the man. However, she held her ground. "He is a great man. I am the one that is lucky or more so blessed. I'm sorry for the misunderstanding. Perhaps, I have been childish in my flirting with you. No. Not perhaps. I have been childish. I wanted him jealous."

"Jealous?" Scott chortled as he placed the ring back in his vest pocket. "Two questions. Why make him jealous and did it work?"

Audra shrugged as a giggled escaped her own lips. "Why is easy. He has a lot of female admirers that have made me want to scratch their eyes out. The second answer is I doubt he is jealous."

"Confident man. I guess he would have to be to be yours." Scott stepped up. He kissed Audra without her knowing it was coming. He stepped back before she could protest. "One last kiss from you."

Audra nodded her head as she headed out of the garden with Scott tailing behind her. Victoria was relieved although curious that Audra had chosen what was best for her. Jarrod feared he had under estimated the feelings between Heath and Audra. First Heath made it plain he longer was interested in Maria. Now Audra turned down a proposal from a very eligible bachelor.

None were aware that Heath was on a hill that overlooked the garden. From his vantage point, it looked as if Audra had accepted a proposal from Scott Breckenridge.

His heart broke as his jealousy escalated.

A/N. Thank you all for reviews and responses. the next chapter will contain sexual content. It is still rated T material and not mature.