Jarrod shifted through the papers on the desk. Normally he went through the mail every day; the past day or two had gone by in a blur with wrapping up the trial in San Francisco, and Mother and Audra had just returned also. Nick had never bothered with the mail, and Heath had never asked about it. He put one document to the side and finished going through the mail. He saw a letter addressed to Heath. He hoped it hadn't been sitting there long.
Of course, he heard Nick come in, yelling and stomping through the house. Jarrod sighed. There were times Nick just plain got on his nerves; he knew the same applied to Nick about him. They were so different that as much as they loved each other deep down, they often clashed despite their brotherly bond.
Things had been somewhat strained between him and Nick since Heath had come to live with them. Nick wasn't coming along as quickly as Jarrod hoped. Normally, his bluster wore off quickly. He would make all kinds of noise, but then, once he settled down, he was usually warm and friendly. Nick had a good heart underneath his loud and brash exterior.
He hadn't been showing that lately, though. While the rest of the family was enjoying getting to know Heath, Nick had been unusually aloof. After the cattle drive that he had so single-handedly saved, keeping the Barkleys from complete disaster, Heath had sensed the family's admiration and appreciation. This had seemed to help him relax some.
More and more often, they saw a grin that they all recognized: their father's. They had finally seen and heard Heath really laugh. Again, Father's style had clearly shaped Heath's; they sounded just alike, along with other similarities they noticed frequently. Nick had not only had to acknowledge what Heath had achieved on that cattle drive; he had finally seen what the rest of them saw – another son of Tom Barkley, a prize, first-rate young man.
But what Nick hadn't done was really warmed up to him as a brother. Jarrod saw this plainly. He also knew that Heath saw it too. There was simply nothing that Heath missed, Jarrod knew, even though he usually had to guess what Heath was thinking, because he usually didn't say. He was still very quiet, even though he was visibly more relaxed. Jarrod thought that most of this was that Heath simply had a quiet nature, and he preferred to listen rather than talk.
Once, when Nick had somewhat rudely, in Jarrod's opinion, brushed off Heath's somewhat shy attempt to reach out to him by inviting him to join the card game he and Jarrod were playing, Jarrod had frowned at Nick's retreating back, then said, "Sorry, Heath. I don't know what his problem is."
And he didn't. Mother and Audra were already as fond of Heath as he was. "He's so sweet," Audra said. Just like Jarrod was, Audra and Mother were seeing a kind and generous nature, one inclined to warmth once he relaxed enough to be himself. He was also funny and very clever.
When Jarrod had made that lame apology, Heath had just looked at him with the patience of someone who was simply used to this. "It's all right, Jarrod," he said, shrugging.
But it wasn't all right with Jarrod. Why couldn't Nick get this right? Did he really have to be standoffish with their brother? This was running through Jarrod's mind as he heard Nick stomp in.
"Where's Heath?" Jarrod asked.
"He's finishing up in the barn," Nick said.
"Finishing what?"
"Putting up the horses," Nick said, as if this was perfectly obvious.
"Why should he be doing that?"
"Why not?"
"Nick, I told you not to treat him like the help. Why should he be putting up your horse?"
"He said he would," Nick shrugged. "So? He doesn't mind."
Jarrod sighed. "You're going to that cattle auction in San Jose, right?"
"Yeah. Why?"
"You should take Heath."
"Oh, come on, Jarrod, he doesn't need to tag along with me everywhere I go."
"I don't think he's ever tagged along with you anywhere," Jarrod said pointedly. "And I think he does need it. He needs it a lot." Jarrod looked at him. "You may or may not remember, but Father often made me let you tag along."
"He desperately needs to go to a cattle auction," Nick said sarcastically.
"No, Nick, he needs you, his brother, to start being a brother to him. He's our younger brother. He never had much support in his life. He needs us to be his family."
"Oh, yes, poor little Heath," Nick said. "Come on, Jarrod. The boy is fine. He knows I think he did a good job on the drive. He handles the men fine. What else does he need?"
"What is your problem with him, exactly? Why don't you like him?"
"Who says I don't like him? I like him fine. He's good to have on the ranch. I just don't have to be all sappy about him like the rest of you."
Jarrod just shook his head in disgust. "You really disappoint me, Nick."
"Well, go talk to your new little brother about it. Maybe he won't disappoint you."
Jarrod thought he heard footsteps coming. This was probably Heath now. He didn't reply to Nick, not wanting Heath to overhear this.
"Ah, Heath," he said, smiling as his younger brother came in the room. "I was just going through the mail. A letter came for you."
"A letter?" Heath looked surprised.
"Yeah. Here you go." Jarrod grinned. "Hmm, I think I am catching a whiff of perfume on this."
Heath grinned and took it from him. He opened it and started reading. Jarrod saw Nick turn and look on with more interest.
"Well, you gonna tell us who it's from?" Nick wanted to know.
"It's from a girl I know in San Jose," Heath said.
"What did she want?"
"Not really sure," Heath said, shrugging. "I guess she wants me to write her. She said she heard where I was from someone we both know. She said to look her up if I'm over her way." Heath didn't share that she had wondered if he happened to be coming to the cattle auction, since he knew Nick was going. That's how he'd met her, a while back when he had been working for a rancher who'd sent him there.
"Girlfriend of yours?" Nick was suddenly interested.
"You could say that," Heath said. "When I'm in town, anyway. I used to get to San Jose fairly often." He folded the letter and put it back in the envelope. "That does smell good, doesn't it?" He grinned at Jarrod.
"It does indeed, my boy," Jarrod said.
"So you just get letters out of the blue from girls?" Nick asked.
Heath looked at him for a minute. "I know a lot of girls," he said. "Sometimes they write to me. It's not really a big thing." Heath wasn't about to explain to Nick, or anyone for that matter, that the companionship of these women, in places where he had stayed long enough for it to matter, had eased much of the loneliness he felt.
To him, women were a source of much comfort, the way they welcomed him and treated him with warmth. They often made him feel wanted and valued, something he never took for granted, something that warmed a place in his soul.
He had never been much in favor of one-nighters and never seeing a woman again; it was far more his style to form some kind of attachment, to treat them with affection and some romance – even women who had no expectation of that kind of thing, along with the more chaste relationships he had with girls who had less experience. Because of this, they invariably adored him.
He had soaked up their kindness and affection like a drink of cool water on a hot day, and though he didn't know this, they always marveled at the combination he presented of virility and what they called "sweetness." Growing up in a household of women had taught him a lot about being kind and gentle along with good manners. He knew how to talk to them, wasn't surprised by things that were important to them that most men scoffed at.
Most of these women had never met a man quite like him. He had almost always managed to stay on good terms with them once he was ready to move on. These weren't all girls that he had loved deeply or considered marrying, like Libby or Sarah, but he was very fond of each of them, and they were always thrilled to see him or hear from him.
"Oh, I see," said Nick. "You know a lot of girls, huh?"
"Well, Nick, I've been around a lot of places. Sometimes I meet a girl someplace new, or I'll stop and visit a girl I met in a place I've been before."
"Wanna see this girl in San Jose?" Nick asked.
"Well, sure I'd like to, next time I'm there."
"What's her name?"
"Marjorie," Heath said. "But everyone calls her Margie."
"How about next week?" Nick said. "You can come with me to the cattle auction there, and stop by and see Margie."
Jarrod saw that Heath looked very pleased that Nick had invited him. "Yeah, Nick, that would be great."
Audra came in to call them into dinner. "Boys, supper's ready," she said.
"Please tell me you didn't cook it," Nick said.
"It just so happens that Mother cooked it, and you three better get in there."
"You'll have to tear Heath away from his love letter there," Nick said, jerking his head in Heath's direction. He knew Audra would start hassling Heath about this, which would be funny.
"Oh, a love letter?" Audra was immediately interested.
"Not exactly," Heath said, putting the letter in his shirt pocket. He offered Audra his arm. She took it and smiled at him. The two of them had become very close. Heath was so much closer to her age, and he was far more interested in what she had to say than Jarrod and Nick were. He also seemed to enjoy playing cards or other games with her, valuing her company.
Audra thought that Heath was the most relaxed, most himself, with her than he was with anyone else yet. He would tell her funny or interesting stories while they played a game or rode somewhere together. Audra hoped he would begin to trust her even more with his thoughts, or even better, what he was feeling.
He had told her that he was especially thrilled to find out he had a little sister, and she could tell that he treasured her. This had melted her heart. She had also noticed what a nice way he had with children; he had already helped her bring supplies to the orphanage, and she saw the friendly, natural way he talked to the children. The children recognized a kind soul and always liked him. She was thrilled that Heath had come to live with them.