Chapter 18

Victoria gently closed the guestroom door and then sagged against it with a grateful sigh of relief. The first half of her mission to unite the two families under the Barkley name had been met with a cautious willingness on the part of Heath. She looked down at the items in her hands. Her album of pictures, the daguerreotype of Esmeralda and Heath and…and the letters from Tom and Leah. That last had been a shock to her. After agreeing to allow her to speak to her children and reveal Heath's connection to the family, he had slowly opened the bible and handed her the two letters. Looking up at her he had only said, "There can't be any more secrets. Maybe these will help them to understand."

Straightening up and wanting to avoid her children waiting below for a few more minutes, Victoria took the back stairs down to the kitchen where she could hear Silas humming to himself as he cleaned up after the breakfast cook. She paused at the foot of the stairs and silently watched him work, appreciating the normalcy of the simple everyday task of washing dishes. There was nothing complicated in the task, not like the one she was about to embark on.

Silas caught movement out of the corner of his eye and turned to look at Victoria, who seemed to be lost in thought. "Miz Barkley?"

Victoria gave herself a little shake and smiled.

Silas face creased into a wide smile. "I's guessing your talk with Mister Heath and Miz Esmeralda went well."

Victoria nodded, "yes Silas, I believe it did. Heath has agreed to allow me to tell the others who he is and they want me to be a part of their family, be a grandmother to their children."

"I's surely happy for you Miz Barkley. I's told you it would all work out. They be a fine addition to this family. Why Miss Audra has already taken young Master Tommy and Miss Leah under her wing and she surely loves those two children. Even Mister Nick seems to have a soft spot for Tommy and I's sure Mister Jarrod and Mister Gene feel the same way. Mister Gene done arrived and hour or so ago."

Victoria reached out and took Silas hand, "Thank you Silas, for everything and not just for keeping this house running these last few days, but also for your wisdom and guidance. Knowing you had things under control gave me the time and space I needed to sort through my feelings and accept some hard truths about Tom, the situation that he has left us all in and the decision I needed to make."

"Was nothing Miz Barkley, just doing my job. They a fine young family and they deserve the right to be a part of something bigger."

"Yes, now I just have to convince my children, Silas."

"I think you'll find that easier than you think Miz Barkley. I's overheard Mister Nick and Mister Jarrod talking at the table this morning. They both feel a connection to Mister Heath, they just don't know why, yet. Miss Audra and Mister Gene both have big and generous hearts. Once they hears Mister Heath's story and they's all see those pictures then they believe and they will all welcome that young family into their hearts."

"Oh Silas, I hope you are right. Nick is the one that I worry about the most. This will devastate him. He put Tom on a pedestal many years ago and to learn now that his father wasn't the person that he thought he was…"

"He'll see the right of it Miz Barkley, don't you worry. It might take him a might of time but he'll make the right decision too, just like you did."

Victoria patted Silas arm, "Thank you Silas; what would I do without you? Essie would like a cup of tea when you take Heath's coffee up to him. Could you also please tell my children to meet me in the study too."

"Right away. Would you like me to make you a plate as you missed breakfast?"

"I think just a pot of tea for now. I'm too nervous to eat. Maybe after this discussion."

Silas watched Victoria take her leave of the kitchen before he turned back to the stove to reheat the kettle. He would make the tea before telling the rest of the family to head to the study. A few more minutes wouldn't make any difference and it would give Victoria a few minutes to settle herself and prepare. As an afterthought he went back to his room and picked up the small picture of young Mister Tom and himself. He would show it to Mister Heath when he took up the tray with the tea and coffee.

Carrying a tray holding Victoria's pot of tea, a cup and saucer, milk and sugar, he walked to the dining room door, frowning slightly when he didn't see Audra at the table. "Miz Barkley requests your presence in the study. Where is Miss Audra?"

The three Barkley brothers and Frank looked up at Silas announcement. "Well it's about time," Nick grumbled. "Maybe we might get some answers now."

Knowing why the brothers had been summoned to the study, and not wanting to be a part of the coming discussion Frank stood and placed his napkin on the table. "Miss Audra is out in the barn with the children Silas. I'll send her in and look after the two young rascals. Beside it will give me a chance to spend some time with them before I have to return to Spanish Camp."

"Thank you kindly Marshall." Silas turned away from the door and headed to the study with the three Barkley men following.

"What's going on Silas?" Nick demanded.

"Well Mister Nick," Silas replied without stopping, "That's not rightly for me to say. Your Mama be the only one that can answer that." Silas placed the tray on the small table beside the settee on which Victoria was sitting. "The Marshall has gone to find Miss Audra and look after the youngsters Miz Barkley. I expects Miss Audra to be in right soon."

"Thank you Silas. That will be all for now."

Nick waited until Silas had closed the study door behind him before turning to Victoria who was calmly pouring a cup of tea. "What's going on Mother?"

"Good morning to you to Nick."

Nick sighed. "Morning Mother. Now would you care to tell us why we are having this meeting and more importantly why is Gene here?"

Victoria took a sip of tea. "This is a family meeting Nick and your sister isn't here yet." Victoria looked up and smiled at Gene. "Thank you for coming Gene on such short notice."

Gene bent over and kissed Victoria on the cheek. "Good morning Mother. It's good to be home but I can't say that I'm not curious."

Victoria patted Gene's hand. "All in good time."

"Morning Jarrod."

"Good morning lovely lady."

"What no inquisition Jarrod?"

"Let's just say I know when to fold Mother and as you said Audra isn't here yet." Jarrod moved around behind his desk, taking a seat in his leather chair and lent back to wait although he did raise an eyebrow at the album on his mother's lap.

Gene sat down in the chair in front of the desk, while Nick paced impatiently in front of the fire place and under the stern stare of his father's portrait.

The study door opened and Audra bounced in. "Good morning Mother, you wanted to see me."

"Yes dear. Good morning. Come and sit beside me. We have some things that we need to discuss as a family."

Nick stopped pacing and turned to stare at his mother. "Finally." He muttered under his breath.

"I'll not have any interruptions thank you Nick."

"Yes Mother."

"Firstly I would like to thank you Jarrod and Nick for your help and support of Heath in the search for Esmeralda and Leah. I know he greatly appreciates all that you did for him. And you too Audra for all your help with Tommy and now Leah. It gave me the time to comfort Gyorgy as he waited for news and to do some soul searching of my own."

Audra reached out and gripped Victoria's hand. "Mother, is everything alright?"

"Yes, fine thank you love." Victoria fingered the album in her lap. "Before we start our discussion I wish to show you all some pictures and then we will talk about what you have seen."

Jarrod and Nick shared a look; whatever was about to happen was in some way connected the Heath Thomson.

With a nervous sigh Victoria removed the daguerreotypes of Heath and Esmeralda and of herself and Tom on their wedding day and handed them too Audra.

Audra accepted them with a quizzical look at Victoria before turning to study the first picture of Heath and Esmeralda. "Essie looks so beautiful. That dress seems to be a mixture of colours. I hope she still has it, I would love to see it."

"We didn't come in here to look at dresses Audra. This is a working ranch and I have work to do." Nick grumbled.

"I'm just saying, Nick…" Audra looked at the second picture Victoria had given her. "Your wedding photo Mother…oh my," she gasped "But this looks just like Heath."

"What are you talking about Sis?" Gene took the pictures from Audra's limp hand and studied them for a minute. He looked at Victoria and then back at the two pictures. Even though he hadn't yet met the Thomson's he had no trouble in recognising the diminutive young lady standing proudly next to her tall husband as his mother and father. He glanced back at the picture of the Thomson's again. "Oh boy…" and silently passed the daguerreotypes to Jarrod.

Unnerved by his siblings responses to the two pictures and impatient to see what all the fuss was about Nick crowded in beside Jarrod's chair and stared at the daguerreotypes that Jarrod had laid out side by side on his desk. "What the…," no it couldn't be, "Jarrod…Mother; what are you saying?" Nick demanded as he moved from the desk and started pacing again.

Jarrod nodded. It all made perfect sense now. He had limited memories of his father as a young man but certainly enough to recognise the resemblance of Heath to a young Tom Barkley. "I think it's more a case of what Mother is not saying Nick. These…" and Jarrod pointed at the two pictures, "explain why we have both felt as though we knew Heath, why he seemed so familiar to us."

"Oh no Counsellor, no way, it's not possible, Mother tell him he's wrong. It's some kind of trick, I knew he was a no good lousy Gypsy pretending to be something he's not." Nick growled, his voice rising with each thought.

"Nicholas…"

A soft knock at the door interrupted Victoria, as Silas quietly entered the room and moved to Victoria's side casting a quick glance around the room. He couldn't quite read the emotions on Audra and Gene's face but Jarrod's seemed to show understanding and perhaps acceptance. No doubt Jarrod's thoughts were returning to that time, twenty five years ago when Mister Tom returned from his extended trip to Strawberry and all the arguments, fights and tears that followed between his parents. As for Nick, well that one was easy for him to discern; anger. "Mister Heath asked me to fetch this and give it to you Miz Barkley."

"Thank you Silas." Victoria offered a weak smile to their houseman before taking a breath and slowly turning over the daguerreotype. This was what she had asked to see, but now…she wasn't sure that she really did want to look at the face of the other woman to have captured her Tom's heart. Closing her eyes for a moment but aware of the faces watching her, she opened them again and allowed them to focus on the smiling face of the small blond boy being held in a loving embrace on his mother's lap. She couldn't stifle the gasp that fled her mouth at the sight of the beautiful young woman, dark hair pulled back in a soft bun, sparkling eyes and radiant smile that stared back at her. This was not the saloon tramp and floosy that had ignited so many heated arguments all those years ago. This was a young woman, a loving, caring mother who had endured years of hardship to raise her husband's son alone in a broken down mining town. I was her sunshine. Victoria nodded, no truer words had ever been spoken. Victoria opened the album and flipped the pages to find the picture of Tom and his father. She carefully removed it from its mounts marvelling at the two likenesses. They could be identical twins she thought, as she handed the pictures to Audra.

Audra nervously accepted the two pictures. She wasn't naïve and had put two and two together. Somehow Heath was her brother. She looked at the two pictures, not entirely sure at what she was seeing. It appeared to be the same young boy in both pictures but she didn't recognise either of the adults. She looked at her mother in confusion.

"Your father and his father, your grandfather and Heath and his mother, Leah."

Audra stared at the pictures, "They're identical. Mother are you trying to tell us that Heath is father's son?"

"What?" Nick shouted as he snatched the two pictures from Audra's hand, stared at them both for long moments and then threw them on to Jarrod's desk in disgust. "Have you any idea what you're saying Audra. Its lies, some trick to get money out of us. Father would never do that to Mother." He returned to the fire place and began pacing faster, occasionally glancing at the portrait of his father. "I have a good mind to go up there and throw that stinking, thieving gypsy out on his ear right now." Nick turned from the fire place intent on carrying out his threat.

"You will do no such thing Nicholas. What you will do is control your temper and your voice and listen to what I have to say. Is that understood?"

"Oh come on Mother, " Nick swallowed a chocked off laugh, "you don't really believe this tripe do you? Jarrod tell her."

Jarrod had been studying the latest pictures while Nick ranted before silently passing them on to Eugene. Instead of responding to Nick he rested his deep blue eyes on Victoria. "Is this all the evidence you have to support your claim Mother?" he asked quietly.

"Not you too Jarrod," Nick growled in frustration before turning his glare on Eugene. "And I suppose you believe this cock and bull story as well, college boy."

"That's enough Nick, shut up and let Mother tell us the rest." Jarrod ordered. "There is more, isn't there Mother."

Victoria nodded. "Yes there is Jarrod. Before I show you I want all of you to listen and understand. Jarrod you were only eight at the time but do you remember when we lost your brother Thomas Jnr."

Jarrod nodded "Yes, Nick was four and I had to look after him because father had gone away and you spent a lot of time in your room."

Victoria smiled, "yes I did and I'm sorry I put you in that position. Your father went away, because I drove him away. I was inconsolable when Thomas was stillborn and I blamed your father for everything, even though it was not his fault, or mine but an act of God. Nevertheless, your father left. He had just invested in a mine in a little place called Strawberry and that's where he went. By the time he came home I had realized what I had done, accepted what had happened and was ready to apologise to your father and move on with our lives together but…I could tell when he came home he was hiding something. Your father was never a very convincing liar, or so I thought and he eventually told me about his time in Strawberry and Leah Sawyer."

"I remember the arguments and fights after father came home, but I didn't know what they were about, but as the weeks passed they seemed to lessen and finally you and father made up."

Victoria chuckled softly, "we just got better at hiding our disagreements from you children but you're right I did eventually forgive your father and we made up, as you put it. Your father had an affair while he was in Strawberry…"

"No."

"Yes Nick. He didn't go there with that intent but he was attacked one night and severely injured. Heath's mother, Leah Sawyer found him in the alley behind the hotel and cared for him at her home. He said he had amnesia from the head injury and had forgotten who he was and us at first. One thing led to another and he and Leah had an affair. When his memory returned he left Strawberry and returned to us. Several months later he found a buyer for his interest in the mine and never returned to Strawberry."

"So that still doesn't prove this Heath Thomson is father's son." Nick responded defensively.

"No it doesn't Nick, not on its own, not even with the likeness of your father and Heath in the pictures but these do." Victoria withdrew the two envelopes from under the album and handed them to Jarrod. "Nick, you are not to touch these or damage them in anyway. Whatever you believe of your father, remember he was a man and like any man he had his imperfections. Jarrod would you please read the letters to your siblings and take note of the dates."

Jarrod had been studying the envelopes. He immediately recognised his father's handwriting, having seen it many times on the ranch documents. Carefully withdrawing the letter from the stained envelope he scanned the short missive, a lump forming in his throat.

"12th August 1849.

My Dearest Leah,

I just wanted to let you know that I arrived home safely. And to also thank you once again for your benevolence in my hour of need. I realize the risk you took, caring for me all those months in your home. I hope and pray that the gossip that abounded with my presence has come to an end with my leaving.

Please know that I do not regret the months that we spent together but my heart and my life belongs here with my loving wife Victoria and my two sons Jarrod and Nicholas.

I wish you well in your life and I truly hope that you will find the man of your dreams, but I sadly cannot be that man.

You will always hold a special place in my heart.

Thomas Barkley, Esq"

Jarrod firstly studied his mother, who only nodded at him with a weak smile and then looked to his siblings who had remained silent as they digested their father's admission.

"The other letter please Jarrod." Victoria prodded gently.

Jarrod folded and placed the letter back in its envelope before picking up the second one, noting the delicate female hand writing. This letter and envelope, like the previous one was stained and torn in places, shown that it had been read many times over the years.

"12th August 1849" Jarrod glanced at his father's letter. The dates were the same.

"My Dearest Thomas

I have already missed today's mail run so I apologise that this letter will have to wait another week before posting." Jarrod checked the envelope, there was no post mark on it, meaning it had never been sent.

"I'm not sure how to tell you this. Indeed I suspected but wasn't certain before you left but I can no longer deny myself or you the truth of the matter. I am with child Thomas, your child. Approximately three months along now. You know my story, one that my dear friend Rachel Caulfield also confirmed, so you know I had not been with another man for two years before you.

I am so happy Thomas, you have left a piece of yourself with me to cherish forever. I understand, even though it was so terribly hard for me to give you up, that your life belongs with your wife and children and I expect nothing of you from our time together. But I promise you, this son or daughter of yours will be brought up in a home of love and compassion.

I realize that life here will be harder than it already is, the gossips are already at it again, as I'm sure that some of the 'good; god fearing ladies' of the camp suspect that I am carrying your child.

I will understand if you do not respond to this letter and I will honour your unspoken wish that you do not want our child to know who his or her father is. It is a promise that I will take to my grave. This I pledge to you.

Be happy in your life Thomas Barkley, enjoy and treasure your family as I will treasure mine.

Sincerely and with love always

Leah Sawyer."

Jarrod lent back in his chair, "there is no post mark on the envelope. She must have received father's letter before the next mail run and never sent this one." Jarrod carefully refolded the letter and returned it to the envelope, placing it on the desk with the other items that proclaimed the existence of another brother. But it meant more than just a new brother, there was also a sister-in-law, a niece and nephew and another baby to be welcomed into the family.

The heavy silence that had settled around the rooms occupants as each of them came to terms with the revelations was suddenly broken by Nick's harsh voice. "Well that's just fine and dandy isn't it." Nick paced angrily in front of the cold hearth. "We're just supposed to accept this and do what exactly?" Nick paused in his pacing and glared at the impassive face of his father staring down at them from the wall. "Accept him into this family with open arms, admit that Father was an adulterer to the world and conceived a bastard."

Victoria stood suddenly and with determined grace strode across the room and slapped Nick soundly on the cheek. "I will not have that language in this house Nicholas, nor will I allow you to vilify either your father or your brother in such a manner again. Do I make myself perfectly clear." Victoria demanded, standing toe to toe with her tall rancher son until he took a deep breath and stepped back a pace, touching the burning spot on his cheek where the slap had forcibly landed. Running his hand through his thick black hair he sighed deeply, acknowledging his mother's words with a grim faced nod and a grating "Yes Mother." Victoria searched her son's face. She knew of all her children it would be this one, the one with the biggest forgiving heart and the fiercest family protector who would take these revelations the hardest. "Nick, sweetheart, I know this has being a shock for you, for all of you and I realize it will take time for you all to understand and accept your father's…and my past actions."

"But Mother, none of this has anything to do with you," Audra objected.

Victoria returned to the settee and retook her seat, taking a sip of her cooling tea before speaking. "Maybe not directly Audra, that lies solely at the feet of your father and Leah Sawyer but I made selfish decisions at that time, knowing what the consequences of such a liaison could be, but I chose to ignore those consequences to save my marriage and this family. I made your father promise never to return to Strawberry even though I always knew there was the possibility of a child been conceived considering the amount of time your father was there. Had I not extracted that promise we would have known about Heath before or early after his birth and he and his mother would not have had to live a life of squalor that they did."

Gene reached forward and captured Victoria's hands in his. "What do you want us to do Mother?" he asked quietly.

"What's there to do," Nick growled, "We pay him off and send him packing with a warning not to spread rumours about who his father is."

"These are not rumours Nick, the evidence is irrefutable. " Jarrod countered. "By their own signed admission," Jarrod pointed at the two letters, "Father and Leah Sawyer have admitted their affair and the…for the sake of a better word…the consequences of that affair."

"Where do we stand legally Jarrod?"

Jarrod pursed his lips, "Legally Mother, Heath Thomson is illegitimate and has no claim on this family. We are under no obligation to acknowledge him or pay him any remittance if we so choose…"

"Good," Nick muttered.

"But morally…," Jarrod continued, ignoring Nick's comment, "Heath is our brother, maybe a brother from another mother," Jarrod smiled at Victoria, "but I would like the chance to get to know him more. You can't deny the connection we both felt out there yesterday Nick. You said as much to me that he reminded you of father and I agreed with you and now we know why. There are also some other considerations to take into account."

"And just what would they be counsellor." Nick demanded choosing to ignore Jarrod's reminder of his feelings towards Heath yesterday.

"Well firstly, Heath is now our neighbour or have you forgotten he purchased the old Rogers place four days ago, so there is no way we can avoid him unless you want to start a range war or give him the cold shoulder which will only serve to start tongues wagging in Stockton and ensure questions are asked that we may not want to answer."

"So we buy him out. The Rogers place is good grazing. Offer him more than what he paid and he can find someplace else to live."

"That is an option but only if Heath wants to sell. I certainly will not be making an offer on the property Nick and neither will you." Jarrod replied before returning his attention to Victoria. "We aren't the only ones who know about Heath's connection to this family are we Mother? Considering the way Marshall Sawyer evaded our questions he obviously knows of Heath's parentage."

"Sawyer." Gene interrupted. "Are Heath's mother and the Marshall related?"

Victoria shook her head. "No they aren't. The surname is just a coincidence. And you're right Jarrod. Duke McColl and Silas also know for the same reasons that I suspected. They both remember your father as a young man and see the same resemblance and qualities in Heath as they did in Tom."

Nick huffed. "Well at least we know they won't say anything."

"There is one more thing to consider. Any decision we make does not only affect us and Heath but also Esmeralda, Tommy, Leah and their unborn child."

"Mother I just realised," Audra interjected excitedly, "if Heath is our brother that means Esmeralda is our sister-in-law and Tommy and Leah and the baby are our nieces and nephews and your grandchildren."

Victoria smiled warmly. "Yes they are and Heath has agreed to allow me to be a part of their family."

"I've heard enough." Nick stormed across the study and yanked the door open allowing it to slam back against the wall. "I need some air."

Jarrod rose from his chair but sat back down when Victoria raised her hand. "Leave him be for now Jarrod. He needs time to work through all of this, reconcile the man he thought he knew with the man he was. We all do."

Gene looked at Jarrod. "What I don't understand is why Heath hasn't brought this to us before now. How long has he known who his father was?"