I do NOT own The Big Valley or any of the original Barkley Characters. Cynthia's thought about 1908 refers to the invention of the vacuum.

"Swing Low" Traditional Spiritual

Once In A Lifetime

Chapter Four

Scene Seven

Nick sat in the chair off to the right of Jarrod's desk, Victoria sat in the chair in front of his desk, Heath and Audra remained standing while Peggy had positioned her wheelchair next to it. Jarrod was leaning back in his chair and was reading the Pinkerton's report he'd just received. "Well," Nick leaned forward,

"What do they say?" He was concerned because of the frown that had come upon his brother's face. They all were.

Jarrod lay the report down and shook his head, "Nothing. Any criminals coming close to her description can be accounted for and anyone who was reported missing who 'fit the bill' has also been found. Dead or alive, they've been found. They say they'll continue to keep their eyes open."

"Maybe she's an orphan who had no siblings," Peggy ventured to suggest.

"Maybe," Jarrod shrugged his shoulders. As each one began tossing out ideas, Heath slipped out the door. Like Victoria, he felt strongly the young woman was holding something back, especially since he'd walked around the corner of the house and, once again, caught the young woman working in the garden, singing as she did so. Her voice, and the words, still rang in his ears.

I looked over Jordan, and what did I see,

Coming for to carry me home?

A band of angels coming after me,

Coming for to carry me home.

Swing low, sweet chariot,

Coming for to carry me home,

Swing low, sweet chariot,

Coming for to carry me home.

If you get there before I do,

Coming for to carry me home?

Tell me all my friends I'm coming too,

Coming for to carry me home.

I'm sometimes up, I'm sometimes down,

Coming for to carry me home?

But still my soul feels heavenly bound,

Coming for to carry me home.

Swing low, sweet chariot,

Coming for to carry me home,

Swing low, sweet chariot,

Coming for to carry me home.

Later that afternoon, after her work was done, he'd also seen her talking to the horses. She was talking up a storm to them, just the opposite of how quiet she insisted on being when around other people. The more Heath thought on Cynthia, the more he determined that she, like he, must have had a lot of secrets she told no one. One way or the other, he promised himself he was going to get the answers, or at least some of them.

Scene Eight

Cynthia was in the stable by the time Heath found her. Silas had accidentally left a few items in the building while talking to Nick earlier. She'd offered to go get them for him; after all, it gave her a chance to get away from hanging the rugs outside and beating them with a broom. What a pain that was! 1908 couldn't come fast enough! She turned around when she heard Heath coming.

"Hello," she smiled as she headed for the door, only to find Heath stopping her. Not knowing what to make of the look in his eyes, one that said, 'you're not going anyway until we talk', she found herself instantly on the defensive. "May I help you?"

"Who are you?" While his eyes held a firm look in them, his voice was not harsh or judgmental. He'd had his share of secrets; still had some.

Cynthia found herself very nervous. Up to that moment, everyone had just assumed she had amnesia. No one had actually confronted her otherwise. "I told you," she held herself erect; "The name is Cynthia. It's all I can give you." She started for the door only to have Heath stop her with his next question.

"Is it all you can give me or all you will give me?" He turned and looked at her, the look of one determined to get his answers still in his eyes. She was saved from any more interrogation when they heard Nick hollering outside. They hurried out the door to see Nick and the new ranch hand he'd hired a few days before going at each other.

"I told you," Nick's voice rang through the air, "this is a working ranch! You were hired to do a job; now do it or leave, Mr. Willard!"

The man looked as if he just might have the nerve to take a swing at Nick, but he didn't. "I'm doing my job," he turned to leave, "I've been doing it all along!"

While Heath and Nick talked about the man, Cynthia was watching him storm off. It was the first time she'd actually seen the man Nick said he'd hired. His name hadn't rung a bell, but she had the most uncomfortable feeling she'd seen him before, a feeling that told her the man only meant trouble. The thing that bothered her the most was the feeling she'd seen him before and how could that be? She didn't know anyone from the nineteenth century, besides the Barkleys.

"Cynthia?" Nick's voice brought her out of her thoughts. "Something wrong?" Heath too was looking at her, concern in his eyes.

She looked at the Barkley brothers and shrugged her shoulders and honestly said, "I don't know. I…" she turned her head and watched as the man disappeared out of sight, "just have a funny feeling. There's something not right about that man." She turned and went back into the house.

Nick and Heath looked at each other in surprise. It was the first time she'd made a comment about anyone, or anything, since she'd appeared on the ranch a week ago. "Might want to tell McCall and some of the others to keep an eye on him, and we might want to double check things on him." Heath looked at Nick.

Nick's eyebrows turned down a bit as he started to walk away; the man had come with good references, but if the young woman with an apparent case of amnesia, felt uncomfortable about the man, double checking things might not be a half bad idea. "I just might do that."