Chapter Eighty Nine Two Weeks Later
Nick and Anna stood anxiously on the platform waiting for the train that brought her family to Stockton for the wedding. It was June 30, 1876 and the wedding was to be held on July the sixth. The Devereaux's had boarded in New York and took the continental railroad across the country. It was their first excursion west from their Massachusetts and Maine roots as shipping merchants on the Atlantic ocean. After spending the week with Anna and her new family, they would travel to San Francisco and visit Monterey to see the Pacific Ocean.
Andrew, the oldest brother, got off the train first and Anna ran to her big brother's arms; he picked her up and swung her around. Tears poured down her face. Alexander and Amelia and their spouses came off next with the three children. Anna was surrounded with her family, hugging and kissing and all talking at once
Nick stood aside for a moment just watching and appreciating the close family scene. Andrew looked over and tipped his bowler hat. A young boy about five stood at his side. He was the spitting image of his father.
"Nick Barkley, I presume." and he held out his hand.
"Andrew Devereaux, pleased to meet you. This must be Drew."
Nick shook the little boy's hand, "Yore Aunt Anna is sure proud of you. She has told me all about you."
His father smiled pleased at Nick's way with his son. Anna had written in length of his kind ways. He was then introduced to her sister Amelia and brother Alex. Their spouses and Alex's four year old twins, Arthur and Anna.
They all visited and Nick had the porter send their bags over to the hotel.
"Checked and your rooms are ready. I reserved a private dining room for the evening. My family will be up from the ranch in a few hours to meet you. We figured you want some time to shake off the dust from the road."
"Appreciate that. You have time for a drink." Andrew asked.
Nick grinned, "Always. Want to walk over to my brother's law office. He always has a few bottles of the good stuff." He was not sure he wanted Harry's to be their first place to talk.
"Cigars, too?"
"The best."
They made sure all the family was settled into the hotel and the men went to Jarrod's office. Esther greeted them.
"Welcome Mr Barkley."
He introduced her to Anna's family, "Anyone here?"
"Mr Macklin is in the conference room but the parlor and office are empty."
"Sounds good."
The men sat in Jarrod's living area and Nick took their orders.
"All whiskey. Men after my own heart. My brother Jarrod is a scotch man as well as the youngest brother, Eugene. He will be here tomorrow. College man. Heath likes his whiskey and is partial to beer when he has a choice." nervously talking as the men accepted their drinks.
They discussed the trip out west and some of the sights they saw. The three men were awed by the Rockies. Nick told them of his parents crossing the Sierra Nevada as early settlers, the gold rush days, the Spanish land grants and homesteading the ranch. The men were mesmerized by the story but more impressed by Nick's love of the land and pride in his family.
They told of their shipping company back east, they were "the third generation Devereaux's "on land" but we think there were a few pirates in our family tree."
Nick laughed.
Nick told them of the ranch, the mines, the freight lines, timber, the orchards , the winery, "My father believed in diversification. Jarrod and I have tried our best to continue his good sense." He mentioned his father was killed by the railroad over land disputes. He kept his voice steady but they could see the pain in his eyes.
Andrew looked at the other two men and cleared his throat, "Well to be honest, we knew. As soon as our Annie started writing about you—we got a Pinkerton to look into you and your family. You see, our Annie is our pride and joy. We wouldn't give her to any man."
Nick beamed, "Well I don't blame you a damn bit. I would be investigating anyone our Audra wanted to marry too. Hope not too many skeletons fell out of the closet."
Alexander looked at him seriously, "We want to meet your Mother too. The way she brought your uh, Heath into the family is plain Jesus through and through."
Nick was relieved they already knew; he had wondered if Anna had told them or Pinkerton's.
They made small talk a few more minutes after the serious nature of the conversation had passed.
"Is there anything else we need to do for the wedding? Annie told us to bring dark suits and she had dresses already lined up for the ladies. I sent some money Father set aside if she needed anything "
"I had her put it in her own pin money. For something she wants one day. Mother and the ladies have gotten it all lined out."
"Just let us know. We want to do our part."
"Bring a big appetite and your dancing shoes. We have got a week planned to show off the ranch and the valley. "
"Looking forward to it."
Andrew did add one more comment, " I, we have to say this—We mean it Nick, don't ever hurt our baby sister or we will board that train again in a heartbeat."
Nick nodded, "You have my word to treat her with all the respect in the world—and I would want you to beat the hell out of me iffn I did otherwise."
"Agreed," and they headed out to the hotel to check on the ladies and unpack before supper.
—-&—-
Nick went down to the private room they reserved. His family had arrived. Kai was in the wheelchair and Henry was playing checkers with him. Both boys were freshly washed up and in their Sunday suits.
Victoria, Audra, Grete and Lisette were putting fresh flowers on the tables and arranging the small gifts they had bought for the Devereaux's. Jarrod and Heath were moving a table closer in. Carl was due to arrive any minute from his ranch.
Jarrod and Heath laughed as Nick told them of the conversation with Anna's family and the Pinkerton report. They all laughed and shared some stories they hoped had not garnered the attention of the famous detectives.
Jarrod looked over at Lissy who was tying a bow on a box. The whelp had dimmed slightly but it was an ugly reminder of two weeks before. Every day she seemed better, reading to Henry, taking walks in the garden and sketching in her book. She did finish the painting of Anna's bouquet. She had not touched the landscape she was painting after the second attack.
She was very quiet around the family and everyone kept a close eye on her.
Victoria had attempted to draw her into a conversation but she just kindly listened.
"Jarrod, give her time. She needs to heal her heart and her mind as well as her body."
He was trying his best.
Nate was coming to the wedding with his wife Alice; he had more correspondence with Paul he wanted to discuss face-to-face.
Lissy listened to the work reports each day from the hotel but did not add anything to the conversations.
The men had finished the pond and portable dance floor for Nick's party for the Devereaux's and the town to celebrate the couple. Anna had only wanted a small church wedding at Reverend Stacy's church .
Jarrod looked again at Lissy and she returned a sad smile. He still didn't know if her courses had come and they had not been intimate since the attack. He would kiss her gently and she would return his embrace—-but she had not gone into town once or to the work site.
He would wait until after the wedding and hopefully they would talk. He would ask then.
Anna and her sister came down to the dining room. Nick strided over and kissed them both. Amelia was the spitting image of Anna, just a bit taller. Anna had confided she was expecting her first child after two years of marriage.
"Nick! Everything looks lovely." Anna looked around the room in awe. Flowers, candles, a buffet—-children's tables with checkerboards and bags of marbles for each child. Three new cowboy hats with bandanas for the niece and nephews.
Amelia smiled at him, "We have brought gifts too. Can we add them to the table?"
"Of course," Victoria answered.
Anna introduced the ladies and they began to chatter about the wedding. Anna was radiant in a navy dress with red trim and her brunette curls.
Jarrod watched Lisette carefully; she was listening to the conversation and nodding. She looked very tired when she did not mask her features.
"My love, we have to get through this for us—-and Henry."