Man of Justice

I do not own The Big Valley nor any of the original Barkleys.

Chapter Four

Heath stretched his legs as Nick fell into a moment of silence. They'd been sitting next to the corral for some time. "Want ta move into the shade?" Heath asked, figuring they might as well be shaded from the sun when Nick continued with the story. Nick's only answer was to literally stand up and move to a crate that set under the awning that was attached to the tool shed; Heath followed him. Once both were seated, Nick resumed the story.

"Hey, Jarrod!" Ten year old Nick ran into the barn and over to where Jarrod was working on a horseshoe. His father's horse needed one, and the young boy had offered to do the job himself. Like his father, he seemed to have a knack of doing quite a number of things.

"What is it?" Jarrod continued working as he asked the question. He wanted to have the job done before his father got home from town. After all, he'd heard his parent say the man was bringing visitors home. He didn't want to have company show up and him out still working on a blasted horseshoe.

"I had another dream last night. How do I keep them away, the dreams that is?" the younger boy planted himself on top of a nearby bale of hay. Truth was, the boy wanted reassurance that his dream, the one of working the ranch with his brother, would indeed come to pass. After all, Jarrod and he had talked about it on numerous occasions. Every time Nick thought of that dream being destroyed, for whatever reason, he got a sick feeling deep down inside of him.

Jarrod shook his head. What was going on with his brother? What was happening to the secure, confident, patience brother he knew? "Look, Nicolas," Jarrod stopped pounding the sledge hammer against the horseshoe for a second, "I told you before to stop bein' so all fired nervous about the round up. I've been on a few of them, now it's your turn to join in. Don't let first time jitters get in your way!" He started pounding the horseshoe again.

Nick was beginning to disagree, but he didn't want to fight his older brother either. He stood up and practically ran up the ladder that led to the loft. There he lay on the hay turning the current dream over in his head. Like all the others he and Jarrod were together, they were working side by side and then all of a sudden he was gone, and he was gone for a long time. When he came back, he was still Jarrod, but not the Jarrod he knew now.

"Hey, Jarrod!" Nick, who had made his way to the edge of the loft, lay on his stomach, his head on his hands, looking down to where his brother was just finishing working.

Jarrod bit his tongue and counted to ten. Was someone trying to teach him patience? He turned around and looked up at his little brother, asking as he did so, "What is it now?"

"Mother says we're getting' company. Do you know who it is, think mother will be baking a pie before they get here?" Nick loved it when they had company for company meant such treats as the pie he'd just asked about. His mother always baked one when they knew they had visitors coming only question was…what would she cook?

Jarrod again counted to ten. He knew it was normal to for a child to ask questions, but Nick was going to drive him crazy with all of his. "You'd have to ask her; I hope so." He turned around and hit the horseshoe one more time. Finally, he was done. He took the horseshoe and laid it on a nearby table to cool down.

"Jarrod," Nick's voice came a third time.

Tired from working on the horseshoe and tired of his brother's constant questions, Jarrod whirled around and barked, "What is it now?"

Nick was taken aback. His older brother had never sounded like that with him. He kept back the tears that wanted to come; he was far too old to be cryin' like his baby sister in the house did. He might have succeeded in his efforts, but Jarrod still saw the hurt in Nick's eyes.

"I'm sorry, Nick. I'm just tired. What is it?" Jarrod took a step towards the loft only to have Nick pull back.

"Never mind; you're busy." Nick's head disappeared.

Feeling he had no choice, Jarrod put down the sledge hammer and headed for the ladder. He had needed a break anyway, and their company hadn't arrived yet. The least he could do was make things right with his brother. Before long, Jarrod was sitting next to Nick in the loft. He laid his arm across the back of Nick's shoulders and asked again, "What is it?"

"I don't want to lose you." Nick's loud voice was as quiet as a church mouse. It sent chills down Jarrod's back.

"You're not going to lose me; I'm your brother."

While the boys talked in the barn, Tom and Victoria were talking about a second letter they'd received from their friends. Delayed by unforeseen circumstances, Mr. Michael had written a longer, more detailed, letter to the Barkleys. Victoria was now in shock over its contents.

"He must be out of his mind!" Victoria wasn't trying to keep her voice low; she was that upset. "I know his boy always helped him in the past, and I am sorry the lad died last year! However," she put her hands on her hips, "Why ask us to allow Jarrod to help him on that journey? Aren't there other able bodied, and older, men available?"

Tom was torn inside. He knew Victoria had a valid point. Still, Jacob must not be having any luck in finding a man to consent to help him if he had to ask for Jarrod's help. He walked over to the window and looked out; his boys were just coming out of the barn. "He's almost fourteen, Torie. He might want the experience. It's not like we'd be sending him off to fight in some war. All he'd be doing is helping with the horses, needed repairs in camp and, if necessary, maybe a bit of hunting. Jacob assures me that he only needs Jarrod's help to Redding and then he'll put him on a stagecoach back to Stockton. He'll be home just before we're ready to head out for the round up."

Victoria didn't like it. There had to be another way. "When are they supposed to be here?" she kept a steady gaze upon her husband.

Tom looked back to the letter in his hands, read it again and said, "They should be here within the next couple of days." They might have continued talking but Nick opened the door and he, along with Jarrod, walked in. That being the case, Victoria only shot Tom a look that said "We will talk about this…later!"