More developments but no answers. Thank you again everyone. Love your deductions.
Ros
4
Audra, having witnessed what she considered her brothers', particularly Nick's, boorish behavior, stood and said, "If you'll excuse me,
I'm going to my room. Tell Father goodnight for me, please." She left the study and in a most unladylike manner that would have encountered her late
mother's disapproval, she ran up the stairs to her room.
No sooner had Audra closed the door to her room than Tom Barkley exited his, closing the door behind him. Concentrating on fastening his gun-belt, he descended the stairs and then his demeanor cross, he entered the study. "I did ask not to be disturbed. You woke me up. If you'd been in Stockton, I swear I'd have still heard ya, Nick. Can ya not talk at the level of normal folk? That voice must have come from your mother's side of the family, because it surely didn't come from mine. Now what pray was goin' on?"
"It was that young whippersnapper," Nick said in his defense, moving toward his father.
"What young whippersnapper?" Tom, confused, looked over at Eugene, doubting if Nick was talking about his inconsequential young brother, for he was never any bother.
"It was that young cowhand Jarrod insisted we should hire on. I knew he was trouble the moment I saw him." Throwing his arms about, Nick glowered over at Jarrod. "I warned ya, but no ya wouldn't have it. He hopes to get his grubby little mitts on a stake-out of this ranch, you mark my words."
"I thought he was working for the railroad, Brother Nick." Jarrod sneered with sarcasm.
"Whatever, he's bad news." Nick would have the last say, his mind was made up, Heath was bad trouble.
"Look, would you mind fillin' me in, I haven't a clue what you're goin' on about. All I know was I was tryin' to get some shuteye and you Nick, shoutin' I know not what, woke me up." He was cross before he entered the study, but now Tom was becoming irate at the verbal back and forth between his two elder sons that did not seem to include him.
"I'm sorry, but…" Nick explained all that had occurred in the barn and of dragging Heath over to the house.
Tom listened then walked across to the settee nearest the fireplace. He had spotted staining and rubbed his fingers across the polished wooden back. There was blood on his fingers and he looked at Nick. "So, he said he was my bastard son? Was that before or after ya beat him up, Nick?"
There was a touch of levity in his father's voice and Jarrod noted that his father did not seem to be too perturbed at the accusation of having a bastard son.
"Now look here, he gave as good as me, it's just that he spouted blood easier." Having heard most of Nick's excuses on fighting before, Tom could not help but give a short laugh. "You're fightin' probably came from your mother's side of the family too." Turning to look at his lawyer son, he then asked, "So this supposed bastard son of mine, where does he come from?" A disturbing thought of something that had occurred long, long ago, flashed into Tom's mind. After all these years he did not think it likely, but he asked nonetheless.
"From the little mining town of Strawberry, up the Stanislaus," Jarrod answered and watched his father walk over to the window to look out at the dark.
Tom screwed up his face knowing his sons could not see and asked another question, "How old is he?"
Jarrod detected a slight quiver in his father's voice. "Twenty-four, I think he said."
Tom did his sums and twenty-four years was right. It fitted the time. The color drained from his face and his stomach dropped heavily at the recollection - a tiny, helpless, baby boy; a kind, black woman; a basket; the Stanislaus; the mining town of Strawberry and a woman, Leah Thomson.
"You owned the Strawberry mine about then." From the back view, Jarrod could see the reaction in his father - perhaps of guilt and he pressed, "Is there a possibility he could be your bastard son?"
"Don't be ridiculous, Jarrod," Nick blasted, for to him, his father could never do wrong. "Father would ne…"
His complexion as white as white, Tom turned and put his hand up to quiet Nick. He should have been angry, hurt and annoyed at the implication of Jarrod's question, but he was not. "Know this. Since I met and married your mother, I never went with another woman. I never broke our wedding vows. I have no bastard son." His answer was adamant on the matter; his boys did not need to know the whole story.
For Nick that was all his father needed to say, but Jarrod, knowing his father's reputation as an honest man with integrity, could detect there was something else; something their father did not say.
"Why did he come here? Why did he think I was his father?" Tom wondered what had changed that the boy was suddenly at the ranch claiming to be his bastard son.
Not understanding the significance, Jarrod explained about the newspaper cuttings found in the bible.
"So the woman who reared him is dead?" Tom asked and nodded his understanding. He had never met Leah Thomson. He could only assume that she had learned about his connection with the boy and had kept newspaper cuttings she had found about him, Tom Barkley and his family. After her death the boy had found the cuttings and had put two and two together coming up with five.
"Yeah," the two elder sons replied.
"Where is the boy now?" Tom looked to Eugene, who had remained silent throughout.
"Ask Nick," Eugene said, shrugging his shoulders.
"Nick?" Shaken, unsteady on his feet, Tom approached Nick.
"I gave him short shift. I told him to get off Barkley land, to stay off and if I ever saw him again I'd finish what I'd started. I don't think we'll see him again." Nick said.
"Good." That was how Tom wanted it and he smiled at Nick. "You did right."
Jarrod was concerned and bemused at his father who was obviously covering up something. He remembered the boy's soulful eyes, younger, but eyes he knew well. He recalled the look of honesty, hurt and integrity and suggested to his father, "You should see him."
With an air of finality, Tom snapped at Jarrod, "I don't want to see him, ever. I don't want mention of him again, either. Hopefully we've seen and heard the last of him. You got that?" Jarrod, shocked at his father's animosity, nodded. He knew when best to keep quiet and not to further antagonize his father.
Tom moved to the door. "Where is Audra?"
"In her room. She said to tell you goodnight," Eugene said.
Tom nodded. "I should be back in a couple of hours. I'll get Mac to come with me." He then turned to leave the study. From the hallstand he removed his tan Stetson then putting it on his head, he left the house.
TBC
Ros
