I am excited to post my first The Big Valley fic!

I watched the show with my family when I was a young girl, and my two sisters and I all had our favorites of the brothers. A few months ago, my middle sister asked me to write a Big Valley trilogy which I gladly accepted. This is the first book of the saga.

I will be introducing several original characters in this series, the first is Leonor Steele, or Nora. I have no rights to any of the characters from the series, only the ones which I create.

Timeline~right after season 4 ends

I hope you enjoy my work, I also have several When Calls the Heart stories posted here.

:)smk

Chapter 1—

"Mother!"

Looking up the stairs, Nick's voice carried throughout the house as he paced around the living room.

"Mother!" He shouted once more in his impatience, waiting only seconds before opening his mouth again. His next shout was halted by the beautiful woman that swept into the room from the kitchen.

"Nick, why must you always shout? I'm sure that the neighbors down the way can hear you," she said sternly.

Victoria had always been a loving mother, but also a disciplinarian- correcting her children when necessary, even after they were grown. And it seemed Nicolas Jonathan Barkley needed it more than the rest.

"Have you seen my gloves?"

His voice was annoyed, and Victoria merely shook her head with a sigh. Walking over to the table he was standing next to, she reached down and picked up the black leather that was as much a part of him as the hat by the door and the jingle of his spurs. Holding them out with a slight smirk, she replied, "these gloves?"

Feeling a bit silly now, Nick cleared his throat and spoke in a normal tone. "Uh, thank you, Mother," he said as he took the gloves and slapped them on his palm. Victoria watched her son and debated only a moment before speaking again.

"Nick, is it my imagination or are you more irritable than usual these days? That is the third time this week you have misplaced something and called for my help."

He had to admit it was true. The Barkley ranch had been short-handed for a while and Nick and Heath were having to do double duty. Managing the ranch already took a lot of his time, but now he was too busy to even go to town for a much-needed game of poker. Hands had been hard to find, but Nick knew things couldn't go on as they were. Jarrod working at the ranch now was some help, and they couldn't make it without him, but Nick hated the haunted look he saw in his brother's eyes.

"I'm...just a bit distracted, that's all," he replied, his voice calm.

"I know you don't like to concern me with things that are out of my control, but I have noticed you are working more hours than usual and haven't been away from the ranch for a few weeks. Would you care to fill me in?"

At that moment, Silas came into the room. "Breakfast is ready, Mrs. Barkley."

"Thank you, Silas," Victoria replied then turned back to Nick as she waited for his reply.

"Nothing you need to worry about," he said gruffly. "I'm taking care of things."

"I have no doubt that you are, but it seems to me you are working way too much. Perhaps you should go to town tomorrow and see about some help."

"Mother, I'm way too busy..." Nick began, his voice irritable once again.

"It wasn't a request."

The tone in Victoria Barkley's voice was one that Nick was all too familiar with. She was a woman used to having her orders followed and her children learned this at an early age. Nothing changed once they grew up.

"Alright. I'll take some time and do that," he responded, bringing a smile back to his mother's face.

"Nick, I hope that one day you will meet the woman that sees through all your bluster and can find that soft heart beating in your chest. Then she can find your gloves for you, while I take a nap," Victoria said cheerfully as she took his arm and they headed for the dining room.

"Boy howdy, Nick. I heard you bellowing all the way out to the barn," Heath said as he entered and hugged his mother. "What did you lose this time?"

"I'm so glad I can be the butt of your jokes this morning. Eat fast little brother, that fence in the north pasture needs mending before we end up chasing our herd clear to Sacramento, and you have your own chores to do," Nick said as they sat.

"Good morning, Mother."

The soft voice of their sister Audra preceded her into the room. Entering, she leaned down to kiss Victoria's cheek and then took her seat.

"Morning everyone," Jarrod said with a peck on Victoria's cheek, then sitting down, saying nothing more.

Everyone bowed their heads as Victoria prayed. "Father, we thank thee for this food and for thy bounty. In Jesus' name, amen."

Conversation flowed around the table as everyone began eating; Victoria smiling as she watched them all talking at once- everyone but Jarrod who was focused on his plate. Eugene was the only one missing, but he was finishing up his last year at school.

God had blessed her with wonderful children, and she hoped all of them would one day find what she had with Tom.

But not today. Today she would simply enjoy their presence.

###

Nora wiped the tears from her face, although it was a futile attempt as they were followed by more tracking down her cheeks.

"Papa, I don't understand why you are leaving," she said as she watched her father pack his saddle bags. Even though she spoke the words, the reality was she knew exactly why Judas Steele was going.

Because he was a coward.

"Leonor, we have already been over this," he replied, not even bothering to look at his distraught daughter as he spoke. "I haven't been able to find a job here, we are two months behind on the rent, and I don't have any other options in Stockton."

"If you are going, why am I staying here?"

"Because I will travel faster alone. I'm leaving now while you still have food."

The 'food' was a few cans of beans.

"And where am I supposed to go when I'm evicted?"

The words made Judas wince, but he finally answered after a short contemplation, "Mr. Henderson won't kick you out." The reply was short and of no comfort.

All her pleading went unheeded as Judas mounted up his horse and left, leaving his daughter to watch him ride away. Once he was out of sight, Nora straightened her shoulders and went back inside, pouring some water from her drawing bucket into a bowl. Leaning over, she splashed her reddened face with the cool liquid, before taking a towel and patting it dry.

Looking in the mirror, she vowed never to shed another tear for the man she called Papa. The reality was that although he had sired her, he had never been a father to any of his children. When their mother died almost a year ago, all the life went out of the family.

Amanda Worthington was one of a kind. Growing up in luxury, her parents were devastated when she chose to run off and marry a drifter. They begged and pleaded with her to reconsider as she packed her bag, telling her that it was a mistake. Nora's grandparents- who she had never met- could see the kind of man that Judas was, while her mother was blinded by his good looks and smooth talk.

Before she and Judas drove away in a worn-out wagon, Amanda's parents, through their tears, ordered her to never come back. Nora's mama had told her and Gabby that story a few times over the years before she had become ill.

It turns out, the Worthingtons were correct in their assessment of Judas Steele.

He moved the family from one place to another, not keeping a job for long before taking his wife and children somewhere else when they were evicted for not paying the rent. There wasn't money for a doctor in their family, so they never knew what was wrong with the normally vibrant woman as she began wasting away when they lived in Sacramento. Rapidly going downhill, Amanda died as her two youngest daughters held her hands in theirs.

Nora would never forget the words her mother had spoken before passing from this life to the next. Her voice was weak and frail, and the girls had to lean in to make out the last words of wisdom.

"When it's time, I want you to marry someone of good character. He needn't be rich, but he does need to be hard-working." Stopping a moment to catch her breath, Amanda continued. "I don't want you girls or your children to want for anything after you marry; you have had enough lack all of your lives because of the decision I made in haste. And never marry a man that you don't love desperately."

Her last words were spoken barely above a whisper. "I love you, my daughters. More than life. Please tell Val... and don't forget to wish upon a star..." Her eyes closed and she exhaled for the last time.

Judas walked into their grief and Nora noticed a sadness in his eyes only for a moment before the hardness returned. A quick burial in a pasture preceded the upheaval that followed.

Gabrielle was a couple of years older than Nora and decided when Mama died that it was time that she left to make it on her own. Performing- mainly singing- was a talent she excelled in, so she packed a bag and went to San Francisco where she was discovered. She wrote Nora a letter to convince her to join her before she began touring the country, but her youngest sister felt an obligation to their father and refused to leave him alone. Shortly after Gabby left San Francisco, Judas moved him and Nora close to Stockton- and she lost touch with her middle sister in the process.

Valerie was the oldest sister and 15 years Nora's senior. When she was 18, she quickly married a widower who was passing through town on holiday, and he whisked her away to his home country of England. After a couple of letters, they completely lost touch with her and had no way of letting her know about their mother's passing.

Before he and Nora left Sacramento, Judas sold everything they had- well, almost everything. He kept their wagon and two horses to pull it, one being Nora's beloved stallion, Demarco. Nora also begged him not to sell the trunk that held her mother's dresses that she hadn't worn since leaving Boston over three decades earlier. Many years out of style, Nora remembered she and her sister playing dress-up in them as they would perform skits for their mother when they were young. Nora gave up the few things of her own to retain the treasures- only possessing two very worn dresses, her mother's trunk, and Demarco when they moved to Stockton.

Material things weren't important to Nora, but she held her breath as her father was selling off their possessions, knowing that she would not allow him to sell her dearest friend even if she had to take him and run away. Thankfully, it hadn't come to that.

The fact was, Demarco was the only thing she had ever gotten from her father. That, and the ability to play poker. No, that wasn't true. She had received one other trait from Judas Steele- anger. Nora's temper didn't flare up much, but when it did, Katy bar the door.

Demarco was won in a poker game on Nora's 17th birthday. He was a scrawny little colt that with Nora's love and nourishment had grown into a large stallion.

Any assets Nora owned came from Amanda, especially her creative talent. Nora's stitching was almost perfect, and she had a gift for making something out of nearly nothing- which was good because that's about what they always had, nothing. She loved to write when she had the time and could paint also- talents that were mostly wasted without the supplies needed for them.

Nora walked out to the barn where Demarco was kept. He was running around the corral, seemingly knowing that something major had happened. The horse walked over to Nora and placed his head on her shoulder.

Patting his face and neck, Nora kissed his nose. "It's only you and me Marco. And I'm not sure how we will make it. Thankfully, it's springtime and you at least have grass to eat. But I will figure it out. Don't you worry, boy. Somehow, I will figure it out."

###

Removing his gloves and resting his hands on top of the fence post, Nick took a moment to breathe, realizing how tired he was.

"Hey Nick," Heath said as he rode up, moving his hat back a little. "You plan on letting that fence repair itself?" he teased, knowing the difficulties Nick had been having. His older brother worked harder than any man on the ranch.

Wiping his arm across his wet brow Nick replied. "Just taking a short rest."

Nodding, Heath took a chance with his next question. "You meanin' to go to town and hire again?"

"Yeah. Maybe tomorrow."

Breathing a sigh of relief, Heath continued. "You can't keep going at this pace, doing the work of two men takes its toll." The statement didn't reveal how much extra labor Heath was having to do himself.

"Hopefully I'll be able to find some men that aren't afraid of hard work," Nick responded, then added, "if I can find any men at all."

"And pick up a poker game while you're at it?" Heath replied with a slight smile.

Grinning now, Nick began replacing the leather gloves. "Now a man couldn't fault me for that, could he? Don't you have some chores to do?" he said, shooing Heath away with his hand as he once again removed a strand of broken barbed wire.

Heath brought his hat forward to his brow, still smiling. "I surely do. See you later, brother."

Nick watched him ride away and laughed. A poker game was exactly what the doctor ordered.

###

Nora looked around at her circumstances since Judas left. This was the first time she had ever been alone to figure things out on her own. Granted, Judas Steele had never been a good parent, if he had, Nora wouldn't be standing here in front of the house practically destitute. Perhaps she should have left when Gabby did.

Walking into the kitchen, Nora sat down and made a list of positives and negatives. She had a little food so that went into the positive column. It would last a few days so she would have to get more soon.

Rent went into the negative column. She was already two months behind and had no idea how to get enough to not only be caught up, but to pay more. She would go see Mr. Henderson and see what kind of arrangement they could come up with if he was even willing. He was an older man that had always been kind to Nora, and she believed he had only allowed them to stay because of her.

Her skills went into the positive column. There had to be something she could do to make money using the talents God gave her. Glancing down at her threadbare dress, she frowned and wrote that in the negative column.

Looking at her short list, she nodded. "At least it's a start," she said as she stood. There wasn't anything in the house she could sell, most of the decorations she had made herself from things she had found- wood from the nearby forest, for example. The patchwork curtains she had made from a bag of quilting scraps she had received from the seamstress in town. Nora had gone to see her shortly after they arrived to see about some employment, and although Mrs. Moss was kind and very complimentary, she didn't have any extra work to give her. The only other thing she had was the trunk that belonged to her mother. It had remained closed since the day Amanda had breathed her last, and as Nora ran her hand across the much-worn top, she knew she wasn't ready to open it yet. The dresses inside must have been ruined over time, as she and her sisters had stopped playing dress up over 10 years ago. "Soon," she said to herself with a sigh. Food was a priority and she had to get some quickly.

Smoothing her dress down, she turned to the door and her blood ran cold. Apparently, she had forgotten to close it and there stood the biggest dog she had ever seen. It remained there staring and wagging its tail a bit but never growled or snarled.

"Go on now," she said, waving her arms. "I don't have enough food for me, I certainly can't feed you too," she said, noticing that he didn't seem to be starving. Standing there only a moment longer, the dog turned and ran off into the woods. Nora peeked out the door to make sure he was gone before heading out to get Demarco.

She needed to start her new life.

###

For the first time in a long while, Nick had declined dinner with the family, grabbing a sandwich from Silas before climbing the stairs.

Sitting down at his desk, he opened the book he had recently started. Nick had been drawn into the story of Jean Valjean from the beginning. A man who had been imprisoned for 19 years for stealing bread to feed his sister's children and grew into a man of means once released. Les Misérables was a book he had heard about but hadn't purchased until recently. He had finished The Count of Monte Cristo last week and had loved every page of it.

Being a Barkley, Nick had no idea what it was to struggle, but he had a heart for those less fortunate than himself. Those who through no fault of their own found themselves in a hard place. Or even the ones that had made bad decisions but wanted to turn things around.

Yes, he was a compassionate man to those he felt deserved his benevolence.

His father had been industrious and passed that gene along to his children; Nick always took pride in a job well done. For many years, that had been enough- the self-respect of running the ranch and making it successful was all he needed to be content. That and a little relaxation playing a game of poker or spending time with a beautiful woman. But now that his 32nd birthday had recently come and gone, Nick felt a yearning for more.

He wanted to marry and have children of his own.

Romancing a lady came easy for him. He believed all women should be treated like royalty and should never be abused - although he had run into a few that tested his patience.

Once in his life, he enjoyed going out with a different woman every week. But that pleasure had faded for him some months ago, so he had plunged himself into his work- even before they were short-handed.

That's when he began spending more time reading in his room when he retired for the night. Poker still held his interest when he wanted a diversion, but Nick now required more in his life than a goodnight kiss. He not only desired, but needed, the love and intimacy that marriage would bring. So far, he hadn't found 'the one.' And he wouldn't settle for less.

Nick knew she was out there, he simply had to locate her. She had to be strong enough to handle his moods and stubbornness, and still be feminine and soft. She would also need to have a good head on her shoulders to be the first lady of the ranch one day. Determination and independence would be a plus. He smiled as he thought she would also have to have a stubborn streak herself to put up with his argumentative nature.

Nick didn't know if his perfect woman even existed but hoped that one day, he would find her. But until he did, he would be spending most of his evenings with Victor Hugo and Alexandre Dumas.

###

Dismounting her horse, Nora walked to the door which opened before she had a chance to knock.

"Miss Steele, nice to see you today," Mr. Henderson said smiling.

"Hello, Mr. Henderson. Always nice to see you too. I need to talk to you about the rent... the truth is, my papa left this morning. I'm not sure where he went or how long he will be gone. I know the rent is past due..."

"Two months past due," he said, running his hand through his hair, his expression sympathetic.

"I'm so sorry. I am trying to find employment, but I would appreciate it if you could give me at least one more month," Nora replied.

Pausing for a minute, the man smiled. "I'm sorry about your pa, Miss Steele. Hard to believe he would run out on you like that. I can give you another month. But I will need something then."

Nora felt as if she had won a prize. Grinning, she reached out to shake the older man's hand. "Oh, thank you so much! I know I'll find something." Spinning around to leave, Nora thought of another request. "Mr. Henderson, there's an old buggy in the shed. Do you mind if I piddle around with it?"

"Why Miss Steele, you can have that old buggy and anything else you find around the place. It ain't worth nothin'. It was Seth's..."

"Thanks again, Mr. Henderson," Nora said as she turned to mount Demarco. "You won't regret it."

Waving as she rode away, Nora felt on top of the world. "I have one month, Marco. And I need to figure out my next move quickly. Now let's get home before it gets dark..."