Chapter 4

When Nick got home, he quickly put his hat and gunbelt away on the hooks in the hall. He turned and went looking for his family. They weren't in the dining room or the parlor. He decided they were in the library for after dinner coffee, and he went there.

And there they were. Audra was holding a skein of woolen yarn while Victoria wrapped it into a ball. Heath was behind the desk, looking at the books and running a hand through his hair.

Heath looked up. "Glad you finally made it home. These books need attention, Nick."

"Yeah, I'll get to them tomorrow," Nick said and headed for the whiskey. "I need to talk to everybody for a few minutes."

Audra asked, "Did you work things out with your lady friend?"

"Maybe," Nick said, knowing full well that his having woman trouble was no surprise to his mother and sister, even if Heath hadn't said a word to them. He took a swig of his whiskey, then took a deep breath and turned around. "There's something about her I want you to know, something we have to talk about because the only way she'll let me court her is if I have your blessing."

Victoria looked surprised. "Our blessing? Somewhat old fashioned, isn't it?"

"More complicated than old fashioned," Nick said. "I need to say first that I had been seeing this girl – Amanda – for a bit informally, around town, at the saloon. She works at Harry's saloon."

"A little dark-haired girl," Heath explained. "She is cute."

"She's very sweet and kind, too," Nick said.

"What's the complicated part?" Audra asked.

Nick sighed. "Her last name. I didn't know what it was until I'd been pretty smitten with her."

"What can be so complicated about her last name?" Victoria asked.

Nick took a deep breath before he said, "It's Hyatt."

Three sets of eyes glared at him. "Hyatt?" Victoria said. "She's not related to Cass Hyatt, is she?"

"His sister," Nick said.

Everyone slumped. Audra said, "Oh, Nick, you can't seriously be interested in Cass Hyatt's sister!"

Nick closed his eyes and tried to compose his thoughts. "She didn't want to tell me her name, and she didn't want me paying her any attention, but you know me. I don't discourage easy. Well, I was so insistent, she finally told me who she was and wanted to chase me off. She cares about this, she really does. She doesn't want to hurt us. She especially doesn't want to hurt Jarrod, but I got to thinking. This girl has had a tough life because of her brother. Why should she have to carry Cass around like a dead weight for the rest of her life? If I want to court her, why shouldn't I? Would any of you want her to give up a chance at happiness with me just because of her brother?"

"Nick, that's not the only issue," Victoria said. "If anybody else was her brother, I'd agree with you, but what happened to Jarrod was extraordinary and dreadful. I don't have to tell you that."

"No, you don't have to tell me," Nick said. "I was there. I was at the wrong end of his gun, and I know how he might react to this. But what if we're wrong? Jarrod is a fair man. That hasn't changed. How would he feel if he found out he was standing in the way of me and Amanda finding something special together? Do you think he'd like that?"

"No, he wouldn't," Heath said, "IF he was our normal Jarrod. But he isn't there yet, Nick. He's still hurting."

"And ashamed," Victoria said. "If you spring on him that you're seeing the sister of the man who killed his wife and sent him reeling out of control, he may not react like the fair man that he normally is. He may not be ready to do that yet."

"Well," Nick said, "I'm gonna ask you all for a favor. Jarrod isn't due home for another week. Will you at least let me bring Amanda here, meet her, get to know her and maybe see what I see? If you like her, if you're willing to give me and her a chance, Jarrod will, too."

"I'm not sure I'd bet on that, Nick," Heath said.

Victoria and Audra looked at each other before Audra said, "I think Nick has a point. Why should we punish Cass Hyatt's sister for something he did, especially without giving her a chance?"

"Because I don't want to go chasing Jarrod all over California again," Heath said.

"That's not gonna happen and you know it," Nick said.

"He might just take off again if he thinks we're all against him, Nick," Heath said.

"How do we know we'd be against him?" Nick asked. "Look, if he can't handle me seeing Amanda, I know she won't be willing to handle it either and she'll send me packing. Regardless of what you all think, it's what Jarrod thinks that Amanda will go by. I just want her to have a chance to see that everybody isn't against her because of her brother."

"You're asking more than that, Nick," Victoria said. "You're asking us, by extension, by accepting Amanda, to forgive Cass Hyatt for what he's done to Jarrod."

"Maybe it's time we did forgive him," Nick said. "You say Jarrod's ashamed of what he did. Maybe he should be. You know he was wrong, too. He knows he was wrong. Maybe he has to forgive Cass Hyatt before he can lose that shame he feels, and maybe he could use our help in forgiving Cass. Maybe, by extension, he can forgive Cass if he can accept Amanda."

Victoria and Audra looked at each other again. Audra gave voice to what they were both thinking. "Nick has a point."

Victoria sighed. "When do you want to bring her here, Nick?"

"Before Jarrod gets back," Nick said. "Maybe for dinner on Thursday night?"

Victoria saw Audra nod. She looked over at Heath. He seemed reluctant, but he nodded, too. "All right," Victoria said. "I'll write out an invitation tonight. You can take it to her tomorrow."

Nick said, "This has to be a fair chance. You can't be going into this thinking you won't give her a fair chance."

"It'll be a fair chance," Victoria said. "But you have to be ready to break it off with her if we don't see things your way."

Nick nodded. "That's what she wants."

"Done then," Victoria said. "Dinner Thursday night."

XXXXXXX

Amanda accepted the invitation, and at six o'clock on Thursday evening, Nick pulled up to the house in the buggy, Amanda sitting beside him. Nick could feel her nervousness as she looked at the front door. She was out and out scared.

"Don't worry," Nick said. "They won't bite."

Amanda tried a small laugh. "Are you sure about that?"

Nick smiled. "They wouldn't have invited you here if they weren't interested in meeting you. They really want you to know that your name alone isn't something you have to be afraid of."

Amanda took a deep breath. A Mexican man appeared to take hold of the horse's bridle, and so the deed was done. They were here. "All right," she said.

Nick got out and came around the other side to help her out of the buggy. Then he took her to the front door, and they went in together.

The rest of the family was in the parlor, already sharing before dinner drinks. Nick suddenly found his own nervousness growing. Amanda clutched his hand awfully hard as they went into the living room. Everyone else stood up and came toward them.

Victoria was in the lead. Nick said, "Mother, this is Amanda Hyatt."

"Hello, Amanda," Victoria said, extending a hand.

Amanda took it. "Hello, Mrs. Barkley."

Nick went on, "This is my sister, Audra, and my brother Heath you already met at the saloon."

They each shook hands with her. All of the smiles were genuine enough, but Amanda still seemed cautious.

"Won't you come sit down?" Victoria asked, and she nearly said tell us all about yourself, but she caught herself in time.

Nick showed Amanda to the settee and sat down beside her. "Would you like anything to drink?" Heath asked.

"Oh," she said, "not right now, thank you."

Victoria and Audra sat down in the armchairs that faced the settee.

"Anything for you, Nick?" Heath asked.

"A little whiskey, Heath, thanks," Nick said.

Heath poured him a drink and brought it over to him. By then the silence was beginning to be really awkward, but no one knew exactly what to say. The usual "meet the family" chit-chat seemed absolutely out of the question.

It was Nick who broke the ice. "Mother, you know I've really grown fond of Amanda," he said, "and Amanda, you know I've already told the family all about you."

It was all the opening Victoria needed. "He has, Amanda," she said, "and we know who your brother is, and you know Nick's brother Jarrod's history with Cass. It isn't fair and it isn't right that we carry our relatives around our necks as far as the world is concerned, but we do. We mainly want to be sure that you and Nick have the freedom to see what there is for the two of you without being completely weighed down."

"I understand," Amanda said. "But I understand why you're concerned about Jarrod. I've heard about everything that happened because of my brother. I don't have any apologies for Cass. The truth is, he and I have never been close. He's never been much of a brother."

"Leaving you to carry all of the costs with none of the benefits," Victoria said.

"Pretty much," Amanda said, "but what I don't want to see happen is that any of you are hurt, especially Jarrod. I've told Nick that from the beginning, but he seemed to think I was overly concerned. He finally wore me down. He's a pretty persistent man."

Her description brought chuckles that broke the ice a bit. They spent a few moments talking about Nick's shortcomings and laughing a bit together. Nick accepted the good-natured ribbing, happy to hear the laughter.

And then the front door opened.