Book Series: Byrnehouse-Davies & Hamilton Saga
Publishing Date: 1999
Author: Anita Stansfield
Publisher: Covenant Communications, Inc.
Category: LDS Historical Romance
Point of View: Third Person, limited, Alexa, Jess, Richard
Chapter Count: 34
Page Count: 499
To Vince, my hero
Jess Davies is having a really bad day. As he races his stallion across the moonlit flatland, anxious for home, he smells smoke. Rising a crest, he looks down and realizes his mansion is on fire. When he arrives, none of the hands or house servants could do anything to stop this disaster.
His angel mother, with the mental capacity of a child, didn't make it out in time. His best friend, Richard, made a brave and valiant effort to save her but was seriously injured leaving him terribly burned with scars covering half his face. Two house servants also perished.
Knowing who was behind all this, Jess finishes burying the dead before paying a call to the neighboring Byrnehouse estate, home of public enemy number one, Chad Byrnehouse. Jess greets him with a blow to the face. The two young men (Jess is nineteen) wrestle on the hall floor. Jess demands answers. His lifelong enemy merely replies because Jess was born he brought all this misfortune on himself. Jess is ready to kill him when Chad's father, Tyson Byrnehouse, steps in with the calm voice of reason to deflate the situation.
Chad denies having anything to do with the fire. His father believes him and Jess has no choice but to let Chad win the day. Tyson's sympathies for the loss of his property and mother along with his respect for Jess are acknowledged but before he leaves, Jess glances up, noticing a little girl with short-cropped hair and riding boots peering through the railing who witnessed the entire scene.
Back at his station, Jess promises his loyal friends, ranch hands, servants and employees they will rebuild the old family mansion, exactly as it was before.
Chapter 1 The Trainer 1888
Nine years have passed. A young woman named Alexa is here to meet with Mr. Davies in response to the position of race horse trainer which he agreed to interview her for. Alexa is shown into his office where she gets her first look at her potential employer. Dressed in a white,
Alexa reveals her real name is Alexandra Byrnehouse. Her father recently passed away and because he disowned her, left her nothing in his will, her older brother, Chad, turned her out. So here she is with nowhere else to go. If he'll give her a chance, she's willing to throw her lot in with his and he'll find she's more than capable for the requirements of the position. Horses have always been her life and the Byrnehouse name has a certain reputation when it comes to race horses. Jess agrees to take her on a trial period. A race on Jess' track will be held in two months, if they win, Alexa can stay with a raise to boot. Alexa agrees.
As Jess gives her a quick tour of the facilities, Alexa is impressed with the beautiful mansion house built on a hill overlooking a private racing track, carriage house, bunkhouse, bathhouse and stables. She meets Crazy and Demented, Jess' two best race horses. He introduces her to everyone they meet along the way. Jess shows her to her room upstairs in the carriage house. As she follows Jess up the staircase and into the hall, she comes face to face with Richard Wilhite and screams. Both men chuckle and Richard excuses himself. Filled with questions about the deformed man, Alexa keeps them to herself, resolving to throw herself into the tasks awaiting her.
Kneeling by her bed that night for her habitual prayers, Richard knocks. He lives in the room directly across the hall and is wondering if Alexa could lend him some ink? Alexa is happy to oblige.
Next morning, dressed in breeches with her short, brown hair stuffed under a riding cap, Alexa finds her first challenge here will be to get any of these men to look past her gender and take her seriously.
Tod the jockey is putting Crazy through her paces on the track while Alexa observes from the sidelines. She's startled by a friendly hand clamping down on her shoulder. To both their embarrassment, Jess mistook Alexa for Tod. Jess mentally admires Alexa's shoulder length brown hair with reddish highlights cascading down as she removes her cap, her petite figure, dainty hands and incredible electric blue eyes.
In turn, Alexa secretly admires Jess' own rich, dark hair with natural curl worn long, hanging over his shirt collar, five o'clock shadow and green eyes. There are perks to this job after all.
Chapter 2 On the Brink
Richard is a kindred spirit to Alexa. Always kind and polite, making her feel welcome. It is nice to have a friend but Alexa still confronts Jess to complain about the other men's lack of respect toward her. If he wants to win this race, she can't do it alone. Jess makes a speech to the bunkhouse gang during supper with Alexa present. Results follow and Alexa is grateful. She's also finding herself actually liking her ranch associates. Everyone here respects Jess who works right alongside them. He is more than their boss, he is a trusted friend who personally hired all of them, offering them jobs and homes when they had nowhere else to go.
Alexa finds Jess in the big house one evening to thank him and report the training is going well, even if they do disagree on which horse they should race. Jess wants Crazy, Alexa feels Demented is better. Brought up to be a lady, Alexa plays the piano and was also wondering if Jess owns one as it relaxes her to play after a hard day. Turns out Jess's mother played the piano. And it's still in tune.
Next morning, Jess is amused at the sight of Alexa jogging with Tod the jockey, who could stand to lose a few pounds. She is putting him on a strict diet and exercise regime, starting now, to get him ready for the race. She instructs the other men in building a wooden practice horse for Tod to improve his technique. Jess is very impressed. Alexa quickly makes herself "one of the guys" by helping Edward the cook in the bunkhouse kitchen, washing dishes and getting to know the other boys with their colorful pasts and personalities. Aside from Richard, Alexa enjoys the company of Murphy the overseer and Fiddler who, as his name implies, entertains everyone with nightly music. With little reason to wear a skirt and horses being her number one passion, it doesn't take long for Alexa to win her way into everyone's hearts. She only sees Jess once a day and they continue to disagree on which is the better horse to race. They will have a friendly competition and race the two horses into the outback to determine which horse should be used.
Chapter 3 Running Crazy
Still not sure what to think about this remarkable young woman who can hold her own with his boys and just might be the answer to his bankruptcy issues, Jess mounts Crazy while Alexa jumps on Demented. And they're off! Riding east across the flatlands, Jess marvels at Alexa's perfect control of her stallion. She glances over at him and smiles, as if they were sitting across a dining table, before leaving him behind in a cloud of dust.
Filled with victory giddiness, Alexa rides before realizing she's on her own family land and there's Chad, stepping out of the shadows on his own horse, almost as if he were expecting her. Dismounting, facing each other, they argue. Chad sneers, reminding Alexa she's a disinherited bastard, yet their father, Tyson, loved her until his death. He warns her Jess Davies is not as kind and decent as she thinks. He implies Jess and Alexa are already sleeping together. Alexa slaps him across the face. Chad delivers a mean blow in return. Alexa collapses just as Jess gallops onto the scene. He shoos Chad away and helps Alexa to her feet. Lifting her onto his own horse, he mounts behind her with an arm around her waist. Fighting to stay alert, Alexa's weak protests fade as she lets her head fall back against Jess' strong, supportive chest. He takes her back to the station and Alexa is carried up to her own room by Richard who attends to her. Jess comes later with a poultice for her black eye, brushing off Alexa's fears that Chad will be back to do them further harm unless she leaves, now that he knows where she is and who she's working for.
Next day, Jess sits on a fence, watching Alexa and Tod race. Once again, Demented wins and Jess realizes he actually likes this woman with her mesmerizing blue eyes and aristocratic bloodlines. Her grandfather was the son of an English lord, she might be disinherited but she's still a Byrnehouse. And the two families have hated each other for years.
Chapter 4 Trust
Jess returns from town one afternoon to find Alexa bent over the water pump, outside the bathhouse, washing her hair. Blindly groping for the little bottle of shampoo then her towel which Jess is already holding, he chuckles at startling her. They still disagree over how to ride this race. Tod is subpar and Crazy is too high spirited. The odds are not in their favor. Unless Jess will agree to let Alexa ride which is out of the question.
A few nights later, Richard meets Alexa outside her room as she's about to retire and she invites him in. He's written a poem and would like her critique. Alexa is flattered when she realizes Richard's poem about a woman and a horse was inspired by her. She asks after his scars. Richard doesn't want to talk about it, only that he was injured in a fire ten years ago.
Before the accident, Richard was quite the ladies man, a swingin' bachelor, playing the field, sowing his wild oats, but now that he looks like the Phantom of the Opera, such socializing with any single ladies in the area is impossible. He's probably destined to be an old maid in britches but is man enough to admit he got what he deserved. He has a good job and friends here as good as family so it's not too depressing, even if no woman will ever be able to look past his hideousness and want to form a family with him. Alexa tells him not to be so hard on himself.
With everyone except Jess gone to town the next day, Alexa does some deep cleaning in her room. Richard helps her and they laugh and tease each other as Richard tosses her boots out her open window. Ever the gallant gentlemen, Richard takes Alexa, piggy-back, down the stairs to help her retrieve them while Alexa squeals with laughter. They meet Jess on the way. He is not amused by their antics.
Later that night, Alexa and Richard, who is fourteen years her senior, stay up late talking.
Next morning, Jess is angry when Alexa returns after taking Crazy out for a quick morning run. They argue over Chad, who called Jess a bastard last time they met, and the untrustworthy Byrnehouse name. Offended to tears, Alexa mounts another horse without a saddle and gallops into the hills where a storm is brewing. Fearing she'll get herself killed, or worse, Jess rides after her.
Chapter 5 The Storm
Jess finds Alexa sitting on the ground with no horse. He dismounts to help her up. Thunder and lightning crash and HIS horse bolts. Stranded in the pouring rain, Jess drags Alexa to an outcropping of rock, providing some shelter.
Still upset over the hurt feelings caused by the argument, homesick for her dead father and her old life not to mention the turmoil over her own feelings of attraction towards her employer, Alexa starts to cry. Jess, in spite of himself, pulls her into his arms where she has a good long cry before finally falling asleep. Mist gathers in the growing darkness. Still cradling Alexa, Jess stretches out and falls asleep himself.
Alexa wakes in the night, her head pillowed on his chest. She shivers with cold and Jess shrugs out of his long overcoat to wrap it around them both. Since Jess is still a young man, and a twenty-eight-year-old virgin to boot, how can he resist the urge to brush his lips over her hair and cuddle Alexa close? Both succumb to sleep.
Daylight filters through the mist as they start walking until the search party finds them. Jess is a little sorry to see them as he discovers his feelings toward Alexandra Byrnehouse have changed, considerably. No woman can rock a pair of men's breeches like Alexa.
Chapter 6 Alexa's Eyes
Back at the house-fed, bathed, changed into dry clothes, Alexa finds Jess finishing his evening solitary meal in the dining room and they talk some more about their dysfunctional families.
Richard finds Alexa sitting in the carriage house in one of the traps, ruminating over the recent conversation she just had with Jess, a man she hardly knows, and invites her to talk about it. She needs a character reference. Richard points out Jess took in all of their friends when spouses died or job change forced them to seek employment elsewhere. One maid was pregnant and unmarried when she turned up on Jess's doorstep and he took her in. As for Richard, his parents worked for the Davies' family all his life. When they died, he stayed on and will be forever grateful to Jess. Benjamin Davies, Jess' father, was a good man.
After their chat, Alexa finds a short poem about her eyes, unsigned by an anonymous author, slid under her door. She assumes it was written by Richard, even though the handwriting is different.
A few days later, Jess enters the bunkhouse dining hall to find all his boys, looking nicer than usual, seated around the table waiting for Alexa to serve tea, a nice, civilized, tradition she'd like to resurrect. The men grumble but Richard comments he used to take tea with Emma. Alexa made cream puffs which the boys, Jess included, admit are very good.
Teatime over, Jess orders everyone back to work but Alexa won't talk to him about their shared experience, stranded on the mountain.
Chapter 7 Feminine Influence
Jess watches Alexa stroking Crazy in the yard and talking softly to her (the race is in two days) until he makes his presence known. He teases her about her easy relationship with his boys and how many she's kissed. Alexa chides him for his obvious lack of respect towards her while she worked hard to earn it with the other men. They are all her trusted friends and they have a good working relationship while Jess is an anti-social recluse who spends all his time in the big house and won't let her get close.
Jess takes her chin in his hand to press the issue about THEIR relationship. He kisses her and for Alexa, the earth falls away. Jess asks her to spend the night with him. They can take Crazy, run away together and spend the rest of their lives living a dream. Alexa is intrigued but she's not that kind of girl. If he thinks she's giving away her milk for free, he'd better put a ring on it.
Embarrassed at such displays of affection, Alexa runs into the carriage house to spend a sleepless night, tossing and turning.
Next morning, Alexa confronts Jess at his breakfast table to apologize (for what?). Jess is also sorry for his un-gentlemanlike manner. Alexa turns and exits while Jess wishes he could find the courage to tell her how he really feels.
Later that day, Jess gathers everyone to make a speech. As everyone knows, if they don't win that race tomorrow, they'll loose the farm. Literally. He warns them about the possibility of Chad sabotaging the race and asks them all to keep a sharp lookout for any suspicious behavior. Get a good night sleep and, please, no drinking tonight so we can all be in top form for tomorrow's events.
Unable to sleep, Alexa answers a knock at her door around midnight to find Jess just as sick with nerves as she. Alexa may lose her job tomorrow but, for Jess, it means the loss of everything he's ever known.
Watching from her window, Alexa sees Jess make an abrupt turn to the stable and exit on a trotting horse. She calls to him and he's happy for her company tonight. Jess pulls her up into the saddle in front of him and they ride away in the moonlight together, just as he once asked her to.
Chapter 8 The Beginning of a Dream
Jess stops and dismounts so he can kiss Alexa but they begin arguing again which leads to a make-out session. Alexa kisses him back. Jess wants to take this to the next level but Alexa won't do that. Platonic friendship is all she can offer him and her being a Byrnehouse has nothing to do with this issue. Nevertheless, she IS attracted to him.
They sit on the ground and cuddle together until Alexa falls asleep. Jess guides her to the horse and delivers her safely back to her own room, virginity still intact.
The day of the race! Chad is among the crowds gathering and socializing at the race track. He takes the opportunity to jibe and taunt Alexa until she tells him to get lost. She finds Tod in the stable who is a nervous wreck but insists he'll be okay. She finds Jess and they watch the first race together before she returns to check on Tod who is throwing up. One of their stable hands brings him a glass of milk to settle his stomach but it only makes Tod worse.
Alexa orders him to strip. Tod is clearly unfit to ride in this race, so it's up to her. By keeping her head down, concealed under Tod's riding cap as she mounts Crazy, everyone believes her to be the jockey, except Richard, who only tells her to be careful.
Jess watches anxiously as the race begins. To his horror, something snaps on Tod's saddle and he begins to slide until the jockey, in a very uncharacteristic-like move, throws the saddle off and continues to ride the race bareback, catching up to the lead horse and winning the race by a head.
The crowd cheers. Jess recognizes Alexa's feminine stride as "Tod" slips away from the crowd to the stable. Shaking with anger, he follows her inside to chew her out for insubordination. She could've been killed! He told her, straight out, she was forbidden to ride in this race yet she deliberately disobeyed him. Alexa isn't sorry.
The argument is cut short as Jess is called to meet with the officials where Chad is raising a fuss over the unfairness of a horse being allowed to win without a saddle which, as the judges point out, was obviously tampered with and if a horse can still recover after such an "accident" then it deserves to win. Chad storms away in a huff. Score one for Jess and Alexa!
Chapter 9 More Than His Race
Recovering in his sickbed, Tod is glad to hear they won. Guess he can keep his job. That milk Sam, the stablehand, gave him was drugged and since Chad would never have cut the saddle girth himself and Sam is nowhere to be found, Jess and Alexa conclude this was no accident. They have a mole. Out of all the boys, Sam was the most introverted, always keeping to himself. Unfortunately, they can't prove it. When Jess does question Sam, he denies any involvement and Jess has no choice but to believe him.
He tells Alexa this when he finds her at the piano that evening. She won his race today and he will be forever in her debt. Now, maybe they can kiss and make up? They confess their love for each other and kiss passionately. Jess wants to marry her. To hell with Chad if he tries to interfere anymore in their lives.
They go riding the next morning into the hills, sharing a horse again, stopping in a lovely meadow with a mountain stream, frolicking in the water, laughing like children, returning to the station just in time for supper.
The boys tease Alexa about her and Jess "sit-ting in a tree..." to which she just laughs and waves them off. Jess wants to see her in his office.
Chapter 10 Going Home
Hard to believe it's only been two months since Alexa came knocking. Now that Jess has cash money, he can present her with her wages, along with that raise. He's above water on his mortgage for the next six months and hopes Alexa will continue on and win more races for him so he can pay off all his debts. He runs sheep herds too but, thanks to Chad, he lost his entire wool harvest last year but, once again, can't prove anything. Now he'd like take his after-dinner coffee in the parlor and hopes she'll keep him company by playing the piano for him which Alexa is always happy to do.
As she plays, Jess tries to make out with her again and Alexa has to remind him to slow down. Jess walks her back to her room. Richard just happens to see them kissing before closing his door and breaking down in silent anguish. He's in love with Alexa too! But, how can he compete with his best friend?
Next day, at Chad's invitation, Alexa and Jess take a wagon to Byrnehouse to retrieve Alexa's wardrobe, packed in trunks, along with her other personals. Thankfully, they don't run into the master of the house but Alexa does pay a quick visit to the stable to see Lady's Maid, her own horse which Chad will never let her take without a price. Maybe some day, she can buy the horse off her brother.
Back at the carriage house, Alexa enters her room and screams seeing Chad, sitting there, very impertinent. He tosses a silk scarf that belonged to their mother at her and exits. He thought she might like to have it as the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Alexa recognizes the scarf as an anonymous gift to her mother but not from their father. Jess would like to know more but Alexa doesn't want to discuss it.
Now that she has nice clothes and skirts to wear, Alexa is ready to take Jess up on his offer to share tea with him by candlelight in the big house. It's a very romantic and sexually charged scene as they drink from the same cup and wipe cream puff filling off each other's mouths in silence. The tension is so great, Jess falls to his knees, begging Alexa to come to bed with him, PLEASE! Alexa tells him she's not giving herself to any man who won't commit and since Jess is too dense to understand this, she storms off.
Chapter 11- Disclosure
Jess redeems himself, stopping Alexa in the hall and popping the question, straight out. Alexa accepts and kisses him happily. Jess mistakes her affection for passion. He really, really, REALLY wants to sleep with her tonight. Alexa fears Jess will break her heart and abandon her if she gives herself to him now. He won't respect her in the morning and she's seen too much pain from the consequences of pre-marital sex that resulted in unwanted children and bitter single mothers living in desperate poverty.
In return, Jess gives her the classic line: he'd never let her get pregnant and if she were to conceive, he'd make an honest woman out of her and marry her, immediately. Now, let's lie down and get on with it.
Jess is disappointed he won't be getting any tonight but he agrees to wait until their wedding night. Then, turns around and implores her to just spend the night in his arms. Just for tonight. Nothing will happen. Scout's honor. Thus proving to her that she can trust him.
Feeling saucy, Alexa leads the way upstairs. Jess directs her to his master bedroom. Alexa admires its masculine but tasteful decorating scheme. They spread cushions before the fire and Alexa drifts off to sleep in Jess' arms waking, still fully clothed, in his bed while Jess spent the night on the floor. It is morning. Richard comes knocking, frantic, because Alexa is missing and her bed hasn't been slept in. The moment becomes awkward when Richard perceives she spent the night with Jess.
Jess joins the bunkhouse crowd for lunch where he makes an announcement. He and Alexa are engaged to be married, probably this December after the wool harvest is over. Richard throws down his napkin and excuses himself, clearly upset. The other boys are happy for them.
During the next several weeks, Richard finds many excuses to stay away, riding with the herds until Alexa confronts him in his room, demanding he talk to her. Richard declares his feelings for her but blames his physical appearance on the reason she would choose Jess over him. Alexa denies it and tells him he's being an idiot. Richard kisses her and (like Bella Swan, torn between Edward and Jacob) Alexa realizes a piece of her heart also belongs to him. She turns and flees the room.
Chapter 12- The Trap
Alexa bathes and dresses herself up for an actual date with Jess who invited her to dine with him tonight in the big house. She smiles with feminine pleasure. The tomboy has made herself over into Cinderella wearing an elegant silvery blue gown, hair arranged as best she could manage on top of her head with a pretty jeweled comb to catch the flyaways and the jewels she "stole" from Chad while she was at home collecting her things. Her diamond necklace is the perfect finishing touch.
Rustling by the bunkhouse in her petticoats and kid slippers, the boys call and whistle as she glides past, all in good fun of course. Alexa has become a real woman and she looks great. Laughing, she obliges her friends by turning around so they can admire her finery.
Jess is also stunned speechless, twitterpated, at such beauty. He looks nice too in a bow tie and black suit, all spruced up for his dinner date. He offers her a drink but Alexa declines; the taste for spirits never appealed to her. Jess pours himself a snifter and Alexa gets him talking about the origins of his family name-Ben Davies came to Australia from Wales to seek his fortune. He struck it big in gold, married Emma, and built this station. Jess is an only child and, with both parents gone, the last of his immediate family.
He tells her about the fire, how Richard tried to save his mother, Emma, and the price he paid for his heroism. Alexa had no idea Richard was such a keeper. They share coffee on the veranda and Alexa asks him when they plan to set a date. Jess wants to put off thinking about marriage until after the sheep are brought in.
He walks her back to the carriage house. Not wanting the evening to end, Alexa invites him up, then suggests they go riding, she'll hurry and get changed. Again, they share a saddleless horse under a starry sky.
When they return, Alexa thanks Jess for a beautiful evening and is ascending to her room when the entire staircase collapses. Alexa is severely injured when a board with protruding nails becomes lodged in her upper thigh. Jess calls for help. Richard is out tonight, riding with the herds but the other boys come running from the bunkhouse. At Murphy's suggestion, Jess kisses Alexa while he yanks the offending board out and Alexa screams in the midst of the kiss. She is carried back to the big house to one of the guest rooms. The doctor is summoned and Alexa will be okay.
Chapter 13- Glimpses
Alexa sleeps and wakes to find Jess keeping vigil at her bedside, scribbling away, intent on whatever he's writing. He tends to her wound and leaves to fetch a meal tray. Alexa notices a poem lying on the spread. Assuming Richard wrote it, she reads the lines entitled "For Alexa" praising her abilities to fix broken hearts and dreams. Very lyrical and moving. Alexa is touched. Who knew Richard was such a romantic? He enters, back from his campout, and Alexa is glad to see him.
Crazy's stall has been rigged with a protruding nail on which the horse injured herself. Looks like they won't be participating in the derby now. Sam mumbles he's quitting. Jess deducts it was him all along, doing Chad's dirty work. Sam admits to the lies he told, he was in debt and needed the money. Jess tells him to get out. They are all victims to Chad's evil. He really has it in for Jess. But why?
Alexa recovers. The boys buy her a cane to hobble around on until her leg is fully healed. Jess helps her up the brand new "Chad-proof" stairs to her room and promises, as soon as they get the wool in, and Alexa is feeling up to walking down the aisle, they will celebrate with a wedding. Alexa hopes Jess will keep his word.
Chapter 14- Triggering the Past
Sarina the maid has a little boy named Ben. No one will admit it but, as Jess confides to Alexa, Chad is most likely the father which means Alexa is an aunt. Jess is the boy's mentor and surrogate father figure. Alexa finds them in Jess' office where Jess is coaching the young boy in the art of poetry composition. It's a cute little piece about Alexa's eyes. She adds it to her bedroom wall which has become quite the posting board for creative writing. Even Richard comments on her collection when he pops in to visit that night and Alexa wonders why he won't admit to being the mysterious author of the unsigned ones.
The wool is brought in the same day Chad pays another surprise visit at Alexa's bedroom door. He comes bearing a box of their mother's things he thought she might find interesting. Exasperated by his arrogance, she screams at him to get out. Jess appears at the door to back her up. Chad leaves and Alexa buries her face in her hands, sobbing. Jess takes her in his arms and sits down on her bed to cuddle and comfort her. He lays her down and starts kissing her. Fearing their passion might get the better of them, Alex tries to sit up, push him away, begging him to stop but Jess persists, unaware he's hurting her before he snaps out of it and has his own emotional meltdown in Alexa's arms. He's runied everything, she'll never want to marry him now, a crazy fool of a man in love. Alexa holds him and nearly an hour passes before Jess calms down enough to talk rationally.
Alexa has her own demons to share. She never told Jess this but the real reason she came here looking for a job was because Tyson Byrnehouse is not her biological father. Her mother had an affair and she was the victim as both her parents kept their distance. To this day, she still has no idea who her real father is. Tyson Burnehouse didn't start treating her with more kindness until after her mother died. That's why Chad was able to disown her so easily with no legal repercussions and she was left penniless. Now, she'd like to understand more about this ongoing feud between her brother and the man she still plans to marry but Jess doesn't want to go into that now.
They both fall asleep on Alexa's bed and wake up to daylight. Richard just happens to open his bedroom door as Jess is leaving. Neither comment directly on the implied issue that Jess and Alexa are sleeping together, (because this isn't Utah) but everyone assumes that's what's going on. Alexa worries she may be in over her head.
Chapter 15- Beauty and the Beast
Jess has taken refuge in the bottle. To Alexa's dismay, he's drunk in the middle of the day and attempts to assault her with a smelly kiss insisting she wants this (sex) as much as he does. She gives him a well deserved slap across the face and helps him to his bed.
After a sleepless night, Alexa returns from riding the next morning to find Jess waiting for her, unable to remember his actions the previous evening. Alexa is disgusted but, since he's sober and humble, she agrees to go on another ride with him.
When they return, Alexa finds another poem (unsigned and not Richard's handwriting) waiting for her under her door about a man who sees a beast in the mirror yet Beauty's redeeming love saves him. As always, she is touched by Richard's sentiments. (Sorry, Alexa, but if you haven't figured out by now who this anonymous author is, you're an idiot.)
Lying in his own bed, Jess is plagued by thoughts of desire for Alexa. Then he remembers Chad's words to him about craziness running in families, that he'll end up like his mother, a woman whose mental trauma was the result of being violently raped and giving birth to him. Chad's bullying has convinced Jess he'll never be worthy of Alexa. He can never be a good man and lead a normal life. She would be better off marrying another man, yet he loves her too much to let her go.
Frustrating weeks pass for Alexa as Jess treats her like a soap bubble, overcompensating for his insecurity by giving her tiny pecks on the cheek and holding her at arm's length. The wool is brought in and more weeks pass as Alexa waits for him to resume plans for their wedding. But it would seem that is not to be. Jess just isn't ready for that kind of commitment but he won't explain why. He won't talk.
Chapter 16- A Gift of Friends
The mortgage is due. Alexa has just learned Chad has upped the ante by offering the bank a substantial amount for the property. She wants to do something about it. If they all combine their resources, they can make a double payment and get Chad off their backs for awhile. Alexa will sell her jewels. The other boys raid their piggy banks and they all ride into town without telling Jess and make the payment.
Jess is moved to tears when they present him with the receipt, along with a signed statement that Chad Byrnehouse has no legal right to any property belonging to Jess Davies, now that all debts have been paid up for another year.
In the middle of the night, Jess wakes Alexa in her own bed. He just figured out where the majority of the money came from. He wants to be angry but humility is stronger. How can he ever repay her for always being there to pick up the fallen pieces of his life, making apple pie out of peaches, lemonade when life keeps giving him lemons. She's his own personal miracle.
Alexa invites him to spend another platonic night in bed, just holding her. Once again, Richard comes knocking next morning, sees them together and suggests they get a honeymoon suite. Jess tells him to mind his own business.
Later that day, in front of Richard, Jess invites Alexa to have dinner with him while Richard is saddling the horses so he and Alexa can go for a ride. They dismount somewhere in the hills and Richard asks Alexa why she lets Jess treat her this way? She deserves an engagement ring. He can tell this relationship isn't making her happy. Alexa weeps but agrees. She believes Jess just needs more time. Richard wipes her tears. All he wants is her happiness. With Alexa riding Crazy, they race the horses back to the stables. As usual, Alexa wins.
Dressed in a pink gown this time, Alexa greets Jess with a kiss and suggests they elope. Tonight. It's been eight months since he proposed. What are they waiting for? But Jess isn't ready for marriage. Why? What's holding him back? He can't talk about it.
Ready to scream and tear her hair out in frustration, Alexa turns to leave but Jess starts kissing her with more passion than he's shown in months. Alexa responds until dinner is served. Jess promises if she'll just give him a little more time, he'll be ready to set a date and they can move forward with their lives. They raise their goblets to each other and Alexa hopes she can believe him.
Chapter 17- The Ultimatum
Two months later, Alexa realizes they're right back where they started. Jess won't commit. She might as well dump Mr. "I'm not ready" and move on in her search for Mr. Right Now. She's ready and her biological clock is ticking (we haven't been told what Alexa's exact age is yet, but it can't be any older than twenty, which hardly qualifies her for old maid status). Jess continues to whine about his insecurities and drag his feet over the issue.
Sitting in the trap, Alexa sobs and sobs until she's interrupted by Richard who takes her in his arms. Learning of her dilemma, Richard takes a deep breath and asks Alexa if she'll have him? He's ready to marry her and make her the happiest woman in the world. It's okay if she's still in love with Jess, he understands that, but if Jess is going to be such a douche bag, she's better off running away with him. Eyes closed, seeing only the man underneath the scars, Alexa lets him kiss her. Its very sweet. She promises to think about his offer and goes upstairs to get ready for bed.
Brushing through her hair, another short poem slides under her door about Beauty and the Beast. Alexa tacks it up with the others, knowing in her heart that she'll be accepting Richard's offer.
Next morning, Richard comes knocking and is surprised when Alexa invites him in, falling into his arms with a sob. She's ready to take the plunge. She wants to get married.
It's only fair she talk to Jess one last time. Give him one more chance to set a date and commit to his promise to marry her but Jess isn't ready yet. Alexa declares maybe they need some time apart. She's leaving. Today. She'll be back, but until Jess can quit playing games with her heart, she's taking a little trip.
Jess lets her go. Have a nice trip. Take care.
Richard finds a red-eyed Alexa packing in her room. She has a plan. Richard will wait a week and meet her in Brisbane where they'll get married. They won't tell Jess until they return. Richard understands and is agreeable to the plan. He helps Alexa into the trap downstairs where Murphy drives her into town to the train depot. As far as everyone else is concerned, Alexa is going away on a little vacation.
Chapter 18- Irrevocable Choices
Richard wastes no time asking Jess about fixing up the original homestead cottage for him to move into. Located east of the big house, where the Davies family lived before the mansion was built, it's a cozy structure. There's even a separate room with an outside entrance, accessible only by staircase, once used by Emma as a craft room for her easel and oils (the same room Michael shows Emily almost a hundred years later in First Love Second Chances). Completely clueless as to the real reason his best friend is changing his residency, Jess gives permission, as long as his mother's room is left undisturbed. Otherwise, Richard is free to do whatever pleases him with the house.
Jess is surprised at Richard's sudden ambition, and even more amazed when Richard announces he's taking a little trip.
Alexa is waiting to meet Richard at the Brisbane depot. She hasn't changed her mind, in fact, she feels more at peace over her decision than ever. They are married in a quiet ceremony at a little church on the outskirts of the city.
Alexa's wedding night is like nothing she ever prepared herself for. Since Richard had no idea this was her first time, he makes love to her as if Alexa was an experienced woman. Richard apologizes the next morning for not being more gentle with her but Alexa isn't offended. She should've corrected his misassumption that she and Jess were lovers. Richard wants them to be completely honest in everything with each other. Like Lancelot and Guinevere, they both love Jess and Richard doesn't expect Alexa's feelings for Jess will magically disappear now that they've consummated the marriage. Alexa is grateful. She knows she married a good man and wants to do something for him. She will make him a leather mask to wear for when he goes out in public so they won't get stared at.
Murphy breaks the news to Jess. A letter from Richard. He went and got himself a wife (bless her beautiful hide) and is returning home a married man.
It doesn't take long for Jess to put two and two together. How many other women could Richard know well enough to marry? Richard and Alexa. How could they do this to him? Venturing out to the cottage, he finds his entire staff and crew whooping it up at a wedding party celebrating the happy couple. Fiddler stops playing and everyone stares at Jess who merely tells everyone he wants them all up and on the job an hour early tomorrow, so don't stay up too late. Killjoy.
Alexa loves her new life as Mrs. Richard Wilhite. Jess returns to his bottle, barricading himself in his room for three days before Alexa, Richard and the other boys investigate. Jess is passed out drunk. They wake him up with a cold bath. Jess punches Richard in the face.
Jess and Alexa finally have it out next morning. Jess made his choice. He didn't want her so she settled for a man who did. Jess retorts she still loves him, and every time she walks his way, sees his face, it will give her hell. What they shared was once-in-a-lifetime. He is going to make her life miserable without saying a word.
Alexa runs out of the big house and straight into Richard's waiting arms to sob out her poignant grief. She begs her husband to make love to her. Anything to forget Jess.
Chapter 19- Shadows From the Past
Even though she's married, Alexa continues to work hard with the horses, preparing them for the next race which they win (Jess stays home) falling into bed almost every night with exhaustion. She hardly sees Jess anymore, until one night, she hears soft shuffling footsteps in the attic. Richard mumbles it's just Jess, rattling around his dead mother's haunted craft room with the single gable that faces east.
A few days later, at Jess's request, Alexa returns to her old room in the carriage house to clean it out so it can be used for other purposes. She finds Chad's box, which she never opened. It contains old letters addressed to her mother, Faye, but signed only "B" they focus mainly on the relationship they shared and the love child that resulted, a daughter. Alexa realizes her mother didn't stop communicating with her secret lover after she was born. Along with the letters is a wax seal with the initials "JBD." Alexa has no idea whose name they stand for. (Really Alexa? Jess told you he was named for his father-Jess Benjamin Davies!) She has to see the headstones in the small family cemetery before figuring it out. Her mother and Jess's father were lovers. Ben Davis is her biological father! She finds Jess and greets him as her brother, expressing her profound relief they never got married. Jess pushes her away, telling her she couldn't be more wrong. They are NOT half-siblings.
But he can't tell her why.
Chapter 20- The Gabled Attic
That night, Alexa hears footsteps outside the cottage. Since Richard is out camping with the herds, Alexa follows Jess up the stairs to the gabled attic. Jess is kneeling with his head in a chair, shoulders shaking in silent sobs. Alexa coughs, indicating her presence to allow Jess to pull himself together. She tries to get him to talk, share his feelings, but he only yells at her. Alexa tries again; to coax out of him what's troubling him.
Jess finally breaks down and another piece of the puzzle falls into place: his mother was raped, he's a bastard, with no idea who his biological father is because no one would tell him. Ben Davies was a good man but always distant with him. Emma died a simpleminded, crazy woman while his real father was obviously a sex-crazed misogynist. Those are the traits he inherited. Now she knows. That's why he couldn't marry her. His love for her is so all-consuming, he feared he'd hurt her the way his evil father destroyed his mother's mind. It's a sick, twisted idea. But if lovemaking can make people crazy, what better way to go?
Jess grabs Alexa and starts kissing her. They fall to their knees until Alexa is on the floor begging Jess to stop. She's a married woman now, she shouldn't be kissing him like this. Can't they just be friends?
For the first time in the entire narrative, Alexa is having an orgasm. She pleads with Jess to stop torturing her and just do it: make love to her, take her body now, anything to stop this fire threatening to consume them both.
Almost bi-polar in his emotions, Jess abruptly stops his sexual assault on Alexa. His heated passion and lust is replaced by calm, soothing, gentle love and affection. Exhausted by her own emotions, Alexa falls asleep in his arms and wakes up in her own bed, alone. They didn't make love, but Alexa realizes she's pregnant. She's been feeling very nauseous the last few days with little appetite.
A visit to the town doctor confirms her suspicions. Richard whoops for joy when she tells him. She also confesses the night of passionate non-committal make out she had with Jess. She's very ashamed but Richard wipes her tears and forgives her. He has Alexa and his boys can swim, that's all that matters.
Chapter 21- Leaving
Richard talks to Jess. Alexa is miserable because Jess won't accept their marriage and get a life. Instead he's drinking himself to death. Sarina, the single mother and housemaid, brings Jess his morning coffee and, in her broken English, suggests, since he's already in bed, maybe he could sleep with her and stop pining away for a woman he can never have. Jess takes her face in his hands, considers planting a big one on her, but can't do it. He pushes her off him and tells her to go away, he's too much like Chad Byrnehouse. Crazy.
To everyone's shock and dismay, Jess makes a drunken attempt one night to take his own life with a gun. For Alexa, this is the last straw. She slaps him twice: one for getting drunk, the other for thinking he could solve his problems by attempting suicide.
That night, Jess pays a call on the cottage to announce he's going on a walkabout for an indeterminable amount of time. Alexa follows him out as he mounts his horse. She's crying, torn between understanding how important it is to let him go so he can come to terms with himself but she'll miss him. He's her ex-boyfriend and best friend and will always have a special place in her heart where she will never stop loving him. They share one last kiss. Alexa knows Richard will understand. Jess gallops off into the hills and Alexa watches until the sunrise confirms he's really gone.
Things start to go downhill at the station. Alexa's pregnancy is hard on her. Everyone is getting sick. A stable boy breaks his leg. Richard returns after several days riding in the rain, herding up the sheep for harvest, with a bad cough that turns into life-threatening pneumonia. Alexa begins to pray Jess will return home soon. They need him.
Chapter 22- His Return
So, where is Jess? Keeping busy running around a burning hotel saving everyone's lives. Directing traffic, helping all the guests to safe exits. Jess makes one more round, checks every room and is the last to emerge from the inferno; carrying an old woman to the waiting arms of her grateful son. He's a hero, but it's not enough.
Still depressed, Jess trudges over to the local saloon where a "scarlet woman" comments how lonely he looks, slumped over his drink, and offers her services. Jess follows her up to her room but refuses to have sex. The woman, whose name is Lizzy, can't believe it. Her father always told her this was all she would ever be good for, that no man would want her and something finally clicks in Jess's brain. He has a choice.
You are what you believe you are. If you always believe what others tell you, well, you must be crazy.
He is not his father. He can exercise self-control. Didn't he just prove that by helping those people in the hotel fire? He can help this soiled dove, give her money and his address with on open invitation to come and work for him, anytime. He refuses to take advantage of her. It's what Alexa would want him to do. Filled with purpose, Jess announces he's going home and rides away on his horse before Lizzy can even thank him for his generosity.
Everyone is very glad to see Jess. Alexa notices the new light in his green eyes, the change in his countenance. He is a man at peace with himself. The man she fell in love with. The old Jess is back! He smiles at Richard and Alexa, radiant in the family way. They have his blessing now.
Chapter 23- No Regrets
Ready to make peace with everyone in his new life, (Is Jess on the 12-step recovery program?) Jess pays a call to the Byrnehouse estate to talk to Chad who has no desire to end this feud. Any hatchets to be buried will be done in Jess' back. This isn't over until one of them is dead, winner take all, and since Chad isn't planning to commit suicide, that leaves Jess as the loser. Chad laughs maniacally. Jess lets himself out, wondering if he made any progress at all. (He didn't)
A few nights later, Jess, plagued by insomnia accompanied by the usual loneliness, is sitting on the veranda when he sees Alexa in her white nightgown exit the cottage and enter the stable. He follows and finds her sobbing beneath Crazy. The horse is nudging her softly as if to offer comfort.
Alexa tells Jess she was making love to Richard when, in a classic Freudian slip, she cried out HIS name. She's never been so ashamed. Then, all at once, she goes into labor.
The doctor can't come right away. Hours pass. Alexa is bleeding to death. Desperate to save her, Jess and Richard urge Murphy, the closest thing they have to a horse doctor on the place, to go inside and give it a shot. The old bond of friendship between Jess and Richard has been rekindled.
The doctor arrives in time but Alexa ends up losing the baby, a little girl. She is devastated. Richard kisses her, promising to take her on a second honeymoon to make up for the loss.
A few weeks pass and Richard realizes while Alexa is recovering physically, her love for both him and Jess is tearing her apart inside. He wonders if perhaps his time with Alexa is coming to an end. Maybe he should take Alexa and move away somewhere. Start a new life and give Jess a break. Heaven knows they could all use one.
Chapter 24- Mistaken Identity
The main stable mysteriously catches fire late one night. Richard rides for help but never returns. He was wearing Jess' hat and overcoat. A cloudburst helps contain the fire but the stable is a complete loss. At least all the horses were saved.
Richard's body is found the next day. Shot in cold blood, probably mistaken for Jess who feels double guilt knowing it should've been him because Alexa's life is now completely ruined. She collapses in shock when the body of her beloved is carried in. Only one person can be responsible for all of this but nobody can prove it was Chad.
Jess is sitting by Alexa's bed when she wakes. She mourns in his embrace, falling asleep in his arms lying on the bed together while Jess questions his own morals, already crossing boundaries with his best friend's widow and Richard's body not even cold! His friends tell him to look at this as a second chance at life and that Richard would've wanted him to go on fighting. Alexa turns inward.
Chapter 25- Grief
Jess guides Alexa through the funeral. With her usual quiet dignity, Alexa finds closure but it's hard. Weeks pass and while Alexa goes quietly about her usual duties and chores, she is friendly with everyone except Jess who is kept at a distance. Jess gives her the time and space to mourn but her pale, gaunt, appearance worries him. Losing her husband and baby was a hard double whammy and there's nothing he can do to ease the pain of the woman he loves.
One evening, Jess decides to visit Alexa at the cottage only to find Chad there, harassing her. He enters and backs up Alexa in her request to Chad to leave. They ask him, flat out, if he murdered Richard but Chad only sneers, reminding them they lack evidence. A highway robber could've pulled the trigger just as easily. Alexa is very troubled. Jess decides he'll continue to keep an eye on Alexa from a distance. Biding his time until she's ready to open her heart again.
Chapter 26- Second Chance
Unbeknownst to Alexa, everyone except Jess went to town for the day. Thinking herself alone that morning, Alexa drags herself out of bed and wanders around the place, finding a cold mid-morning snack in the empty bunkhouse, ruminating on all her favorite memories when she first met Richard. She returns to the cottage where Richard's clothes and other personal items are still strewn about as if he were still alive. Alexa pulls on one of his shirts, inhaling the fragrance of her beloved and steps outside where a summer rainstorm is already moving in.
Alexa begins to dance in the rain and mud in her bare feet, unaware Jess is sitting on the porch of the big house, watching her. Fresh grief strikes her and Alexa bolts from the yard into the stable to emerge riding bareback on Crazy. Acting as if possessed, Alexa takes one fence after another until Jess runs out to stop her. Sobbing, Alexa allows him to pull her down from the horse and into his arms where she beats his chest in agony because she always loved him MORE!
They cry together in grief before succumbing to a passionate kiss, their first since Richard died. Both fall to their knees completely lost in the moment in the pouring rain. They love each other. Both can no longer deny it.
From that day on, Alexa is no longer cold and distant toward Jess. The stable is rebuilt. Alexa sits Fiddler down in her little house one day for a heart-to-heart with an unobtrusive third party. Fiddler (Robert) lost his own wife and child years ago. His grief drove him to the gutter where Jess found him. Alexa wants his opinion and advice about moving on. Should she and Jess get back together? Fiddler tells her to go for it.
Jess finds Alexa in the stable saddling Crazy for a ride. They exchange greetings and kiss passionately because rekindling this relationship is pretty much a sure thing. Looks like the wedding is back on!
Chapter 27- The Gift
Jess finds Alexa that evening in the parlor of the big house playing the piano. He proposes (he REALLY means it this time) and Alexa accepts. Jess makes (another) official announcement to the boys next morning at the bunkhouse breakfast table that he and Alexa are really going to do it this time. They've set a date and there's going to be a wedding. About time.
Alexa orders a custom made wedding gown and the night before the wedding, Jess comes knocking at the cottage. Alexa invites him in where Jess reveals for the first time why he was so afraid of marriage. Like Edward from the Twilight series, Jess feared he might hurt Alexa on their wedding night with his overwhelming passion and ruin her mind like his poor mother's was ruined after her first sexual encounter. Alexa reassures him they might've gone a bit too far in their non-committal make out sessions but she never felt any fear around Jess. She just didn't want to conceive a child out of wedlock. Jess confesses he's still a virgin and Alexa accepts him, completely unafraid of giving herself to him tomorrow. She's ready.
The wedding takes place in the upstairs hall of the mansion. Alexa wears an elegant white gown with Jess in his best black Sunday suit. They walk slowly toward each other and are married.
During the wedding luncheon in the dining hall, a wrapped package arrives. It's from Chad who sent them a couple of goblets that belonged to their parents. That's all.
Jess and Alexa speculate on any hidden implications Chad's gift might contain but, finding none, decide not to let it bother them and get back to the festivities.
Chapter 28- Whole Again
Alexa finds the rough drafts of Jess' poetry just as the author himself enters the master bedroom, ready to consummate this marriage. They gaze at each other, unable to believe after almost two years of waiting, they can finally do it. Jess can't help but be a little nervous since Alexa knows more than he does. After helping her out of her gown, Jess take Alexa into his arms and carries her to the bed. He can figure it out from here.
The ecstasy both feel after lovemaking makes them both weep. Their honeymoon is a whirlwind of gaiety. Jess and Alexa return to find Chad left another calling card. Blew a hole in the wall in Jess' office last night where he kept his safe. All the money is gone. There goes what would've been the last mortgage payment. They have no choice but to enter Crazy in the upcoming race to be held on Chad's estate, probably his intention all along.
Jess also has a surprise for Alexa. He purchased Lady's Maid for her as a wedding present, she's in the stable right now. Chad probably hasn't even realized she's gone since he made the transaction through a third-party. Alexa is thrilled. She wishes she had a gift for him. A few weeks later, Alexa announces she does have a gift after all. She's pregnant.
Jess is the happiest man in Australia, until he remembers he promised to let Alexa ride Crazy in the race. Reluctantly he agrees to keep his promise if Alexa promises to be careful. They kiss.
Chapter 29- Alexa's Victory
The day of the race, Alexa and Jess arrive at Chad's place where he is already waiting to greet the newlyweds. Honeymoon's over, he sneers. Before they can analyze that remark, it's time to ride. Jess watches from the stands while Crazy's rider mounts and the race begins with Crazy in the lead. Suddenly, the horse goes into convulsions, bucking and rearing wildly as if spooked. Crazy's jockey tumbles off just as the other riders gallop by in a cloud of dust. One horse strikes the fallen jockey in the back and Jess nearly faints. Alexa!
Jess fights his way through the crowd when Alexa herself stops him. She's okay. At the last minute, Tod talked her into switching places with him. Tod only suffered a cracked rib. He'll recover.
Sam comes up. Since he left Jess' employment, he's been working here at the Byrnehouse estate. He can prove what just happened was no accident. Someone (not him) slipped Crazy a tiny dart coated with a fast acting convulsive drug that leaves no side effects. Crazy is perfectly fine now. The judges agree to run the race again. Alexa rides Crazy and wins the race. Chad is furious, swearing he'll get even later. Jess and Alexa brush it off.
But when Jess goes into town to make his payment, he learns his property has already been sold to a very persistent buyer who made an offer nobody could refuse. It's Chad Byrnehouse of course and there's nothing Jess can do. He returns home, utterly defeated to sob in Alexa's arms but Alexa is optimistic. As long as they have each other, nothing can ever get them down. All their staff and friends will come with them. They'll start over somewhere and everything will be okay.
Chapter 30- Through the Gable Window
A mysterious death has just occurred in the area. At the race, a solicitor approached Jess saying he had some papers about the Byrnehouse estate Jess might find interesting. An appointment was made for today but the man's body and the wrecked carriage he was driving was just found. Someone didn't want this man to keep his appointment with Jess today. Obviously Chad, but why? Jess is beginning to suspect this feud between himself and the Byrnehouse family goes deeper than he ever realized. Jess always thought the feud was rooted in the affair between Faye and Ben, Jess' adopted father; that Chad always hated him because of that connection. Maybe Chad's wrath goes even deeper, like financially.
Alexa puts her mind to work on solving the mystery. She re-reads the old letters Chad gave her but nothing stands out. Jess tells her his mother, Emma, wrote poetry. Alexa reads it. Not very good, but one short stanza about seeing her source of pain through the gable facing east seems significant to Alexa. What can it mean?
Alexa talks to Mrs. Brown, the housekeeper, who came to work for this family just after Ben Davies married Emma who needed a companion for daily care and assistance. Mrs. Brown corrects Alexa's misassumption that Emma's mind was not sound. Her mistress was not a simpleton and there was never anything wrong with her mind, her spirit was broken. She suffered from major depression (diagnosed as female melancholia in those days and probably postpartum depression too) as a result of the violent incident she was forced to endure on her wedding night and the resulting baby. Emma never shared a bed with Ben. No one ever knew who the father of Emma's child was but everyone knew the story of how Ben and Faye intended to marry but her family refused to allow the engagement. Ben left to seek his fortune, found it but when he returned Faye had been married off to a man she didn't love and was trapped in a dysfunctional marriage.
Alexa tells Mrs. Brown she was the result of this forbidden affair. Mrs. Brown isn't surprised.
Alexa goes outside to the family cemetery. Kneeling next to the graves, something finally clicks. She knows the answer to the mystery! But what will Jess' reaction be when she gives him the disturbing news?
Chapter 31- The Source of Pain
Jess finds Alexa in Emma's studio attic of the cottage with the gable facing east. A woman's perspective can make a big difference as Alexa tells Jess the untold story that Jess completely missed (because guys are just dumb).
Once upon a time, poor Ben Davies wanted to marry rich Faye (surname unknown) but her family didn't approve and married her off to Tyson Byrnehouse, a man she didn't love. Faye and Ben had a brief affair before Ben left to bring back his own intended bride and put the past behind him. What nobody realized was that Tyson found out about the affair. Furious with wrath, Tyson decided to get even with both of them by abducting poor Emma on her wedding night, ruining her and enjoying sweet revenge.
But it backfired. As the years passed, Tyson learned raping and impregnating an innocent victim didn't ease his pain, cure him of alcoholism or improve his marriage. Faye was driven back into the arms of her former lover and Alexa was the result before they decided to end this affair once and for all. Ben continued to raise little Jess as his own while Tyson did the same with Alexa, his relationship with her remaining cold and distant until Faye finally died and Tyson changed his ways, stopped drinking, took more interest in his illegitimate daughter and less in his disobedient, ungrateful son, showing greater kindness towards his neighbor (his son) Jess Davies after Ben died, much to Chad's dismay.
Tyson Byrnehouse is Jess' biological father, there can be no other explanation.
How's that for an open marriage?
Chad somehow found out about his half-brother, probably while his father was intoxicated and rambling as Alexa can attest to. This explains why Chad always hated Jess and did his best to make his life miserable. He's been holding this knowledge over Jess' head for years. If Tyson intended to leave his wealth to the older, illegitimate son, as he probably confessed to Chad, we have motive and this information might just be enough to convict Chad for a long list of crimes: murder, arson and theft for starters.
Jess isn't very hopeful but after a pep talk from Alexa, they decide to go to Brisbane and start making inquiries at the Byrnehouse family solicitor's office.
But first, they have a visitor. Lizzy the prostitute from Chapter 22 decided to take Jess up on his offer of open employment. Alexa helps her get settled in her old upstairs room in the carriage house and she and Jess are off on a road trip.
Chapter 32- Vengeance in the Blood
The Brisbane office is gone! Freshly burned down yesterday by an unknown arsonist. (Gee, wonder who it was?) Jess and Alexa track down Ira Grant, the partner, finding him at home, safe, but very shook up as to the recent death of his colleague and the property damage. Luckily he just happens to have his partner's copies of the Byrnehouse files which includes a will that was never notarized which, as suspected, intended the bulk of the family fortune to be left to none other than Tyson's illegitimate son, Jess Davies! Alexa is mentioned too. She was to inherit all the equine and racing facilities including her family's race track. Chad was to get a yearly pittance, that's it!
While Ira can't help them legalize this will, he can use it as evidence in a murder case against Chad who has been fighting hard for years to keep any knowledge of his father's second will hidden from his half-siblings whose paternity he also didn't want anyone to know. Even Ira is a little confused at these family ties but Jess and Alexa are invited to stay for dinner and spend the night here in his home. Ira's wife and children make them feel very welcome. Ira will talk to the authorities and the police first thing tomorrow. Things are looking up!
A few days later, back home, Chad enters his office and stops short to find Jess Davies sitting in HIS chair, boots planted on HIS desk, as if he owns the place, which in fact he does. Jess milks the scene for all it's worth. Payback is sweet! Jess waves the court summons he brought for his dear brother announcing the cat is out of the bag. Incredulous, Chad stutters then starts whining about the unfairness of being caught in his web of lies. Chad promises Jess he won't get away with this but Jess leaves confident in his knowledge that the law is on his side.
The judge declares Chad's claim to the Davies property and estate illegal and Jess is restored everything he formerly owned. The bank is ordered to honor his last mortgage payment making him the legal owner. However, in light of this new evidence, the judge is also ordering further investigation into these suspicious crimes all linked to Chad. His days are numbered.
Before they part, Ira gives Jess a sealed envelope he found in the files addressed to Jess Davies in the event of Tyson Byrnehouse's death. It's a letter from Tyson who somehow foresaw Jess falling in love with his precious Alexa which had always been his intention. He even had a dream about seeing the two of them getting together which brought him great happiness. It was his last wish to unite his wife's illegitimate daughter with his elder, biological son. He goes on to apologize for all the grief he caused them by his actions toward Emma and Ben. He hopes by leaving his entire estate to Jess and the racing facilities to Alexa it would leave the two young adults no choice but to get together. Looks like his dream came true! Theirs was truly a match made in heaven.
Chapter 33- Fighting Fire with Fire
One of Chad's stablehands found the dead body of Sam buried in the woodpile. The sheriff has been notified and Chad has another murder to add to his case. Jess and Alexa can't help but feel hopeful when they hear the news. Right now, they have a mortgage to burn and everyone dances the night away to Fiddler's music. Jess and Alexa have their own celebration together that night in bed.
In the middle of the night, an alarm goes out. Brush fire! And it's headed this way! Jess rushes out the door to help fight it, leaving his wife alone in the house who runs into Chad as she exits the master bedroom. Against her will, she is bound, gagged and forcibly dragged outside where Chad has a waiting horse. He takes her back to the Byrnehouse mansion, forcing her to accompany him from room to room babbling like a man gone insane.
Chad has truly lost his marbles. He spills kerosene throughout the house on their tour and sets it ablaze. He next drags Alexa to the stable where he intends to murder her by arson as he sets fire to this structure as well. He admits to murdering Richard, pulled the trigger himself as he mistook him for Jess. Oops. This time he won't make any mistakes. He is human enough to free the horses so they can escape to safely. Alexa is not so lucky, trapped by a burning ring of fire. She screams.
Outside, Jess comes galloping in just in time to enter the burning structure where he sees his wife. Chad attacks but his wild blows aren't enough to deter our hero who places a carefully aimed blow which knocks Chad out so Alexa can be carried outside.
Jess and Alexa are about to kiss when the stable roof partially collapses and they hear a terrible scream inside. Jess returns to find Chad pinned under a heavy beam. He protests but Jess frees him anyway and drags his brother outside but it's too late. Chad dies in his arms just as the heavens unleash a deluge of rain to put out the fires and cleanse the land of Chad's evils.
Chapter 34- Winner Take All
Ira Grant comes calling to find the entire station anxiously gathered in the dining room of the mansion waiting for news about Alexa who went into labor early this morning. Bets have been placed on the baby's gender. Jess enters, tired but happy. It's over and he's a proud father. Sweeping all the money into his arms, Jess declares they all lost. Alexa gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl. They have been named Tyson and Emma Davies. Everyone shouts with excitement.
Ira has wonderful news. With Chad dead, witnesses came out of the woodwork to testify against him. With all the evidence, the judge declared the will legit and Jess is the new owner of the Byrnehouse fortune and estate, lock, stock and barrel making him one of the wealthiest men in Australia. Jess proclaims with his wife and newborn babies, he was already the richest man in the world. Nevertheless, he'll take the money and put it to good use.
Jess tells Alexa who is equally incredulous but agrees, all's well that ends well.
'Cause we're never gonna survive, unless, we get a little crazy!
THE END
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