PART II – Scotty

May 1882

Chapter 5

The Lady Rancher

Nick Barkley glared down at the face about a foot below his. A smattering of freckles covered her it and the exposed arms as well. There was nothing about the stout young woman to recommend her as attractive. Quite the opposite in his opinion. She was wearing a pair of men's baggy trousers and a man's plaid, too-big shirt and a raggedy man's hat.

Her eyes were a bit too green. Her hair, what was peeking out from beneath the hat, was a brilliant red. Too red. But it was definitely not her looks that had him all riled up.

She was standing there, next to a lake on Barkley land, her hands on her hips, glaring up at him, defying him. And what galled more than anything, was the fact that in the back of his mind he knew that she was right and he was being unreasonable. But he wasn't about to admit it. Not yet anyway.

"Do ya want me to send one of my boys to get the deed and papers er not?" she drawled.

"You could have had them forged," he snapped back.

It had been a normal average day before he'd rode up on the small group herding cattle towards the watering hole, a watering hole that had water rights with Ned Buckheimer. He'd been out checking fences when he'd heard the lowing cattle and had gone to investigate finding five people herding them.

The one he'd assumed was in charge, a tall, broad shouldered man had directed him to this little woman. She had not said anything in angered tones, but she had infuriated him with her quiet stubbornness.

When he had informed her that this was Barkley land, she had told him that she knew. And had proceeded with a story that she had bought the neighboring ranch from Ned Buckheimer and he had signed over his water rights to her. Nick had discredited that immediately. Why would Ned have left without telling them he was leaving? And since when did he put his land up for market? It made no sense, yet the woman persisted.

"Then perhaps we could have a lawyer look over the papers?" she suggested finally. Hazel and green eyes had met and neither had blinked or moved until she finally broke the stare down with her words.

"All right," Nick replied triumphantly. "We can have my brother go over it."

"Your brother's a lawyer?" she asked interested.

"Yes," Nick frowned. She seemed pleased about it, which worried him. "Tomorrow at 1," he snapped, and marched off to his horse, picking up the reins and swinging himself on. If he stayed around much longer he would blow his top for sure. Something about that woman was infuriating.

Leah O'Leary had knocked on the front door of the Barkley home and it was answered with a friendly smile by Silas. "Good morning, Miz Leah."

"Good morning Silas," she greeted. "Where is everybody?"

"Theys out, Miz Leah, but I spect they'll be back soon. Mrs. Barkley and Miz Audra, they went to town to get some things."

"Then I guess I missed them. What about Nick and Heath?"

"They're out on the ranch someplace," he shrugged. "You go ahead and make yerself at home."

She nodded as she swung off her jacket. Silas had disappeared and she was now staring up at the staircase. It had fascinated her from the moment she'd first seen it and had lived in this house for several months. It hardly seemed to have been a year ago now, but it was.

A lot in her life had changed, she had a job now, working at a small, family owned restaurant in town as a waitress, and she rented her own room in town with her wages. But every so many days she would ride out to the Barkley ranch. She owed them a lot, she knew, since they had helped her get the job. She didn't know where she would be now if she'd stayed in Haven, or if they had not given her a way to go.

But even so, at eighteen, there was still a sliver of missing childhood in her. An element that didn't want to grow up. She had responsibilities, but would sliding down the banister just once take away from her meeting her obligations? No, she decided, it did not. But now was the question….should she? If she thought about it to long she would go running into the parlor and thrust the desire far away from her mind.

If she went now, though, she wouldn't have time to talk herself out of it. With that she tossed her jacket on the first stair and raced up stairs. Without hesitation to think on it too long she threw one leg over and grabbed hold of the polished wood with both hands. Then slowly, she released her grip and felt herself falling downward, backwards. She stifled the urge to scream or cry out in childish glee, "wheeeeeeeeeeee!"

At the bottom of the banister she threw out both legs to catch herself before falling and didn't quite manage to stifle a giggle. And it was immediately followed by a loud guffaw. Leah spun around in time to see Nick Barkley standing in the doorway, one hand on his hip, the other resting on the door, his hat in hand. She had felt the color and blood drain away from her face, but now, suddenly it rushed back in flaming hot.

It only made Nick laugh the harder. "Is this what you do when we're not at home?" he chuckled, regaining some composure, but still grinned broadly.

Leah straightened her skirts and tried to regain some of the dignity she had just lost. "It is not. I've never done that before in my life!" she could still feel her cheeks burning. "And Nick Barkley, you better not tell anyone either!" She waggled a finger at him, but it only made him start laughing again.

Throwing her hands up in frustration, she snatched up her jacket and marched into the parlor. Nick followed and poured himself a drink. "Do you want one?" he asked before replacing the stopper. She shook her head and he flopped down into one of the chairs.

"What's wrong, Nick?" she asked suddenly serious. His mood had changed.

He stared at her for a moment before raising his glass. "Leah, if you grow up to be a woman I'll never speak to you again."

Leah sighed. She'd long since given up on trying to convince any of them that she was a woman. Especially Heath. They were never going to see her as anything other than a little girl that needed their protection. And her little experiment on the stairs wasn't going to make Nick especially open to her comment. So instead she retorted, "I don't think I have any choice." To which Nick only swallowed the rest of his drink in one gulp.

Before she had time to discover what it was that had upset him, besides a woman, they heard the buggy drive up into the yard. "Well that must be your mother and Audra," Leah rose from her seat to look out. "And Jarrod too." She grinned happily.

In the past year she'd gotten to know all of the Barkleys rather well and continued to spend a lot of time on the ranch. It was like having a family, a family she'd never had and they accepted her as part of them. She'd been so used to prejudice in her life that it had been refreshing to find people who didn't judge her except by who she was and not what she was.

She was whisked off to Audra's room to examine their purchases and give her opinions of them, opinions she was usually rather hesitant to give since she felt that she had no sense of fashion. But Audra wanted to know anyway.

While they were still going through a few things she heard the clip-clop of a horse's hooves and straightened to look down at the barnyard below. "There's Heath," Leah tried to mask her excitement. She was rather frustrated with her relationship with Heath. In the past several months she'd noticed him distancing himself from her. And she felt a little hurt by it.

But, she'd finished going over things with Audra and it was time to go down to eat. She would ponder what she should do about Heath later. Today she just wanted to enjoy the company of the Barkley family.

Scotty Scott adjusted her hat as her boots clomped on the sidewalk. She had a leather case tucked under one arm and she slid her hand out from a leather backed glove and pushed back a stray strand of red hair. She knew she was getting a few stares from the passersby, but she didn't really care. People had been staring at her since the day she was born.

Not many people could accept a woman rancher and she understood that. She understood that a lot of people didn't like something or someone different. They didn't like change and different people represented too much of change. She didn't much care for change herself, but it happened and she had to accept it. She wasn't about to turn her nose up at people who brought change or were different.

She glanced up at the sign swinging in the soft spring breeze and sighed. Jarrod Barkley. Exactly the man she was looking for. She nodded to herself and opened the door. A well dressed young woman sat behind a desk and was writing with a steady hand. "Good afternoon," she said as Scotty closed the door behind her.

"Afternoon, ma'am. Ah'm here to see Mr. Barkley, please."

"Do you have an appointment?"

"Sorta. Ah'm supposed to meet with him and his brother. 'Bout my deed and water rights."

"Okay," the secretary hesitated. "I'll let him know you're here."

The woman disappeared and returned, followed by a tall, dark haired gentleman. Scotty almost chuckled aloud. It was hard to imagine the cowboy she'd met the day before being related to this well dressed and obviously professional man. She had to admit though, that they were both handsome young men.

"So you're the young woman who roused my little brother's ire?" he said laughingly.

She had noticed his discrete glance that took her in from head to toe, but she smiled. "Ah riled his ire?" she said in a jesting tone. "He rather riled my a little too."

"I'm sorry about that, Nick does have a temper."

"Don't we all?"

"I'm Jarrod Barkley."

"Scotty," she took the hand he offered towards her.

"Well Miss Scotty I suppose you want me to look over the papers?"

"It's just plain Scotty, Mr. Barkley, and we can wait on thet. Ah have a personal matter I want to talk over with ya."

"Personal matter?" he was intrigued. "Won't you come into my office and we'll discuss it."

"Thank ya," she nodded and stepped through the doorway. Taking the offered seat she took the small case and untied the cord she had used to keep it all together. She pulled out a piece of paper and turned her attention to Jarrod fully. "What ah need is someone, a professional who can direct me towards a rep-u-table college."

"College?" Jarrod questioned his brow furrowing in confusion. "For you?"

"Oh no," Scotty laughed. "Fer one of my boys. He's a right smart fellar too and ah think he deserves a chance to do something besides be a rancher. That's what my other boy wants to do, but Joel, he wants an edgy-cation." Jarrod eyed her suspiciously.

"Well I'm sure there are plenty of colleges that would be happy to take him," he said. "If he's as smart as you say and its money that's a problem I'm sure he can get a scholarship, but why do you need me?"

"Because Joel is black, Mr. Barkley," she said the words simply, straight to the point.

"I see," he opened up a drawer and pulled out some papers. He did not look at her for several moments and she was afraid he wouldn't help her, but he finally straightened and looked at her. "That may be a little more difficult, but not impossible," he nodded his head. "I've heard of a few schools back east that might take him. Has he taken any examinations?"

"Yes," she nodded. "Several. Ah wanted it to be official like, but it's been something that's bothered me for some time. Ah'd also written up this letter to send along with the scores when the time came," she handed him the paper she'd pulled out from her leather case.

He took it, a crumpled piece of once white paper. Jarrod hesitated. By the woman's grammar and manner of speaking he had to wonder if her letter would be a help to the boy, and if it was not how could he tactfully show her the mistakes?

Reading it, silently he noted the precise penmanship, and then the professional way in which it was written: "Dear sir, I have enclosed a lengthy resume as well as the publicly recorded test results of Mr. Joel Dobbs, a young man who has been under my care and tutelage since he was three years of age. He has been shown to have the aptitude for skills for continuing his education and would appreciate the opportunity to pursue a career…"

Jarrod glanced at her. "You wrote this?" he asked.

"Somethen wrong with h'it?" she leaned forward apprehensively. For the first time Jarrod noticed the almost too large green eyes that were set in the freckled face.

"No not at all," he shook his head. "If you don't mind my asking, where were you educated, M…Scotty?"

She stared at him a moment, her green eyes shining, but her face serious. "From the Nashville Library." Her face was still serious, as was her tone. After a moment she chuckled. "Well, I did. Partly anyway."

Jarrod chuckled. "Seriously though?"

"Ah learned to read on the family Bible, but when ah left the Tennessee mountains ah wanted to learn somethen. So I read books. That's how I know grammar and sech, ah just don't necessarily speak grammatically. Don't see any sense in it. How ah tawk is part of who ah am. And if people misjudge me just on that," she shrugged. "They judge my children just on the color of their skin."

"Your children?" Jarrod hesitated.

"Not really, they're all adopted, but they're still my children," she smiled fondly as she thought of them.

"How many do you have?"

"Six, if ya count the two that are married. Joel's my oldest now, then Ben and Nellie and Luke." The smile on her face reflected what any parent's would. Jarrod returned it. He knew certainly now that he liked this woman. And he made a decision about those water rights, regardless of the legal ramifications of Ned turning it over to her without consulting with them. It wasn't necessarily an illegal move, but just the same he would make sure that it was legalized. No matter what Nick thought of her.

(To be continued…)