Man of Justice

I do not own The Big Valley or any of the original Barkleys.

Chapter Eight

Nick had been pulled away from his storytelling by McCall, but soon returned to find Heath working around the barn. "What's up, you gonna finish the story, or do I need to go find Mother and Jarrod?" Heath asked, though didn't push the issue.

"Might as well," Nick answered as he leaned against the side of the barn, "I have nowhere else to go at the moment."

Heath figured his brother had no desire to be around their unexpected visitors or couldn't concentrate on any other task with the past memories invading his thoughts. More than likely it was both; so, he waited patiently for Nick to begin talking.

The wind had quit blowing and Jarrod felt the sun was now the wagon train's sole companion. The dark haired Widow Miller, who had been in the back of the wagon taking care of her youngest daughter, who was coming down ill, made her way up to the front and onto the seat of the wagon, next to where Jarrod sat with the reins in his hands. She had been shocked when she'd learned that she was to have help on the journey after all. When the widow had been told of Jacob's request, she was sure the Barkleys would say no. "Thank you for coming along. I really appreciate it. When my husband…" she hesitated then continued, "died, I thought I'd have to finish this trip with little or no help at all."

Jarrod felt bad for the young widow. "It's no problem ma'am. I can't understand why Mr. Michael had not been able to find someone to help you. After all, you are far from ugly…" Jarrod suddenly blushed, aware that he had voiced an opinion that was inappropriate for a boy his age to make to a full grown woman.

Widow Miller chuckled upon hearing Jarrod say she was far from ugly, and then grew silent. When she did talk, her eyes held a twinge of sadness in them. "There were plenty of men who would have come along to help, but I had no money to pay them, and Mr. Michael didn't either. His budget is tight as it is."

Jarrod was shocked and then, because his thoughts had turned to one other widow in the group, one he had helped when they stopped for lunch, he asked, "Widow Jackson didn't have any the money either, did she?" He looked at the woman beside him. She shook her head.

Jarrod was both confused and upset. Confused because the Widow Miller was just as capable as the Widow Jackson was and Jacob Michael hadn't complained about Mr. Michael had never once said Widow Jackson needed help… and upset because no one had been in a position to spare the amount of time needed to help her without pay. Where was the mercy these women needed? He was shocked to hear the thought "You are giving them that mercy; will you continue giving it to others as well" enter his head.

OOOO

McCall stood next to the barn watching as Nick threw a rock through the air. It missed a nearby tree by a mile. Due to his fear and concern for his older brother who had only been gone a week the lad was starting to act out. Just that morning, McCall had heard Victoria telling Tom that he had to do something when Nick had an unbelievable outburst over a simple mistake she'd made and, with another mouth on the way to feed, she didn't need to be dealing with his unruly and insolent behavior.. The foreman walked over to where Nick stood still looking angry and defiant.

"I wonder if you can help me." McCall smiled down at the lad before him. His smile was genuine and his tone pleasant. It threw Nick off as, when he saw their foreman heading his way, he'd figured he was about to receive a similar lecture as he'd gotten from his mother that morning; one very long lecture delivered after she's swatted his backside with a wooden spoon.

"How?" Nick barked, not caring if he sounded rude or not.

"I have some time off and want to go fishin' only thing is, I ain't got no one to go with, nor do I know where the good fishin' spots are." He wasn't surprised when Nick's eyes widened.

For a moment Nick didn't speak; he couldn't believe Duke McCall wanted him to be the one to go fishing with him. Surely some of the other ranch hands would go with him. "What's the catch? Did mother or father put you up to askin' me? 'Cause if they did, I ain't interested!" He put his fists on his hips and, once again, barked quite loudly. It only made McCall have to bite back a laugh; the boy looked so comical.

"No, they didn't. I'm asking you on my own." The man answered as he glanced at the house. "Of course, I reckon you need to go ask your parent's permission. Last thing I need them to think is you ran off on them." Again, he had to hold back a laugh as Nick practically tore up the dirt under his feet to get to the house. In a matter of minutes, Nick was back with a huge grin on his face.

Nick was talking quite fast as he told McCall, "Father said I can go with you anytime I want to, as long as I let mother know when I'm goin' so she doesn't get scared. I'll get my fishin' pole, do you need one?" He looked up at their foreman and asked.

"If you don't mind, maybe we can just share. Get your pole and then lead the way." McCall told him. Before long, the two were headed away from the barn and in the direction of a small creek that ran not a couple miles from the Barkley home.

Victoria watched the two leave from the living room window. She voiced her objection to her son going with McCall, due to the man's temperament and the influence he might have on their son. Her words had little effect on her husband. If fact, the only effect it had was to put a look of disbelief on her husband's face. "The man may be loud, obnoxious and hot tempered, Torie," Tom stood his ground as he addressed her concerns, "but I'd never would have made him foreman if he wasn't a good man. The men listen to him without fighting him, unless they are stupid and then they get fed the man's fists. Besides, Nick could do with a friend right now. Jarrod will be home in two weeks and then he and Nick will be back to working together on the ranch."

Victoria then turned to the window. She didn't like the uneasy feeling that came over her when she thought of her oldest son; all she wanted was Jarrod home where he belonged.