The Vicky Series: Book 3: Living A Dream

Chapter 31

"It's like this, Bo." She said in a rush, "Quin accused me of infidelity in no uncertain terms. He mentioned you, and Buck, and any other hands he could think of."

Bo flinched at the burst of anger as though she pounced. What could he say? How could a man as smart as the Major say something so...stupid?

"I can't say that I understand, because I can't fathom that sort of thing about you. But I do see how a man as near dead as he's been could be a little out of his mind with uncertainty."

"A little?!" she snapped, her voice escalating, "Bo, he must have completely lost his mind when he hit his head!"

Bo agreed, but remained prudently silent.

"I've never even thought of...and all that time, those years he was gone in the war...and I always..."

She sputtered in her anger unable to complete a thought. Bo quietly stood and removed the plates from the table in front of her. Whenever Janelle reached the point she couldn't complete a sentence, objects began to fly. He wanted to be sure his head stayed clear of the projectiles.

"OOH!" she growled.

Her fist hit the table and she stood so suddenly she knocked over her chair. Bo jumped back defensively but the clattering of the falling chair seemed to startle her out of her rampage. He wanted to help as he watched her squat awkwardly to retrieve the chair but when she settled it loudly on all fours and plopped into it, he was glad he'd refrained.

Suddenly her shoulders slumped and her head fell into her hands. It took Bo a moment to realize this was not just a gesture of exasperation. The instant he noted the gentle shaking of her shoulders he was around the table and kneeling before her. He wasn't certain how it happened but a moment later Vicky was in his arms as she sobbed and mumbled incoherently.

As a youth Janelle's tears were a game, and as a young man they terrified him. Now he was glad he'd had the exposure or he might have been absolutely discombobbled by the weeping. As it was, he felt as wrestles as a chicken in a fox den. Just this morning Quin asked him to take care of her, and advised he ignore the tears.

But how could he ignore her tears when it was obvious her gentle heart was breaking? With a sigh he sent a prayer heavenward that this would sort itself out soon. He didn't think he was up to the task of playing mediator to these two proud, stubborn people who obviously deeply loved each other. It was enough to make him glad he was still a bachelor!

---

Quin threw back the covers and looked down at his legs. They were scrawny and weak, but the bruises and the cuts had healed at least. There was one scar that would no doubt remain to remind him of that treacherous fall. His ankle and knee didn't appear injured but when he stood he held onto the wall for support. Before he'd made a circuit of the room, he felt the swelling begin to return.

He needed to hurry along his healing. Vicky hadn't spoken to him in two weeks. Not since he'd said those horrible stupid things. Bo came every day with meals and fresh water. The more he saw of the man, the more he decided he liked him after all. It was obvious Bo was as uncomfortable being in the middle as Quin was being in bed but he patiently answered questions.

Vicky only entered the room while he slept, which is why he never saw her. At night she slept in the rocker by the fire in the parlor because she said it was the only place she could be comfortable now that she was this far along. She never got this far along with Joseph and he wasn't around when she was at this stage with the twins or Lizzie, so he couldn't speak to the truth of it.