I do not own The Big Valley nor any of the original Barkleys.
Once In a Lifetime
Chapter Sixteen
Scene Thirty
Peggy and Cynthia sat in Peggy's front room working on a quilt when Jarrod and Heath walked in, neither one of them looked to happy. "What's wrong, dear?" Peggy looked up from the quilt and looked at Jarrod.
Jarrod looked tired and exasperated. "Someone tried poisoning another water hole."
Peggy and Cynthia gasped and looked at each other. "Has anyone, or any animal, died?" Cynthia asked once Heath sat down on the sofa.
"No," Heath answered, "Thank heavens McCall saw a stranger pouring something into it. He tried to stop him, but the stranger got away."
Jarrod shook his head, "McCall thinks it was that Payne fellow only it was dark and he can't be sure."
Peggy and Cynthia didn't like it. They couldn't keep having their water holes poisoned; neither could anyone else. "What is being done about it?" Cynthia stood up and walked over and sat down by Heath while Jarrod grabbed a chair and sat next to Peggy.
Jarrod turned his hat around in his hands, "Guards have been put by every water hole we have; the other ranchers are guarding their holes as well. Someone really wants the cattle dead, but why they want it is the real question. Dead cattle won't do anyone any good."
"It's the land they want," Heath spoke up remembering all that Cynthia had told him, "it's the only other thing, besides the cattle, that would be worth enough to go after."
Jarrod muttered under his breath, of course! Heath had to be right. "Well, they'll have to fight to get it, none of us are just going to turn our backs and walk away from it."
It was starting to get dark and Heath didn't really care to be traveling under the cover of night, not with a desperate man running around loose. "It's time we get going home." He stood up and held out his hand to Cynthia.
"We will go with you," Jarrod stood up, "We promised mother we'd come over this evening." It was the truth; so what if he didn't want any of the family members traveling alone, at night, until this thing was settled. That part, what he wanted, could be discussed once they were together as a whole family.
Scene Thirty-One
The last of the rain storms had hit the valley and left. Another couple of weeks and winter would be officially over. Cynthia hoped that meant that, for whatever reason, no attempt would be made on her husband's life; though there was still the matter of trying to get whoever was trying to poison the water holes, more than one guard, not just theirs, had frightened someone away. It was always at night, and no one had actually ever got a clear view of the man.
"Hey!" Nick yelled as both Heath and Cynthia hit him with water. The family was once again on a picnic and the two were getting Nick back for an earlier stunt he had pulled. Audra was sitting with her new beau, a young gentleman who had moved to the valley a few months before, and her mother watching the scene in amusement. Jarrod and Peggy were too busy talking about names for the baby that they were eagerly looking forward to having in their home to notice anything.
"It's such a beautiful day," Audra smiled up at the sky as a couple of birds flew overhead, "pretty soon there will be whole flocks of birds to watch." Before anyone could say anything a shot rang out, Heath grabbed his arm and bolted for cover, as did everyone else.
"I'm fine," Heath looked at Cynthia who was by his side in a split second, "looks like someone must have found out who spoiled his plans." As no one else was close enough to hear what he said to his wife he wasn't worried about having to explain anything.
Cynthia found herself angrier than she'd ever been. Heath and his family, her family now, had done nothing to deserve this. That being the case, when she saw a movement off in the distance, she ran for her horse and, before anyone could stop her, was pushing her horse at an amazing speed. Nick, Jarrod and even Heath were not far behind her.
Grant cursed as the group chased him. He'd learned it was Heath who had pushed to check things out, and that it was Heath who had helped take his partners to the prison. That being the case, he'd settled for revenge over forcing the Barkleys to lose their land. Grant had been told he was one of the best shooters in the county, how could his aim be off? Why did that gal have to get them all to chasing him! He tried shooting over his shoulder only to find himself swearing again, the blasted thing wasn't firing!
It took some time, but soon Nick had caught up with Grant and knocked him off his horse, the two went to fighting, which was something Grant only thought he knew something about. It wasn't long until Heath and the others arrived.
Jarrod flew off his horse and started for the men when he froze in his tracks, everyone did, including Grant and Nick. Cynthia flew off her horse and ran up to see what the men were staring out. The portal or whatever it was! It had opened back up! It was too early! Or, was it just a glimpse blocked by a wall?
She looked from Grant to Heath to the 'portal' then back to Grant and Heath. Realizing Heath's life would always be in danger, as long as Grant Payne was around, Cynthia knew what she had to take a chance on. Before anyone knew what happened she was running towards Mr. Payne. "Be careful, Cynthia!" Heath yelled out as she slammed her body into the man.