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When The Fire Burns	By : Melishere Category: 1 through F > The Big Valley Views: 711 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I dont own The Big Valley and I make no money from this story

Chapter List
- 9
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The storm finally cleared in the early afternoon. Both Teddy and Heath had slept in since they’d been up late due to the storm damaging the barn. Heath fixed them some breakfast and they ate in companionable silence.

Heath then went out to the barn to check on Charger. When he walked back into the small house he saw Teddy was ready to go.

“I can take you into town,” Heath offered.

“No. I can walk. Thank you. For everything. I’m sorry to be a bother,” she said. Her red hair was combed out with her fingers and braided down to one side. Teddy’s cheeks had a smattering of freckles and Heath could tell she smiled easily. Her blue eyes were mesmerizing. He’d never see that shade of eyes before. He decided to enjoy looking at her but knew nothing would ever come of his thoughts. Teddy was too young.

Before Heath could insist she was not bother, horses were heard in the yard. Heath opened the door just as Carl was stepping onto the porch. Carl saw Teddy behind Heath; her eyes downcast.

“Teddy?” Carl called to her. She moved slowly toward her father.

“She got caught in the storm last night and took refuge in the barn. I brought her inside to clean up the gash on her head,” Heath explained.

Carl felt a bit of relief. Relief that his only daughter was safe but that she’d stayed in the barn. It wasn’t going to be easy to explain her absence overnight, but he could make it sound plausible.

“So, she was in the barn the whole night?” Another man said.

Heath looked over to see Jeff Hollister still sitting on top of his horse. Jeff narrowed his eyes at Heath and looked angry. Heath admitted he’d be angry too if he knew Jeff had left Teddy out in the barn.

“No, of course not. I found her last night and she stayed in the house with me, but everything was above board. Nothing happened.”

Carl groaned inside. Now that Jeff knew where Teddy had been all night, decisions needed to be made. Jeff left the yard without a word and Carl looked from Teddy to Heath.

“Heath, I’m going to take Teddy home. Why don’t you come by in about a half hour. We need to talk,” Carl said. Heath noticed the man seemed resigned and Teddy was close to tears. Heath agreed to come to Carl’s house. He knew it didn’t look right that he and Teddy had spent the night together, but he was sure between himself and Teddy he could convince Carl that nothing happened. Besides, if Heath hadn’t brought her in, she could have been injured or worst because of the tree falling in the stall where he’d found her. He went to saddle Charger and headed to Carl’s.

***************
Heath walked up to the front door and knocked. Carl opened the door and motioned for Heath to enter. Heath held his hat in his hands and followed Carl into his office. Each man took a seat.

“We have a problem, Heath,” Carl said.

“Carl, nothing happened,” Heath insisted.

Carl sighed.

“Heath when we first met, I told you JG wouldn’t put up with anything untoward,” Carl said.

Heath was becoming angry.

“Are you calling me a liar, Carl? Where’s Teddy? She can tell you that nothing happened.”

“Teddy already told me, and I believe her. I believe you too. Teddy is packing.”

“Packing?” he asked, shaking his head not understanding what Carl was saying.

Carl stood and poured himself and Heath each a drink. Heath took the glass but didn’t take a drink. Carl knocked his back in one swallow and poured another.

“The preacher will be here in about 10 minutes,” he said keeping his eyes on the glass in his hands. “And about 10 minutes after that JG will be here demanding that Teddy marry his son now that she’s considered ‘compromised’. And if you don’t marry her, she’ll have to marry him. And I’d rather anything else happen than that.”

Heath stood and walked over to Carl.

“Carl, you want me to marry Teddy? You don’t even know me!”

“Like I said, I’d rather anything else happen than for my daughter to be with that brute. Please, Heath. Take her away from here. If you don’t -“

“She’d have to marry Jeff which I agree wouldn’t be my first choice for her but Carl, nothing happened last night, and I can’t marry Teddy!” Heath insisted again.

“Jeff has had his eye on Teddy since she was 13. I’ve managed to keep the man at bay insisting she be 18. She turned 16 last week. I thought I had a few more years to figure out something but we are out of time after last night. Again,” Carl said holding up his hand to silence Heath’s protests, “I know nothing happened.”

Heath knocked back his drink and set down the glass down. He ran his hands through his hair and paced.

Carl watched. If Heath didn’t agree to marry Teddy, he wasn’t sure what he’d do. If he left with her he was sure Jeff would follow. He was obsessed with Teddy and Carl was determined to keep him away from his daughter.

“Me marrying her is the only way?” Heat asked.

Carl nodded.

“If you don’t, she’ll have to marry Jeff. JG will insist on it, claiming it will protect her reputation. And he’ll…” Carl closed his eyes. He took a deep breath and opened his eyes, looking at the other man. “Heath you’ve seen how he treats the men in his crew. Do you really want her to-“

“No,” Heath answered. He looked up at the ceiling. Then back at Carl. “You know Jarrod is a lawyer. What if we get married but then we can get it annulled?”

Carl was already shaking his head.

“She can’t come back here, Heath so where would she go?”

Heath sat down with his head in his hands. There was a knock at the door and Heath knew the preacher had arrived. He couldn’t stand the thought of Teddy having to marry a man like Jeff. He stood and faced Carl.

“I’ll do it.”

Carl sagged in relief. He went to answer the door.

In the next few minutes, Teddy appeared dressed in a simple but beautiful gown that brought out her blue eyes. Heath noticed her blue eyes were sad and he felt badly for her. She was in the same predicament as he.

They had just finished saying their vows when there was a pounding at the door. Before Carl could move to answer, JG Hollister burst in with his son Jeff on his heels.

“Heard there was trouble. Need to take care of it,” JG blustered. “Ready to have your daughter-“

JG stopped when he noticed the preacher. He looked from him to Heath to Teddy to Carl and then back to the preacher.

“Preacher?” He asked.

The gray-haired man turned to JG. He was the one man in town who JG didn’t try to push around.

“You interrupted, JG. I was just about to introduce Mr. and Mrs. Heath Barkley.”

JG stood there with his mouth open. Jeff’s eyes were wide, and Heath noticed his face was beginning to turn red with anger. Heath felt the need to put his arm around Teddy and she leaned into him instinctively.

“They’re…married?” Jeff asked incredulously.

“I don’t believe it,” JG snarled.

“Yes. And unless you’re here to congratulate them and wish them well, I think you should leave,” the preacher said. JG narrowed his eyes and left, Jeff following behind. He turned one last time and with pure hatred looked at the newly married couple. Heath stared back unafraid, but he felt Teddy tremble causing Heath to tighten his hold. After witnessing JG and Jeff’s reactions, he was glad he’d married to Teddy to save her from both men.

The preacher shook Heath’s hand and gave Teddy a chaste kiss on her cheek. He bid his goodbyes and left.

Carl turned to the couple and asked Teddy to go get her bag. She nodded and left the room.

“Heath, you need to go get your things and the two of you need to get out of town as quickly as possible.”

Heath nodded. He had already planned to do just that.

“Will you be alright?” He asked.

Carl nodded.

“Once you’re gone JG will leave me alone.”

“And Jeff?”

“He’ll be angry for a while. It’ll be better once you’re both gone,” Carl said turning. Heath saw tears in the other man’s eyes.

“I’ll be back soon,” Heath said, and Carl nodded.

Heath left the house and rode Charger back to the small house outside of town. It didn’t take him long to pack and he kept his eye on his surroundings. He didn’t think Jeff or JG would be dumb enough to try anything, but he didn’t want to chance it. He was glad there would still be plenty of light for them to travel by.

He arrived at Carl’s home and knocked on the door. Teddy was ready to go, having changed into traveling clothes, and handed Heath her bag. She’d packed light, knowing she and Heath would have to ride double. Carl took his daughter in his arms. Teddy tried to hold back her tears but couldn’t and Heath felt badly. She held on to her father tightly. He whispered to her and she nodded.

When they broke apart, Heath held out his hand. Carl took it, the men exchanging a firm handshake.

“I’ll take good care of her,” Heath promised.

“I know you will,” Carl replied. “Write to me when you get a chance,” Carl said to his daughter, his eyes suspiciously moist.

Teddy mounted Charger with Heath’s help and he sat behind her, putting his arms around her as he took the reins. They left town without a backwards glance.
- 9
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- 11
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When The Fire Burns