I do NOT own The Big Valley or any of the original Barkley characters.

*On the last chapter, my niece did not realize I was still signed into my account and got on to read stories...she accidently left a review under MY name. The review was NOT from me...but I don't want to delete and repost either.

Blindsided

Chapter Six

Thank goodness the heat of the day was counteracted by a gentle breeze that blew through the air. Victoria sat on her horse looking down upon Tom's grave. It had become painfully clear to everyone that Audra was no longer in the area, "if she was alive". That part, people saying Audra may very well be dead, infuriated Victoria.

"She's not dead, Tom. I can feel it, but we can't find her either. I wish you were here; you always had a way of knowing where our little girl was. Okay," Victoria tilted her head slightly and smiled just somewhat, "she's not so little anymore."

When she heard a couple of horses approaching, Victoria turned her head; it was Nick and Heath.

"Thought we might find you here," Nick said as he pulled up alongside his mother. "We'll find her, Mother, somehow we'll find her." The fact that he was still holding himself responsible for Audra's disappearance could be seen in his eyes. How she wished he'd stopped it; they, the family, had told him more than once it wasn't his fault.

"I know," Victoria answered as she turned her horse away from her husband's grave, "we'd best get going. The others will be waiting." The others Victoria referred to were Fred and the men who were still searching for Audra.

While his brothers, mother and others were searching the area for Audra, Jarrod felt like he was climbing the wall of the train car he sat in. He'd had no choice but to momentarily drop out of the search for his missing sister. Some pressing legal matters had made it necessary for him to take a trip San Francisco. He tried to concentrate on the file in his hands, but his mind kept going to Audra. When the two men seated across the aisle started talking, though, Jarrod's attention was temporally distracted.

"I tell you there's going to be trouble in Nevada." The heavier set of the two was talking; his hand was doubled up as he lifted it up and brought it down upon his leg. "Rumor has it the Bannock Indians are getting restless. Rumor also has it to that there are men among us planning on getting them Injuns more weapons, more than what they've already gotten!"

"Oh come on," the other fellow, a rather scrawny looking man with little hair, protested, "you don't believe all that rubbish, do you? I've lived in Nevada for a number of years, and trouble with the Indians in that area are over with, I tell you!"

Indian trouble, Jarrod couldn't help it, he gave a slight sigh as he looked out the window. Indian trouble sounded like something he could live with. This not knowing where his sister was, and what may be happening to her, was more than he wanted to deal with. He held onto the hope she'd be found by the time he got home.

The idea of being able to go home was something that slipping farther and farther away from Audra as Brigham took her arm, held onto it while she dismounted Ladino and then dismounted himself. Time and time again she'd thought of making a break for it only to look at Jack and one, remember the look he'd given her the first time she'd laid eyes on him and two, to look at Brigham and remember his threat to send someone to visit her family. Visit, right!

"We'll camp here tonight." Brigham looked around and found a suitable spot to lay the bedrolls. "We'll be in Sonora tomorrow. Jack," he said as he turned and looked at his partner, "why don't you go get some wood."

Normally, such an order from even Brigham would have set Jack off, but since he figured it was just a way for his partner to be alone with his gal, Jack smiled back. "Yes, sir."

Audra recoiled inside at the look that came into Jack's eyes before he turned and left. "I will never do anything to dishonor you that much I can promise" Brigham's words sounded in her ears. If he meant to keep that promise, why had he sent Mr. Kilgore to get the wood instead of her? Surely he could see she wasn't going to attempt to escape.

Audra stiffened when Brigham took a hold of her upper arms. He spoke low, to ensure only she would hear. "I told you before, well, in so many words, I'd never be using you in 'that way'." His eyes were again like steel. "I also told you people have to be convinced you're my gal. It's the only way I have of protecting you for now." Before she knew it, he was kissing her. She would have pulled away and slapped him, but she heard Mr. Kilgore's footsteps. How could he be back so soon? For that reason alone, Mr. Kilgore's footsteps, Audra wrapped her arms around Brigham.

Jack saw the two kissing, chastised himself for any remaining doubts he had concerning the two, and disappeared back into the dark to gather more wood. Once his footsteps had faded away, Brigham let go and stepped back. "I knew he'd do that. Always does when he lets doubt get into his head and I could see the doubts in his eyes. If you want to hit me now, princess, I won't stop you."

Audra looked into his eyes and was shocked and stunned to see the sincerity in them. She realized just how serious he was. He was definitely confusing her. It was the confusion, not the actual act of him kissing her, along with his flat out refusal to stop calling her "princess' that allowed her hand to fly up and slap him across the face.

Brigham grinned and rubbed his cheek. "Remind me never to get you really mad," he said as he began spreading out the bedrolls.

*The Bannock War didn't actually break out until 1878 and th Bannocks were actually in southern eastern Idaho. .

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