New Orleans Daisy Chapter One
This is an AU of an AU (if that's possible :) You do not have to have read the Bermuda series and these stories are stand-alone to a new reader. Hope you enjoy the new twists.
June 1878
Jarrod Barkley was in his San Francisco office discussing his appointments and going through the mail for the week with his secretary, Evelyn. He was considered one of the best attorneys in the state and even the entire west. His firm was thriving in San Francisco and Stockton.
Life has settled in well for Jarrod after the past few years. He was contemplating marriage with a beautiful socialite; his troubles with railroads and the Valley had decreased; his investments were tripling for himself and the family; he had several opportunities for politics that he was considering; he had authored several successful pieces of legislation. The family was doing well.
Victoria kept making hints about grandchildren while she was young enough to enjoy them. Nick and his new Russian bride seemed to be working on that. Heath always had a lady or two on his arm and dance card but he didn't seem to be wanting to settle down anytime soon. Eugene was enjoying the social life at the university and Audra was still enjoying her options as the belle of Stockton.
He was half-listening to Evelyn's work through the correspondence he missed last week while in Stockton. It was pretty routine work of contracts and wills and such. He had taken several junior partners in the past two years and had plenty of work for them all. He was thinking of hiring another for this office.
Jarrod's mind was reminiscing about his time at Big Annie's two nights ago. Oh, that Ruthie. His only dalliance in his hometown. He just couldn't give up those moments in Stockton. She knew what he liked. Surely, he paid her well enough for discretion.
His indiscretions bothered him slightly but not enough to stop, Am I just one of those men who need an egress in my life? I am discreet here and at home. I pay for quality sporting women in the city and their silence. I have the most beautiful woman in San Francisco on my arm and willing to marry me at any time. Oh, Miriam… a true innocent. Why am I postponing an engagement? I want children...I am attracted to her for sure... need a wife for politics...she's beautiful and charming… I will be faithful when I marry… Yes, then. Then why can't I settle down and marry?
He knew the answer already in his head before he asked his rhetorical questions.
Julia, Barbara, Beth
Evelyn broke his reverie with an "Ah hmmm… Mr. Barkley?"
"I am sorry Evelyn, I was miles away. What did you ask?"
"Do we have a client named John Joseph Jackson Sr.?"
Jarrod's eyes flashed in recognition, "I know him and his son. I served with John in the war. John passed away a year ago. What does the note say?"
"He passed away in Tahiti last month. His estate attorney has a private note addressed for you and his Will be read in New Orleans at the end of the month. You are mentioned in the document and you are asked to attend."
Jarrod reached for the note, read it quickly, "Have the Barkley RR car ready for New Orleans on Saturday."
The note fell on his desk with only one word, paternity visible to Evelyn. Her eyes grew wide and she turned her head. Jarrod was too flustered pouring a scotch to notice and staring at a conch shell on his bookcase.
Elizabeth Beaufort was the oldest of six daughters. Stairsteps ages 26, 22, 20, 18, with auburn hair and green eyes. Two of her sisters had already passed on. One of murder; one of influenza that took their Mother.
They had all been convent educated as to the illegitimate daughters of the shipping baron, Jack Jackson with his mistress, Marie De Beaufort. When her mother passed away, Jack left their home in Bermuda and settled the children in the port city of New Orleans and into cloisters.
When Elizabeth gained her majority of 25, she took her sisters out of the cenobium environment and brought them into a real home. She hired the finest tutors money would provide for her sisters. She wanted them self-sufficient and independent.
John had run the shipping company until he passed away last year. He had taught her well. They recently expanded their lines to the west coast, San Francisco. She sold the European portions to her father's partners and kept the American lines. She was a very wealthy woman. She refused to ever depend upon a man in her life.
Elizabeth had nursed her brother during his final months of stomach cancer in New Orleans last year. He knew he was not long for this world. He had kept trying to tell her something his last hours but the morphine took away his lucidity.
Something about Julia, Jarrod…He was sorry about it...He needed Jarrod to know…
She barely remembered meeting Jarrod Barkley, her brother's friend. He and John were working in military intelligence and were visiting Bermuda. She had been 15 the night her sister was murdered and she was in no shape that night for introductions. He had left after the funeral. She had been drugged the whole time afterward and it had taken months to recover from the attack that took Lily's life and left her unworthy for life.
Lily had been born early and suffered its consequences for life. She was sweet and loving and kind, and as Marie said, simple. She trusted everyone. She went to gather shells and ...
The panic raised in her chest and she willed herself not to think about that night. Her thoughts went back to her father.
Jack had not even traveled home from Tahiti for his only legitimate offspring's funeral. Elizabeth assumed that he couldn't or wouldn't leave his latest mistress on the island. Please don't let me have another sibling in Tahiti.
Her father's close friend had once tried to explain it to her but she didn't care. Nothing in her mind would forgive him leaving them when their mother and sister died.
"Lis, he loved your mother to the point of insanity. When she died, he lost his mind. You girls are the spitting image of her and everywhere he looked, he saw Marie. He provided for you all well but he couldn't stay. I know it was wrong of him and I am not justifying it but it may have been all he could do."
That just made her angrier. And anger was what kept her fighting for her family.