Chapter Seven
Previously:
Jarrod and Victoria continued to visit unaware that Hannah had been at the top of the stairs and heard everything… nor did they see her turn around and disappear down the hall and into the room she now shared with Nick.
~oOo~
Hannah stood next to the side of her bedroom window and watched as Jarrod talked with Ciego. It had been almost two weeks since she arrived at the ranch with Nick. She didn't know what Jarrod and Ciego were talking about, nor did she really care. If the two men thought she should be in on the conversation, they'd have asked her to join them. As it was, she had her mind on what she'd accidentally overheard Jarrod telling his mother. It had been all she could do to keep fear from gripping her heart when she'd heard who Jarrod's visitor had been.
Slowly, Hannah walked over to the bed and sat down. Macklin! She didn't know whether to scream or not. Whether the man wanted to admit it or not, they were both after the same thing. If things were different, if he hadn't refused to listen to her sister, she wouldn't be sitting in the Barkley mansion wondering how to get word to her husband that Macklin was in the area. While the drive was a short one and he, Heath, and the men were due home the next day, Hannah wanted Nick to be aware of Macklin's presence before Nick returned.
"Why did you get so focused on the desired outcome, you forgot to keep your eyes wide open? Why did you turn a deaf ear to what my cousin was trying to tell you?' She asked as she thought on Macklin. Though, even as she asked the question, she knew couldn't really condemn the man too loud on those accounts. Hadn't she been guilty of the same exact thing at various times in her life? "Most of all, why did you have to turn into such an arrogant man?" Before she could ask herself any more questions, a knock came at her door. When it did, she felt like she'd jumped out of her skin. "Cute, wonder why Macklin didn't pay attention and listen, and allow yourself to do the same thing. Real cute," Hannah silently chastised herself.
"Who is it?" She called out as she stood up and composed herself.
"It's Victoria," Victoria answered, and then waited until her daughter-in-law told her to come in before she opened the bedroom door.
"Lunch is ready." Victoria smiled at Hannah, though she felt instant concern as she could easily see that her daughter-in-law was a bit rattled. She couldn't help wonder why. It's not like they'd had any visitors. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine." Hannah answered as she silently added, 'Or fine as I can be for now,' "I'll be right down."
"Good, see you in a few minutes." Victoria started to leave the room, and then turned back. "Are you sure there's nothing you want to talk about?"
Hannah shook her head. "INo, 'm fine." Hannah then watched as Victoria turned and left the room.
Minutes later, Hannah was joining Victoria and Jarrod at the dining room table. The three had a pleasant lunch, though Hannah stayed true to character and said very little. However, by the time she'd finished eating; Hannah knew how to get a coded message to Nick. She might not have, but Jarrod mentioned the round up and spoke of the exact spot his brothers and their men would be making camp…mostly because he thought they should have planned to camp elsewhere.
~oOo~
Audra took her time walking down the boardwalk that ran in front of the business in Stockton; two-year-old Chad held her hand and walked along side her. Sooner or later, she knew she'd have to carry him, but for now he was enjoying walking on his own two feet. Only when Fred stepped out of a nearby store did she stop walking.
Fred, who had heard the talk, but not really believed it, couldn't help but stare at the young child next to Audra Barkley. The two-year-old was smiling and giggling while looking at the sheriff…which meant his dimples were more than noticeable. 'Oh boy, I wasn't just hearing stories. You do look like Nick' Fred thought as he greeted Audra. "He's a cute one. Wonder if he's going to be as much of a handful as Nick has been."
"Probably, he can't seem to sit still for a moment and he'd be into everything if I wasn't holding his hand." Audra laughed as she answered the good sheriff. "I was taking him over to the orphanage with me. I've got a few things to do over there and figured he could play with the Taylor boy." The Taylor boy was a three-year-old who had lost his father in an unfortunate accident on his farm; his mother had died shortly after his birth. The orphanage was taking care of him until his grandparents from Nevada could come and get him-which they had promised they were doing when they replied to the sheriff's telegram.
"I'm sure he'll enjoy it. Though," Fred sighed, "Don't be surprised if you hear a few things before you get there. Needless to say, his and his mother's arrival has given the gossipy people of Stockton something to talk about…especially since Nick's wife has yet to come to town."
"Let them talk. Hannah is a very polite, hardworking woman who simply prefers to stay on the ranch." Audra held her head high as she spoke of her sister in law, who was constantly helping Silas or doing something else to help around the ranch. Okay, Audra wished the young woman would talk more, but she wasn't going to condemn Hanna simply because she refused to do so.
"So your mother tells me, I'll have to come out and meet her some time. If she'll see me," Fred added the last part simply because Victoria had already told him what Nick had told them about Hannah being skittish around strangers.
"How about telling me when you'll be out and I'll talk to Hannah, prepare her for the fact that our sheriff-who happens to be a good friend-wants to meet her. I would think, with warning, she would be okay with it." At least Audra hoped Hannah would be.
"I'll talk to my wife. Maybe if we both came, it would help your sister-in-law relax more than if I showed up by myself."
"Good idea," Audra smiled and then excused herself and Chad, who was growing antsy and trying to get away from his aunt.