I do NOT own The Big Valley or any of the original Barkley characters. Thanks to my Beta Reader, though all mistakes are my own.

Blindsided

Chapter Twelve

The morning air was cool and refreshing as it floated through the open window of the one bedroom home Audra found herself living in. It was actually quite nice. When she'd first entered the home through the front door, she found herself standing in the front room. There was a couch that sat up against the north wall with a small table in front of it, a couple of chairs sat against the south one and a fireplace was set off to her left. The kitchen could be seen through an entranceway that stood next to the couch.

"Ouch!" Audra, who had been cooking, actually gave herself a small burn on the side of her hand.

"If I'm to have burnt offerin's for breakfast," Brigham said as he walked out of the huge bedroom they had no choice but to share. Thank goodness it was big enough for two separate beds; Audra hated the idea of anyone having to continue sleeping on the floor. He walked up to her and took the cooking utensils from her hand. "I'd rather not have it be yer hand." His eyes were sparkling as he nodded towards the sink. "Go take care of it. The tiniest injuries can cause the most problems, if they're not taken care of."

Audra hesitated only a moment, and then she did as he'd directed her. As she tended to the small burn, Audra watched Brigham. She was amazed to see him acting as if he'd been cooking his whole life. Then again, he wasn't married and, from the way he and the other men talked, had done a lot of traveling. She realized her assumption that he just got someone to cook for him was way off. It made her want to know what else she was wrong about.

"I can take back over." Audra, after taking care of her hand, walked back over to the oven. "Despite what it looks like, I haven't forgotten how to cook."

Brigham couldn't help it; he laughed. When he got a hold of his breath, he shocked her with his next words. "I know you can cook great, I've been eating yer food for a couple of months now, remember? "

Audra found herself blushing. No one had ever called her cooking great before. Good, yes; well, as long as she wasn't trying to do any sort of dessert, and then she had to watch out for the smart remarks that came her way. Brigham, uncomfortable with the fact he'd made her blush yet again, turned his attention to broken cabinet door. "Guess that clerk wasn't lying when he said we got the house cheaper than usual because of the work it needs done. I guess I'll be kept busy enough." He looked over at Audra and sighed, "I don't suppose you have any hobbies that will be able to occupy yer time?"

Audra thought for a moment. Most of her time had been spent teaching Bible courses at the church and charitable work. "It's not too late to put a garden in; I could give it a try. I helped some of the women I know quilt a few times. I suppose, if we can get the material, I could try one on my own," she said as she put the food on the table.

Brigham sat down at the table and shocked Audra on insisting on blessing the food. "Just because I've had just cause to keep my prayers in my head," Brigham answered the questioning look in her eyes, "doesn't mean I don't say them. There's no reason not to say them out loud here, is there?" He raised his eyebrows.

"No," Audra answered as she, once again, found herself trying to figure the man before her out, "no, there isn't."

As they ate, neither one spoke. Audra didn't know what to say and Brigham was struggling to find the words he knew he needed to say; after all, a promise was a promise. Once the meal was over and the table cleared, he nodded towards the living room. "We can talk in there." He headed for the chair that set next to the fireplace; Audra found her way to the couch.

Again silence reined throughout the house; that is, until Brigham found his voice. "First off, I am sorry for threatening to send someone to visit your family in order to ensure you wouldn't take off. At the time, I thought it was necessary, told myself it was the only way to make sure you didn't run off. The thing is, I'm not an outlaw, nor am I a vigilante." He shocked Audra when he looked straight at her and said the words. How had he known what she was thinking? Okay, the outlaw bit was easy enough, but vigilante?

"But you wear no badge. What are you? A Pinkerton?" she asked, more puzzled than ever.

Brigham looked into the empty fireplace. Audra's heart skipped a beat; was he going to actually admit to working for the Pinkertons?

"No," he answered as he turned his face away from the fireplace and onto Audra, "that is, I'm not regularly on the Pinkertons payroll. For the most part, I'm an independent private investigator, bounty hunter and a number of other things, as are some of the men, some are even regular Pinkertons. A while back a couple of Pinkerton agents overheard plans being made to get guns to the Bannock Indians, to aid them in a war they wished to wage against the white man. The agents also heard a number of other things. It would take too long to explain everything they heard, but the bottom line is this." Brigham looked out the window. "There are, let's say, more than one wanted man helping the other side. Men like me, regular Pinkertons and some lawmen who've gone undercover, have been working on rounding up all the players and getting them together in Reno."

Brigham wasn't surprised to see the shock that was on Audra's face as she had to pick up her lower jaw; he'd expected as much. After giving her time to digest what he'd said, Brigham asked, "Want me to continue?"

Audra nodded. "Or course." She wanted to hear everything he was willing to tell her.

Brigham sat back and continued. "There are men spread out in various towns, contacts as we say. Those contacts send whatever information they get to whoever has been put in charge of them. Me. Jack and a couple of men were asked to convince some of the wanted men we were on their side and told to lead them to Reno where the other two groups are being taken. There are men looking for the guns also. Needless to say, I wasn't exactly on anyone's 'best' list when they found out I had my gal with me, but they put up with it for my sake. If they had known I never laid eyes on you before that day I stepped out and grabbed the reins out of your hands? There would have been massive trouble. Doing two jobs at once? That's not exactly acceptable. Like I said before, after making sure those other two men wouldn't get to you, I panicked thinking you'd hear things. I thought you'd blow our cover hence the reason for the threat; it was extremely stupid on my part. I've done a few stupid things in my life, but that has to earn me the…well, let's say it's earned me a few things. Like I just said, I am sorry."

She believed him when he offered his apology; still, she wondered aloud. "You let Jack believe we were together; I thought you were partners,"

Brigham sighed. "I had to. Jack's a good enough man and, yes, he has enough influence that the men listen to him, but," he said as rubbed his chin, "his one downfall is a pretty face. He can't have one around, one that he thinks is available, and still do his job correctly. Quite frankly, I originally took him on as a partner because one, he's my cousin and two, I could keep an eye on him after he darn near got us both killed one time. Now? I'm surprised he's been able to stay in this line of business. As it is, he knows after this job is over he's back on his own. As it is, if all turns out well, one Indian war will be stopped before it's started and all those men will either be dead or in prison."

Audra took everything he'd said in, stood up and walked over. He wasn't surprised when her hand flew up and across his face. "You should have told me up front."

"Yes, I should have." What else was he supposed to say.

After sitting back down, Audra again thought on everything, meaning everything in her past and present. She started laughing. Brigham could see nothing funny about what he's said.

"Do you mind letting me in on the joke?" Brigham rubbed his cheek as he gave her a look that said, "HUH? I understand and deserve the slap, but the laughter? WHAT is that all about?"

"I'm sorry," Audra answered as she caught her breath and sat back down, "but I can't help it. In the past, I kept meeting men that seem to be good, I mean real good, decent men, and they keep turning out to be bad. Not all of them, mind you, just a lot of them. Now, I go from thinking I've been being held by outlaws, and then vigilantes, and you, even if you did panic and do something extremely stupid, turn out to be on the good side? It's just too ironic!" She started laughing.

Brigham started laughing too. "I'd say so, princess."

Audra rolled her eyes as she got enough control to point her finger at him and say, "You've got to find a more acceptable nickname for me. I may like being treated like a princess, but I don't like being called one."

"Yes, ma'am." Brigham grinned as he stood up and went outside.