He wanted to keep his son between his armsforever, to help him understand that he was safe with him, but after few minutes he forced himself to break the embrace. He kept on staring at Heath trying to memorize every single detail of his son, by that he realized that he boy was filthy: his face was fairly clean but the rest of the body and the tattered remains of his clothes screamed for a bath.
"Young man I think it's time for a bath, and I'm sure the doc here want to check you out"
"But, I'm fine." "No buts, Howard while I help him taking a bath could you check him up. Fred I'm sorry if I kept youwaiting, but as soon I finished I want to send the telegram to Vic"
"Take your time, I left my deputy in charge." The two men and the little boy started to climb the staircase, Heath was overwhelmed. This man said that he was his papa, he couldn'tbelieve hewould want him to stay.
"Sir...I's sorry but why we are going upstairs"
"The bathroom is on the second floor"
"Shouldn't we haul up water?" Asked a puzzled Heath.
"No Heath we don't need to," said a bemused Tom, " when they builtthis house I asked to have indoor plumbing, it's a fairly new thing"
"Indoor plumbing?" Asked a dumbfound Heath.
"It means that you don't have to haul water for the bath, you simply turn a tap and water comes out and fill the bath tub. You can have either cold or hot water." Tom said trying to make it as simple as possible.
"Boy howdy, it saves a lot of work"
"Here we are, you turn these two knobs, and here's the water"
Heath stared at the flowing water for several minutes till then a call from the nature was pressing.
"Sir, I need to go...where is the outhouse?" Asked a blushing Heath.
"There's no need, indoor plumbing means an indoor outhouse, it's that small room attached to the bathroom," he chuckled. "I'll show you how to use it"
After a few minutes, a relieved Heath reappeared, he was pleased to find the bathtub filled with warm water.
"I can bath by myself"
"Sorry, but with that busted arm you will need help and Howard want to have a look"
"But I'm fine," he tried to say, knowing that it was a lost cause. He slowly started to unbutton his shirt aware that pretty soonMr. Barkley would ask about the scars on his back. He was afraid to tell the truth, telling them that it was only his fault that he was a good for nothing. As soon as the shirt fell on the floor Tom was unable to restrain himself.
"What the hell happened!" Heath totally misunderstoodthe outburst, and thought that Mr. Barkley's anger was toward him,he ran to a corner of the bathroom and curled in a little ball fearing that a beating was sure to come.
Both men were shocked by Heath's back, and by his reaction at Tom's outburst. "Tom, simmer down, you are scaring the boy"
"Howard did you see his back...who on earth?" he continued unaware of the effect on Heath.
"Tom, get out! You are scaring him, call for Silas, he will help me. You need to calm down, go downstairs, you won't help Heath in this state"
Tom was in turmoil, someone had beaten his boy fiercely and he had a good a ideawho itcould be. He stormed downstairs and asked Silas to go upstairs to help Howard. When he had joined Fred in the parlor his anger had increased.
"I want that beast arrested." He barked out.
"Who do you want arrested and for what"
"That bastard,Heath's uncle! You haven't seen my boy's back, there are patterns of scars some overlapping others. He's scared of me. He thought I was going to hit him. You know I agree that sometimes a good spanking is good for a child, but what I saw upstairs is a result ofseveral vicious beatings"
"Tom I'm sorry, I wish I could do something but I can't"
"Why? Someone beat my child, belted him, whipped him and you can't don anything. I thought that as a sheriff you had a duty to protect the innocent."
"I can't for two reasons: first of all it happened outside my jurisdiction, and second there's no law against it, his uncle is his guardian and by the law he has all the right to punish him. I don't agree with this law but sadly I must respect it."
"Damnit. I swear by God that if that beast comes near the ranch I will kill him with my bare hands"
"Tom, I think that right now there's a little boy who needs you, it's no time for vengeance"
It took several minutes, but at last Tom was able to calm himself.
"Fred, I will pen the telegram, when you are in town"
"Don't worry, I'll send it"
After few minutes with the brief text in hand, Fred left for Stockton leaving Tom in the parlor waiting for news.
"Heath, don't worry your papa wasn't angry atyou, but with the person who hurt you," said Howard with a soothing voice.
"Why?" asked Heath with a small voiceafter, he uncurled himself.
'Oh my God he thinks that he deserved the beatings!' "Because it's not right..." He managed to say, he was thinking on what to say when he heard a gentle knock on door.
"Silas, come in please." When Heath finished undressing,the two men were appalled of the terrible abuse that Heath had suffered. There were belts marks on his back and legs, his torso was coveredwith bruises and even a boot mark all in different stages of healing and his ribswere clearly visible under the skin. They helped the blushing boy to enter in the bath tub and placed the right arm outside the bathtub, Heath smiled in relief a hot bath was a luxury in Strawberry, the soap wasn't coarse, andsmelled niceand they give him even a sponge.
"Silas, please can your bring some of Nick's old clothes, he will need something to wear"
"Heath when did your break your arm"
"Nearly four weeks ago." Heath said while he was washing himself with the big sponge.
After few a minutes, Silas was back with clean clothes, after Howard's prompt, he started to wash Heath's hair, at first the blond boy stated he could wash itby himself, but Howard pointed it out that it would be difficult to do it one armed, so he let the black servant to do his task.
"You know, after I will take the cast off and check your arm, I will probably put another one much smaller. How did you break it?" He asked trying to get more information
"It was only my fault," answered Heath with a small voice and with trembling lower lip, afraid thatthey would be angry with him after they would found out how dumb he was.
"You were climbing a tree, weren't you? When I was your age I broke my left arm in the same way." He asked hoping that it were the cause of the broken arm.
"No, I was in a mine."
"A mine is not a place to play"
"I wasn't playing! I ain't a kid! I was planting a charge when there was a cave in and, I wasn't smart enough to avoid some falling rocks." He blurted out.
On hearing his words, Silas stopped his gentle scrubbing, 'Who would send a little kid working in a mine?' he thought.
"You were working in a mine?" Asked Silas, "you are too young!"
"I's worked in the mine since I was six. It was my fault...I should have known better."
"Who toldyou that?" Asked Howard, barelycontaining his fury.
"My uncle...he told me that it was my fault, that I was too dumb and lazy to avoid the rocks." He said avoiding their eyes by looking down in the water.
Both men were stunned by Heath's words, they didn't knowwhat to say to make him understand that his uncle was wrong. They knew that only love would be the cure for years of abuse. Silas spent long minutes observing the boy's back, all those scars were a remainder of his childhood spent in slavery, he had been lucky his family was able to buy their freedom and after that they emigrated to California.
"Silas, I will recast Heath's arm and help him with his clothes, you can go"
"Yes Dr.Merar, I will set dinner. Heath do you have any favorite food"
"Whatever you like. Don't bother." Said Heath, stilluneasy with all this smothering.
Howard sadly shook his head, it was clear the he wasn't used to expressing his wishes.
When Silas descended from the second floor, an anxious Tom was waiting for news, the pained look in Silas' eyesmade him shiver.
"Mr. Barkley, you know that I'm a peaceful person, but I don't know what could happen if Heath's uncle would come near me." Were his first words spoken as soon he met Tom's look Tom was shockedby Silas' outburst, in all his years he had been working for him he had never seen him raise hishand in anger.
"You will have to wait in line. I will ask Howard to stay for dinner please set for three." "Yes Mr. Barkley, I'm planning to have some extra dessert, that boy of yours need to fatten up."