Audra was pacing the length of the front porch when she heard the horses trotting in her direction. "Silas," she called into the house. "Silas, someone is coming." The houseman joined her on the porch as they watched the five riders pull up.
"Who's the other man Miss Audra," Silas asked Audra.
"One of the men who took mother," Audra seemed befuddled by the development. "Wait here," she took off running toward the horses. "Mother," she called as they pulled to a stop at the corral gate.
"Audra," Victoria dismounted and hugged her daughter tight. "Oh Audra, I am so glad to see you."
"I'm glad you're safe," a tear rolled down Audra's cheek as she pulled away from her mother to look her over.
"Audra," she nodded to the young boy Audra had seen the day before. "This is Jerry Jenkins, he is going to be working around the ranch from now on."
"What," Audra looked from the boy to her brothers and then back at her mother.
"Mother offered the boy a job," Nick huffed. "Boy took part in putting all of us through it and mother offered him a job."
"Why would you do that?"
"Audra," Victoria frowned. "This boy was very nice to me and…"
"Nice to you," Audra cut her off. "Mother, he kidnapped you."
"Yes well," Victoria sighed. "I think he deserves another chance. I think that he learned at least one valuable lesson from the whole thing."
"Sure enough ma'am." Jerry piped up cautiously. "Crime don't pay."
"Right," Victoria laughed. "Go on and get him set up," she nodded to the boys as she wrapped and arm around Audra's waist and started leading her toward the house.
"Well," Nick dismounted. "Jerry, you take all these horses to that barn there, unsaddle them, water them at the pump, and brush them down," he said. "You see anyone, you ask for Duke. You tell Duke that I'm signing you on and I'll be out in a bit once I get things squared away inside."
"Yes sir, Mr. Barkley," Jerry took the reins of each brother's horse as they dismounted.
"Nick will do just fine," Nick nodded and watched Jerry trot the horses toward the barn.
"Mrs. Barkley," Silas came down from the porch toward Victoria and Audra.
"Silas," Victoria's face lit up when she saw her old friend and she reached out her hands for his.
"Mrs. Barkley," Silas took both her hands in his own. "It sure is good to have you home and see you looking so fine."
"Thank you Silas, you're a terrible liar," she smiled and pulled her hands away. "I am covered in dust and need a bath," she started to dust off her dress but stopped suddenly when she saw her hands.
"Mother," Audra asked concerned. "Mother, what is it," she looked at the boys who had fallen in behind them.
Nick realized what his mother was looking at and pulled the scarf from his pocket. He had forgotten it and he quickly untied the knot around the ring. He concealed it in his right hand and moved to Victoria's side. He took her left hand in his left and pulled it up close to his face as though examining it. "Hmm, worried about that empty finger are we?" He smiled when Victoria looked up at him and slid the ring back where it belonged.
Victoria pulled him in close. "I thought I might have lost that for good," she released the breath she realized she had been holding.
"Yes well," Nick released her. "I am sure you will want this back to," he handed her the scarf.
"I had forgotten to ask what they put with that," Jarrod nodded in satisfaction.
"I suppose they couldn't have made it any clearer that we were in the right place," Heath agreed.
"I don't mind telling both of you," Nick crossed his arms. "That scared me more than the idea of something going wrong with our plan. I nearly rode into that mine guns blazing."
"Why," Victoria was twisting the ring as if to make sure it was really back where it belonged. "Why did that scare you?"
"Because," Nick leaned down and kissed her cheek. "I figured they would have had to cut your fingers off to get to that. I've never seen you take that off."
Victoria chuckled, "Yes, well good thing for my fingers there were three of them I suppose. But you are right," she sighed. "This ring has rarely left my finger in nearly thirty years."
"Come on," Audra smiled and breathed a heavy sigh. "I will draw you a bath and I want to hear all about everything, especially this Jerry person."
"Right," Victoria walked off arm in arm with Audra while Silas trailed back inside.
"Well," Heath smiled. "I suppose we best get to work," he gave Jarrod a mischievously knowing look. "We wasted near half the daylight and we got to get that fence finished up.
"Now wait just a minute," Nick straighten up and regarded his younger brother indignantly. "I'm tired and dirty too. I want a bath and I wouldn't mind a little food since I haven't had nothin' since breakfast yesterday."
"Now Nick," Heath had to work to sound strict. "You know we can't just let that work go. We have a ranch to run. Besides, he tossed the saddle bag that was over Nick's shoulder at Jarrod. "Jarrod had to take care of putting that back where it belongs."
"Right," Jarrod nodded with a smile. "No rest for the wicked indeed."
"Hmm," Nick scowled. "Well, that fence will just have to wait until tomorrow," Nick declared. "I am going to go show that boy where to stay and at first light I'm dragging him out to finish that fence."
Heath made a show of pondering the idea. "Well, I suppose that couldn't hurt. Make him put his money where his mouth is about that being the best man on the ranch bit."
"I suppose," Jarrod echoed. "See you in there," he clapped Nick on the back and headed in the house.
"What he said," Heath nodded and followed after Jarrod.
"Hmm," Nick huffed and headed off to the barn.