Chapter 3

Victoria and Linda sat together in the library, sharing a cup of tea, after they finished the gardening and cleaned up. Linda did not look at Victoria very much as she spoke, because she was almost ashamed of what she was saying.

"Adam hasn't even been gone a month, and I have no business even looking at another man, but Jarrod – " Linda stopped and took in a breath. "I suppose I'm just too vulnerable right now, and Jarrod came to my rescue – what a foolish way to put it. He rescued me like no other human being could, and he's been so kind to me, and – I don't want to feel this way."

"But you are falling in love with him," Victoria said.

Linda said, "If I'm not careful, I will, and it's just not proper, not yet."

Victoria said, "Jarrod's told me how natural it is for a woman to fall in love with him when he's been her lawyer, and with a case as emotionally charged as yours was. Well, you're right, you were the most vulnerable a person can get, and Jarrod did save you."

Linda sighed again. Then she looked at Victoria. "He's almost acting like he's falling in love with me, like he's courting me, and I don't want to misinterpret him. I need to back off, and I don't know how I can do that and continue to be around him and be his legal partner."

Victoria smiled a little. "You're very confused, and that's understandable."

"He's talked about going down to Los Angeles with me to sell my property there, and I'm afraid – not only would it look bad to the people Adam and I knew there. I'm afraid it might make my feelings for Jarrod more confused."

"And you feel like you might be betraying Adam," Victoria said.

"Yes. And I might be wrong about Jarrod," Linda said. "Do you think – do you think he might be falling in love with me?"

Now Victoria sighed. "I don't know. Jarrod has always been very guarded with his feelings, especially about women."

"Even about his wife?"

"Oh," Victoria moaned and felt her throat close up at the memory of Beth and everything that happened two years earlier. "I think Jarrod needs to be the one to tell you about Beth and what happened, when he's ready."

"I've thought if he did, that might mean we're becoming very close – maybe too close. I just don't know."

Victoria had an idea. "Well, let me suggest something. You do want to go to Los Angeles to sell your property, and Jarrod does want to go with you. You'll need his help."

"Yes, I know I do. I'll need his help with selling my business there too, because I know I don't want to be there anymore. You see my dilemma though."

"Yes, I do, but what do you think about this? What if I go along too?"

Linda's eyes suddenly widened.

"As a chaperone," Victoria said. "It would look better to the community you were part of. It would take the pressure off of the two of you being alone together. It would slow things down for you – because frankly, even if you are actually falling in love with each other, you do need to slow it down. There is a reason a year has always been a mourning period for a widow. You're right – you are very vulnerable, and things that turn out to be wrong can happen. Please don't think Jarrod would take advantage of you, but it's only been two years since he lost his wife."

"Men seem to recover more quickly after being widowed," Linda said.

But – "Jarrod and Beth had been married for only a short time," Victoria said, "and her death carried complications. He's very vulnerable too."

Linda nodded a little.

Victoria said, "Let me talk to Jarrod and see what he thinks about me coming with the two of you to Los Angeles. Besides – I've never been there. It would be a holiday for me." She smiled.

That made Linda smile. "All right," she said. "But let's talk to him together. I'd want him to know I'm all right with you coming along. Somehow, I don't think he'd turn it down if he knew I was for it."

"You might be right about that," Victoria said. "In fact, he might be more in favor of it himself if he knows you are too. We'll talk to him tonight."

XXXXXX

"Well, now, are you going to be surprised," Jarrod said the minute he walked in the door. The whole family was gathered but it was Linda he walked straight up to and handed papers to.

"The agreement with the man who's going to sell the house?" Linda asked and took the papers.

"Better than that," Jarrod said. "Ike Simms has already had someone asking him about the property. There's an offer in there, too."

"An offer?" Linda quickly looked at the papers.

"A good one, too. Nearly five percent more than Adam paid for the property not two months ago. And by the way, you might be surprised to know that Ike is the man who handled the sale for Adam, and it was handled under the name Desmond. He kept quiet about that while your trial was going on, and if anyone in the land records office noticed, they kept quiet about it too. But anyway, you'll see all these papers are in your legal name – Desmond."

Linda sighed. "Actually – I think I am finished with Linda Cain. I'd rather be Linda Desmond again. It does make everything easier, doesn't it?"

"Indeed it does," Jarrod said and handed Linda the written offer.

Linda looked it over. "Miller Taupin. Do you know this person?"

"He runs one of the livery stables in town," Jarrod said. "He's been renting a smaller place but apparently has put enough aside to buy a modest place of his own, and he likes your place."

"So you think it's a good deal?"

"I do, but more important, Ike Simms does. This offer would cover his fee and give you a bit of a profit too. Do you have an account at the bank?"

"No, we put all our savings into this house here," Linda said. "When we sell it, I'll have our savings back, and when I sell the practice and the property in Los Angeles, I'll have a decent stake to start up in San Francisco with."

"Accept this offer, and you can go to settlement in a few days," Jarrod said. "But I do suggest you open an account at the bank and put the funds in there. You don't want to go hauling a draft around California."

"Then let's do it!" Linda said.

"Come on into the library and we'll go over everything and you can sign," Jarrod said and took her arm.

Linda waited a moment and looked over at Victoria. "Mrs. Barkley, would you - ?"

Jarrod looked a bit curious as to why Linda would be asking, but Victoria said, "Of course I'll come with you."

Jarrod led the way with Linda and escorted both ladies into the library before closing the door behind them and saying, "I get the feeling you both want to have a word about something."

As Jarrod took the papers to the desk, Linda looked to Victoria to open the conversation. She said, "Yes, we do. We were talking today about you and Linda going to Los Angeles to settle her property there."

"Oh?" Jarrod said, and looked at Linda. "Have you decided when you want to go?"

"Not when, but how," Linda said. "I was afraid that if I came to Los Angeles with a man who was not my husband – well, it might look bad to people I know there."

Jarrod grew sober. "You're right, of course. I should have given more thought to that."

"Well, we did," Victoria said, "and I think it would be a wonderful idea if I just went with you."

Jarrod's eyes went big.

"As your chaperone," Victoria said. "It won't look so bad if the man with the widow has his mother along, and frankly I like the idea of a holiday."

Jarrod chuckled. "Well, it sure wouldn't be the first time my mother has accompanied me on a business trip so that she can have a holiday. This is all right with you, Linda?"

Linda said, "I think it's a good idea, and we should go a day or two after we settle on the property here."

Jarrod smiled as he lifted up a pen and held it out to Linda. "Then let's get the process started."