Chapter Three

A Month Later

Jarrod had the family rail hooked up for the trip to San Francisco. Chip had heard about JT going and begged to see the school himself.

Nick had always had a hard time saying no to him and agreed, "Ain't saying yes or no. Let's go see,"

Jarrod had gone to the Stockton Academy Headmaster's home and negotiated for Chip and JT to withdraw from school. The man had tried to argue with him but Jarrod agreed to keep the whole incident private between the families. He reluctantly agreed after Jarrod pointed out the rum was missing from his cabinets and he could produce witnesses.

Nick thought about a pheasant hunt, a trip to the lodge, Mexico—-anything he could offer Chip instead of school, even a trip back east. But he couldn't do it. He knew his son would love the camaraderie of school as Jarrod did. The boy was a strange mix of his father and his uncle. He was also like his Uncle Eugene with many interests.

And then there was his promise to Peg.

The trip to Pine Crest was inevitable in Nick's mind.

—-&—

Jarrod visited with an older attorney friend, Bill Peterson, and his wife at the station. Jarrod told them they were visiting schools for their sons.

"Quite a coincidence. You will love it. Fine school. I am escorting the grandson of JD Autonberry back there myself. We got off the train in Stockton for a bite. The Autonberry car was attached a few behind yours a little bit ago.

JD Autonberry was one of the wealthiest men in the country and was represented by his friend's prestigious firm.

"See you there Bill or better yet, come up to the railroad car for a drink. We would love to meet the boy and hear from a student firsthand."

"I will take you up on that. James David is as fine a boy as you will ever meet."

—-&—

A heaviness settled over Nick as they boarded the car in a heavy deluge. It had been raining for several days and the station had laid boards over the mud for guests to get to the train. The dark cloud made the evening even darker.

Nick was preoccupied and morose. Part of Nick felt he was losing his son and his last threads to Peg.

True, he's only fifteen but will he ever come back to the ranch—-our old life?

Whereas Elisabeth and Jarrod were excitedly planning their week with JT, Nick was dreading it with every emotion he had.

Jarrod spoke glowingly, encouraging him with all the new friends he would make and reminding him they owned a home in San Francisco so they could be together more often. Chip and JT talked and planned their week. Nick grumpily tried to read his book and distract himself as the train slowly pulled out.

An hour into the train after the Lathrop exchange, the train came to a grinding halt. A loud rumbling and the train shook. Sparks flew up from the tracks. The brothers peered out the windows to find out what happened. Their belongings jerked across the room. Elisabeth was scurrying to pick them up.

The porter came into the car, "Mister Barkleys. There has been a mudslide behind us. Two cars are off the track and have some serious injuries. Going to move some of the nearer folks into our passenger cars and out of the weather, there's a lawyer back there in a private car that knows you, Mr. Jarrod, Bill Peterson. Was asking for you."

"Of course. Nick and I will make our way back there. Do you need any help?"

"No sirs. We just gotta clear the next cars of people so we can get to the trapped. The ones behind those will have to go back to Lathrop."

Nick and Jarrod made their way back and shuddered at the overturned cars.

"Doesn't look good."

"Nope."

"Jarrod? "

"Bill?" And he made his way to the car off the tracks but not flipped over completely under the mud."

He had a large gash on his forehead and his shirt was covered with blood, "My wife, Janie, has broken her arm and maybe shoulder."

"Please come to our car. We have plenty of room."

Two porters carried the gray-haired lady out of the private car and into Barkley's car; she had been helped to safety by a young man who went back into the car.

Elisabeth immediately started ministering to her. A nurse aide dispensed some laudanum to her for sleep until she could see a doctor. The rain was picking up again and they were struggling to unhook the last cars.

"See to your wife, Bill. Nick and I will get your client out."

"Thanks."

As they made it to the car, they passed bewildered and muddy victims being escorted to the front of the train. Lanterns were the only light on the scene and faces were hard to discern.

"Mother, I have you," as a young man in the crested coat of the private school helped his tiny mother out of a window.

"James David Autonberry?" Jarrod called out.

He acknowledged them.

"Here, let us help." Jarrod and Nick offered. They reached up to help.

"Be careful, there's broken glass."

Nick picked up the diminutive woman in a fine silk dress, splattered with blood as she slipped onto the wet ground in her fine beaded slippers. They were stuck in the mud and she left them there in the mire. Nick got her safely onto the track.

"Yours?" He asked with caution about the blood.

"No, Mr. Peterson's."

"Are either of you hurt?"

"No, but Mrs. Peterson was quite frantic to find her purse. It has a lock of their departed son's hair in it. And I guess mine, too. It has all my traveling needs and coin and such." in a clipped proper voice.

James David came out of the car with one bag, "I couldn't find yours, Mother. Just Mrs. Peterson's."

"Hers was most important."

A clap of thunder and another deluge began. The Autonberry car seemed to shift.

"We need to get you out of here."

The tall boy took his mother by the arm and Jarrod showed them the way to the Barkley car.

The railmen unhooked the Autonberry car just in time as another layer of mud tumbled down the hill.

Nick reached out to catch the lady as her son did. They caught her again and hoisted her up onto the car.

"Thank you, sirs,"

—-&—

Elisabeth pulled out some blankets for Mrs. Peterson, "I don't want her to go into shock." she whispered to the boys, "See how she is shivering."

Her husband was getting his forehead cleaned by Chip and JT. They took water from the basic and used linen napkins tied together.

"Good job, boys," Elisabeth said with pride.

They had taken care of the older lawyer without being asked and ingenuity using the materials at hand. They had already helped his wife lay down on the divan. The laudanum was quickly taking effect.

The tall well-built boy came into the door in a few minutes. He wore the navy, crested jacket of the Pine Crest Academy.

Elisabeth smiled across the room, "You must be James David. Make yourself welcome."

JT and Chip introduced themselves. All three boys were about the same height. JT and Chip had dark brown hair while James David had wavy auburn hair.

"Mrs. Peterson? I found your bag."

The older woman teared up, "Thank you, sweet boy. Is your mother hurt?"

"No ma'am, Mr. Barkley is helping her outside. Her shoes got stuck in the mud and her foot is cut."

Almost on cue, Nick appeared carrying the petite lady into the rail car. She was five feet tall with large green eyes and auburn ringlets. They had fallen askew during the accident.

"Are you hurt?" the boys said in unison, seeing the blood on her silk dress.

Nick put her gingerly down on the floor.

"It's Mr. Peterson's blood. How are you doing?"

"Better now that the missus is getting care and you two are here safely. JD would have my head and to be perfectly honest, I am pretty partial to you." as he clasp her hand.

She gave him a beautiful smile.

"Are you sure you aren't hurt, mother?"

"I have a cut when my shoes got stuck in the mud. And those were my favorite slippers," she made a joke but quickly turned serious, "But we are all alive. That's enough for me," in a gracious tone.

Nick for the first time got a look at the woman he had been carrying. His heart fluttered in a way it hadn't done in years—-since Peg. He took a deep breath and decided to enjoy the moment.

He looked down at her hand and she wore a sapphire ring on her left hand.

"Of course, she's married."