Chapter Three
Jarrod woke up in a sweat. The same dream...again. It was never easy to predict when or where it came. Once he was overnight on a yacht on the Hudson River and embarrassed himself screaming out. His houseman, Rafe had gotten used to it and would occasionally stand at the door until Mr. Jarrod got control. Then the dream would go away for days and he would be lulled into thinking he had got past it.
A shot RINGING out. Beth DYING in his arms. Cass Hyatt LAUGHING at him under the water trough. Mr. and Mrs. Randall DEMANDING her body. Her brother ACCUSING him of KILLING her. Jarrod EXPLAINING to everyone how sorry he was, to the MOCKING voices and sounds. No one LISTENING to him.
He got up and washed his face. He poured a scotch and leaned back in his leather chair trying to calm himself. He talked himself through it for what seemed like the thousandth time…
Rimfire...Cass….he had thought he might have started working through his grief until Beth's parents and brother came to Stockton. He already knew he could never forgive himself but could he live with himself? They had demanded her body be brought back to Pennsylvania to be reinterred in the family plot. He refused. It was too raw, too fresh...at the time. He tried to reason with the Randalls to no avail. Her brother cursed him at the rail station in front of half the town. "You are the reason she's dead." He had no words for that; he was RIGHT. Her father looked at him and quietly spoke as they boarded the train home without their daughter, "I hope you think twice about ruining another woman's life, Barkley." and the family boarded the train home.
He ended up in Manhattan three months later working a case for a San Francisco company. The firm he had opposed in the lawsuit recognized his brilliance and an offer was on the table for a junior partnership with promotion with merit. He decided to take it until he could see a clearer vision for his future. He was still here almost two years later and he would make a full partnership within the next few years. His future was bright in New York.
Jarrod missed the Valley and the time he had always spent outdoors in California. He began to grouse and wild turkey hunt with one of the senior partners on weekends. His true yearning for the outdoors was satisfied by the sea. His clients and partners all had boats at the famous Long Island Yachting Club. On the water with the sea spray in his face was the closest he felt to riding Jingo freely on the ranch. The ocean and the range both drew him.
Victoria Barkley had extended an invitation for Elizabeth and her family to visit the ranch in the next month. She wanted to thank them personally. Elizabeth Beaufort had left such an impression on Nick and Heath.
Elizabeth was wary but her daughter, Camellia, and sister, Isabella kept asking. Isabella had grown up hearing John's story of the cowboy from Stockton and Camellia loved to read those dime novels about the Wild West. They kept asking and she relented. Elizabeth was even excited to see a "working ranch" to use Nick Barkley's words as he described the plans for the land in their meeting.
After the visit to Stockton, they would travel to Monterey. Elizabeth had some property she acquired near the French Hotel and the Hotel Del Monte, "Queen of America watering places". The property would need some work but the views of the Pacific were amazing according to the broker. She had spent most of her childhood in Bermuda and she always thought she had saltwater in her veins. She definitely wanted to check out the property. It had excellent resale value if she decided it was too much work for a single woman.
"Maybe the sea air would be good for raising camellias and sasanqua the way it was in Bermuda. Roses? A Knot garden?"
It was part of her cleansing; a new home, a new start.
The three Beauforts were met by Heath on the evening train.
"Good evening, Mr. Barkley. This is my sister Isabella and my daughter, Cameilla. Thank you so much for your Mother's kind invitation. We are excited to stay on our first ranch."
"You are sure welcome but the name is Heath. We pretty much go by first names around here."
His blue eyes met the green eyes of Isabella and he felt a flush move up his face. Isabella's face pinkened herself. Elizabeth smiled and asked Heath to show them the sights of Stockton and the valley on their way. He grinned and put the last piece of their luggage into the wagon.
She took Cameilla's hand and took the second seat of the buggy. "Might as well let my little sister enjoy the ride" she thought to herself and smiled. She was working on herself loosening the reins on her baby sister as she entered her twentieth year. It was time. She didn't want her to end up an old maid. One in the family was enough.
Heath may have held Isabella's hand a little longer than needed as he helped her up in the seat beside him.
Victoria was the consummate hostess. The ladies had fresh flowers waiting in their rooms and a wonderful meal. She was anxious to get to know this young woman and her family who gifted her family such an unheard-of favor.
"So, Elizabeth, tell me about your family."
"We were raised on the island of Bermuda. My father began a shipping company before the war and parlayed it into a major contributor to the east coast British shipping lanes. He opened a small office in San Francisco around six years ago. He passed away three years ago in an accident on the docks. My brother John ran it a couple of years ago until he passed away from stomach cancer. He served with your son, Jarrod in the war."
She proceeded to tell the family of Jarrod's heroism and how both her Father and brother respected him.
'So when I heard the name Barkley at the auction, I asked the local attorney about Jarrod. He filled me in. Your son is quite a respected man by everyone I meet"
"Except the railroad" snorted Nick.
"I disagree. After the flack, I got after the land grant, their representatives seemed quite afraid of your brother and his sense of justice. I understand you lost your Father and other friends to the railroad land grabs. I am just proud in a small way that I was able to level a blow for justice, even though I did not know I was doing it at the time." Everyone around the table smiled and nodded.
Victoria spoke, "Well I am quite thankful for my whole family and the Valley that you did. I hope you shall meet Jarrod one day for he will be very grateful too."