I do NOT own The Big Valley or any of the original Barkley Characters.

Once In a Lifetime

Chapter Seven

Scene Twelve

The hotel lobby was bustling with the chatter of the many guests who were staying overnight, but one room in the building held only three men. William Hanks, a bald headed businessman from back east, William's brown headed cousin, Troy and their friend Grant Payne. His blonde hair used to hang to the back of his neck until he'd had a fight with a Cheyenne warrior. Now it was cut shorter than he'd ever had it in his life.

The tension between the three men was so thick one could have gone ice-skating on it. "We needed that money! Why didn't you warn Mills about that marshal coming?" William was furious and he slammed his fist into the wall leaving a small hole. He had 'friends' back east waiting on payments and patience was something those friends knew nothing about.

"Oh grow up!" Troy jumped up from the chair he was sitting on and pulled himself up to his full height of five feet nine, "How was I supposed to know he was coming! I didn't even know anyone had recognized Mills in the first place!"

Grant stood up. "You two can keep fighting if you want." He grinned. "As far as I'm concerned, I'll go and get a job with the Barkleys after I get back from Sacramento." He held up his hand when William started to protest. "I've sent enough money to keep our 'friends' at bay until I get back. I'll be back in six months. Until then, behave yourselves! Make friends with the Barkleys, get their trust. At least, as far this mess goes, we can blame it on Mills. He was supposed to prove he was a hard worker and trustworthy. He was supposed to get the Barkleys to back his endeavors. What with their support, the whole town would have given in. As it was, from what I hear, all he did was antagonize that Nick fellow. He probably antagonized someone else too, someone who did some digging and turned him in. So," he glared at the men, "don't go doing the same thing!" He stormed out of the room.

"I hate it when that man's right." William looked at the hole his temper had caused, "Guess I'll have to be paying for that."

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Cynthia was standing outside the store waiting for Audra to come out when she saw Mr. Payne walking away from the hotel. She had a worse feeling come over her than she had when she'd first seen Mr. Mills. 'The only way I can know you is from that talk with the Stockton historian. Why did I let myself get so involved in learning all about the Barkleys that I only listened close enough to the other information the man was giving me to store it in the back of my mind? And, apparently, I stored in far enough back that I have to dig like crazy to find it!"

"Cynthia?" Audra walked up and looked where her new friend was looking, "What is it? What do you see?"

"I'm not sure," Cynthia sighed and turned away, "I'm not really sure." She headed for the buggy praying like mad she'd remember something, anything, before it was too late. That is, if the man was trouble like Mills had been.

Scene Thirteen

The sun smiled down upon the banks of the pond the Barkley family had gathered at for a quiet Sunday picnic. Jarrod picked Peggy up out of her wheelchair and sat her down upon the picnic blanket. Nick had helped his date, Anna Sue, out of the buggy he'd drive out to the pond while Heath and Audra dismounted their horses. Victoria and Cynthia climbed out of their buggy, each grabbing a basket of food as they did so.

It didn't take long for the group to gather, say blessings and start eating. Soon they were all laughing and having fun."You're going to get wet yourself if you're not careful!" Audra warned Heath as he teased his sister and Cynthia. He was sitting under a tree on top of a small boulder. He'd decided the only way to get Cynthia to open up to him was for the two of them to really get to know each other. That being the case, he was spending as much time as he could around their new friend.

Audra and Cynthia were standing nearby. Peggy had convinced 'Miss Cottom' to go join their family picnic. Cottom was the last name they'd pulled out of a hat for Cynthia; after all, she had to have a last name. Heath only laughed…until Cynthia managed to push him into the pond.

Heath shot up and Cynthia took off running, making everyone laugh. She ran around and behind more than one tree before Heath managed to catch her. "He's going to dump her in the water too," Nick said as he grinned from where he sat, "you just watch and see." None were surprised to see Nick proven right.

Victoria waited until Nick, Anna Sue and Audra had joined in the fun before turning to Jarrod. "Have the Pinkertons found anything out yet?" She was concerned as Heath was starting to show a real interest in their guest. It wasn't that Victoria didn't like Cynthia, she did. It was just that she was afraid Heath, despite what he was claiming to his brothers and her, would get closer than he meant to and get more than a little hurt if the young woman turned out to be already attached to someone else, or have family who would look down upon Heath due to the circumstances surrounding his birth.

Jarrod shook his head slowly as he watched Heath laughing and talking with Cynthia. "Not yet." He too was concerned for his younger brother. "They're still keeping their eyes and ears open though."

"Someone has got to be looking for her," Peggy watched as her brothers in law laughed and talked with Cynthia and Anna Sue, "She cannot be all alone in the world."

Nothing more was said concerning the matter as their talk turned to other things; after all, they were doing all they could for the stranger in their midst.