You are going to love this story! Many thanks to Ginger Leigh for allowing Spanking Storybook to post her Big Valley spanking fan fiction story. Sit back and enjoy!
More Than She Bargained For
By Ginger Leigh
Chapter 1- New In Town
“I’ll take this one, please,” the newcomer to Stockton, Rebecca Louise Lord, declared to the dressmaker, Sarah Hampton.
“Oh, I’m sorry, Miss Lord, that dress was made for one of my regular customers. She should be in today, as a mater of fact, to pick it up.”
As if on cue, the little bells on the door sounded and Audra Barkley entered Sarah’s small shop.
“We were just talking about you, Audra,” said Sarah as she walked forward to greet the only Barkley daughter.
“Oh?” questioned Audra. She looked from Sarah to the very pretty, young, sophisticated looking woman she didn’t know and back to Sarah again.
Sarah reached for the kelly-green taffeta dress she and Rebecca were just discussing.
“Yes, Miss Lord here was just admiring the dress you ordered.”
Audra took hold of either side of the dress skirt and pulled it out to full width. “Oh, I’m so glad you’ve finished it! And, as usual, Sarah, you’ve done a beautiful job.”
“Well, thank you, Audra,” Sarah said humbly.
“Don’t you think so?” Audra addressed Rebecca.
Rebecca didn’t answer, unless you call the haughty expression she wore an answer.
Sarah jumped into the tense moment. “I’m sorry Audra, I should have introduced you,” she apologized. “This is Miss Rebecca Lord. She has recently moved to town with her father, a merchant from back east.
“How do you do, Miss Lord, nice to meet you,” Audra replied graciously in spite of the condescending way Rebecca nodded to her, as if she were royalty and Audra—wasn’t.”
“Miss Lord, Miss Audra Barkley,” Sarah introduced.
“Miss Barkley. You have come at an opportune time. I am going to purchase this dress.”
Audra and Sarah looked at one another, not quite sure just who this young woman thought she was to waltz in here and announce she was buying someone else’s dress.
“Um, well, may I call you Rebecca?” Audra inquired lightheartedly. It felt awkward to address this woman formally when she obviously wasn’t that much older than Audra herself was.
“Miss Lord will do,” was Rebecca’s retort, making Audra sorry she had asked. “Umm, well, Miss Lord, Audra tried to explain again with more detail. “Sarah made this dress for an event I will be attending with my brother in San Francisco. He is taking me to the opera for my birthday.”
“That’s all very sweet, I’m sure, but I see no reason why you can’t just choose another dress. Perhaps your brother would allow you to shop in San Francisco for appropriate attire.”
Audra didn’t know what to say, but she was thinking plenty. She wanted to give Rebecca some grace because she was new in town, but found it difficult. Audra thought this young woman was the probably the most spoiled creature she had ever met. She obviously just wanted the dress because she wanted it and wasn’t used to being told no. Audra felt vindicated in some way. Her brothers chided her about being spoiled, especially Jarrod. Just wait until he meets Miss Lord. Then he will see what spoiled really looks like!
Rebecca slipped the velvet drawstring purse she carried off her wrist and opened it.
“I will pay you twice what this dress is worth, Miss Hampton.”
“But . . .” Sarah was flummoxed. How was she supposed to handle this?
The cheerful doorbells rang again and Audra and Sarah were glad to see Heath walk in. Heath was so disarmingly gentle. Maybe he could solve this problem.
“Audra. Nick and I need ta get back to the ranch. I thought you were just goin’ ta pick up a dress and be right back.”
“Heath,” Audra took his arm and brought him to the other two women.
Heath was immediately struck by the beauty of the woman with Sarah and wondered who she was. She sure didn’t look like she was from around here.
“Heath, you know Sarah.”
Heath nodded and smiled crookedly, “Sarah.”
And this is Miss Rebecca Lord. She is new in town, she and her father.
“Ma’am,” he acknowledged, nodding his head.
“Heath is my brother,” Audra explained.
“The one taking you to San Francisco?” Rebecca asked with a tone and look that said this cowboy would seem out of place at the opera.
“No, that would be Jarrod.”
“Counselor Jarrod Barkley?”
“Yes, have you met him?”
“No. But my father is meeting with him now about some legal business.”
“I see.”
“Yes. Now,” Rebecca turned to Sarah and continued, undaunted, her quest for the dress.
“i,f you’ll just tell me your price for this dress, Miss Hampton, I’ll purchase it and be on my way.”
Heath spoke up, anxious to be out of the frilly shop and back to work.
“Audra. Ya ready ta go?”
“Well, Heath. We have a little problem. This is the dress I came to pick up,” she pointed to it. “But Miss Lord also wants it.”
“Ummm, can’t one of ya just pick another dress?”
“Exactly my suggestion, Mr. Barkley, but your sister here is being rather stubborn.”
“She’s good at that,” said Heath with a chuckle.
“But the dress was made for me!” Audra stated emphatically.
Heath looked at Sarah who nodded and shrugged her shoulders a little.
“Oh,” said Heath.
With the company inside the shop once again at an impasse with the dress, the doorbells jingled yet again. This time they sounded angry rather than cheerful because the door was opened with such gusto. Nick barged in, hollering.
“What the devil are you two doin’? We’ve got work to do, Heath! Audra, if you don’t come on, you can just ride home with Jarrod when he is finished in town!”
“Let me guess. Another brother?” Rebecca said and Audra nodded. “Good heavens, how many do you have?”
“Just three—Jarrod, Nick, and Heath.”
“Well, thank goodness for that.”
Rebecca walked over to Nick and offered her hand for a formal greeting, thinking: This one seems good and bossy. Perhaps he can be persuaded to make his obstinate sister give up her dress.
“Mr. Barkley, I’m Rebecca Louise Lord, it is such a pleasure to meet you,” she flirted.
Nick immediately softened and became the perfect gentleman, kissing the offered hand when she introduced herself. Heath and Audra rolled their eyes behind Rebecca’s back.
“Mr. Barkley . . .”
“Oh, please, Rebecca, call me Nick.”
“Very well, Nick,” Rebecca said with syrupy sweetness, complete with batting eyelashes, “Would you please inform your sister that she needs to release her claim on the dress hanging there,” she pointed, “so I may purchase it and be on my way?”
“Audra.” Nick returned to big brother voice and glared at his sister. “What’s goin’ on here? You givin’ this lady a hard time?”
Heath shook his head and raised his hand with pointed finger to try to explain, but Audra beat him to it.
“For your information, Nick,” Audra stated forcefully, like the mad hen that she was quickly becoming, “that dress was made for me, for my trip to San Francisco. It is mine! She has no right to it.”
“What?” Nick asked, with a confused male look. Not believing he was in the middle of an argument over a blasted dress when he had work to do, he moved Audra out of the way and spoke to Sarah.
“Sarah. Is what Audra said true?”
“Yes it is, Nick.”
“Uh, Rebecca,” he asked politely. “Do you understand that this dress was made for Audra?”
“I do.”
“So….what’s the problem? You’ll have to choose another,” Nick stated what he thought was obvious.
“But. I. Don’t. Want. Another,” Rebecca steamed impatiently. “Can’t you all get that through your thick skulls! I WANT THIS ONE!”
“WELL, YOU CAN’T HAVE IT!” Nick shouted back, prompted by Rebecca’s change in demeanor.
“How dare you shout at me! My father will hear about this!”
For some reason Nick didn’t quite understand, he was suddenly fully engaged in battle with this exquisite but infuriating female.
“I’ll say he’ll hear about this! Where is he? I will escort you there myself!” Nick grasped Rebecca’s arm.
Audra, seeing an opportunity to be rid of her new nemesis, helpfully offered, “You’ll find him at Jarrod’s office, Nick.”
“Fine. Let’s go, lady.”
“Unhand me, Sir!”
“Nick . . .” Heath pleaded. He was concerned at what the two of them barging into Jarrod’s office was going to do to Jarrod’s day. He tried to distract Nick back to the task at hand. “We have work to do. Remember?”
“Hang the work, Heath. This brat’s father and I have some talkin’ to do!”
Before Heath could argue, Nick escorted, none too gently, the now livid female out the door. The three in the shop could hear his boots and spurs hitting the board sidewalk with determination as he and a not-so-cooperative Rebecca Lord made their way to Jarrod’s office just a few doors down.
“Boy, Howdy,” Heath offered. Poor Jarrod. Dynamite is fixin’ to go off in his office.
Audra and Sarah laughed, but Heath wasn’t so sure it was funny.
Audra spoke to Sarah. “Quick! Wrap up that dress!”
