Chapter Fifteen 15/19 The next chapters will deal with the sensitive subject of PTSD; thanks JTBGirl for helping me sort out this complex and real scenario Liz faced.
Spring was busy at the ranch. Laurel began to sit up and was learning to scoot across the room. Victoria began to teach the girls how to sew and plant the kitchen garden. Liz added another additional patch to the herb gardens.
Jarrod Jonathan Victor Barkley was born to Isabella easily. Liz loved delivering Isabella's first child. Heath named him after his brothers.
ModocGal was born the next day to their Isabella breeding mare. Another one was due any day. If it were another mare, they picked out Aussie for a horse broker they met from Australia who had inquired about the Spanish horse line. They had become fast friends by mail.
"We chose your middle name Jonathan because there is only one Nick Barkley in my mind." Heath chuckled as he handed his son to his brother.
"Victor was a nod to Eugene and to Victoria's father,—- and you Mother," he told the family.
"We are calling him Jay, for short"
Nick beamed at his namesake and his little brother's honoring the family this way. It seems like he filled a hole we never knew we had the day he showed up at Sample's farm.
They telegraphed Jarrod in Sacramento; he wouldn't be home until the end of the month. He was thrilled for his new nephew and namesake.
He had finally got his bill out of committee and up for a vote. He felt confident that Hannibal Jordan would not be able to stop it now. His younger railroad executives had encouraged Jarrod. They had seen how the progressives and reformers in Illinois and the east coast were successful in their tirades to break up shipping, freight, and rail backroom deals. The Vanderbilt's had been forced to sell off routes and lines due to court orders. They knew the way the country's wind was blowing and it was not favorable for them.
As monopolies, the trusts often could dictate whatever prices and wages they wanted with little fear of competition. ... Reformers, called Progressives, demanded that states pass antitrust laws to make cartels and monopolistic practices illegal and to regulate railroads rates.
Jarrod's bill was fair to all parties so they were eager to push it through before the antitrust movement made it to the West Coast. Hannibal wanted to fight Jarrod the whole time from his past perceived injustices beginning with Tom Barkley—the younger men overrode him. He was stuck in his thinking decades ago in his view of the west.
Jarrod went to the mint in Sacramento and bought newly minted gold coins for Jay. He had done the same for Tab and Charlie. He thought about it—- what could he do for Tori, Sophie, and May and his six daughters. He had never thought to give them an equally valuable gift. Liz had influenced him in many more ways than he realized.
"I think I shall put that in a note to Abraham for him to create something equal and of course, beautiful for the girls ."
Jarrod had done extremely well in his prudent investments. He had more than enough cash on hand to pay outright for the house and anything Liz wanted without touching his principal and his shares in the Barkley holdings. He held title to numerous properties including a beach home in Monterey. Plus he added Liz's properties and the triple resale he got of his Russian Hill home. The sale of the Sacramento home would be premium.
He never had to work the rest of his life—- he could raise his family in a manner in which they deserved and take the cases he wanted to—
ONE MONTH LATER
Jarrod was on the first train of June to Stockton. His bill was signed by the Governor at 3 pm at the last session of the legislature and he made the 6 pm train to arrive in the morning at home. He did not have to return until September when the California State Senate and House of Representatives reconvened.
With the transportation bill signed, his signature piece was in his pocket. The dams, channel, and canal system needed to be funded in the fall session and the November election would name his replacement. He planned to marry Liz at Christmas and his 41st birthday. But he had all summer at the ranch…
Liz met him at the train. He was glad to see her and a little surprised too. When he was home Easter, she had only been to town once with his Mother.
She walked up to him and smiled brightly, "One of the hands had to come get more nails and some wood. I drove the buggy all by myself and he rode beside me. If I am going to live on a ranch, I need to learn to do some things myself."
He threw his bags in the back. "I am proud of you Liz. Do you mind if I drive us back?" He teased her.
"I am glad to hear you say that. My hands are a little sore. I forgot my riding gloves."
He ducked her behind the station and kissed her red palms. "I have the perfect medicine for that."
He cupped her face and looked into her eyes. He kissed her and didn't quit until a porter rounded the corner. "Excuse me Mr. Barkley" and he reddened as he backed up.
Jarrod laughed as Liz blushed.
He took her arm and walked her back to the rig. "I don't mean to be indelicate but I am not sure what Miss Laurel's feeding time is—-do we have time for a meal?"
He uncharacteristically stammered. It was his turn to redden at an embarrassing subject.
"Well, I was just going to suggest such. Miss Laurel has started on table food and doesn't need me as much. Isabella could feed her in a pinch."
Jarrod's eyes widened and then he sheepishly smiled, "I have some things still to learn about babies but I am glad for table food—for both of us."
They went into the Cattleman's for a meal. They enjoyed a private table with lots of conversation and quiet moments of endearment. They talked about the children, the house, his family, Amy, and his time in Sacramento. Several tables had eaten and cleared by the time they finally got up. It felt so right just to talk.
He went over to his office to grab the mail. Esther wasn't there and Jarrod took the opportunity to kiss her again. They ended up on his leather couch with their clothes askew and her hair falling down in several places. They composed themselves after looking at the clock and Liz hastily pinned her auburn tendrils up.
Jarrod couldn't wait until December when he wouldn't have to steal moments like this with Liz—he would find her waiting in his new four-poster bed each night. He smiled to himself at the thoughts he had when purchasing it in Sacramento.
They walked back across the street to where the horse and rig were tethered.
"Mr. Barkley, glad to see one of you in town. One of your hands is beaten up pretty bad and shot. The sheriff is out of town until evening. We couldn't get him out of there and the guys separated. It's a powder keg over at Harry's"
He was interrupted by a loud ruckus and a woman's scream.
"Stay at the rig, Liz"
She followed Jarrod anyway.
A gunshot rang out and several men scurried out of the bar. Jarrod went in when others ran out. He wished he had worn his sidearm.
He cautiously looked around the room at the upturned tables; Harry holding his shotgun behind the bar with saloon girls cowering behind him at the oaken counter. A drunken man on the staircase holding a young redhead by the hair and in front of him as a shield. The girl had part of her dress ripped and looked to be about 17 or 18 years old. She had been beaten.
"She's my wife. She dun ran off two years ago and I swore I would find her and kill any man that's been touching her. The law's on my side. A feckless whore she is but she's mine to do what I please."
Jarrod heard the bloodied Barkley cowhand groan on the floor, "Leave Stella alone."
The man fired another shot up in the air. "Shut up or I will kill you."
Jarrod made eye contact with Harry. He patted his side. Harry nodded. Jarrod inched to the counter to get a sidearm.
The man was ranting and raving. He hit her with the butt of his pistol when she tried to move. Her lip was busted, one breast exposed when he tore her dress to grab her and an eye was swollen shut.
Harry and Jarrod made unspoken contact. Jarrod quietly took the six-shooter and went around. Harry kept him distracted.
"Hey mister, she ain't worth it. Come get a bottle of whiskey and forget it."
He looked like he was considering it until Stella whimpered again. He put the gun to her head. "She's gonna get what's coming to her." And he shot into the air again.
Jarrod called out, "Put it down."
He turned to shoot him but Jarrod put him down with one shot. He slumped to the ground and Stella crawled across the floor to the ranch hand who had tried to help her. Someone went for Dr. Merar.
Jarrod thought to himself, "Thank God Liz was outside and didn't see this." —and he turned to see her with a vacant expression in her eyes walking towards Stella. She had seen the whole scene play out.
She kneeled down and said to the saloon girl, "Let me help you." She took off her own shawl and covered the young girl.
"Let's get this young man to a doctor."