Chapter 8

The sun rose high in the eastern sky pouring light on all creation. Though it was bright, it was a cold November morning and there was no warmth. The leaves were falling and blowing about in the stiff wind. It was a week until Thanksgiving and the air had a coldness and bitterness to it that few had experienced. It would be remembered in the years to come as the coldest Thanksgiving in a hundred years. Deep in the woods where the light barely penetrated was an unusual sight: a horse standing over a body.

The horse leaned down and nudged the body with his nose. He snorted and nuzzled the face. He stepped back only when the body began to stir. Rhianna slowly regained consciousness and it took her many long minutes to realize where she was. She was so very cold. As she started to rise, pain shot through her shoulder. Not again! She looked around and saw Brady standing there a few steps away. Thank God. Brady walked over to her and then lowered himself onto the ground next to her so she could pull herself up onto the saddle. He got up awkwardly and started out slowly as if aware of the delicate condition of his passenger.

Rhianna halted Brady for a moment and tried to think. The ranch was so far away, she wasn't sure she could make it. She HAD to make it. She had no idea how long she had laid there unconscious. She thought she had lost a lot of blood and was so very tired. She just wanted to sleep and sleep. First, she had to make sure Liam was safe. She knew everything would be all right if she could just get back home. She shook her head to clear it. When did she start thinking of the Barkley Ranch as home? She started Brady off on their way. She knew it would take many days to get there with her injuries so she started out on her long journey.

~Big Valley~

Five days. It had been five days. Jack and Father Liam had been back for five days. The priest was doing well, recovering from his ordeal in Ireland. Audra had finally been able to take him to the orphanage and they were planning to meet with the Bishop later today. Nick looked to the horizon. Anytime he could scan the horizon, he did. The family knew he was worried about Rhianna and they were too. Five days! Heath joined Nick at the corral fence. He, too, scanned the horizon.

Nick was the first to speak, "We should go after her. Something's wrong."

"What makes you think something's wrong?" Heath was curious.

"I don't know how I know, I just do. We should go after her." Nick sounded determined.

"Nick, I don't think that's a good idea. She sent Father Liam here to you. She'd never forgive you if something happened to him. Have patience, big brother. She'll be here." Heath spoke cautiously; he knew it wouldn't take much for Nick to go after Rhianna.

"How do you know that? How do you know she's not hurt and needs help?" Nick demanded.

"I don't know. I do know she's been taking care of herself and many others for a long, long time. You just have to trust that if she needed help, she'd find a way to let us know." Heath shrugged his shoulders and started out hoping Nick would follow. Nick thought long and hard, but eventually followed Heath though he was still worried.

Hours later, Nick and Heath came back from the days work. They were still arguing about whether or not to go after Rhianna. A horse and rider came slowly up the road. The rider was barely in the saddle.

"Nick, there she is; I would recognize her horse anywhere!" Heath sounded as relieved as Nick felt.

Brady slowly brought a barely conscious Rhianna to where they were standing. She only dimly realized she was back at the ranch. She became aware only when Nick put his hand gently on her leg.

"Rhianna?" Nick spoke worriedly and louder than he meant to.

"I'm all right, Barkley." She almost fell off Brady.

As Heath hurriedly reached up to steady her, he noticed she was in bad shape. They needed to get her into the house. The two men led Brady to the front of the house. She bent down and whispered to Brady.

"Heath, would you hold his bridle? Barkley, stand there in front of the saddle." Rhianna spoke wearily.

The two men exchanged worried glances over the horse.

Rhianna carefully lifted her leg up and over the pommel so she was seated across the saddle. She placed one foot in a stirrup and grabbed Nick's arm to help ease herself down. Brady didn't move a muscle.

Nick stood there and supported her weight as she dismounted. He spotted the dried blood on her shoulder. "You've been shot!"

"I know, Barkley!" Rhianna gasped. She closed her eyes as the pain became unbearable. After a moment she looked up at Nick, "I'm sorry, Barkley, you didn't deserve that."

"Let me carry you into the house." Nick offered.

"No! I'll not be carried like a child." As Rhianna tried to walk she faltered.

"Damn, woman! You are the most stubborn...wait; let me help you before you fall! " Nick quickly went to her side.

Rhianna turned; she needed to make sure Brady was looked after. "Heath, would you unsaddle Brady and let him roam. Get Jack. I need Jack."

Rhianna started to collapse. Nick put an arm around her waist, careful not to jar her injured shoulder. They slowly made their way into the house. Rhianna would have fallen several times if Nick's strong arms had not been holding her up.

"MOTHER! We need help!" Nick shouted as they entered the house.

Victoria came running at the sound of Nick's voice. She had rarely heard him sound scared. "Nick what on earth?! Rhianna! Take her upstairs, Nick. I'll send for the doctor."

"No! I just need to sit down. Heath went for Jack; NO DOCTOR." Rhianna was adamant.

Nick took her into the parlor and helped her sit in a chair near the massive fireplace. He then left to ask Silas to heat some water and help out. When he came back he fed the fire until it was a roaring blaze so Rhianna could get warm; she was half frozen.

As Silas brought in a basin of hot water, Victoria realized what needed to be done. "Nick, help me get this jacket off of her. Rhianna, this is going to hurt."

Rhianna slowly nodded her head and steeled herself for more pain.

Victoria soaked a cloth in hot water and pressed it into the shoulder hoping to loosen the dried blood holding the jacket on Rhianna's shoulder.

Nick leaned down to help his mother. He could tell they were causing a lot of pain, but it couldn't be helped. It needed to be done.

"Rhianna?!" Jack rushed in and looked at her. He assessed the situation quickly knowing he would have to work fast.

"Where?" Jack questioned tersely.

"In my right shoulder. I think in the same place." Rhianna replied weakly.

Jack bent to look more closely. "I think you're right. You know I have to remove it."

"I know." Rhianna's voice was getting fainter; she was losing strength. She looked around. "Barkley?"

Nick answered immediately, "I'm right here."

"Where's Heath?"

"I'm here, Rhianna." Heath had followed Jack into the room.

"Both of you come here. I need to talk to you." Rhianna needed to tell them what had happened.

Jack took advantage of the time to prepare; he knew if she was to survive he would have to work quickly. There was no telling how much blood she had lost in the last few days.

"Heath, when I came here the other day…you and Jarrod were arguing. What about?" Rhianna's voice started faltering making it difficult to hear her.

Nick could see Rhianna fading before his eyes and it scared him. "This can wait, Rhianna."

"No, it can't. Heath?" Rhianna suddenly sounded stronger.

Heath looked at Nick; at his nod he answered. "We were going over the books. The tally numbers don't agree for the last few months."

Rhianna slowly nodded. "The man who shot me wasn't Irish. A group of men were camped on your land. They were stealing your cattle."

"What?! Stealing our cattle?! Heath, we better get some men out there…" Nick stopped as he felt faint pressure on his arm.

"No. I took care of them. They won't be stealing from you again." Rhianna declared.

"You killed them?!" Nick was shocked.

Rhianna looked at Nick and spoke with irritation. "Of course not. I shot them, but they'll live. I placed the shots carefully. I wounded two of them. The rest ran scared."

Jack gestured to Nick and Heath. The two men went over to Jack.

"Nick, pour her some Irish whiskey and help her drink it. It'll help with the pain and Nick? Don't be stingy. She can drink more than anyone I've ever seen."

As Nick went to get the drink, Heath turned to Jack. He spoke quietly; he didn't want Nick to hear his question or possibly the answer. "Will she live?"

"I think so; she's stubborn." Jack didn't sound too sure of himself, though.

Nick had returned with the drink. He helped her drink it and was surprised when she held out the glass for more. After she finished her second dram, she relaxed slightly.

"Rhianna, I have to remove the bullet now." Jack knew it was imperative to start as soon as possible.

Rhianna nodded and steeled herself. As Jack worked to get to the bullet, she got paler; but uttered not a word or sound. Jack looked at her sharply. "Rhianna, you aren't in Ireland. You're safe here. Yell if you want to!"

She had no reaction at all and Nick wasn't convinced she heard. He looked down and realized she had grabbed his hand as if it were a lifeline.

"There, got it!" Jack looked up triumphant. It went better than he had hoped for. Nick looked at Rhianna; she had passed out from the pain.

"Leave her there, Nick. She'll rest easier." Jack finished up quickly and bandaged her shoulder. He then took a quilt from Victoria and covered Rhianna, resting his hand briefly on her forehead. The group left her to rest and went to the billiard room.

~Big Valley~

Hours later, Audra and Father Liam returned. They were surprised to see Rhianna sleeping in the parlor by a roaring fire. While Father Liam checked on his sister, Audra found a subdued group in the billiard room.

"Audra, how was the meeting with the Bishop?" Victoria was interested.

"Wonderful, Mother. Father Liam will take over the orphanage and celebrate Mass." Her enthusiasm waned as she asked with concern, "What happened to Rhianna?"

"Yes, Jack. What happened?" Liam asked urgently from behind her, looking closely at Jack. There was more danger here than the Barkleys knew.

"She rode in a couple of hours ago, shot in the shoulder. I removed the bullet and she's resting by the fire. We need to keep her warm." Jack hesitated before continuing gravely, "She was awfully cold, Liam. Kathleen is convinced she's getting sick. If she is…"

"I'm going to go sit with her." A very worried priest left the room.

"What are you worrying about, Jack?" Heath was curious. All the Barkley men had been shot or injured at one time; the O'Briens seemed more concerned than he thought they should be.

Jack looked worriedly at Heath. "Rhianna is extremely susceptible to pneumonia. The last time almost killed her."

Liam sat near Rhianna praying. He was afraid for her. He had just met the Barkleys but liked them. They seemed to genuinely care about both his sisters and his brother-in-law. He had been curious about this family. Rhianna doesn't give her trust easily. As soon as he met Nick, he understood. What a perfect match, if they could only see it. If she would only let him love her…Nick could be the one to help her heal.

The priest's ruminations were interrupted by a violent coughing fit from Rhianna. She looked at him with feverish eyes.

"Galen?! Where am I? What are you doing here?!" Rhianna was confused.

"Jack! Get in here!" Liam called desperately.

As everyone ran into the room, Liam noticed Rhianna was shaking uncontrollably.

"She thinks I'm Galen!" Liam explained, looking at Jack.

Jack took one look at his commander and sister-in-law and knew she was sick again. He decided what to do quickly. "Heath, get a doctor, and hurry. Audra, could you go get Kathleen? Mrs. Barkley, we'll need cool water and we need to get her in a warm bed."

As Heath and Audra left to do what had been asked of them, Victoria went to talk to Silas before heading upstairs to turn down a bed and find a nightgown for Rhianna.

Rhianna suddenly stood and started speaking. "Galen, Where's Katie?"

"Rhianna, it's Liam. You need to sit back down, you're very sick." Liam spoke soothingly, hoping to calm her.

Rhianna was combative. "No! I have to find Katie, Galen. She needs me! I have to find her!"

Liam looked at Nick and said very quietly, "Nick, stand behind her."

"Get out of my way! I have to find her! Galen?" Rhianna's voice had a heartbreaking, desperate quality to it.

"Yes, it's Galen. I'll help you find her. Where should we look?" Liam spoke earnestly, watching her closely.

"I have to get to the meadow…" Rhianna's voice faded.

Liam saw she was fading fast; getting close to collapsing.

"The…meadow…" Rhianna collapsed.

In one smooth motion, Nick scooped her up in his arms and carried her up the stairs to the room where Victoria was waiting. Liam followed and felt Rhianna's face. "She's burning up! Where's Kathleen?"

"Liam?!" Kathleen's frantic voice drifted upstairs.

Liam hurried to the top of the stairs. "Kathleen! Hurry!"

Kathleen ran upstairs and was terrified at how her sister looked. She knew exactly what needed to be done because, unfortunately, this was not the first time Rhianna had been gravely ill.

Kathleen took charge. "I need cool water and some privacy."

Heath and Dr. Merar had just arrived. The doctor commented, "I think that would be wise. I'll need help while I examine her."

The Barkleys and O'Briens waited at the foot of the staircase. For once, Nick was quiet; lost in thought. After a while, Dr. Merar came down the stairs. Father Liam looked at the physician and, though he already knew the answer, asked fearfully, "it's pneumonia, isn't it?"

"Yes and quite a serious case. She's gravely ill. Whoever took out the bullet in her shoulder did a remarkable job; couldn't have done much better myself."

Victoria spoke up, "What can we do for her, Howard?"

The doctor answered simply, "There's nothing to do. Try cooling her off with water to keep the fever down. Try and get her to drink so she doesn't get dehydrated. Keep her warm. Other than that, there's nothing to do but make her comfortable."

"She's going to die?" A very subdued Nick asked hollowly.

"I don't know, son." Doctor Merar looked at Nick with sympathy. "She's running a dangerously high fever. If the fever breaks, then I think she has a chance, otherwise…"

Hours later the subdued group was in the parlor each lost in their own thoughts. Audra was sitting with Rhianna so the others could take a much needed break. They all knew it would be a long night. Father Liam got up and started for the stairs. Kathleen, racked with guilt, challenged him. "You're going to give her the last rites aren't you?"

"Yes." Liam wasn't surprised at Kathleen's objection so he just looked at her and waited for her to continue.

"You're giving up on her. You'll make it easier for her to stop fighting! She'll die for sure."

Liam walked up to her and took her hands in his. "Kathleen, the last rites are a special blessing in time of grave illness. It is the gift of the Holy Spirit to renew faith in God. I'm not giving them because I'm sure she will die. I have given them to her before and she survived. Doesn't she deserve to be in the state of grace? Doesn't she deserve the peace that passes all understanding?"

Kathleen looked at her older brother and tearfully nodded her assent.

All through the night Rhianna was never alone. Everyone took turns sitting with her, but there were three who would not leave. Kathleen, who was racked by guilt of the harsh words they had exchanged before Rhianna left. Liam, who was praying that his sister would live. Nick, who didn't yet understand the bond he shared with this woman and couldn't bring himself to leave her side.

~Big Valley~

The next morning Nick came slowly down the stairs and appeared in the dining room for breakfast. It was a solemn, silent group who sat there. As everyone looked at him expectantly, he spoke wearily. "Her fever broke last night, thank God. She's finally sleeping peacefully. Mother, could you take some food up to Liam and Kathleen; they're exhausted."

Victoria went up to Nick and gave him a hug. "Of course I will. Sit down and eat." She looked sharply at her son, "I mean it, Nick! Heath, make sure your brother eats. Then, Nicholas, I want you to get some sleep!"

Nick looked at his mother and nodded. He sat down wearily and took the plate of food Heath gave him.