Chapter Five

If grass or dirt could talk, they'd have asked the rider where the fire was as his horse's hooves pounded down one path or another, and through more than one field. It had been like that for the past two hours as Nick rode Coco around, and through, the land they'd just inherited feeling the wind brushing across his face. His mind was turning just as fast as his horse was galloping. He had to ride, as he needed time to think and deal with the emotions that were running rapidly inside him. The one question that kept coming back was "Why?"

"What were you thinking, Adam?" Nick asked to no one in particular as he brought Coco to a stop. Only when he'd asked the question did he feel a wave of shock roll through him as he realized where he'd allowed himself to ride. He was near one of a couple of creeks that ran through what had been the Hamilton ranch and…on the other side of the creek, roughly forty feet from the bank, under a tall pine tree, sat Iris' grave. For a moment, he did nothing. Once he'd gathered his wits, Nick urged Coco forward until he reached the side of the lone grave. Iris' parents, who had wanted to go back to Ireland for some time, had left after their daughter was killed.

Dismounting Coco, Nick knelt before the headstone and ran his fingers across the lettering that he, himself, had chiseled into the stone. IRIS MAY McBRIAN April 5, 1859-MAY 31, 1879 Memories he had pushed aside came rushing back to him.

"You might want to pick up your jaw, dear brother." Heath chuckled as he followed Nick's gaze and saw the pretty brown hair, young woman outside the Hamilton home hanging sheets on the clothes line. "Her name is Iris."

"And just how would you know that?" Nick asked, more than surprised that Heath knew the young woman already.

"Adam told me, last week when I came out to visit. He's hired her family to help around the place until Maggie comes back from school."...

"Nick! I really should get back to work!" Iris laughed as she ran around the log home Adam had built years before, even if people did say it looked as if it belonged in the Sierra Mountains.

Nick only chuckled and chased Iris until he caught her, twirling her around, his arms wrapped around her back and clasped together in the front. "No, you don't. I talked to Adam and your parents; you have another couple of hours before you need to do anything but be with me."

Irish stop wriggling and managed to turn around in his arms. Her face taking on a very serious look as she rested her hands against his arms. "Your mother doesn't approve of me; you know that. She's tried and convicted me already; you know that."

Nick growled, his frustration and anger could be heard in his voice, "I told her I wasn't going to stop seeing you. One way or the other we'll prove your innocence and then we'll get married! That is, if you'll have me."

Nick sighed and dropped his hand. What was he going to do? He didn't want all the land Adam had given him and his family, but he couldn't talk to the family about giving it back as he knew full well that Paul and Tyrell would only succeed in pushing Maggie out of her home, and there' be nothing he, Heath or the family could do about it. Besides, the way things were going between Heath and Maggie, they just might need this land.

"You know," he said as he looked upon the headstone, "there's gonna be trouble, doesn't matter what the outcome in the court is." He said the last part knowing he would have to head to town soon and meet up with Heath so the two of them could go talk to Mr. Lawson; the attorney who was handling Jarrod's cases while Jarrod was on his honeymoon.

When a jack rabbit darted in between Nick and Iris' grave, Nick almost fell backwards. Once he felt his heart begin to pump, he began talking again. "I guess I should apologize too. I haven't been out to visit you very often. It's just that," his voice cracked as he fought to keep control of his voice, "comin' here meant admittin' you weren't coming back, and I wanted you back. It hurts to…." He bit his lip, unable to continue and stood back up. Only when he knew he could talk without losing it did Nick speak. "I have to go now. Heath and I have to deal with this mess that Paul and Tyrell started." He began to turn away, looked back and then mounted Coco.

~oOo~

"His mind was very much sound." Heath said as he and Nick sat in Mr. Lawson's office, which was roughly ten feet by twelve feet with an expensive oak desk, a chair that turned from side to side, along with a bookshelf that sat up against the east wall and a filing cabinet in the northwest corner. Mr. Lawson told them he'd found out the attorney for the Hamilton brothers was trying to find evidence that "the old man was not in his right mind" when he gave the land to the Barkleys. "Maggie and the ranch hands can tell you that, as can we." Heath had been spending more and more time with Maggie and with the men who worked that part of what was, for the time being, Barkley land. Every hired hand had told him the same thing. The Barkleys were right when they said Adam Hamilton knew exactly what was going on around him.

"I realize that; half of California realizes it, only their attorney is still bound and determined to find someone who is willing to testify otherwise." Mr. Lawson replied as he leaned back in his chair.

"So what can we do?" Nick asked, as he again thought on how nice it would be if Heath and Maggie could simply work that part of the ranch. That is, if they actually married.

What could they do? Mr. Lawson, who had already had a pretty long day, rubbed the back of his neck and told them to go around and find people willing to testify to Adam Hamilton's competency, "It's the only thing we can do. If we get enough people to confirm that fact, we should be okay."

Nick and Heath looked at each other, both giving the other a silent promise. If they won in court and "those men" tried anything else, they'd win in any other battle Paul and Tyrell brought their way. If Mr. Lawson saw the pact being made between the two Barkleys, he did not say so. He simply told them to get him the information as soon as possible and then bade them goodbye.