For men are not cast off by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to the children of men. Lamentations 3:31-33
Chapter One
Jane Carrington was going over all the last-minute preparations for her sister's homecoming at the ranch with Silas. I want everything to be perfect.
Victoria was coming home! Everything needed to be perfect and she couldn't wait to hear all the details of LeHavre, France. The last telegram from New York was full of newsworthiness. Audra was coming home, a widow with a two-month-old daughter, Scotty; Jarrod had married a widow with two small children and brought his sister-in-law along to live.
How quickly life changed for the family in three months away from Stockton.
Jane finished up with Silas on the room changes. Jarrod's children would take the old nursery room; two twin beds were added along with a crib from the attic. She wasn't sure if Miss Rose was out of a crib yet but it would be used soon enough. If it worked well, Rose might eventually move in with Sophie and Mae and allow Tab and Jack to room together. She didn't feel comfortable making those decisions for the families so she did the best she could.
The Barkley cradle was brought down and cleaned up for Miss Scotty in Audra's room. Miss Isabella Beaufort would be taking the guest room next to hers for now. All the bedding was changed and flowers brought in. Toiletries and fresh towels were added to the rooms.
Provisions were brought in for all sorts of different tastes and menus. They worked on the lists and menus together. Silas restocked Mr. Jarrod's scotch, Miz Victoria's sherry and a good assortment of other Barkley vintage brought upstairs to the study. Rosa began baking bread and other baked goods for the next week.
Katarina was still on bed rest in her fifth month of pregnancy. The morning sickness was abating but she still was spotting a bit. Dr. Merar heard a strong heartbeat so they were cautiously optimistic.
They hired two of Rosa's young nieces as sitters and servants for the family. With the new additions coming tomorrow, Jane was pleased with her decision to increase the staff.
Nick ate dinner with his children in Katarina's room. Jane wanted them to feel as normal as possible so she had set up a table and four chairs there so they could enjoy time with their family. Nick and Katarina had both thanked her for her forethought and kindness.
Heath was out on the range tonight and staying in a line shack. He had spent most of the day over at the Wheelers for Nick. He still had ranch work to get done on the far acreage.
She took her plate and Douglas's out to the foreman's cottage. He was waiting for her.
He opened the door and took the tray. He placed it on the cabinet and took her in his arms. He kissed her soundly.
"This is the favorite part of my day, Jane."
"Mine too." She had never been kissed like this in her sixty years.
She sat their plates out on the red and white gingham tablecloth. He had picked some larkspur and had it in a glass on the table. She handed him a linen napkin. She loved the way he tucked it into his plaid shirt.
She thought of her fine mahogany table for twenty at home, her heavy velvet drapes, the polished silver, the crystal vases of fresh flowers, and her full kitchen staff.
"Was I ever happy at that table? My best meals were at the kitchen table with my boys alone.
Douglas McColl had changed her life for the better. He was seven years younger than she but the hard life on the range had weathered his face. He was so tan and strong and — just kind and fair and honest.
Nick and Heath suspected but they hadn't said a word to her. An arched eyebrow and a quick grin as they would see them set off with a picnic basket or saddle up the rig or lights on in the old foreman's house after hours.
"Notice he's trimming his mustache and shaving pretty much every day. Not missing any haircuts either." Heath laughed to Nick when Jane wasn't around.
"Can't say I am unhappy about it either. Wonder if our cousins will be liking their mother taking up with a ranch foreman"
"Hard to tell"
—&—-
"Douglas, have the boys said much about you and me? They haven't mentioned a word to me but I can tell they know. I will tell Vic as soon as she gets here. It was all so unexpected, my beloved."
His heart warmed every time this fine lady—- the finest he ever knew except Mrs. Victoria herself used her fancy terms like beloved.
"What does she see in an old cattle poke like me on the downside of 50 odd years?"
"Well Jane" in his slow drawl, "there has been a fair amount of ribbin' but Nick and Heath don't abide it when they are around being their aunt and all."
"Oh dear, have I made your life difficult?"
"Nah, Jane. I am kinda enjoying it. You have made me feel young again. I was feeling pretty long in the tooth until you came along and made me see there was still some life in this old boy. These young whippersnappers think they got all the answers. Finding love at our age, Jane may be the best gift of all."
"The boys think I am missing out on saloons on Saturday nights. They don't know there's something better at my own hearth."
He reached out and kissed her again. Her cheeks reddened and she placed her arms around him and ran her fingers through his hair. She had never done that even once with her husband. He would have thought her daft and forward. A kiss on the cheek was the extent of his affection. They had separate bedrooms from the beginning. If he came to her, the lights were out and the deed was done quickly and rarely with much intimacy. She had never seen him shirtless until those last years nursing him.
She had seen Douglas without his shirt pretty quickly after coming to visit. After a long drive or day out fencing, many of the men took their shirts off and washed up in the troughs before coming into the bunkhouses. Jane had watched him from the corner of the porch.
Muscled, tanned and rippled, he was strong and alive to her.
He made her feel feelings she thought long dead—-or just buried by Bill Carrington.
He grinned. "Let's see what dessert ole Silas sent. You got me craving something sweet."
She brought out two slices of pie.
He said a blessing holding her hand as was his custom. And they enjoyed their meal and finished it up with a cup of Douglas's coffee he had made.
He leaned over and put just the right amount of milk and a lump of sugar in her cup. "Just like ya likening it."
She sighed deeply and patted his strong hand.
"Such a simple gesture could make her heart want to burst. "
They took their coffee over to the settee and sat in front of the fire he had made for her. She got so chilly in the evenings after the sun went down. He made sure the fire was ready each night.
"Another one of those gestures."
They talked about their day. She had learned a lot about the ranch in the past three months. Not a detail got past McColl. She knew about foaling and breeding and fencing and pasturing. It was all so interesting through his hard-working eyes. His inner strength showed through when he talked about his job—-his life on the ranch.
She told him about her day with Silas and the family coming home tomorrow. She told him the antics of Tab and the twins. He told her some more Nick stories as a young Tab.
"As soon as we know where Audra wants Mr. Breckinridge buried in the family plot, you will have some men get it dug. I know Vic says we have time, it just doesn't seem right to me leaving him unburied for any longer than need be."
"I heard of some folks getting embalmed during the war—-just the rich ones. The rest of the common folks were buried by the battlefields most times or sometimes worse in ditches.
"Oh Douglas, how horrible."
"I am sorry Jane. I shouldn't have just blurted that out. I wasn't thinking about your fair ears, being a fine lady and all."
"No Douglas, don't apologize. Me being sequestered away in New York is over. I need to know more about the world I live in. Even the unpleasant parts of it."
He kissed her on top of the head.
"Douglas, I know Jarrod got the body embalmed and over here safely but I still think we should bury him quickly."
"I promise I will take care of it myself as soon as Miss Audra gets here. I think she wants him at rest."
"On a happier note, I can't wait to meet Jarrod's wife. She's Eugene's wife's sister and has a three-year-old son and a one-year-old daughter. Vic says "it's novel worthy.". She believes they are a perfect match. —-Douglas, this stays between us-Jarrod has a mistress in San Francisco. Do you think he will keep her?— I have never told you this but my husband always had a mistress. When I had the courage to confront him, he told me 'I wasn't a lady for asking. It was a man's prerogative and none of my concern.' I hope Jarrod doesn't feel the same way." and she lowered her head.
He cupped her chin and brought it up firmly, "Jane, your husband was a fool and I don't speak ill of the dead lightly. You are the most beautiful and gracious lady I have ever known."
"Thank you Douglas for saying that. These old ears are still tickled by flattery."
They kissed again.
"Well back to your question about Jarrod." he measured his response.
She had learned he would never speak poorly or betray any confidences about the Barkley's.
"I am sorry Douglas, that wasn't fair of me to ask."
"Oh no, Janie. I am glad we are close enough to talk honest."
"Janie. No one has called me that since my Granddaddy" and it warmed her heart.
He continued, "Well—-me and the boys have seen her. And she's a beauty. She's billed as the most beautiful woman in San Francisco. We got tickets and saw her from the balcony. She sings real pretty. Her costume didn't leave much to the imagination if you get my drift—there are also some photographs of her when she was younger that get shown up in the saloons and pubs. I don't know if Mr. Jarrod knows about it or not. I'll be apologizing now if that's too much for me to say."
"It's not Douglas, I had heard as much."
"But I have never, I mean never seen Mr. Jarrod, NOT do the right thing. I have known him his whole life. He almost killed the man who killed his wife in Rimfire but he didn't at the last minute. He's a good man—-one of the best. I am thinkin' if he marries this fine lady, he's planning on being a good husband. And bringing her two children back here makes me think he's building a home."
"I trust your judgment, Douglas. I do."
He pulled her in closer and kissed her deeply. He pulled away and smelled the lilac in her silver hair. She nuzzled in as close as she could.
She pushed the unwelcome thoughts out of her mind. She knew instinctively that Vic would understand, but "Will my sons?"
Her sons were meeting Jarrod and his partners in the next few months about expanding the Carrington brokerage to San Francisco. They were to bring their families and she would meet them in the city to travel back east.
"Could she go back?"