Chapter Thirty-Seven

Heath Barkley finished the inventory in the shed that held the extra tack, to be used by the cowhands who would be hired for the season. There were men who brought their own mounts and tack, while others would need to be supplied by the ranch.

The Barkley's not only had a reputation for good pay, but they provided a barn for the men to keep their horses in. They were responsible for feeding, mucking out, and caring for their horses. The family provided hay, and grain at no charge. There were ranches that would take the boarding out of the cowboy's pay, but Heath and Nick felt differently. A man who supplied his own mount meant one less horse for the Barkley's to provide.

Heath stepped outside, locking the door behind him. He, Nick, and McColl all had keys to every building on the property. He knew that a master set of keys was kept in the safe in the study; further there was a set in Jarrod's law office in town.

It took him by surprise at the skies, overcast all day, suddenly opened up with a clap of thunder. Heavy sheets of grey rain came pouring down, and Heath had two thoughts. He should not have taken February weather in Stockton for granted, and he was on the wrong side of the barn and main buildings.

The way the shed was positioned it was diagonal to the French doors of the study. Heath knew that to get to the barn he would have to go around the back of the house, which was all exposed. However, it would be short dash to the French doors which were not locked until the evening.

Heath decided to make a run for the French doors, which he did after a loud clap of thunder. He found the doors unlocked and stepped inside, shutting the door behind him. The doors were decorated in sheer panels and heavy gold brocade drapes. The met in the middle, above the window, the gold brocade fabric – heavy with silk tassel trim – swooped across the top of the French doors.

They were held back by gold silk braid cords, before they flowed to the ground, ending in a pile of expensive fabric. Heath had, in his early days with the family, had made the observation that the curtains had not been made correctly. It was Audra who would later explain about fashion and interior design.

Heath paused for a moment, to remove his hat and shake the extra water off before he entered the study. He was in the far-right corner and started to step into the study when the door opened and Heath heard a woman crying.

Ten minutes prior to Heath at the French doors of the study…

Priscilla greeted Sharon with warmth, hugging her tightly. It had been two weeks since Mother's Flynn's funeral and she had sent several meals for the family. Now she regarded her friend, who had a basket under her arm. Sharon was dressed in a dark olive-green afternoon dress, with her black pelisse covering her body. It was simple with no bustle; Priscilla knew it was one of the outfits she wore at the café.

"I just wanted to bring some thank you gifts to your family, since you all have been so kind." Sharon stated, after returning Priscilla's hug. "I have Irish Soda Bread for you and the Victoria, along with some nice Irish whiskey for Nick."

"You didn't have to do anything at all Sharon! You are my good friend and have done so much for Stockton!" Priscilla declared emphatically reaching over to hug her friend.

"I also have a special gift for Jarrod." Sharon's countenance took on somber look. "He arranged all the funeral details for Mother Flynn and has been such a big help. Honestly, the day she passed; I could barely form a coherent sentence. He was wonderful, at how he took charge of everything."

"In the family we call him Pappy, it he is good at dealing with situations; when my sister" Priscilla paused, before Sharon hugged her. She had shared the whole mess in the Eastern Canyon. "Jarrod is so good, and so discrete. I am sure a quiet death at home was not an issue."

"It meant everything to me. I know he likes scotch, and Elspeth helped me find a well-regarded one." Sharon brought the bottle out, and Priscilla looked at the label. She recognized it as being the same brand her grandfather had drunk and recalled that Granny Elspeth still ordered a case from Scotland because she liked it also.

"I would trust Granny Elspeth." Priscilla giggled, now knowing where the bottle had come from. She knew her grandmother was being kind and protecting Sharon's pride.

"Why don't we go have tea, and you can tell me about how you are doing." Priscilla gestured to the front parlor but was put off seeing her friend looking sad. Her eyes were wide, the basket in her hand was shaking, and then Priscilla saw tears running down Sharon's cheeks.

She quickly removed the basket from Sharon, setting it off to the side. Priscilla could see that Sharon was under great stress and overwhelmed. Silas had just come into the hall – Sharon had not seen him – and Priscilla gave him a not now nod. The man bowed his head in understanding and removed himself from the hall.

"Follow me" Priscilla announced, taking her into the study. She settled Sharon the settee, and then went and poured a generous glass of French Brandy. She noticed that her friend took it absently mindedly; once she had swallowed it her eyes came back to the present.

"I am going to have to go back to Kilkenny Farms!" Sharon wailed the statement, and Priscilla was taken aback. She asked her what she meant, about the statement.

"Mother Flynn took care of Sean and Tara so I could work. The Morgan's have me managing the café because I need to be there by five o'clock in the morning. Mother Flynn took care of getting the children ready for school, doing breakfast, and then picking them up in the afternoon." Sharon detailed out her day, and Priscilla put her arms around her friend's shoulders.

"The Morgan's have been so nice and understanding. However, Julia's health is still not that good. The last week I have been able to do my regular schedule but only because Elspeth is taking care of Sean and Tara." Sharon burst into tears again.

"Sharon, I see how worried you are, but you have so many friends in the community." Priscilla made the comment after letting her friend cry for a while. Her grandfather had counseled that tears, while painful, were also healing.

"I don't want charity! But if I go back to Kilkenny Farm Tara gets no education, because of that mad priest! There is also the fact that Eugenia has been working with Sean, to sit for the scholarship exam for the Boy's Academy. His good friend Luke will be going there in the fall." Sharon's tears came hard and fast and Priscilla felt so bad for her trying to take care of her children and uphold her pride.

"Here, you need some more brandy." Priscilla had taken Sharon's glass and refilled it, before passing it to her. She was relieved when Sharon took several sips, looking slightly calmer.

"Do not worry about Elspeth – she loves to be in the middle of everything! Further your situation is keeping her out of Reverend Peterson's hair." Priscilla announced with firmness. She had shared with Nick that Granny Elspeth and Rufus Morton were cut from the same bolt of cloth. Boundaries were not something known to them if there was a cause involved.

"I can't have your grandmother looking after my children. She has other interests she should be focusing on. There is also the fact that I don't think she wants to wake up at before five o'clock to get breakfast and take my children off to school." Sharon sighed, before going on. "I have someone come in to do the rough stuff, to help out Mother Flynn. She only wants part-time work; I can't afford her and someone for the mornings." As Sharon made that comment she dissolved into tears.

Heath, huddling against the door frame was wishing he would have gone around the house. He was sure that being soaked by the rain would be preferable to what he had just heard. On one hand he was not surprised to hear her plight, and how tight money was for the family. His mother had raised him, along with the help of Hannah and Rachel. Heath did not think Sharon's finances were as dire as his mother's had been, but it was clear there was not extra money.

As he had heard her talk about education for her children, the love, and aspirations she had for them were very apparent. Heath thought back to the first time Sharon had brought the children to the ranch, for Sunday dinner. Tara had stated she wanted a pony, as she enjoyed riding.

Clearly Sean was smart; Heath had already known the boy was self-possessed. He had seen, even when dealing with Nick, Sean was deferential but not intimidated by the man. It said a great deal for the boy's character since Nick could reduce grown men to groveling. Now hearing that he was hoping to get a scholarship to the Boy's Academy, he felt a tightening in his stomach.

All of Sharon's dreams were crashing down around her, and he felt helpless. Heath knew that she would not take charity; Sharon had made that clear when he had tried to help the settlers at the Mercantile. Now, listening to her talk about Granny Elspeth, he knew that the only reason she was letting the older woman help, was for the sake of her children. He could understand how hard it was for her to accept the help.

"Sharon God never closes a door without opening a window! Please don't give up." Priscilla declared in an upbeat tone, and Heath, through the crack of the curtains against the door frame saw her offer Sharon some more brandy. "There is also the fact that do you really want to go back to Kilkenny Farms and deal with the mad priest?"

"So, what should I do?" Sharon asked and Heath heard the fear and desperation in her voice. He felt so helpless, even as he did not want to be involved. His life was a mess – Maud had made that very clear about the arrangements for Simon. Heath knew that he, as a divorced man could not secure the social life and friends for Simon that Nick and Priscilla could.

"It is February, and I don't think you want to move Sean and Tara in the middle of the school year. Let Elspeth help out for a while – she is loving it! Further she wakes up at four o'clock in the morning, does some eastern mediation type thing she learned in India, before she turns her sights onto town." Priscilla took her friend's hands in hers "You don't need to make a decision anytime soon. Now, I think we need to go to the Front Parlor and have tea. "Sharon, trust God."

It was with relief that Heath heard the women leave the room; however, he did not want to risk running into them or Silas. Instead he carefully opened the French doors and stepped out under the overhang. The rain was coming down in heavy grey sheets but he did not care.

Heath took the long way around to the barn, and then the house. He carefully went in through the kitchen, not wanting to encounter Sharon and Priscilla having tea. He felt very odd at having heard their private conversation – Sharon would not want him – or anyone else – how things were in her household. Heath passed through the kitchen, and went upstairs to his room, planning on a bath before dinner. Not that he was hungry, still feeling the tightening in his stomach, as he thought about Sharon and her children.