I do NOT own The Big Valley or any of the original Barkley characters. *If Audra doesn't say 'I hate you' as she flings herself into the corner of the doorway, after Lloyd has ran out of the room, blame You Tube again.

Blindsided

Chapter Four

The sky was dotted with black clouds that were growing uglier by the minute. Nick pushed Coco forward; he was doing all he could to make good use of the time he had to look for Audra, as were the men who were with him. He knew sooner or later a storm would hit. His mind went back to that fateful day when they realized that Lloyd Garner was in on the trouble that had hit the Stockton area.

"Well, what about it?"

"He's got the right speech. It could be him. And the horse out there looks like the same sorrel."

"You'll not be seeing our sister today, Garner." His hands were on the dirt bag named Lloyd. Nick was angry and wasn't about to hide it. "You're going to tell me…"

"Nick what are you doing?" Audra had burst into the room. Lloyd had escaped only to be shot down later.

Nick sat on a rock, away from the rest of the search party, his hat beside him. They'd taken a break long enough to eat the sandwiches Silas had made for the men. He couldn't let the other men see the few tears that managed to escape down his cheeks.

"Let him go!" Audra glared at him. "I hate you!" The words had cut into his very being as she flung herself into the corner of the doorway after Garner had fled.

"I'm sorry, Audra," Nick whispered as he made sure his eyes were free of tears, "please, be okay. I've got to tell you how sorry I am." He threw his hat back on and mounted Coco. "Lunch is over," he bellowed, "let's get back to searching!" While some of the men weren't quite finished, they didn't say so. If it was their sister, they'd be chomping at the bits just as bad as Nick was.

Jarrod and Heath weren't having any better luck than Nick and his men. By the time five o'clock rolled around, their two groups had met near the Barkley house and were talking as they waited for Nick and his group.

"If she's not with Nick when he gets here," Jarrod spoke slowly, his heart heavy, "we'll have to go back out after supper. There's still plenty of daylight left and places to look." His own mind rested on the look Audra had shot them the day she'd run out of the study upon hearing Lloyd had been the one to kill Coleman. "We should have found a way to make sure Audra was delayed coming to the study, and then told her later." His head told him it was useless to think such things; his heart wasn't listening to his head though.

Heath too was fighting his own inward battles. "I should have spoke up, made her see that Nick was telling her the truth. Oh, Audra, where did you go? Have you been hurt so bad you can't forgive us? Can't you see we were only doing what we had to, to protect you?" When they heard Nick and the others coming, they searched the group desperately hoping to see Audra. Their hearts sank as they could plainly see the search was not yet over.

While her brothers looked for her, Audra found herself and Brigham both riding Ladino with his partner riding along side them. Brigham's horse had taken a fall and while Mr. McCallister wound up with only bruises, his horse had broken a leg. A part of her told her to make a break for it as his horse fell, another part couldn't turn her back on someone who was hurt, but most of her remembered his threat against her family.

Brigham had to admit, as Audra helped him up, he was shocked she had not ridden away as fast as she could. True, it wouldn't have made a difference, Jack would have gone after her and he was a fast rider. Still, he'd felt for sure the young woman would have left him to fate and done her best to run away. He'd looked at the young woman who had quickly turned around after helping him up. "Thank you." He'd then shot his horse, mounted hers and helped her up.

As far as Jack Kilgore went, Audra's actions only cemented in what Brigham had told him before; she was with his partner. With that idea firmly secured in his mind, Jack gave up any idea he had of getting her for his own someday, most of the idea anyway. "Guess we'll have to get another horse as soon as possible," Jack spoke up as they rode the horses as hard as they dared.

Brigham had to roll his eyes. He couldn't believe some of the stupid observations some people made. "No," he answered, "Miss Audra and I are going to be sharing the same horse all the way into Nevada!" He did not even attempt to keep the sarcasm out of his voice. Audra found herself having to bite her lip; she had to or bust up laughing at the expression that came onto Mr. Kilgore's face.

Jack kicked himself. After all the years since he'd partnered up with Brigham, he should have known better to say such a thing and not expect a reply like that one to pop up. "We best find a place to camp." Jack looked up at the sky. The ugly clouds were now gathering together, as if they were an army planning an attack on unsuspecting prey. "I don't think that rain will hold off much longer." Brigham agreed, but he didn't have to start looking; he already knew where to go.

"Follow me!" Brigham pushed ahead of Jack and headed up yet another trail. He remembered the trail for he'd used it more than once over the years. By the time they reached the run down cabin, the rain was doing what it could to give the three travelers a bath.

"There's a small barn around back," Brigham yelled above the rain as Audra and he dismounted, "take the horses back there and hide them inside!" He handed the reins to Jack, took Audra by the upper arm and led her into the cabin. Once inside, Audra tried to get out of the man's hold but found his hand was like steel. She was shocked however, to find no cruelness in his grip.

Brigham kept his grip tight and led her to one of one of the rooms. Only when they were inside did he let go and shut the door. She hurried to get to the other side of the room; he did not make the slightest move towards her. "Why didn't you make a break for it when my horse fell?"

"If you can't figure that one out, then you're not very bright!" Audra spat out and turned her back to him. Brigham shook his head and chuckled as he made his way to the other side of the room, though he kept his distance from the young woman.

"I'm bright enough." Brigham put his arm up on the wall and leaned against the window, watching the rain fall. "You can have the bed; I'll take the floor."

Audra's eyes widened. He was going to be sleeping in the same room as her? She felt her heart skip a beat. Brigham's eyebrows rose as he said, almost in disbelief, "If you had taken the time to notice, there are only three doors to this place. One is the front door; the other two doors lead to the bedrooms. If I share a room with Jack, what do you think he's going to think?"

"I'm sleeping with my crop!" Audra plopped down on the bed and glared at him.

He only smiled as he walked out and came back with two separate blankets. He handed her one and lay down on the floor. Audra couldn't help but notice he slept in front of the door. Was that to make sure she didn't get out or to make sure his partner didn't come in? She didn't know, but she lay down on top of the bed and did her best to relax. Unfortunately, it took hours for sleep to come.