CHAPTER FIVE

The Confrontation

Wednesday (finally!), November 14, 1877

By the next day, everyone was up and about. Although Silas had gotten up early and wanted to make breakfast for the family, Victoria insisted he go back to bed and stay there. He didn't argue, so there was no doubt he was still feeling poorly.

Jarrod was the last to arrive at the breakfast table, and he was dressed in a suit.

"Why are you dressed for work?" Victoria asked.

"Because I'm going to work?" Jarrod asked hoarsely, his eyebrow raised.

"No, you aren't," Victoria stated. "You need to stay home for at least one more day."

"I'm sorry, lovely lady, but I do need to go to the office today."

The other family members watched this sparring between the two heads-of-household.

Victoria's eyes narrowed. "Why? So you can start an epidemic in town? So you can give this—whatever it is—to your secretary, who will give it to her son, who will spread it to all the children at school, who will then spread it to their families, where it will likely kill the oldest and youngest members of our town?"

Jarrod glared at her, then quickly excused himself to engage in a loud coughing fit just outside the room. He finally returned to his seat and took a sip of coffee.

"I never thought my son would care so little about the lives of those around him," Victoria stated with a scowl as soon as he returned.

Jarrod looked at her, then burst out laughing, which caused a lot of confused looks and another coughing fit. When he again returned to the table, he simply shook his head and looked at his mother. "I'm so thankful I've never had to face you in the courtroom."

She smiled slightly and shrugged. "You're the one who taught me to know my audience. And I know you. If I told you it would damage your own health to go to town, you'd do it anyway. But if I said you were a danger to others, you'd do what you're supposed to do."

"So you lied to me?" Jarrod asked.

"You know better than that. Every member of this family who was exposed to Heath and Margaret became ill—but not all in the exact same way. You and Silas got a nasty cough with yours. Audra and I didn't seem to get it as bad as the men did, but you were pretty sick, weren't you, Margaret?"

She nodded.

"So," Victoria continued, "we can't predict how others might react—only that they will, indeed, get sick."

Nick nodded. "I'm glad Sam convinced me to get Isabella and the boys out of here and to stay away from the men. We could've had a huge disaster on our hands." He scowled at Jarrod. "And if you think you're gonna sneak out of here—"

Jarrod raised his hands. "I know, little brother, I know. I'll have to go through you. But you don't need to worry about me laying you out when you try to stop me. Mother has convinced me with her words."

Heath chuckled.

Nick turned his scowl from Jarrod to Heath.

Heath put on his innocent face and turned to Victoria. "It's okay for me to go to work today, right?"

She considered for a moment. "Yes."

"Good." He stood. "Excuse me, please. I need to get moving." He grabbed a biscuit, kissed Margaret's cheek, and hurried out the back door.

Nick, his scowl still in place, watched him go. "Don't let his innocent act fool you," he said to his mother. "He was out there three hours ago already."

Victoria smiled. "I know, dear. I heard him go out."

Margaret turned to face Audra. "Do your brothers always fuss with each other?"

Audra laughed. "You know how we women give each other a hug or a smile or a kind word to show we care? Well, men show their love for each other by growling and insulting and punching."

Nick growled. "Don't you got nothing to do today, Audra?"

Audra smiled, her dimples big. "See? They even growl at us to let us know they care. It's when they're quiet that we need to worry."

"Excuse me," Nick said, tossing his napkin on the table. He turned to leave.

Victoria sighed. "I sure do miss Isabella."

Jarrod chuckled. "I was just thinking the same thing."

Nick glowered at his gathered family. "What? You think I'm grouchy because I ain't seen my wife for two days?"

"Of course not, Nick," Jarrod said condescendingly, a look of feigned innocence covering his face. "You're always grouchy." He raised his eyebrow and allowed his smile to appear. "I was thinking about who was going to make dinner tonight."

"Since it only took about twenty-four hours for us to get sick, I was hoping Isabella could come home this afternoon. But Silas still had a fever earlier, so we should wait, I suppose." Victoria sighed. "I've missed her and the boys." She picked up her plate. "Excuse me. I need to check on Silas."

Margaret stood. She gathered the dirty plates and silverware from the table. She missed Isabella, too. Isabella knew how to do everything and never minded sharing her knowledge with Margaret. "Should I make him some willow bark tea?"

"It wouldn't hurt," Victoria stated. She left Margaret in the kitchen and went in to check on Silas.

"How are you feeling, Silas?" Victoria asked.

"Jes fine, Miz Barkley. Jes fine," he wheezed. "I's sorry I couldn't make breakfast."

Victoria felt his forehead. "You're still fevered, Silas."

"I's real sorry, Miz Barkley."

"Oh, Silas!" Victoria sat down next to him on the bed. "You have no reason to be sorry. You just need to stay here and rest. Do you want something to eat?"

"I wouldn't mind none of that soup, if'n there's any left." He looked at her. "I's can get it."

"You can stay in bed is what you can do," Victoria said firmly. "Margaret is making you some willow bark tea. Will you drink it?"

"Yes'm. I's don't like it none, but I's knows it's good for me."

Victoria patted his hand. "I'll bring it and some soup to you. Is there anything else you want?"

"Miz Barkley, yous shouldn't be waitin' on the likes of me. I can git up and take care of myself, and I's get lunch done today."

"Silas, I have only one order for you today."

"Yes'm?"

"Stay in bed." Victoria raised her eyebrow, daring him to argue with her.

"But—"

"Silas, you won't get well if you don't rest. Now, I want you to promise me to stay in this bed all day today. Will you do that?"

"Miz Barkley, I needs to—"

"Silas! Listen to me. You need to stay in bed. Now, stop arguing with me."

Silas' shoulders dropped. "Yes'm, Miz Barkley."

Victoria patted his hand, then went to help Margaret in the kitchen.

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Later that morning, Jarrod sat in his home office, sorting through the mail.

Margaret quietly walked in, standing silently near him.

Jarrod finally looked up. He smiled and stood when he saw it was Margaret. "Is there something I can help you with?"

"Yes," Margaret said softly. "I wondered if I could talk to you sometime." She fidgeted with her hands.

Jarrod took her elbow and led her to the settee. "Sit down," he said, and waited for her to do so. As soon as she did, he closed the door and then sat in the armchair diagonally from her. "What's the matter, sweetie?" he asked kindly.

Margaret opened her mouth to speak, then looked down at her hands.

Jarrod leaned toward her. "You can tell me anything," he said. "I will keep your confidence."

Margaret took a deep breath. "Forgive me for speaking out about this."

"It's okay," Jarrod said. "You can always talk to me." And if Heath is mistreating you in any way, I'll break every bone in his body.

"It's Caroline," she said. "She's such a good person. So kind. I-I just hate to see her hurt."

Jarrod frowned. "Who is hurting her?"

Margaret hesitated, then swallowed hard. "You are."

Jarrod wished he'd read Caroline's letter. Maybe it would offer an explanation. "I'm sorry," he said, his voice still soft and calm. "I didn't know I was hurting Caroline."

"Forgive me for not minding my own business, but, like I said, Caroline doesn't deserve to be hurt." She met Jarrod's eyes. "She cares a lot about you, Jarrod. She wants to get to know you better. But she says you just shut her off without an explanation—without even a goodbye."

"I, uh, well, I didn't mean to."

"She doesn't believe in chasing after a man. She wasn't even going to write to you, but she did want to thank each member of the family for their kindness. So, she did write to you, although I don't know what she said."

Jarrod wished he could have a good coughing fit right now, but despite his best efforts, his cough failed him. He took a deep breath. "Margaret, I do care a lot for Caroline. But I am eleven years older than she is. She's only twenty-two. She has a lot of living to do before she's ready to settle down."

Margaret's emerald eyes cut into Jarrod's sapphire ones. "When are you going to be ready to settle down?"

Jarrod's eyebrow rose. "I don't believe that is any of your business."

Margaret dropped her eyes. "No. It isn't. Please forgive me for being so forward." She massaged her hands.

Jarrod sighed. "I'm sorry, Margaret. I didn't mean to be rude."

She glanced at him. "Would you just let her know if you have any feelings for her or not? Or let me know and I'll pass it along? I hate to see her waiting for you if there truly is nothing to wait for. But if you do have feelings for her, it would be a much worse tragedy to let pride or fear or whatever your problem is prevent the two of you from having a life together."

Jarrod rubbed his forehead. "Thank you for bringing this matter to my attention."

Margaret scowled. She was being dismissed—Jarrod either didn't take her seriously or he didn't care if Caroline was hurting.

"Thank you for your time," Margaret said, a bit harsher than she intended, and stood.

Jarrod also stood. "Margaret—"

She turned and looked at him.

Jarrod stepped closer to her and took her hand in his. "I do care for Caroline—a great deal. I will write to her."

Margaret studied his face. She didn't know Jarrod well enough to know if he was simply trying to appease her or if he did, indeed, care for her closest friend. "Thank you, Jarrod," she stated, giving him the benefit of the doubt. "I appreciate that."

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