Chapter Ten 10/12

After the inquest adjourned for the day, Jarrod decided he was calm enough to head home-fire Rory and have Tessa take the baby to an orphanage.

"Better for everyone." He decided on his own.

Unbeknownst to him, the orphanage had gotten word of mouth that the Barkleys might have a baby to adopt out. A young minister and his wife were staying there on respite from travels and their baby passed away from a fever. She still had milk after two weeks and when she heard of the motherless child at the ranch, she begged her husband. "Please this is the Lord's will." They sent someone out to inquire about the child. The new matron took it upon herself to ride to the ranch. She had only been at the children's home a year.

Nick was holding Rory back as the lady from the county explained the benefits of giving the child up for adoption.

"Son, you are only seventeen, barely that at all. You will find a wife someday and have more children. This is a minister and his wife, good godly folks. Yore baby is weak, too small. She needs a mother. Now Miz Barkley here is a saint to help. But you need to give this baby up to a real family."

The horror of growing up in an orphanage overwhelmed him, "No. my baby ain't going to the county home,"

"It won't. A good godly family who can take care of her,"

Jarrod walked in and listened to the discourse. He felt it was a good idea until he saw Nick holding Rory back and Tessa holding the child with tears in his eyes.

"Damn," he muttered quietly and thought of JT at home, "Could he give him up? Hell no."

Victoria looked to Jarrod for help but he was frozen in place, wrestling with his own feelings.

"Give us a little time to talk. This is a surprise to all of us." Victoria hissed.

The woman took a condescending attitude with her friend, "Victoria, the milk may dry up soon. You don't have long and looking at the waif, the goat's milk hasn't taken much hold of her ribs."

Tessa interrupted, "She's eating. I promise. We are doing well. She's just small from being born too soon. She's opening her eyes and mewling at me. Settling better." with desperation in her voice.

A loud sigh from the matron in disgust, "Victoria, you need to get ahold of your family"

"You need to leave and we will contact you with our decision."

She flounced by and brushed Tessa and the baby, "Hmphf, a good godly family is waiting."

Jarrod immediately went to his wife's side with anger in his eyes, furious.

"Don't touch my wife."

"Jarrod, you too? I counted on your good sense."

And she announced at the door, staring at Rory, "You, son need to think long and hard. Are you able to give this baby a home when the Barkleys grow tired of the novelty? A family is waiting, a real one." and she went through the open door Silas was holding with a clenched jaw.

Tessa took the baby over to Rory, "We will do whatever you think is best."

He rubbed her little chin and a reflex smile looked up at him. He held her little finger and she grasped it back.

"She really is little."

"Rosemary was too. Look at her. We can do this," she said in desperation.

Jarrod went to her side, "Tessa, it isn't our decision. Let's let Rory have some time with his baby. He will do the right thing by her."

Victoria cocked her head at her son. It was obvious that she didn't like his tone. He walked out with Tessa trying not to cry. He put his arm around her outside and she let the tears flow.

—-&—-

The inquest panel met all afternoon and evening.

"Let's recess and come back the day after tomorrow for any questions that come up during that time." the lieutenant colonel decided.

"We could convict half of them in front of a jury with the right prosecutor and yet we have literally nothing to convict any of them on paper."

The federal marshal interjected, "Sorry fellers but I am going to say it, Doolin is better off dead. The town is at least."

They all agreed and headed off for the night.

Council Stewart looked at his boss, "And Jarrod Barkley could get any of them off, I guarantee it. There are enough questions that we ourselves wrestle with—-can you imagine how our friend could bend a jury?"

"I was thinking that myself."

—&—-

Rory gave the baby a bottle at supper on the back porch. She gagged and spit up. He took her and tried to burp her as Tessa showed him. She still cried and didn't keep down most of the milk.

He remembered Tessa's words, "If you are upset, she's gonna sense it. Be calm and sing or talk to her."

He started humming and patting her on the back. A big burp erupted and Rory grinned for the first time that day.

"There ya go," and he got down more of the bottle, almost half before she dozed off.

Tessa had told him to wake her during feeding but he couldn't "If this is the last time she is in my arms, let her sleep with her Pa," and big drops of tears fell on the sleeping child.

—&—

Next door, Jarrod was reading with Rosemary and JT after supper. He nuzzled them closer and considered Rory's decision.

"I have resources so it's not the same; it's best for the baby to have a mother and father," trying to convince himself.

He had hit a wall trying to convince Nick and Tessa this was for the best. He had managed to avoid the stony gaze of his mother. She could read him like a book.

"It's the boy's decision," he finally gave up his case.

"But we could help him. So he doesn't feel he has no options." Tessa pleaded,

Nick added, "Jarrod, I would in a second but Nellie is bedridden right now. I am getting help with Jon and the twins. And I still would do anything I could."

"Do you really want to devote the next five years to the child of the woman who betrayed us?" He wanted to say but couldn't.

Rory came upstairs with the baby for bed to the nursery. Tessa changed and swaddled the little one. He rocked her to sleep. Jarrod tried not to watch from the rocking chair across the room holding his own children in his lap.

He was exhausted from the inquest, lack of sleep, and keeping Eugenie's deception a secret—-and now being the villain in his family for placing the child with a family, one that could feed her and raise her well.

He kissed his own children and headed to bed. Tessa came in an hour later and crawled quietly into her side of the bed.

"Goodnight my love," he whispered.

"Goodnight Jarrod, I do know you are doing what you think is best."

"Thank you, Tessa," and he reached for her.

She inadvertently flinched at his touch and it stung his pride. She had never done such a thing before. He rolled back over to his side of the bed.

"Good night Jarrod. Try to rest and not think so much. Just please."

—&—

Maggie's cry awakened him from his restless sleep. Tessa had her head under her pillow stifling her tears earlier and was fast asleep. He grabbed his robe and walked to the nursery. Rory was trying to feed her and comfort her to no avail.

He watched from the door. JT and Rosemary were cuddled together in the same bed as they often did. Sleeping soundly.

"Sorry to wake ya, Mr. Jarrod. They are right. I can't take care of her proper."

"Here let me." and he took the bottle from his hand.

He hummed and rubbed her tiny back. He supported her head in his lap and patted her back.

Gently, he leaned her back slightly and gave her the bottle. He only gave her the tip of the nipple as Tessa had done. She began sucking hard and he began to sing in his mellow baritone.

"There ya go, Miss Margaret, ah Maggie Tess," as he gently burped her. She fell asleep on his chest as Rory watched in awe.

"Go get some sleep, Rory, the guest bedroom is still open. Nick's going to need you back to work."

"But I gotta take her to the orphan's home."

"No, you don't. We will help." he sighed. He hadn't made his decision until that very moment when the words came out of his mouth.

"Are ya sure? You know Eugenie did ya wrong? Real wrong."

"I do but Maggie has the right to know her father and her namesake, Aunt Tessa. And ah—Uncle Jarrod. I suppose she will have an Uncle Nick too who will let her run wild around here." he chuckled.

"Thank you, Mr. Jarrod. I won't ever forget and let ya down again,"

"Let's not tell Tessa about the papers. I have safely taken care of them."

"Thank ya again, Mista Jarrod."

"It's the right thing to do as my Mother would say."