Chapter Twenty Nine of Thirty One

Heath began, "He was in a fight. Three against one. He won but injured one guy who ended up at Doc Merar's. They are on their way back to San Francisco so obviously he wasn't hurt bad. Remember when Jarrod got Judge Peterson reprimanded for his conduct during that trial. Well, he was the judge today and Phil Archer is acting prosecutor right now. Jarrod told Phil he would be sorry and so they are saying he threatened a court official. We telegrammed some people that will help Jarrod but they are determined to keep him in jail until we get this straight.. Fred is mad and leaving the door open but… Jarrod didn't want to worry the family."

Nick looked at his little brother with new respect, "Dang, why didn't he say that in the beginning? He left out all the upsetting details from the ladies and gave them the truth. I am impressed this is why he is a great poker player. He can bluff.".

Everyone… almost everyone looked convinced.. except Victoria and Elizabeth.

Nick mouthed towards Eugene: I will talk to you later

Victoria caught the message and looked angry. Nick looked like a little boy caught by his mother in a misdeed.

Everyone milled out of the room. Elizabeth and Victoria confronted Heath and Nick. "I would like the rest of it, please".

Neither of them wanted to answer Elizabeth.

"Ok then please answer my questions. Is Jarrod hurt?"

"He's just beaten up. He's had worse". added Heath

"Was he drunk?"

"Probably had a few" answered Nick

"What are you not telling me?"

They looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders.

"Were the Wilsons involved?"

"I don't think so" volunteered Heath

"Why was he beaten up?"

"Defending someone's reputation, " said Nick

"Mine?" They looked sheepishly at the floor

"Ok, me." Elizabeth twisted her mouth trying to think of what they were still not telling her.

"Where was this fight?"

"In town at a business?" muddled Nick.

"A saloon?"

They looked at each other guiltily not knowing what to answer.

"Big Annie's?" interjected Victoria

"Uh-huh" whispered Nick

"A brothel?"

Victoria said "yes"

"I understand now" and she turned and walked upstairs

"I will talk to you BOTH tomorrow" Victoria turned and followed Lis up the stairs to her own room.

"What did you expect, Elizabeth? You ran him out of your bedroom and wouldn't set a wedding date? Men are not meant to be chaste. You have heard that your whole life. This is partly your fault. No, it's not. I have been through so much and he needs to understand. I want the best for him. I could end up an invalid. Are you serious? He has been understanding the whole time. He fed you broth for heaven's sake. What man does that? What was he thinking? Oh, you know what he was thinking! Oh, what if Daisy finds out? I wonder if he went to brothels in San Francisco. That's none of my business. What if he was thinking about my scar? Does he regret seeing it? Defiled? Would I be enough for him after visiting those professionals? How did Victoria know the name Big Annie's? I wonder if she knew her son, oh my, or sons went there...Was she trying to give me a hint earlier about forgiveness?

And hundreds of questions ran through her mind ALL NIGHT LONG.

Bill Dane, Phillip Davies, an elderly British man by the name of Edgar Burrow and Harris Kirk met in the offices of the US Treasury in San Francisco and laid out all the details with three high-ranking officials. Kirk was overwhelmed. For the President of the United States and other famous names that were discussed in that room in front of a self-educated son of a Scottish immigrant preacher seemed like a dream. How in the world did they allow him at this table and actually listen to his opinion? Someone needs to wake me up and soon.

"Ambrose Bierce is the only man with the bollocks for the job. He doesn't care what anyone thinks of him and won't cower. He is probably the best writer in the country when he isn't off on an adventure somewhere. He does always need cash and that won't be a problem. It's not a bribe because his integrity is above reproach. He only wants the truth to be written no matter what. He was a hell of an engineer in the war. He would have known of Jack Jackson and his deeds and respected the intelligence community. I think I can convince him to join forces with our group. He's in North Dakota territory right now and we can get him here soon. The San Francisco Argonaut would love to have him write for them. His wife and children would probably thank us for a steady job."

(Ambrose Bierce was a brilliant writer of satire, atheist, criminal exposes, searing criticism, and short stories of his day. He would eventually become a leading force in San Francisco journalism. His most famous short story, Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge is a staple in American literature.)

Lis was up at sunrise, dressed to the tee. She did her hair up in a half chignon, wore the green day dress with the lace at the bodice, and her mother's cameo choker for good luck. Jarrod had said the lace drew his attention to one of her most beautiful features. She had blushed at the time. She put on the rose water from Paris and graceful pearl drop earrings.

She still wasn't sure what she would do or say to Jarrod. She had convinced herself he had been with a prostitute or saloon girl as she worked through all the emotions last night. Most of all, she did not want to have a seizure and prove herself a true invalid. She tried to feel anger, sadness, disappointment, and hate last night just to prove she could control them.

She was Marie's daughter, the strongest woman she ever knew. She was beginning to put Victoria in that category too. By the look in her eyes last night, Jarrod wasn't off the hook with his Mother either.

She waited patiently until someone came downstairs. Lis baked a set of croissants and shortbreads while she waited. She needed to go to Stockton and see Jarrod, and ...she didn't trust herself enough to try a rig. That did still scare her.

Isabella turned out to be the first. Heath had been called out during the night for foaling so she was going to take him coffee and check on him.

"I need to go into Stockton. Will you take me, please?"

"Yes, I will. Let me go talk to Heath. I promise I won't let him talk me out of this but someone needs to know"

Adrienne and Julienne came down and Elizabeth told them her plan. Audra joined them. "Wait a minute. We are sisters. We don't want you to do this alone."

And they came back downstairs dressed for town. Heath walked in and looked at the five of them. Very determined, beautiful women. There was nothing he could say to stop it but he did take Elizabeth aside.

"Jarrod does love you. He's pretty beaten down right now physically and mentally. He has made mistakes but if I know my brother, he will own them and make it up to you. Pretty much everyone in town will know what happened by now and where he was… Hold your head up high."

"I have been doing that my whole life" and she hugged Heath tightly. Heath knew the feeling well.

He went over to Bella and kissed her on the cheek. It was actually the first time in public and squeezed her hand. The sisters couldn't help but smile. Then he walked back to the barn shaking his head. He wouldn't want to be Jarrod today.

Jarrod was working in his cell on some legal contracts Buck had brought over for the office. He had made some new coffee for Fred and the other deputy too. Might as well settle in for a few days. Fred had adamantly refused to lock the jail door and Jarrod gave his word he wouldn't leave.

He had pretty much convinced himself that Elizabeth would be better off without him. His darkness seemed to be just under the surface these days. He didn't even hope now she wouldn't find out about the incident.

He had even heard people talking from the open window this morning. The weather was still so unseasonably warm and dry for December first. He just wanted the chance himself to tell her but the longer he stayed in here the less likely that was.

He had blown the best thing in his life for a single impulsive decision. He listened to his body and not his head or his heart. Maybe more, he could have walked out at any time or not even walked through the door in the first place. He knew he was wrong to use Ruthie too all these years. He was looking for a safe harbor in his storms. It should have been Lis.

Ruthie didn't hold him accountable the way Lis did. Wives did that for all the right reasons.

He would make sure Ruthie got a new life after this-she deserved more out of life than Big Annie's and his occasional company and money.

The Beaufort sisters rode up in the buggy. They held their heads high smiling and nodding at bystanders. Pretty much, everyone had stopped to stare. Adrienne and Julienne had been to town numerous times but most folks had not seen the reclusive Elizabeth or the shy Isabella. Everyone knew Audra. They were on display, so to speak and the Beauforts had been in this position before.

The crowd seemed split down the middle: those self-righteous folks who loved to gossip and those who appreciated their guts for riding in town along with their beauty.

At the front of the jail, they hitched the horses and went inside. Fred and Buck were stunned. It was the last people they expected to come through the door. Several folks stopped by the open windows to listen in this warm, dry winter.

Phil Archer got the word quickly that the ladies had come to town. He assumed to give Jarrod his walking papers and hopefully tell him off in front of witnesses. He sent his clerk over to try and eavesdrop.

Elizabeth was the smallest of the five but definitely the leader. She rose up to her full height and asked loud enough for the nosy outside in her kindest voice, "May I please see my fiancée? He may be in need of clean clothes or something warm to eat. We baked especially this morning's pastries. Would you and your deputy like some? There is plenty to share"

Jarrod looked up quickly at that voice. He straightened his hair and stood up. "Here we go".

The sisters excused themselves to do some shopping. "Just let us know when you are ready to leave your "intended" and come with us," Adrienne said by the window. "That trousseau won't wait forever to purchase"