A/N: My humblest apologies for taking so long but an original work I'm doing kind of took over my time. Here is the next chapter.

Karen hadn't heard the conversation between Audra, Heath and Adam but she could tell that something was going on because the three of them were always close by. Jarrod and Nick were too but not as much. It made her feel safe while at the same time giving her the impression that she was missing something. She didn't like that feeling.

"Heath, what haven't you and Adam told me about the problem the other day?" she asked him one morning while sipping some lemonade on the front porch. Victoria had been told about everything and had decided to keep Karen at the ranch for another week or two.

"I don't know what you mean, Karen. We told you everything that happened after you took off."

"Why do I feel like I'm missing something then? I feel like there's something you haven't told me. Your mother is even keeping a closer eye on me than usual."

"Karen, you fell off a horse and hit your head on a rock. In nearly the same spot that one had hit you before. We just want to make sure that there are no delayed effects from that. Not all problems show up right after something like that."

"Heath, your mother has decided that I'm not going back to school just yet. I'm afraid I'm going to fall behind if I don't go back soon. I don't want to fall behind."

"Karen, Mother has already made arrangements to bring your work to you. In fact, I'm going on Friday to get next week's work and she brought this week's back with her when she came back from the school. I promise you, you will not fall behind."

Karen sighed. "I just hate feeling like there's something I'm not being told that pertains to me."

Heath nodded. He understood that feeling and he hated it just as much. He was certain, however, that it would do no good at all to tell Karen what the men had said and why she was being kept at the ranch for a bit longer. And Adam had agreed with him. That's why the man had decided to extend his visit for a while. He had even sent a telegram to his father explaining his delay. They were just waiting to hear back from Ben.

Adam was certain that his father would approve of him staying longer to protect his little sister. Ben knew that Adam would defend his sister with his own life if it came down to that. And he wouldn't hesitate to kill to defend her either. That was one reason that Jarrod, Nick and Heath were all glad that Adam was staying. They were very worried that someone would try to take Karen from them. And none wanted to see that.

Heath and Adam had told the others what the men had said after Karen rode off that day and all of them agreed that they needed to keep Karen close for now. They couldn't take any chances with the young woman's safety. There was no telling what they might do to her if they got their hands on her. She might survive the trip to Dastrovsky and then again she might not.

Heath and Adam were both worried about Karen's state of mind after the altercation. They weren't sure that she was ready to head back to school yet and thankfully, Victoria agreed with them. So it was that Karen was denied the return to school.

Lydia and the other girls had heard that Karen was being kept out of school for a bit longer because she wasn't feeling well and she didn't want to take the chance that it would spread to the rest of the class.

"I'll bet she just got scared and decided to not come back," Lydia said snidely while sitting on the front porch one afternoon.

"If that were the case, the Barkleys would have come and collected her things."

"Kristin, maybe she just ran off somewhere and they just told her family that they wouldn't collect her things. That if they wanted them, they would have to come and get them themselves."

"The Barkleys aren't like that. They would collect Karen's things and hold them until they could get them to the family. And if Karen had just ran off, the Barkleys would be out looking for her, not staying at home. I think she's sick just like they said."

"You're so naive, Kristin. She's been loose and gotten herself in a family way. The Barkleys are keeping her there until she delivers the baby."

"I don't think so, MaryEllen. Karen's not like that. She was raised better. The Cartwrights would never let a girl of theirs behave that way. That's not the way they are."

"And how would you know, Kathleen? The Cartwright family isn't from around here."

"Because I have family around Virginia City. And they're good friends with Ben Cartwright. They were pleased when I wrote and told them that Karen had decided to come to school here. They asked me to relay their best wishes to her for steady success in her studies."

"I doubt that," Lydia's snide tone had finally gotten to most of the girls and they just got up and went inside to their rooms where they wouldn't have to listen to Lydia's hateful words. "See. They're all leaving because they know I'm right. That's the way it always happens. I'm right and so everybody that doesn't agree with me walks away. It's the way I always know that I've hit a nerve too. Usually after I say something that hits a nerve, people bothered by it won't talk to me for days afterward. I guess I'll get some true peace and quiet to do my studying for the next few days."

Each of the girls that left the porch just shook their heads. They didn't realize that Lydia was just trying to isolate Karen so that when she came back she would have no friends and she would choose to leave the school.

Lydia left the porch shortly after and headed over to the stable where her lover was waiting for her. Lydia didn't know it but the man she was playing with actually worked for Gregori Dastrovsky. He was playing Lydia for a fool and would eventually turn her over to his boss to play with.

Martin Jameson was a clever man. He would make a good choice in offering his boss the little lady he was dallying with as a play toy. It would provide the man a distraction until they could bring him Karen Cartwright.

"There you are, lovely. I've been waiting for you."

"You have?"

"I have. I need your help. I have figured out a way to get Karen away from Heath for good and then you can slip in and take her place as his girlfriend."

"What about you?"

"I'll be alright. I want to see you happy and Karen needs to vanish to make you happy." He kissed Lydia's lips and ran his hands over her body.

"What do I need to do?"

"We need to get her back here. I have someone who wants her and will keep her away from Heath forever. He wants to take her out of the country to somewhere Heath'll never think to look."

"Really? Where?"

"He hasn't told me. All he tells me is that if we can get her to him, she'll disappear and everyone will forget about her given time. Then, you get Heath all to yourself."

"You think that he would turn to me to heal his broken heart?"

"I really do. Do you think you can get her back here so that I can lead her out to where my employer can take her away?"

"I'll try. I really will. I'll see if I can go visit her. I'll insist that you go with me as protection if I should need it. When we get there I'll try to get her to go for a ride with me. You lead us out to where your employer can take her away and then we'll ride back and claim that she rode off without us at some point. We looked for her but didn't find any sign of her. Of course, the Barkley's will start searching for her but they won't find her either. Eventually, they'll give up on the search and then, I'll have Heath all to myself."

"I like that sound of that, sweetheart. I think that will work. I have a meeting with a representative of the boss later tonight. You start working on your end and I'll tell the boss' man about the plan. He can relay the message to the boss and by the time that happens, we'll have everything set up to take care of all of that. Once the boss knows what's going on, he'll have someone ready to come and meet us to take care of Karen. Then, she'll be out of your hair and Heath will be all yours."

Both smiled evilly before going their separate ways.

Just a few days after her conversation with her man, Lydia managed to get permission to go and visit Karen at the Barkley ranch. She seemed rather excited that they were letting her go. Of course, she had been asked to deliver Karen's next round of homework so that she wouldn't fall behind.

"Of course, Mrs. Anderton. I'd be happy to help out like that."

"Then, I take it you've learned your lesson about bullying others?"

"Yes, ma'am. I have. I realize that bullying others only succeeds in leaving me lonely and miserable." Lydia bowed her head for a moment and then looked up at Mrs. Anderton. "I would like to change but I may need some help to find the right path for myself. Would you help me, Mrs. Anderton?"

Jocelyn was amazed. She wasn't completely certain that Lydia was sincere in her request. Especially not when she requested that Andrew Shorton go with her for protection if needed. Jocelyn didn't trust Andrew. He was secretive and quiet.

"I will help you, dear. But you have to remember that this will not be an easy journey. It will require a great deal of hard work on your part in order to make the progress."

"I'm willing to do the work. Just please don't give up on me if I slip."

"As long as you continue to try. I think I can continue to work with you as long as I can see that you're still trying."

"I promise, Mrs. Anderton. I promise to continue to try." Lydia was smiling at Jocelyn but inside she was applauding her own performance and scheming how to get Heath to be her lover as quickly as possible. She wanted to make sure that he had no way to get away from her. ** She just hoped that the first time she got him in bed with her would be the lucky time that she would get pregnant and then he'd have to marry her.

"Well, make sure that you behave yourself through the coming week. Otherwise, I may have to send someone else with Karen's assignments."

"I'll behave, Mrs. Anderton." Lydia walked away with a smirk on her face. Step one to catching Heath Barkley was complete.