The Vicky Series: Book 2: Saving a Dream

Chapter 28

Vicky sighed, relief washed through her.

"Thank goodness! What did he say? What should we do about it?"

"Do you remember when Colonel Schmidt first came here?"

"Yes."

"Do you remember him asking me to help him lead these people through the Indian country and safely to California?"

"No. I didn't know that he had, I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I may not have told you. I was working it out whether or not to move us west. I knew it would be the best thing, especially after we got Jeremy's letter giving me permission."

"But..." She knew there was something more, something to do with her.

He dropped his nervous gaze back to his hands and began torturing the callouses with renewed zeal as he continued, obviously uncomfortable with confronting her.

"But I knew how you felt about staying here. I knew what you had said..."

"Quin."

She spoke softly, with a gentleness he'd not heard before. He dropped his hands to his lap and looked up at her. There was no need for words. He saw the tears welling in her eyes. He felt the softness of her touch on his hand.

On an impulse he wrapped his arms around her. He felt her arms slip around his waist, and the gentle pressure as she hugged him. He felt the wetness of her tears through his shirtsleeve. He felt the gentle tremble as she wept and stroked her back in comfort.

"I'm sorry, Quin. I never meant to be impossible."

"No. It's not that."

He felt like he had to make her understand but he stumbled over the words. He gently pulled her back and cupped her face in his hands.

"Look at me, Vicky, please."

She met his gaze and his heart ached with the complete trust he saw gazing back at him.

"I never told you but it's not because I was afraid of you being difficult. I never thought that for a minute."

She sniffled and half smiled.

"I only debated because I knew how much it meant to you to stay where you felt you belonged and I was trying to be sure that it was absolutely necessary for our best interests before I asked you to give that up."

She tipped her face into his hand as she reached up to hold it with her own hand, so small and soft.

"Thank you." She trusted him so implicitly.

It made it a little easier to tell her the next bit, the part he'd been troubling over.

"About this husband business? I talked it over with the Colonel. I've thought long and hard over it. I've come to a decision that I must ask you respect. It's a matter of necessity—for the safety of you and the children. Please understand."

She was listening in earnest. A new quietness settled over her. She trusted him completely. It was a comfort to him because he struggled with the decision for weeks, especially these last few days that she had been out of bed again.

"I am in no way imposing myself upon you or the children. I will never betray the trust of Jeremy or the sacred troth you share with him. But you must understand that the journey we make is a long and dangerous one. We'll be the targets of bandits, Indians, and rebels. It'll be dangerous to all women and children in our party, but especially to those who've no one to protect them."