Chapter One

Typically, when mail is received in the Barkley home, it has a specific place where it is kept. Depending on who brings it from town, it is placed on the round table in the foyer where Victoria sorts through it. For Nick, Audra or Heath, she leaves their correspondence in their rooms unless she sees them first. For Jarrod, she leaves any letters on the desk in the study since a majority of the letters have to do with his law practice or legal matters with the ranch. Jarrod rarely received any type of mail at home anymore since most of his went to his office in town or in San Francisco. But on this day, a letter did arrive for Jarrod. Victoria looked at the feminine handwriting, thinking it looked familiar, but dismissed it from her mind.

It would just be Victoria and Jarrod for dinner that evening. Nick and Heath were on round-up and Audra had a date. Jarrod didn't have any plans so he informed his mother he would be home at the usual time. Victoria looked forward to spending the evening with her eldest son. She liked having the entire family together, but it was nice to have some one on one time with each family member as well and those times were few and far between.

Jarrod arrived home an hour before dinner, cleaned up and then joined his mother in the parlor for a sherry. She accepted his offered kiss and asked him how his day went. Nothing out of the ordinary happened and he was thinking of going to San Francisco for a few days. During dinner, Victoria mentioned the letter waiting for him on his desk. Jarrod had been expecting some contracts concerning the vineyard, so he didn't feel the need to check the letter right then. In fact, he had forgotten about it until he was headed up to bed. He found the letter Victoria mentioned, knowing immediately who it was from. His pulse quickened and his hands shook as they opened the envelope. It had been ten years since he had heard from her. He sat down in the chair, though he didn't realize he had done so. He read the letter through twice before remembering to take a breath. How long he sat there, thinking about the letter and the one who wrote it, he didn't know.

"Jarrod?"

Jarrod jumped, not expecting to hear his mother's voice. The letter fell from his hands onto the desk.

"Mother, what are you doing up?"

"I was going to ask the same of you. It's after midnight."

Jarrod looked over at the clock, shocked that it was so late. He smiled at his mother.

"I'm sorry. I lost track of time."

Victoria watched her son as his eyes fell again on the letter on his desk. He looked up to find her eyes on him.

"Lovely Lady, it's very late. You should get to bed." Jarrod stood, picking up the letter.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked. Jarrod sighed and sat back down.

"Do you remember Adeline Taylors?"

"Is that who the letter is from?"

Jarrod nodded. Victoria remembered Adeline very well. At one time, she had been sure that Adeline would one day be Mrs. Jarrod Barkley. So sure in fact, that Victoria had ordered a small gift to present to them when they announced their engagement. Jarrod was in his last year of law school when the two met. She had never seen Jarrod so smitten with someone as he was with Adeline. And they seemed perfect for each other. Then one day, Jarrod told his family it was over between he and Adeline and nothing else was ever said. Victoria knew Tom had tried to talk with him about it, but Jarrod could be very tightlipped about his personal life. He informed his father that he had accepted the way things had to be and asked for the subject to not be brought up again. Jarrod seemed to go on with his life without a backward glance, yet there were times Victoria could see an emptiness in his eyes. A longing and she always wondered who had broken things off. And why?

"She's going to be in San Francisco in a few days and has asked me to meet her."

"Will you go?" Victoria asked. Jarrod looked up at her, surprise on his face.

"Of course."

Victoria again watched her son as he was lost in thought. "You still love her, don't you?"

Again Jarrod sighed. "I don't think I ever stopped. Even when I was married to Beth, there was still a part of my heart that she claimed."

"Well, if you are going to leave for San Francisco, you'd better get some rest."

Jarrod smiled at his mother and the two made their way from the study. They walked up the stairs, neither saying anything until they reached the top. Victoria turned to Jarrod and said,

"It would be nice to see Adeline again. Do you think she would consider coming for a visit?"

Jarrod squeezed his mother's hand.

"Thank you. We'll see what happens." He kissed his mother's cheek and went to his room. He lay on his bed, but sleep was long in coming. His mind kept bringing forth memories of he and Adeline together. Most brought a smile to his face, but one in particular caused his heart to ache. It was the day she told Jarrod she was leaving.

"I know you know the importance of family, Jarrod. I have to do this."

Jarrod heard her words in his mind as clearly as he had heard them ten years ago. He remembered the feeling those words had caused. It was almost as though someone had punched him in the stomach. He wasn't angry with her. He understood how important family was. That was ingrained in him from his earliest memories.

Jarrod shifted in bed to find a more comfortable position. He absentmindedly reached over to the other side of the bed. The empty side. Jarrod sighed. Beth had been gone for over a year and he still missed her. And in a way, he felt unfaithful to her because of Adeline. He believed he loved Beth, but not in the way he had loved Adeline Taylors. He had never loved anyone the way he had loved her.

Eventually Jarrod fell asleep, but was up early so as to catch the first train to San Francisco. Audra hadn't even awakened yet when Jarrod said his good-byes to his mother, kissing her on the cheek. She wished him well and he winked at her.

In truth, he wasn't sure what to expect when he saw Adeline again. He admitted he was nervous. Why after all this time did she write to him?


The train pulled into San Francisco and Jarrod walked toward a carriage for hire instructing the driver to take him to his office. Jarrod spent the day catching up on correspondence then went home. He ate a light meal and turned in. But like every night that preceded this one, sleep was long in coming. Again he let his thoughts drift to Adeline. He couldn't help but smile at the thought of seeing her again.

The next morning, Jarrod dressed and made his way to the park located on the other side of the city. He was early, but didn't have to wait long. His breath caught in his throat at the sight of her. When their eyes locked, both were instantly transported back to their first meeting ten years before...


The dance had been going on for over an hour when Jarrod, Jim Scanlon and Brett Skyler arrived. It was tradition for the Cambridge Finishing School for Women to hold a dance in the Fall. Harvard University was located near the school and most of the young men from there attended the dance. Jarrod hadn't planned on going, but Jim and Brett talked him into it. This was Jarrod's final year of Law School, as it was Jim's and Brett's. Jim's fiancée attended the Finishing school and Sharon was a sweet and quiet girl, well suited to Jim's personality. Jim and Jarrod had known one another for years and grew up in neighboring towns. Brett was more of a playboy and danced with as many girls as he could. Jarrod always laughed at his friend's attempt at charm, but the girls seemed to like him. Brett and Jarrod had been roommates their sophomore year and had cultivated a nice friendship.

Jarrod was more serious in his studies, not taking much time for socializing. But Jim's and Brett's insistent pleas for him to get out and have a little fun finally won him over and here he was. He was getting some punch when he saw a beautiful woman standing by herself on the other side of the room. Jarrod made his way over and asked her to dance. She looked up in surprise, but nodded and the two were soon dancing. Penny was an absolute dream to hold in his arms. Her brown eyes were big and smiling, her dark hair was piled up on her head, little curls falling down around her face. Jarrod's heart was smitten. They danced together twice, then someone tapped on Jarrod's shoulder and asked to cut in. Jarrod had wanted to say no, but didn't want to appear rude to the other man's dance partner.

Jarrod and the other lady began to dance, but he kept looking toward Penny trying to be surreptitious about it. He heard someone say,

"I'm sure Penny will be available to dance with you again," the words were said softly, without any hint of reproach.

Jarrod looked at the woman in his arms and felt humiliation wash over him. He was being very rude to ...he realized with shame he didn't even know his dance partner's name. Jarrod smiled his most charming smile and turned his full attention to...

"I'm sorry, I don't know your name," he admitted, the color rising in his cheeks. His mother would be so ashamed of him.

"My name is Adeline Taylors." The words were again said softly and with the hint of an accent that Jarrod couldn't place. Adeline was much shorter than Jarrod and had blue eyes. Her hair was brown and there was a smattering of light freckles across her nose. She wasn't the beauty Penny was, but Jarrod found himself enjoying Adeline's company.

They ended up dancing the rest of the night together, a fact that surprised not only them, but Penny Collins as well. Penny had had her eye on Jarrod from the moment he had walked into the room and had been thrilled when he had asked her to dance. When their dance had been interrupted, Penny had hoped Jarrod would cut in again soon, but he spent the rest of his night with Adeline. Penny was sorely disappointed.

Jarrod and Adeline walked slowly to Adeline's dorm, both enjoying their time. Jarrod couldn't believe the time had gone so quickly and was trying to think up an excuse to see Adeline again. They had talked of many things, from Jarrod's education in law to the fact that Adeline had lived in England for the first ten years of her life. That was the reason for her slight accent. He found it charming.

This was the last year of school for them both and Jarrod knew he would be busy, but he had to see Adeline again. He asked her to join him for dinner the next weekend and she agreed. She was surprised that he had offered to walk her home as well as the invitation to dinner but was pleased. She had seen his disappointment in being cut in on with Penny however, she had also seen the change that had come when he realized he had been ignoring her. She hadn't been upset, thankful for his thoughtfulness.

They parted with plans to see one another again, both falling asleep that night and having sweet dreams.