*Author's Note*

Thanks for all of the follows, faves, and reviews.

A scene from the show is in here, but I tweaked it a lot. Hope ya'll like the tweak. Also tossed in a Calvin POV and oh boy talk bout a plot twist…


Fatherly Rights & Forgeries

Novella POV:

It was Thanksgivin' week and Devil Anse had given all of his workers a few days off. I found out from Cap that his pa always did that in order for the men to be able to make sure their homesteads were holiday ready and to be able to spend time with their families. I felt that gesture was a kind one. Apparently everythin' I was ever told by Perry Cline, I elected not to call him my uncle anymore considerin' he had a price out on my head, and the McCoys was wrong and exaggerated. Devil Anse was a cold and imposin' man, much like his son was, but both my father-in-law and my husband had a kindness in them that was extended to those close to them. No offense, but Perry Cline was a Scrooge type man that only shut down for the day of a holiday, not the entire week, cause he wanted to make a profit. Devil he may be, but Anse Hatfield was more then a mere businessman, he had a heart and cared about those under his care or apart of his clan whether they be kin, friends, or neighbors.

Thanksgivin' was tomorrow and so I was currently in the kitchen with Anna makin' apple pies to take to my in-laws tomorra for dinner. Cap was inside sittin' down at the table, watchin' me an' Anna, while sippin' on coffee. He was takin' a rest since he'd just finished splittin' up a bunch of wood, bringin' a large pile in the house too. Uncle Jim was also present an' sittin' at the table, he'd come over right when Cap was finishin' up with the wood so of course the crotchety man was invited to come on in and sit a spell.

"No, Unca Jim, that for pie." Anna protested in her high-pitched sweet voice as the large fur-trimmed mountain man snatched an apple from the bowl on the table.

Uncle Jim let out a chuckle 'fore takin' a large crunchin' bite out of the apple. While chewin' on the fruit he remarked in his deep boomin' voice, "Girl, your pa bought a couple bushels of apples the other day. There'll be plenty for pie."

"Ok, but apples still for pie." Anna told him with a small smile.

"She told ya, Jim." My husband snickered 'tween sippin' on his coffee.

I just shook my head, a smile crossin' my face. Even tho I hadn't been a Hatfield for long, I did enjoy the sense of close-knit comradery that the family had. I must say that I enjoy how my husband and his uncle seemed to tease each other one minute and then go to talkin' an' bein' serious the next. I also like how Jim Vance was nice, at least as nice as a mean old crochety mountain man who's only companion was a huntin' dog could be, to my daughter. The man, just like Cap, took to Anna very easily. Actually, if I'm honest the entire Hatfield family and theirs seemed to like Anna, treated her good. That was a relief considerin' that the McCoys had always put her down for her hard hearin' once she lost use of the left ear.

"Uncle Jim, just get an apple from the barrel next time." I suggested while cuttin' up a bunch of peeled apples for the fillin' of the pies.

"Yes, Ma'am." Jim told me wit' a quick nod of his head. Takin' another bite outta his apple he turned to Cap an' asked, "So, Cap, ya seen or heard anythin' from your brother lately? I haven't."

As I started to place some sugar and cinnamon into the bowl I had the cut apples in I subtly noticed Cap shaking his head. "No, reckon we'll see Johns tomorrow at dinner tho."

"What's been ettin' him up?" Uncle Jim asked as I began to quickly toss the apples 'round in the sugar and cinnamon, coatin' them.

"You know what." My husband quickly shot out, his deep wavin' voice a bit tight an' flat, as he narrowed his mismatched eyes at his uncle. I didn't say a word, just silently placed the apple fillin' into the crust filled pans.

"Oh geez…" Uncle Jim groaned out in a long sigh, rolling his eyes in a disgusted way, as grabbed one of the top crusts, placin' it onto one of the pies.

"She broke 'im, ya know. That's all I'm gonna say, but since they broke up, he ain't been the same." Cap told his uncle while I quickly finished up the pies.

"Yea, well, that's that and we're done talkin' bout it." I sighed, carryin' the pies over to the stove. While placin' them in the oven to bake I suggested, "Find somethin' else to gossip 'bout." 'Fore either Jim or Cap could utter a word a knock sounded at the door. "I'll get it, I'm up anyways." I told the men at the table as I dusted my hands off on my apron. As I walked away from the stove headed to the front door a few more knocks sounded out. Sheesh, whoever's at the door's very impatient.

Whenever I opened the door I was met with the sight of a clean and freshly shaven Johnse standin' on my front porch. "Novella, I need a favor from you."

"What'd ya want, Johnse?" I asked, foldin' my arms over my chest.

"Yea, Johnse, what'd ya want from my wife?" I heard my husband's deep timbre sound out from behind me accompanied by sounds of boots scuffin' 'gainst the floorboards. "She's busy bakin' pies t'bring ov'r to the main house for dinner 'morra." Cap told his brother as he came to a stop right behind me, placin' his hand on the small of my back.

Johnse nodded his head 'fore announcin', "I need guided 'cross the Tug into Kentucky an' ov'r to Aunt Betty's so I can see Roseanna an' our baby."

"What?" Both me and Cap exclaimed at the same time, disbelief tainted in our voices.

"I heard 'round that the baby come early, that both my sweet darlin' Rosie an' our baby girl's in poor health." Johnse said, his voice sweet and smooth like honey, as he stood on my front porch with a concerned look in his big blue eyes.

"Johns, we've got bounties on our heads an' you want my wife to take ya deep into McCoy territory. Have you lost your goddamn mind?" Cap growled, his deep wavin' timbre dangerously low.

"No, I just need'a see 'em."

"Johnse, Cap's right, goin' over there's too dangerous." I tentatively told my brother-in-law, keepin' my tone soft in order not to upset him.

Johnse's face fell and desperation took hold of his usually chipper accented voice as he begged, "Please, this is my child we're talkin' bout. Ya'll get to see yours every day, but I might never get a chance to see mine."

Johnse's plea tugged at my heart. I thought of my daughter, of Anna, and how I ran away from Kentucky and even married Cap to ensure her safety and that she's never be taken from me or those I trusted. Johnse was right, he might never get a chance to know his daughter cause the McCoys want him dead, got a bounty out on him. With a heavy heart I nodded my head and sighed, "Fine, I'll take you, but only cause of your rights as a father."

"What?" Shot out of my husband's mouth. Cap quickly spun me 'round. Looking down into my cornflower blue eyes wit his mismatched ones he told me in a firm tone, "Nova, ya can't be serious. If McCoys catch ya'll over there you're as good as dead."

"I'll take a gun, Cap. 'Sides, we'll be on all the back trails and won't be on main roads." I told my husband, softly rubbin' his shoulder to try and calm him a bit.

"Ya ain't takin' a gun, you're takin' me." Cap told me, his voice hard and firm as his eyes held an unmovin' resolve in them.

"Lil brother, I don't think you should come with us. Roseanna don't like ya none, I don't think Aunt Betty will either." Johnse spoke up, causin' both me and Cap to look at the carefree blonde still standin' on our front porch.

Cap's deep rollin' wave of a voice was hard and cold as he offered Johnse's the ultimatum of, "Well, big brother, I don't trust ya not to get my wife into somethin' or to protect her so I'm comin' 'long. Either we all go, or ya ain't seein' that damn kid of yours."

"Fine." Johnse relented, agreein' to Cap's terms, 'fore turnin' 'round and makin' his way to the porch steps and walkin' down them.

"Uncle Jim, we need to go help Johnse for a bit." I told the crochety backwoodsman that was at the table with my daughter as I stood in the doorway, lookin' at him, as my husband stepped off to the racks near the door. Cap placed his hat on his head and tossed me my shawl as I asked Uncle Jim, "Can ya watch Anna and take the pies out in 'bout an hour?"

"Sure." Uncle Jim nodded 'fore tossin' his apple core to Mr. Howles, who was seated near him on the floor. He waved us off while ordein' in a half jest, "Now go on, sneak Johnse to see that McCoy whore of his and their bastard."

"Jim…" Cap trailed off in a warnin', givin' his uncle a hard look, as grabbed his gun off the rack after puttin' on his coat.

The rugged old mountain man feigned a look of innocence as he remarked, "What? I didn't do nothin'."

"Just watch those pies, Jim." Cap ordered our uncle wit' a hardened look an' a point of his finger 'fore usherin' us out of the house in order to escort Johnse deep into McCoy territory to see his child an' the mother of said child.


After ridin' thru the back hills of Pike County, avoidin' all roads an' just usin' some occasional huntin' trails, we reached the dirt road that Betty Blankenship's large farmhouse was at the end of. Pointin' ahead I told Johnse, "Betty's house is right down that road."

"Okay, so we made it safe then." Johnse said 'fore goin' on to say in a cheerful tone, "My beautiful sweet darlin's gonna be so happy to see us. Oh, she must've missed me somethin' awful."

"She ain't gonna wanna see him, McCoys prolly already got to the old hag an' the twit tellin' 'em bout the McCoy boys' death tied an' shot t'pawpaws." Cap whispered lowly into my ear since I was sittin' in front of him on the horse we were sharin'. I got stuck sittin' in front an' holdin' onto the saddle horn cause I knew the way to our destination undetected.

I just looked at my husband from over my shoulder while tellin' him in a whisper, "For Johnse's sake I hope not."

"Yep." Cap popped his tongue close to my ear as we got closer to the blue house at the end of the road.

Johnse, excited to be able to see Roseanna and the baby, who's name I didn't know considerin' I hadn't been 'round the McCoys for a while, quickly trotted up to the house. Cap just kept Badger at the slow pace he was trottin'. Clearly my husband wasn't as excited to reach the Blankenship house as his brother was. If I was to be completely honest, I was a bit nervous to be seein' Betty and Roseanna. I had no idea how'd they react to me, 'specially considerin' I was married to Cap who they didn't like one bit.

Johnse had just tethered his horse up to a tree across from the porch whenever me an' Cap rode up to said tree. As I slid down off the horse Johnse was takin' a quick swig of liquid courage from the small flask he snatched out of his front shirt pocket. Johnse rushed over to the large flower garden a few feet 'way and start to pick some flowers, most likely as a gift for Roseanna, as I tied up Badger next to his horse while Cap dismounted and stood next to me.

"Oh hell. Bet she'll just love 'em fresh picked flowers, roots an' all." Cap sarcastically scoffed as Johnse stood up straight with a bunch of flowers, dirty roots hanging off the stems, in his hand. The clean-cut blonde just looked at us and nodded that he was ready to go visit his lady love and their newborn baby.

Silently we all walked over to the steps and onto the front porch of the house that I knew all too well growin' up. Johnse knocked on the white washed screen door and then quickly took off his hat while I stood next to him with Cap towerin' over me, standin' right behind me with a hand on my shoulder. Cap didn't remove his black Stetson, he kept it on and therefore it casted a large shadow over me.

Aunt Betty, well now Betty Blankenship to me since I was now Mrs. Nova Hatfield, had to be snoopin' out the front window next to the door cause she flung the front door open only a few seconds after my brother-in-law knocked. She looked over her shoulder before openin' the screen door with a loud thunk. The old crochety woman looked us over with her lips pursed and her beady blue eyes narrowed.

"We're here to see Roseanna an' the baby." Johnse politely told the old woman standin' in front of us wit' a sour look on her face.

"Even if she wasn't too sickly, she wouldn't want to see the murderers of her brothers." Betty spat hatefully in her raspy voice, her nose turned up in a show of disgust.

Oh boy, Cap was right, they were turning us away due to what Perry Cline and the McCoys spun to Betty and Roseanna.

"I didn't murder them. I shot above their heads, just ask Alex Messer." Johnse quickly defended himself, lookin' Betty straight in the eye.

"I shot Tolbert right in the heart, but Johns is right he ain't no murderer." Cap told Betty in support of his older brother, causin' her to glare hatefully at him. Yea, him confessin' to shootin' my first husband in the heart wasn't goin' to make Betty like him. Actually, since I married Cap it most likely made him look bad in her eyes.

Feelin' Betty's hateful stare dig into me like a dagger I opened my mouth and remarked in a flowin' squeak, "I was wit' Sally McCoy and Reverend Garrett so…"

The old woman just tilted her head at us while leanin' against the door frame, her arms crossed ov'r her chest. She didn't seem to be buyin' what we were sellin'. It was clear as day that she hated all of us.

"I built a cabin for me, Roseanna, and the baby to stay at. It's a real nice one wit' an ole paper window." Since when is his shanty shack nice? Did he fix it up? Oh, if he really did fix it up and get paper for the windows then he really is tryin' to be supportive of Roseanna an' their baby girl.

"You built that cabin for your whisky business and to consort with whores." Betty snarled like a rapid dog, accentin' the -ore in whore's so heavily that she practically choked it out.

"Goddamnit, we took a chance comin' here. There's a price on our heads." Johnse snapped, his voice risin' slightly.

Betty just rolled her eyes and scoffed. Clearly, she didn't care if we got caught or hurt. Cold bitch, and to think I grew up 'round her. Oh, I had it with her shit. 'Fore I could even think I opened up my mouth and out came the question of, "Are ya gonna let him in to see his baby or not?"

"No." Was Betty's raspy an' cold toned answer.

"But I got rights." My brother-in-law protested, pointin' the hand he had his hat in towards the house.

"You don't got no rights here." Sneered Betty as she cut her beady blue eyes at Johnse, causin' his head to reel back wit' shock.

"Yes, he does. He has the right to claim the baby, every father has the right whether the child be born in or out of wedlock." I told the old maid, confidence in my flowin' tone. I knew enough about the law to know that a man, a father, had rights.

"Oh, of course you're gonna toss the law 'round." Betty scoffed at me, givin' me a nasty look. Lookin' at all of us she snapped, "Get the hell off my porch." Suddenly the screen door shut on us followed by the front door.

Silently we all walked down the porch steps and to the horses. I was gettin' onto Badger wit' Cap's help whenever Johnse pivoted on his boot heel and yelled at the house, "I got my rights, goddamnit!" Cap just climbed up into the saddle behind me as Johnse threw his handful of flowers onto the dirt covered ground in a fit while yellin', "I got my rights! I got my rights as a daddy!" Johnse took a deep breath and bent down to pick up the flowers while me an' Cap just silently watched him. Johnse placed the half-crushed flowers into his hat and then put his floppy brown hat onto his golden-haired head 'fore unhitchin' his horse an' gettin' onto it.

"Ready to go, big brother?" Cap asked, holdin' onto the reigns of our horse.

"Yea." Johnse sighed, his voice deflated and full of a mix of sadness and rejection, as he began to back his horse up.

As we were turnin' 'way from the farmhouse I noticed Roseanna's silhouette spyin' out the front room window, the one that was for the dinin' room. How could she be doin' this to Johnse, the man that she claimed to love more then anythin'? Also, how could she be turnin' me 'way when we grew up together an' were the dearest of friends? Did the deaths of Tolbert, Pharmer, and Bud really affect her so strongly or were there other reasons that she just watched us ride off from her spot in the window behind the lace sheer drapes.


Calvin POV:

It's been three weeks since my brothers been kidnapped and murdered illegal and ma's still not handlin' it well. I can't keep tendin' over her tho, I made Tolbert a promise and it's about time that I make good on that. I know that words was said with Novella and Moses at the shootin' contest, bad fightin' ones, but I just had to get over that and go see her. I had the papers, Tolbert's will and legal papers he drug me to Lexington to get drawn up couple months 'fore he died cause he didn't want his uncle-in-law Lawyer Perry Cline knowin' his business, tucked in the breast pocket of my coat as I rode to the cabin a few miles up the road. The cabin that I helped Tolbert build 4-years 'go so that he could marry Novella. Now I'll be carin' for his cabin, wife, and child.

I still remember the talk we had the day we were ridin' to Lexington to see a lawyer.

*Beginning Of Flashback*

It was an early August mornin' and instead of gettin' ready to work a harvest I was in a wagon next to Tolbert on a road headed to Lexington. Why, who knows. All I know is Tolbert said he needed me to go to Lexington with him this mornin', that it was very important, couldn't wait.

Lookin' at my older brother I asked him, "So, why're we goin' to Lexington for? Did ya buy somethin' fancy for Novella's birthday an' need help loadin' it up?"

"No," Tolbert shook his head 'fore sayin', "we're gonna go see a lawyer."

"A lawyer, but why? Perry Cline, Novella's uncle's a lawyer."

"I don't want him knowin' my business. He's always tryin' to get into my business since me an' Ella started t'have problems when I got to drinkin' bad." Tolbert gruffly explained, his jaw titchin' a bit. Can't say I blame the lawyer for bein' worried 'bout my brother an' his wife's business. Tolbert's been an awful alcoholic ever since Tol died of fever.

"Um, ya never stopped drinkin' bad." I pointed out, my voice a bit hesitant since I didn't want my brother getting' mad at me or takin' my remark the wrong way.

Tolbert's head turned 'round, lookin' at me he snapped in his velvet rough tone, "Calvin, just up. I know I'm a drunk, don't need ya remindin' me."

I just nodded my head, my eyes fallin' to look at my hands that were restin' on my lap. After a few silent minutes passed I spoke up wit' the question of, "So, what'cha need a lawyer for?"

"I need papers drawn up so Novella an' Rihanna's taken care of if I ever died."

"And ya want me as a witness." I concluded, figurin' that my role in goin' wit' Tolbert to the lawyer in Lexington was easy 'nough.

Tolbert shook his head 'fore glancin' at me and tellin' me, "No, I want ya as the man that'll be responsible for my family."

My eyes grew to the size of saucers. "What? Me, but why not Pharmer? You're closer to him."

"I know Pharmer's my favorite brother, but yer who I'm pickin' cause I think you'd make a good poppy for Rihanna an' uh companion to Novella. Ya'll are close in age wit' her turnin' 20 an' ya bein' 23." Oh, so Pharmer's too old for her cause he's closer Tolbert in age. Good to know, even tho that don't make no sense. Tolbert must've seen my puzzled look cause he sighed 'fore tellin' me, "Reckon I just think you'd be a better pick to care for what I love most in the world."

"Okay." I nodded, acceptin' my brother's answer. "So, what 'bout that whore ya shipped 'cross the Tug?"

"Nothin', she gets her rent paid. S'pose after she pops out the baby, I'll bring it home as an orphan, make up some kinda story that my wife'll believe." Oh, I don't think Novella's gonna like that. She's already heard gossip that Tolbert's seen the whore, most likely she's heard 'bout her bein' knocked up an' kept 'cross the river too.

"Do I gotta care for the whore's baby too if somethin' happens to you?" I asked, hopin' that he'd say no. I didn't want his whore's baby. Hell, nobody wants a whore's baby. If ya ask me, him even lettin' off steam wit' that whore an' knockin' her up was stupid. Whore was young an' star struck, fell for Tolbert, but he just looked at her as a two-bit way to clear the noise in his head from his self depressin' grief of his lost boy.

"If ya want, but no. The legal papers we're gettin' are makin' ya responsible for Novella an' Rihanna's welfare. To take care of them wit' my money an' house, to be legally responsible for 'em."

"Okay. I can do that, Tolbert." I told Tolbert, slightly noddin' my head at him.

"Cal, if ya ever have to use these papers we're gettin' promise that you'll give Ella some weeks' time to grieve me proper 'fore ya show 'em to her an' enact them."

"I promise I'll do that."

*End Of Flashback*

I gave Novella plenty of time to grieve my brother, today I was gonna let her know that I was gonna take care of her now. Her and Rihanna.

I stopped my horse at the hitch post by the porch of Novella's cabin, dismounted, and tied him up. The area seemed quiet, too quiet, an' there weren't any smoke comin' outta the chimney or the woodstove pipe which seemed odd since Novella was always the type to bake somethin' for the Thanksgivin' holiday. Hope she ain't all depressed like ma, not doin' nothin' anymore.

I just shook my head and walked up the porch and to the door. I knocked, but didn't get an answer. "Novella, it's me. Cal." I called out, knockin' once more. When I still didn't get an answer, I decided to open the door an' walk on in. What I saw when I stepped into the cabin was that it was empty. Well, it was furnished, but had no people in it. Place was dusty too, so it seemed like Novella an' Rihanna hadn't been in the house for a while.

I know that I haven't been into town since my brothers died since I've been busy helpin' Alifair watch ov'r mama, but since poppy goes to Pikeville everyday or near it, I guess he would've said somethin' if Novella an' Rihanna moved in wit' Perry Cline.

Somethin' was wrong, there was a reason why my late brother's house was empty an' I was gonna head to town to talk to the lawyer, Cline, and find out what's goin' on.


Perry POV:

It was mid-afternoon and I was sittin' at my desk goin' over some letters that Mailman Wolford dropped off a few moments earlier while Ole Rand'l was at the diner down the street orderin' us some lunch. I must say that my cousin bein' in my office all the time was a bit annoyin', but the man was angry an' still wasn't doin' well an' was drinkin' a bit too much. Havin' his sons murdered an' findin' out that his daughter-in-law was a traitor, helped get his sons killed an' was involed wit' their murder, was too much for Ole Rand'l to deal wit'. His hatred for the Hatfields was so strong that he wanted those horrible people put down and brought to justice. So, safe to say we're always talking to bounty hunters and lawmen day in and day out to try and get justice done.

Too bad none of the few bounty hunters that went out haven't returned yet. The only one that's able to track down and get the Hatfields is that Bad Frank, who's a bit unorthodox in his ways, but word has it he was also a Pinkerton man. Ole Rand'l doesn't want him on the bounty case, claims he's a savage. I don't care one way or the other, as long as the Hatfields are brought in. My niece sadly is with those murderous heathens, why only the good lord knows.

I furrowed my brow as I looked at the last letter in my hand. The envelope had no return address on it, but it was address to me. Curious, why wouldn't the sender put their name and address on it? Shakin' my head I grabbed my letter opener off my desk and sliced the envelope open. I tossed the letter opener back onto the desk before pulling the letter out of its package. I unfolded it only to blink and widen my eyes. I was shocked to see that the only thing written on the paper in my hand was:

To Perry Cline,

Novella Landon is now Mrs. Nova Hatfield. She is legally married to Cap Hatfield and he is the legal father to her daughter. West Virginia courts have it documented, both marriage and birth records.

My god, my niece is more so her father's daughter and not my sister's. My sister Rihanna was foolish and thought with her heart, but that Landon man was a calculated bastard and apparently Novella inherited that trait from Brenton Landon. Dear lord, Rihanna belongs to Cap Hatfield. I know it in my gut, no way on god's green earth would a Hatfield care for a child that was half McCoy, had enemy blood flowing in its veins. Damnit, I knew that the one-eyed demon wanted to court Novella when she was due to be married to Tolbert, but I never thought that once I said no, he'd go behind my back and lure my niece into a long many years affair.

Oh, this is too much to handle. Angrily I tossed the letter onto my desk only for the door chime to ring, indicatin' that somebody had entered my office. Looking up I saw Calvin McCoy walk right in with a perplexed look on his face. "Lawyer Cline, do you know where Novella and Rihanna are? It's important that I find them." He told me with urgency in his voice as he walked into the room.

"Across the Tug with Cap Hatfield." I honestly and flatly told him, leaning back in my chair with a heavy sigh.

"What? They're with Cap Hatfield, why?" Calvin asked as she stopped right in front of my desk, lookin' at me with confussion in his brown eyes.

"Cause apparently they've been havin' an affair for years."

"That can't be true, she's never spent no time wit' him or met him good."

"Calvin, he walked her home the day after Tolbert struck her and asked to court her. I, of course, denied his request and turned him away, but it seems that they snuck around." I explained to the brunette young man before pointing to the letter on my desk and telling him, "Read that letter I just got today if you don't believe me."

Calvin quietly took the letter off my desk and read it. His brown eyes went wide and his face paled. "She married 'im, Cap Hatfield…" The McCoy boy's tone trailed off in disbelief. He pulled some papers from the breast pocket of his coat and held them out to me while sadly tellin' me, "Tolbert an' me had these written up in Lexington few months 'fore he died. My brother made me responsible for Novella an' Rihanna." With a level look on my face, hiding my sudden shock at what I'd just heard, I took the papers from Calvin's outstretched hand while he told me, "Tolbert wanted me to care for 'em. Ain't these legal papers 'nough to 'cross the Tug and get 'em back?"

I didn't even bother to look at the papers, just placed them on my desk, while shakin' my head and lettin' a sigh escape my lips. Lookin' right at Calvin I slickly told him, "I'm afraid that Nova's marriage to Cap has made these papers null and void. Also, turns out he is Rihanna's father and that West Virginian courts have record of it." A crestfallen look appeared on Calvin's face as I told him, "My niece played us all and was in cahoots with Hatfields for years, even owning a quarter share of one of their mills."

"I-I just can't believe it." Calvin muttered, his hat covered head hanging in disbelief and sorrow.

"Sadly, she helped concoct the murder plot for your brothers. Her bounty poster's hanging up outside of the post office."

Calvin didn't say a word, just shook his head and balled his fists up in anger before storming out of my office. Hmm, seems that I planted the seed of doubt and hatred in him when it comes to Novella. Good, he needed to view her as the enemy to his family that she's become.

Novella's my niece and I love her as if she was my own daughter, but she betrayed the McCoy family and tarnished the good Cline name with her antics. Justice had to be done, I couldn't make exceptions. My dear friend Senator Billings was right, Novella had no feelings for her Tolbert and reveled in her relationship with the one-eyed Cap Hatfield. The letter that I received today proves it.

Too bad that Tolbert loved Novella dearly, despite his mistakes, til the very end. Hmm, I bet that pregnant whore of his will be dragging herself into my office begging for money and help. Perhaps I could pay her off to give the baby, once it's born, to the McCoys to raise; get her to become one of those mail order brides for a man out west as well.

Well, I'll deal with her whenever she shows up. Right now, I need to burn those papers Calvin brought in. Since I used my documents with Tolbert's forged signature to enable me to sell the Blackberry Creek property to Senator Brooksdale these real documents with both Calvin and Tolbert's signatures on them could prove me a bamboozler, a thief. I'm no such thing, just a man with a head for business and training in the law.


AN:

Hope ya'll liked this chapter. So, safe to say the friendship/sisterhood with Nova and Roseanna's done with. So, the legal papers Perry has are forged and the real person Tolbert wanted to watch over and care for his wife and daughter was Calvin…oh boy… Well, Cap beat Calvin to the punch and married Nova so…LOL!

Yea, I read in the 1800s many men married their widowed sister-in-law. It was a thing. Women did it too. Like say a single woman's sister died well she'd marry the brother-in-law and then take care of the children. Yea everything in the 1800s seemed to be about survival and money. Especially in Appalachia and the Wild West, those places were harsh to live in so lots of marriages and companionships were done to survive and love just grew.

Oh, and for the record Rihanna aka Anna is biologically Tolbert's daughter, but was adopted by Cap. Perry Cline just assumes she belongs to Cap cause he doesn't think that Cap or any Hatfield could care for a child belonging to the enemy family since he knows that the McCoys wouldn't be nice to a Hatfield child. Perry just assumes that the affair with Novella and Cap was longer then it really was. Drama…LOL.

Also, who sent that letter to Perry?