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

Once In a Lifetime

Chapter Ten

Scene Eighteen

"Are you crazy?" William was standing on the porch of the old run down cabin he and his cousin had moved into, mostly to save on money. "Didn't you hear Grant? We're supposed to wait until he gets back! He needs to get the Barkleys to invest in that worthless mine before we do anything!" It's not that William was in love with waiting; he wasn't. He just wasn't in love with the way Grant was known for 'dealing with problems'.

Troy threw his hat down on the table and threw what might as well been a two year old temper tantrum. "I tell you there's no reason to wait! I can get a hold of cyanide and mix it with the water in the mines they already have! It will seep out into the water holes and kill all their cattle, plus everyone else's! Because the leak will be coming from their mines everyone who loses their herds will sue them. The only thing they'll have to sell is their land and Grant's buyer can step up and buy it. My plan will work just as well as Grant's! Why wait?"

William hated it when his cousin made sense, but it didn't change how he felt about Grant. "We do as Grant says! We stay here and behave ourselves!" He glared at his cousin until the man backed down.

"Oh, all right," Troy muttered as he stormed back into the house. He didn't see what was wrong with his plan; still, he didn't want to fight William on it right now either. There was still time to get him to change his mind.

While the Hanks dealt with each other, Cynthia was helping Audra in the kitchen. "If I keep this up," Cynthia pulled her hand quickly away from the stove, "I'm going to have one scarred up hand. Peggy and Jarrod need to get back from San Francisco. She's a much better cook than I am."

Audra laughed as she went to mixing dessert, "Don't worry, they get back tomorrow. Your hand will be safe then," she paused and looked at Cynthia, "How well do you like Heath?" She'd seen the way her brother looked at Cynthia, but didn't know if the young lady felt the same way. Audra didn't want to see Heath hurt.

Cynthia didn't answer for a moment. She did like Heath, she liked him a lot but, sooner or later, she'd have to leave. "Did Heath ask you to question me?" She asked as she went back to baking.

Audra shook her head, "No, no he didn't. I just don't want to see him hurt. He's been hurt enough…" she stopped talking as Heath walked in the kitchen.

"Who's been hurt enough?" he looked at Audra. His sister fidgeted and looked quite uncomfortable.

Cynthia didn't want to be around any conversation that would have her and Heath in the same sentence. She was doing well to hide her shaken nerves as it was. "I have to go outside to the garden. I'll be back." She hurried outside leaving Heath to get his answer from his sister.

Scene Nineteen

Grant sat in front of Mr. Miller's desk and smoked on the cigar the man had offered him. "I still can't see what you want with a worthless mine, but," the Sacramento businessman shrugged his shoulders, "if you're willing to buy it, I'll sell it. It's not doing me any good. Let's talk business." By the time Grant walked out of the man's office he had three hundred dollars to his name, but he was smiling. He'd secured the mine and could finish up his other business deals, which would put at least another hundred into his pocket.

Grant headed straight for his favorite establishment, a gambling hall famous for its whiskey and loose women. It's where most of his associates spent their spare time. As he stepped inside he saw Julia, his favorite waitress, coming towards him. "Hey there, good looking," she smiled as she handed him a drink, "bring me anything."

His grin looked as if someone had painted it on, "Just me, dear." He slid his arm around her waist, "But give me five months and I'll hand you the world." He'd said that to her more than once, but she didn't care, as long as he brought his money and his attention to her place that was all that mattered.

"You keep the world," she set his glass down on the table; "I'll take an hour." She held his hand, gave him the look she always did when he was in town and led him to the back room.

0000

Cynthia was kneeling in the garden when she heard the sound of someone coming up behind her. She stopped picking the vegetables she was gathering and turned around. Her mouth dropped open and her eyes felt as if they'd popped out of their sockets. Peggy stood with braces on her feet and two steel crutches on her arms. "What on earth happened on that business trip of Jarrod's?" The question was out of her mouth before Cynthia could stop it.

Peggy started laughing and her eyes danced, "That's the same reaction we've gotten out of everyone else. The business trip was a trip to an old friend of mine. He's a doctor had has studied medicine for years and performed more than one operation. He wrote to Jarrod after we visited him a few months ago and told him he thought he could repair the damage that was done when I was paralyzed. We didn't want to get anyone's hope up so Jarrod conveniently had business show up to cover up our real reason for going out of town."

Cynthia stood up with the vegetables in tow, "I think I'd best get in and start supper." Peggy started to protest only to have Cynthia shake her head, "I don't want to hear it tonight. You just enjoy the night off." The two continued talking as they headed for the house.