Setting the Record Straight

FF Big Valley

Set in same AU as my last story Truth Prevails. I do not own the copyrights to The Big Valley

Ch. 3

"I'm sorry." Audra pulled the chair from the vanity over to the window and returned to sitting down. "I…" She sighed as she looked out towards her children. "Shouldn't have hidden the truth from you, nor asked the preacher's nephew, when he came out for a visit, to hide it." She shook her head. "There was no preacher at the camp; well, not any you would be thinking of. However; there was a native shaman who had been taken. He performed our ceremony along with two other couples."

"So, you never married? I mean according to our laws." Heath was confused. "What about the marriage certificate you were carrying? And Paul? The nephew?"

"Paul's uncle was a preacher; we came across him shortly after escaping. He took care of things as to pertaining to any of the white men's laws; our witnesses were the other two couples who had escaped with us- only they fled north and, last I heard, were far out of reach of any of Grover's men. Sadly, I still think it was Grover's minions who got to the preacher. His nephew- who had gone England but just not in the time frame I'd claimed consented -out of a desire to stay out of any family matters- to let me decide when to set any record straight." Audra sighed when Heath asked about the date the traveling preacher had written down. "Do you really have to ask why Duke asked him to forge the date?"

"No..guess not." Heath shook his head. "McColl knew our neighbors weren't likely to accept the Shaman's authority and didn't know if he'd make it back alive to claim the children as his." Heath sighed. "Neither one of you wanted Thomas or your unborn child to be treated as I had been."

"Forgive me for lying to you? For not telling you sooner?" Tears began streaming down Audra's face. "I wanted to tell you so bad, but my mind…. It wasn't straight, hasn't been for awhile; it's taken me time to heal. I doubt I'll ever stop being protective of Duke's good name, but I have learned to let go of the guilt I felt for surviving instead of dying with him."

"William has been the change hasn't he?" Heath gave a lopsided grin.

"Yes, he hasn't pushed me like others have; he gave me plenty of room to heal, but has always been there." Audra wiped away her tears when Heath , gently, prodded her in suggesting – maybe – she really should give the man a chance; a real one.

"I know it won't be like what you had with Duke, or what he had with Amanda-Lynn, but you two make a good couple." Heath nodded towards her children. "And while they have great uncles; they could use a father. And William's young daughter could use a mother."

"I'll think about it." Audra smiled wide; William had been right -it did feel good to set the record straight. "Think Mom has forgiven me? I'm sure she found out the truth as soon as she joined Dad on the other side. Crumb, Duke was most likely close by." Victoria had passed away the previous year.

"I'm positive of it." Heath stood up. "Now, let's go join the social outside. This whole thing was your idea in the first place; it certainly wasn't Nick's." Both of them laughed as they heard their brother holler when one of his nephews got him soaking wet; by purposefully tossing a bucket of water out a window as soon as his uncle walked by.

Epilogue

Audra stood in the same room as she'd set the record straight to Heath. This time; however, she wore a simple, but elegant, wedding dress. It was a faint bluish color and her hair was done up in a bun. Pilon stepped inside the room and put a flower in Audra's hair as she whispered low. "Just because you have learned to love again; doesn't mean you'll ever forget Duke. Now…" she stepped back. "I think…" Pilon never finished her sentence as Heath stepped into the room.

"There's a groom-to-be eager to see his future wife." Heath held out his arm. "I think we shouldn't keep him waiting any longer." Neither one of the women argued and soon enough Audra B. McColl had a new last name.