The Vicky Series: Book 2: Saving a Dream

Chapter 23

As the days wore on into a week, Vicky began to get irritable. The chatter was not loud, but there were so many bodies in every room that it gave her a headache most of the time. Still, she didn't complain and tried her best to be civil. These poor people were enjoying their first hospitality in months. They had come many miles and had endured many hardships.

She reminded herself this was temporary and that she should be grateful she could share what she had with these people. It was one of her gracious moments that exposed her to Mrs. Smith. The woman was a dear, but she chattered constantly and never seemed to notice the subtle hints that her listeners were tiring of the subject.

"I'm telling you, darling, because you're a good kind soul and you got them babes to think about. Don't wait until they come and take everything away before you leave. If you are loyal to the Union, as any God-fearing soul would be, these rebels will attack you. They'll take everything you have, clean to the bone."

"Like the vultures they are they'll leave you with nothing. They'll violate you and they'll kill your men folk. You listen to me, dear, if they kill you, you'll be lucky. My sister, God rest her soul, she and her husband just married a year ago and were getting ready for their first harvest. I begged her to come with me, but she couldn't be persuaded."

"I heard from a group that came through later that her pace was burned, her husband was killed and the whole regiment violated her. They beat her brutally and left her for dead. She lost the babe she was carrying and hung herself. If you won't go for yourself, think of those babes of yours. You want them to lose their father before they know who he is?"

The woman was still prattling on, but Vicky felt the tears sting her eyes. The reality of losing Jeremy hit her with the force of a brick. She felt feint and stumbled before regaining her footing. Against protests that she should sit and rest, she insisted she was fine and excused herself to find Quinton.

As she wandered around, asking after him, the curious nature of Jeremy's suggestion suddenly hit her. He'd known that she intended to stay...yet he mentioned California anyway. She felt giddy as she knew that's where Jeremy went. She was nearly floating; barely feeling her feet touch the ground.

Quinton, she was told at last, was riding out near the canyon and wasn't expected back for a few days. Without waiting for an explanation, or offering one of her own, she headed to the corral, hoping Quinton hadn't taken Jonah. She saw Jonah next to a palomino mare and smiled. She climbed over the gate and worked her way through the crowded corral to Jonah.

He was very glad to see her. She hadn't been out to visit since before the twins were born. As if the mental recollection of them triggered a maternal instinct somewhere she felt a familiar surge and pressure within her breasts. She looked toward the house as she worked Jonah toward the gate. She knew two little babies would very soon be crying for her.

Her heart tugged and then she saw one of the men working at the woodpile. He was bloodied and bandaged and using a crutch. She reached the gate, and closed it behind Jonah. One last look at the house and she sent her thoughts to her children, willing them to know that she'd be back soon. She grabbed a fist full of mane and leapt up on Jonah.

She rode off bareback toward the place she knew Quinton would most likely be. Other than the knife she always carried in her shoe and the loaded pistol she always carried in the secret pocket she was completely unprepared. She didn't even have a saddle she thought remorsefully after she'd been riding about half an hour.

It'd been nearly a year since she'd ridden and she was beginning to regret leaving without at least saddling up. She had been keeping an eye on the trail behind her, in case someone decided to come after her. After nearly three quarters of an hour at last she saw tracks and was extremely grateful for an excuse to dismount.