A/N A few of Jarrod's words at the end of the chapter are ones I've taken from Victoria off Palms of Glory…only I twisted them to fit Jarrod instead of his mother and put them into his, Jarrod's, own little speech to Heath.
Chapter Seventeen
"How could you?" Victoria's voice was louder than Nick's, while the anger in her eyes spilled out in bucketfuls. She'd learned where her middle son had been too late. "I told you what happened! I told you what your father confessed! My word, Nick! You're father might have been a good man; however, he was still human! He did wrong and was sorry for it!" Victoria hadn't been so upset in a long time. Heath and his children belonged here with them, not alone somewhere else. "Just before I found out what happened, I sent word to Heath I wanted to see him. He wasn't home, but I was going to send for him again. I wanted to discuss the matter myself! Now I wonder if he'll even listen!"
Nick stood, head slightly down, as his mother laid into him some more. His mother wasn't telling him anything he didn't know, only he'd been so angry, wanted so badly to have proof his mother was mistaken about his father; siring a child outside his marriage.
Jarrod, who had wound up staying home when he received notice the business he had in San Francisco had been postponed, stood next to the window and remained silent. He was looking through the glass and saw Heath off in the distance riding towards the main house. Since Mr. Thomson was riding his horse hard, Jarrod grew alarmed. He stepped away just as his mother was telling Nick that he needed to find a way to mend 'that bridge' before Heath took his children and left.
"I think the matter might have to wait." Jarrod startled both his mother and hot headed brother as he practically ran to the front door. "Heath is heading this way and he looks like he's been pushing his horse over hot coals."
Nick frowned and followed his brother outside, as did Victoria. By the time the three got within five feet of the fence, Heath was flying off his horse and standing in front of Jarrod. It passed no one that he wouldn't even look at Nick.
"What's wrong?" Jarrod asked concerned with the urgent look that was upon Heath's face. Nick and Victoria shared Jarrod's concern.
"Where's Audra?" Heath replied, not surprised to see the shock that came upon the lawyer's face.
"Why?" Nick barked without meaning too. He wasn't surprised when Heath continued to look at Jarrod, though he did answer Nick's question.
"She's still in danger." Heath answered.
"She's upstairs." Victoria answered; relieved her daughter had not gone to the orphanage as she usually did on Tuesdays. "What is going on?" The tone in her voice was just sharp enough to tell Heath he'd best not drag his feet in answering.
Heath explained where'd he been and what he'd heard. "Lyman was serious. He means to sell Audra down in Mexico. He can do it too. Unlike his brother, that man has more contacts that a man can shake his fist at and has more than once source from which he gets cash flow. Rumor has it he'll do anything to 'climb the ladder'." He added as he finished talking. "I would have had it out with him, but he was out of sight before I got out of the saloon. Going to the sheriff would have been useless too. I mean, it would be their word against mine."
"Lyman Stoddard," Jarrod and Nick both said the names at the same time, "We should have known that man was involved somehow." Heath was right; that man did have more than one source of cash flow, and both men suspected a good portion of that money had been obtained illegally.
Nick then stiffened as he remembered everything he'd ever seen when it came to the Stoddard's, along with everything he'd heard them say. He might have issues with his late father; however, Nick didn't want to see Heath or any of his children hurt by those men. "If they saw you, if they realized you're warning us…." He paused not knowing if Heath would take his words as an insult to his intelligence. He needn't have worried.
For the first time since riding up to the ranch, Heath turned to look at Nick. The same steel like appearance was in his eyes that Nick had seen earlier. Nick winced, but not so much that anyone really noticed. "You don't need to worry about my hide, brother," Heath spat the word brother off in a tone of sarcasm, not realizing just how much it really hurt Nick or the others. "As far as my children go," Heath paused as he hated what he'd had to do, hated not actually being with his children. In that moment, he also caught sight of genuine pain shoot through Nick's eyes. It was the first time Heath realized Nick was genuinely concerned about Leah and Bryon. It threw Heath off, but only for a second and he continued talking, "Mrs. Stokes has taken them with her and no," he said as he saw shock spread over the Barkley's faces, "they're not going back to Modesto. I have no doubt those men would go to Modesto to hurt them to get back at me for standing by you. And," he looked at Nick with a slightly softened glare, "It doesn't matter where I had Mrs. Stokes take them. Now," Heath looked back a Jarrod, "I don't know what they plan on doing to damage any part of this land, but I do know Lyman is determined to get Audra, one way or the other."
Out of the corner of his eye, Nick could see his mother, who had turned her back to Heath in order to go to her daughter, sending him a message with her eyes. "Make this right or else!" Nick didn't know if he could or not, but for the sake of his mother and two four and half year children-especially Leah, he decided to give it his best shot.
Heath started to leave only to find Nick asking him and Jarrod to stay. A portion of Heath wanted nothing more to do with Nick, the other part told him to listen, if for no other reason than for the sake of his daughter, who had begged him to make sure Nick was okay, though he wondered why Jarrod had been asked to remain where he was. Unless, Heath had to chuckle quietly to himself, it was so the two of them would have a referee if needed.
"What is it?" Heath asked as he folded his arms, his face expressionless.
Nick felt more than a little bit more than awkward. He might have backed out of having this talk with Mr. Thomson only how could he? His mother was already boiling mad at him, and he kept seeing Leah standing in the barn crying, tears rolling down her cheeks. "About what I said earlier, what happened…." Nick shifted his weight and put his hands on his hips, still feeling defensive. "Look, I know my father was human. Yes, he made mistakes…it's just that…" Nick scowled and then snapped, "You never said a word when we met you, never said a word when we hired you, and you've never showed us any proof! If you're Tom Barkley's son, why stay silent?"
For a moment, Heath said nothing. How could he? Nick had brought up some very valid points. Finally, he unfolded his arms and relaxed just a little. "Because, up to a few weeks ago I didn't know who my father was." Heath answered. "However, I knew showing anyone the proof I had found and fighting for my rightful name meant a fight and that a fight would mean…" he stopped as he also remembered Leah.
Nick didn't wait for Heath to finish his sentence; he didn't have to. He already knew what the blond haired cowboy was going to say. "A fight meant exposing the children to the fight." He felt an inch high as he finished. He should have known the children's well being were at the core of this man's silence. The conversation might have continued, only Nick saw his mother out of the corner of his eye, his sister was by her side. "Mother wanted to talk to you, and I think we have the right to see the proof you say you found." Nick said as he turned and hurried over to his mother and sister.
Jarrod, who had said nothing during the conversation, now spoke up. His voice had a tone in it that reminded Heath of the times Gideon Stokes had spoken to him on serious matters. "He was an imperfect man my father and, in so many ways that could hurt. But, he never destroyed; he built where he could. He did his best to teach me, to teach all his children courage, pride and leadership." Jarrod paused, looked even closer at Heath and said, "If you have the proof you say you do, if you do indeed have my father's blood running through your veins, I'd think twice about leavin'. Any son of my father's is entitled to his name and the support of this family, even if it means fighting everyone around him to acknowledge that right." Jarrod then gave him a small smile and walked away.
Heath wasn't sure he wanted to show anyone the letter his mother had written, wasn't even sure why he continued to save it. Still, he could show them the newspaper clipping, along with his mother's bible. Her bible had wound up having his birth information in the back; she had written Tom Barkley-father next to his name a few years after his birth. As he thought on it and Jarrod's words, Heath's resolve to take his children and leave, once the Stoddard matter taken care of, began to fade just a little.