Chapter Fourteen

"Two weeks! What in blazes?" and then he immediately regretted his outburst, "Maybe Jarrod's injuries are worse than Tessa telegrammed." as Nick read the message from several days before.

"But she wouldn't lie? What took Heath so 'ever loving long to get to Tucson? That boy could ride like the wind."

"Maybe there was bad weather," as he stuffed the telegram in his pocket.

He had received one telegram from Tess about Jarrod's injury. It hadn't seemed serious, "Now two weeks more?"

Heath had simply messaged he was in Tucson and the bank drafts were in place. "One week past his arrival date, too."

"I guess I am getting my due after San Diego."

He clicked his spurs on the post and struck a match on his boot. Mother and Nellie were in Elaine Jason's store with the twins.

The new little schoolteacher from Laramie passed him on the boardwalk.

"Morning Miss Sally."

"Morning Nick."

They visited about the twins starting school in a few weeks,

"You will have to talk to Nelle but she's always kept them up on lessons as best she could. They were too far out in San Diego to go to school. We will do whatever we need to catch them up. Probably will need some extra reading and for sure some geography. I have gone over the ciphering and they both can do it in their heads. Both of them are smart as whips."

"It won't be a problem at all, Mr Barkley."

Nick was pleased to have had the opportunity to talk to the teacher ahead of time. Nellie had worried about the twins being behind despite her best efforts. Her limited reading ability made her adamant that her children have a good education. But she had no access to geography or history or the sciences. She made sure they spoke Spanish fluently and could read whatever primers she could borrow. After Walter became a recluse with his strokes, she had no money or transportation to do much else. He was excited to relieve her fears with Sally's plan.

"I will be glad to get them caught up. It was pretty routine in Wyoming. Many, many children lived too far away from a school building. They were such well-mannered and pleasant children when I met them at the wedding."

Nick beamed at the compliment, "Nellie has done a good job raising the twins. She had older stepchildren too and they are just as well brought up."

Miss Sally gave him a knowing smile, "You seem to be pretty proud of your bride if I am not too forward, saying that."

"Not too forward at all. Marriage suits me quite well."

"My parents were married forty years and they died within a few hours of each other. I like to think they wanted if that way."

"I am sorry."

"Don't be. My brother has their ranch now and I wanted a change of scenery. I enjoy Stockton very much. Everyone, especially your family has welcomed me with open arms."

Nick thought of Heath and the young schoolmarm dancing most of the night at his wedding. His desire to see everyone as happily settled as he was—-welled up.

"Heath is in Tucson on a horse buying trip."

"I heard." and her countenance fell a bit.

"Dern the boy didn't say goodbye or see her after the wedding."

"Well, after all the family gets back, we would love to have you out for dinner."

"I would love that." and she perked up.

One of the Jackson brothers walked by and tipped his hat at Sally. She demurely smiled back.

"That brother of mine better get in the saddle i'ffn he wants this filly. She won't stay on the market long."

Nick continued on his path.

His mind went to the horses he had sent Heath to acquire if possible, "The twins' first horses, mare for Nellie, and any new breeding stallion for their herd. Jarrod and I offered Heath a stake in those Isabella horses he had been pining after for the past three years. It was a costly venture, no doubt but worth every penny if Barkley farms could start their own breeding stock in California."

"But Heath is Barkley stubborn. Gotta put it up himself. Jarrod says Heath ain't touched a penny in the bank for three years. Not a drop. Just keeps a wage, an allowance in his bureau drawer. Boy won't spend hardly an ounce of money on himself. Jarrod says it's cause he was so poor in Strawberry. Mother and Audra keep him in blue shirts and work pants. Boy, ain't got the Barkley style that I have."

He laughed thinking to tease Heath about his repetitive sense of colors.

"Shore would be glad to see a drover car of horses in a few weeks."

He walked over to the barbershop for a quick trim and he noticed a calendar on the wall. It was similar to one he had seen on the washstand from San Diego. He had forgotten to ask Nellie about the "seven" circled each month.

"Go on and do a shave too." and he leaned back in the chair. A smile spread across his face.

"Nick? Would you like me to shave you? Nellie asked a day or two into their honeymoon at the lodge. He had been rubbing the stubble that came up on his chin. She warmed up the water and the cream. She slowly pulled the razor back and forth—-intermittent with languorous kisses. She nibbled on his ear as she dried off his face. Nellie never realized how quickly Nick could move. He pounced on her and they rolled onto the rug in a frenzy they had never experienced.

All their intimacy of the past couple of days had left them in a haze of day and night. Their first night as a married couple had been spent quietly at the ranch; Nick and she had coupled gently and with restraint in his bedroom. They reveled in sleeping in each other's arms—-all night for the first time. As soon as they left for the lodge at daybreak, their real honeymoon began. Halfway there they stopped at a creek for the horses and water. He pulled her into his lap and she responded with a passionate kiss. An hour later they got onto the road again.

"Nick! Quit your fool smiling. I am going to cut ya with this straight edge."

—-&—-

Peter Doolin had avoided Nick Barkley by choice and good sense. He ducked back into the bank lobby as he sauntered out of the telegraph office. He had been headed there himself. He saw the telegram fall from his shirt pocket as he pulled out a cigar.

"So careless Nick? I will just pick that up for you and keep it safe. In my files."

He had already added Eugenie's missive to her cousin in Modesto as well as several other tidbits he had found out about the Barkleys.

"The adoption is being finalized in the territory. Suspicious, Jarrod. Very shady. The maid overheard that the kid may not even be his wife. I am doubting that. Kid is spitting the image of the Knight Ferry lady. Heath gone to Tucson and delayed? There is a story there. I just know it."