Aftermath
folder
1 through F › The Big Valley
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
14
Views:
2,724
Reviews:
1
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
1 through F › The Big Valley
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
14
Views:
2,724
Reviews:
1
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I in no way own The Big Valley. I make no money from writing this, I just hope you have as much fun reading as I do writing.
3
The horses loped along at any easy pace.
“Be good to get home,” Heath commented. “Y’know, after a year or so of that soft bed and Silas’ cooking, reckon I might be getting soft.”
Nick snorted. “The day you get soft is the day I trade this ranch for an office in town.” He shook his head slowly as he thought of the brother who did have an office in town. “Sure wish Jarrod had been able to make it. We just don’t get to see enough of him lately.”
“Well, big brother has a lot of responsibilities,” Heath observed, “but I know he was hoping to join us. It sure doesn’t hurt him to get out from behind that desk now and then.”
“That is a fact, Heath,” Nick agreed. “Hey, this drive down to San Francisco is a short one. What do you say we convince Jarrod to come along and he can treat us to dinner in the city when we’re done?”
“Sounds like a plan, Nick.” Heath spotted the ranch buildings in the distance. “First one home gets all the hot water.” He kicked Charger in the sides and the big bay surged forward, leaving Nick in his dust.
“Hey, no fair!” Nick protested and urged Coco into a gallop.
The two cowboys thundered up to the barn and both dismounted in one fluid motion.
“I don’t know if it’s the horse or rider getting old,” Heath teased as they unsaddled. “I’m sure Charger and I beat you by, what, at least three lengths?”
“Not more’n a nose,” Nick insisted, “and you wouldn’t have beat us at all if you hadn’t gotten that head start.”
The good natured banter carried on as they rubbed down the horses before turning them out into the paddock with Jarrod’s sorrel and they continued teasing each other all the way into the house.
They took off their hats and were removing their gunbelts when Victoria swept into the room. “Nick, Heath, it’s good to have you home.” She greeted them each with a kiss on the cheek. “And where’s your brother?”
“Jarrod? Haven’t seen him,” Nick answered in an offhand fashion.
“Saw Jingo outside,” Heath added, “we thought he was home.”
Victoria’s face grew pale. “Jarrod left Jingo here when he headed out to join you five days ago,” she said slowly. “He came up lame on the way back from town and Jarrod took that big appaloosa instead. He was looking forward to meeting you for roundup.”
“Mother, Jarrod didn’t come out to the roundup,” Nick replied and a concerned look grew on his face. He and Heath shared a glance. “We thought he wasn’t able to change that court date.”
Victoria’s hand flew to her mouth. “You mean Jarrod didn’t join you?” she whispered in horror.
“And since he’s not here, that means he’s been missing for five days,” Heath concluded, worry on his face as well. “C’mon, Nick, the men will all be coming in. Let’s get some search parties out there.”
“Yeah.” Nick snagged his hat and gunbelt as Heath did the same. He put an arm around Victoria. “We’ll find him, Mother. Jarrod’s got to be out there somewhere.” But they all knew five days was a long time and they all knew it would take a miracle to bring their son and brother home safely.
*
Victoria jumped as she heard the door slam and turned to see Nick grimly stripping off his gloves. It had been dark for over an hour and it had taken all of her willpower to stay at home and wait for some kind of word instead of saddling a horse to join the search.
Nick stalked over to the drinks table to pour a large measure of whiskey and tossed it back in one gulp. “Nothing. No sign of Jarrod or the horse. It was getting too dark, reckoned we might miss something if we kept at it.” He turned to see the worried expression on Victoria’s face and took three big steps to enfold her in his arms. “We’ll find him, Mother, I promise,” he whispered into her hair. “We won’t stop looking. Heath went into town to let Fred know, we figure Champ’s a distinctive enough horse that someone might remember seeing him. And Jarrod.”
Victoria clung to her tall son, fighting back tears. “I’m scared, Nick,” she admitted. “I’m so worried, thinking Jarrod might be…” She choked on the words, unable to say them.
“He’s not dead, Mother,” Nick insisted firmly. “I’d know it if he was. He’s out there, somewhere. We just have to keep hoping and praying.”
Victoria nodded and tried to take comfort in Nick’s strong embrace. Please, God, let Jarrod be safe. Please let my son come back to me.
“Be good to get home,” Heath commented. “Y’know, after a year or so of that soft bed and Silas’ cooking, reckon I might be getting soft.”
Nick snorted. “The day you get soft is the day I trade this ranch for an office in town.” He shook his head slowly as he thought of the brother who did have an office in town. “Sure wish Jarrod had been able to make it. We just don’t get to see enough of him lately.”
“Well, big brother has a lot of responsibilities,” Heath observed, “but I know he was hoping to join us. It sure doesn’t hurt him to get out from behind that desk now and then.”
“That is a fact, Heath,” Nick agreed. “Hey, this drive down to San Francisco is a short one. What do you say we convince Jarrod to come along and he can treat us to dinner in the city when we’re done?”
“Sounds like a plan, Nick.” Heath spotted the ranch buildings in the distance. “First one home gets all the hot water.” He kicked Charger in the sides and the big bay surged forward, leaving Nick in his dust.
“Hey, no fair!” Nick protested and urged Coco into a gallop.
The two cowboys thundered up to the barn and both dismounted in one fluid motion.
“I don’t know if it’s the horse or rider getting old,” Heath teased as they unsaddled. “I’m sure Charger and I beat you by, what, at least three lengths?”
“Not more’n a nose,” Nick insisted, “and you wouldn’t have beat us at all if you hadn’t gotten that head start.”
The good natured banter carried on as they rubbed down the horses before turning them out into the paddock with Jarrod’s sorrel and they continued teasing each other all the way into the house.
They took off their hats and were removing their gunbelts when Victoria swept into the room. “Nick, Heath, it’s good to have you home.” She greeted them each with a kiss on the cheek. “And where’s your brother?”
“Jarrod? Haven’t seen him,” Nick answered in an offhand fashion.
“Saw Jingo outside,” Heath added, “we thought he was home.”
Victoria’s face grew pale. “Jarrod left Jingo here when he headed out to join you five days ago,” she said slowly. “He came up lame on the way back from town and Jarrod took that big appaloosa instead. He was looking forward to meeting you for roundup.”
“Mother, Jarrod didn’t come out to the roundup,” Nick replied and a concerned look grew on his face. He and Heath shared a glance. “We thought he wasn’t able to change that court date.”
Victoria’s hand flew to her mouth. “You mean Jarrod didn’t join you?” she whispered in horror.
“And since he’s not here, that means he’s been missing for five days,” Heath concluded, worry on his face as well. “C’mon, Nick, the men will all be coming in. Let’s get some search parties out there.”
“Yeah.” Nick snagged his hat and gunbelt as Heath did the same. He put an arm around Victoria. “We’ll find him, Mother. Jarrod’s got to be out there somewhere.” But they all knew five days was a long time and they all knew it would take a miracle to bring their son and brother home safely.
*
Victoria jumped as she heard the door slam and turned to see Nick grimly stripping off his gloves. It had been dark for over an hour and it had taken all of her willpower to stay at home and wait for some kind of word instead of saddling a horse to join the search.
Nick stalked over to the drinks table to pour a large measure of whiskey and tossed it back in one gulp. “Nothing. No sign of Jarrod or the horse. It was getting too dark, reckoned we might miss something if we kept at it.” He turned to see the worried expression on Victoria’s face and took three big steps to enfold her in his arms. “We’ll find him, Mother, I promise,” he whispered into her hair. “We won’t stop looking. Heath went into town to let Fred know, we figure Champ’s a distinctive enough horse that someone might remember seeing him. And Jarrod.”
Victoria clung to her tall son, fighting back tears. “I’m scared, Nick,” she admitted. “I’m so worried, thinking Jarrod might be…” She choked on the words, unable to say them.
“He’s not dead, Mother,” Nick insisted firmly. “I’d know it if he was. He’s out there, somewhere. We just have to keep hoping and praying.”
Victoria nodded and tried to take comfort in Nick’s strong embrace. Please, God, let Jarrod be safe. Please let my son come back to me.