Chapter Six

Previously;

At the last minute, Mrs. Alders changed her mind. "Mrs. Barkley."

Her guest stopped and turned around. "What?"

"I...well, there are a couple of men that came to town today." She went on to say what she'd seen and heard. "I'm not saying one of them is your husband, and my husband would probably be upset if he knew I was saying anything at all. Only, well…" she paused and then said, "I figured it wouldn't hurt-as long as I didn't swear it was your husband was in town. And, naturally, as long as I did not speculate on the matter to anyone else."

"No damage done; I promise." 'Mrs. Barkley' smiled, turned and headed for the small barn that sat not a hundred feet from the Alders' home.

'Mrs. Barkley' wasted no time in going to the livery stable. She planned on going to a few businesses, keeping her eye out for the Barkleys. Though, she was saved the trouble when Andrew Langston, the tall, extremely wiry, red-headed stable employee leaned the long, brown handle rake he'd been using against the far wall and walked up to her as she entered the building.

"I need to say I'm sorry." Andrew said as he took the reins to her horse, after she'd dismounted and handed him a few coins.

"For what?" She couldn't think of a thing this tender-hearted, seventeen-year-old lad had done wrong. Well, not to her anyway.

"For not believing you about you having a husband. Thought you were just saying you had one-don't ask me why. I just did." The young man looked more than embarrassed.

"You've talked with Nick?" she kept an eye on Andrew Langston, hoping like crazy that was the case.

"Well, I talked to a Nick Barkley." He went on to describe the two Barkley brothers. "We talked a few minutes. I suggested a good place to eat and mentioned the Jackson's Bed and Breakfast." He told her. "Though, I don't know if they chose to accept my suggestions."

"Thank you. I'll be back for my horse later." She turned and hurried out the door. She paid just enough attention to where she was going to avoid bumping into anyone or anything. Only when she reached her destination did she stop. She read the sign on the building and the slightly opened front door. She knew there was a chance he was staying somewhere else in town or, if he had booked a room here-he might be not actually be in it. 'Here goes nothing' she thought as she moved towards the steps leading up to the front door. It wasn't long before she was standing inside the foyer listening to the Widow Crane go on and on about how it was about time Mr. Barkley arrived. Only when the widow started making some more than unnecessary comments did 'Mrs Barkley' stop her.

"I would appreciate it if you did not make such remarks and assumptions about Nick! You know absolutely nothing concerning us or our business! He is very much a gentleman and extremely honest! Now, all I need to know is which room he was given. I will wait for him there!" She was given the satisfaction of seeing Widow Crane's countenance go from one full of arrogance to that of a scolded child who knew the person chewing them out had every right too.

"Room five." Widow Crane pointed towards a set of stairs that led up the upper portion of the boarding house. "Though, he's not there. He and his brother left a few minutes ago. I doubt they left the door unlocked."

"Do you still have a few chairs in the hallway?" Mrs. Barkley, who had actually stayed in the boarding house the first night she'd arrived in town, asked.

"Yes." The widow told her before excusing herself from the room.

Wasting no time, Mrs. Barkley climbed the stairs and then, entering the upstairs hallway, made her way to room five. It was indeed locked. Soon, she had placed a chair next to the door and sat down. As she waited, her mind went the day she'd fled to Carson City.

The wind was blowing ever so slightly as she hurried away from the creek. It was a good hundred yards from the two-bedroom cabin she lived in, along with her widowed father. Well, she hurried as fast as she dared seeing how she was carrying a bucket full of water in each hand. She also had to duck more than once-in order to avoid the low hanging branches that reached out from the many trees that stood along the path. This was one chore she'd never cared for and had gotten out of doing for a number of years- as she'd get her twin sister to do it by taking over one of her sister's cooking nights. However, Christina had married the year before and moved away with her husband and two stepdaughters. Her other siblings were also married and living in their own homes. Once she reached the cabin, she set the buckets down on a bench that sat next to the south wall of the cabin. The window-which had small hole in the bottom corner-made it so she could hear her widowed father talking to one of their 'neighbors'-he actually lived four miles away- along with another man she did not know. She wouldn't have listened in on the conversation only the neighbor had just said her name. As she listened, her eyes widened. However, after her father left the room, the two other men lowered their voices and continued talking. What she heard them say before her father reentered the room made her eyes grow even larger and her heart skip a beat. Quietly, she slipped away, never having been heard or seen by any of the men. In a matter of minutes, she was riding away from her father's cabin as fast as she could- without endangering her horse.

When she heard spurs hitting the stairs, and Nick making a comment to Heath, she pushed the memory aside and sat straight up-and prayed for the best.