Chapter One

1890

"Do not, I will repeat myself, do not ruin your grandmother's birthday with this news. To blazes with my birthday, but your grandmother deserves better."

"Yes sir. I am really sorry, Papa."

"Will talk later. We need to get our Sunday clothes on in a hurry."

"Yes sir,"

Nick and his son Jonathan Nicholas Barkley Jr, known in the family as Chip—- slunk up the backstairs of the mansion. Rosa shook her head at them in disapproval looking at their everyday clothes.

Nick gave his 'chastised little boy look' at their housekeeper, "We know we know. Will be down just in time. Wait for dinner, please iffn we aren't at the table in time. But don't be obvious about it."

"Yes sir Mista Nick," with her beautiful Spanish smile and just sighed, "My boys, my Niños."

—-&—-

"Happy birthday Nick, Happy Birthday Mother, Grandmother Victoria, Happy Birthday dear Benjamin, Happy Birthday to you!"

Rosa rolled in a large birthday cake with a 50 on it for Nick, a 3 for Benjamin, and a 72 for Victoria on it.

The large family dispersed within the large, extended dining room. Heath and his wife Sally had five children now. Eugene and his wife Susannah had four children. Audra and Carl had a set of twins, a boy, and a girl.

Jarrod and his third wife, Elisabeth wrangled their blended family of six children. Several years after Beth, Jarrod married a lovely Sacramento lady when he was attorney general. Francis gave him three children, JT, William, and Francis Victoria, Francie. His wife died of influenza in 1885. He married Elisabeth, the widow of one of his law school colleagues in 1887. They started a relationship as friends over shared grief and fell quite in love. She had two small daughters, Amelia and Adeline. She gave him another son, Benjamin within the first year of marriage. He was three years old this month.

After they married, they left the busy political world of Sacramento and built a house at the ranch.

Jarrod had told Elisabeth, "Life is too short my love. We both know that all too well, let us start over by building a quiet life watching the children grow." He managed Barkley interests and took a few cases that interested him. He still would work the ranch occasionally with his brothers and spend a great deal of time with his mother.

And then there was Nick and his fifteen-year-old son. Peg had died ten years before in childbirth. He buried his wife and newborn daughter on a cold winter day in 1880. From then on, it had been just Nick and Chip living at the big house with their grandmother.

Victoria and Benjamin blew out the candles, "What a joy to share a birthday with my youngest grandchild. And to have all my children home and all eighteen grandchildren here is my greatest gift. Thank you from the bottom of my heart."

Gifts were exchanged and little Benjamin ran around in the room on his new stick horse from Uncle Heath.

Nick teased him, "And I will take his place as favorite uncle soon enough when I give the boy his first pony."

Elisabeth's eyes grew big and Jarrod hugged her. "It will be fine. Nick will take good care of our boy. Couldn't be in better hands. Hasn't he taught Amelia and Adeline to ride?"

She blushed, "Yes but they were older. Benjamin just has so much more energy than the girls did. And you know, I was raised a city girl. I love the ranch and living down the road—-but "

"But nothing, sister. You have your hands full with my big brother. Leave the horses to me and little Benjamin."

She kissed Nick on the cheek, "I will, birthday boy. Have you opened our gift?"

Will and Francie ran it over to them. Elisabeth looked over in love. She had been raised with sisters and marrying a Barkley had given her four new brothers including Carl Wheeler. She was especially close to Nick. She had only been a Barkley for three years but her heart broke to see Nick embrace being a widower and live life alone. She and Jarrod had both been widowed but found their way to new love while still respecting their past. Nick had not.

He had rebuffed any attempts to matchmake or introduce him to someone new. Jarrod and Nick had done very well financially adding to the Barkley empire and were both worth over two million dollars. Ladies would come out of the woodwork and throw themselves at the Barkley widower. He would politely excuse himself from them and attend to his family during social events. Occasionally he would visit Big Annie's but leave sadder than before he went.

Peg Barkley had been a force of nature equal to Nick. Beautiful and statuesque—, fiery and adventurous. The only area of life she couldn't master was childbirth. Chip was their only living child after four stillbirths and miscarriages. She died in the fifth attempt. Nick had begged her for years to quit trying for children. The disappointment was too great and the toll on her body grew harsher after each loss.

When she knew she was dying, she told Nick, "I can go to our Maker content knowing I gave you Chip. He will be there for you as I will be watching after our little ones up here. Make sure you educate him. I want him to have all the opportunities life can give him. He's so smart. Educate him. If he is as good a man as you are, Nick, we will have succeeded. I would love for him to run the ranch or run the country—-give him all the chances. Meet ya in the northwest pastures in heaven, Nick. I love you."

—&—

Nick opened up his gift from Jarrod's family. A leather-bound copy of HG Wells, A Time Machine, and his favorite tobacco.

"I can't wait to read this. Chip has been asking too. He can read it second."

His son reached for the book and Nick pretended to swat it away. They all laughed. Chip was an extremely precocious child and read everything he could get his hands on.

Heath's oldest son came up and whispered too loudly, "You gonna have a long time to read up in yore room when you are on house arrest. What did Uncle Nick say?"

It was one of those moments when the conversation quiets down and people hear what you are saying unintentionally. He colored and was shushed quite loudly by JT.

"Shhhhh, not telling anyone yet. My father doesn't know either."

Jarrod leaned over his fifteen-year-old son's shoulder, "What do I not know?"

JT closed his eyes in defeat, "Can I tell you later? Uncle Nick doesn't want to ruin Grandmother's party with what Chip did this time?"

Jarrod frowned. He adored his oldest nephew but Nick had often allowed the boy too much freedom. Chip was extremely intelligent and became bored easily in school. He would rather be riding the ranch with his father. Mischief came easily to him and the last several years, Nick had had to get him out of trouble for pranks, poker games—- and his mouth. Several times, he had involved JT in his havoc. The boys were as close as brothers being born the same year.

Chip was also very handsome and charming. He could talk his way out of most situations. Several young ladies at school had set their cap for him and he was a master of flirting and keeping the girls interested in him. Several of them had risked their reputations to meet him in the alley behind the school for some kissing trysts. He let them all think they had his heart—the one he didn't plan on giving up easily.

Victoria said her good nights to all her family and Heath and Eugene's family left with the Wheelers.

Jarrod loaded up Elisabeth and the children.

"JT and I need to stay here a bit longer. Will, please take our family home?"

"Yes sir."

Elisabeth looked instinctively at Jarrod, "Chip?"

"I believe so. Nick wants to talk to me and I am keeping JT here, too. When one is involved, the other is close behind or holding the door open—or being the lookout."

He kissed Elisabeth on the cheek.

"I will be home shortly, Mrs Barkley. I would be very happy if you wait up for me," and he winked.

"I would be glad to, Mr. Barkley," and she winked back.

—-&—

JD Autonberry was reading briefs in his plush, ornate, and gilded bed in his Denver home; he was waiting on his mistress to arrive.

He owned a mansion in Denver—a city block in New York City with an apartment near Fifth Avenue —and a vacation home in Newport, Rhode Island.

"All the right addresses for my business," he declared.

He spent most of his time on his private rail cars traveling across the country expanding his empire of freight and commodities. He had a mistress well-kept in each of his frequent destinations.

JD was known in the business world as a ruthless competitor but a stickler for propriety and station. He paid cash for each acquisition and refused to speculate in the markets. He showed disdain for the new money that dabbled there.

"I stay quite out of the way of the Rockefellers, Vanderbilts, Carnegies, and Morgans. They swallow up their competition. I serve all their interests and it has made me one of the wealthiest, second-tier in America. I am a robber Baron, second class," he told his lawyer with laughter, "twenty million or so tiers."

His one plight in his life was his family. He outlived three wives and only one child reached adulthood, James David Autonberry II, David. He was a constant disappointment to him. He had given him wealth, the best schools, and the finest contacts—-all squandered to debauchery. He blamed the east coast schools of the wealthy for corrupting his son and leaving him into immorality and prodigality.

He threatened to cut off his trust if he didn't marry and settle down. None of the doxies he brought home were good enough so he found a wife for his son. A virgin to train up into a paragon of virtue and womanhood he desired for his family. She produced him an heir and she was of the highest standard of charm and manners—-and completely docile. JD could not have asked for more in his daughter-in-law.

He wanted a western school for his grandson, "They are creating lily-livered fops on the east coast. I think I prefer the self-made man of the West. Military school is my second choice."

His daughter-in-law and he agreed on one near San Francisco and the boy excelled after the first year. His mother had raised him well on the horse farm, he had settled them in away from society.

His thoughts of his grandson were interrupted by the arrival of Lila, his favorite companion. She was the widow of an employee and he brought the beautiful brunette into his inner circle.

"JD, we must talk."