"Yes, well, Mr. Alexander is family now. So are his sister and his nephew. So..."
"Oh don't worry none. This little man is a sweetheart." Esther smiled as she tussled Little Quin's hair.
"I'm glad to hear it." Bo nodded and looked at the children. "Who's hungry?"
"Gramma Cookies!" Ida Rose answered.
"Katie, you didn't!" Vicky shook her head.
"They ate first." She said defensively.
"They each ate a bowl or two of her Irish stew before they finished off a plate of her cookies. Reuben and Pappy were playing bronco pony with them."
"I reckon the wee ones will be ready for N.A.P. soon."
"Oh." Vicky frowned. "Bo, it seems you and I have missed out on a culinary delight!"
"Now don't you fret." Katie laughed gently. "You look too nice to stay inside. Why don't you go to the café for lunch and we'll mind the wee ones."
"Oh Katie, I couldn't..."
"Yes ye can, child." She said firmly in her thick Irish brogue. "And ye WILL."
"I suggest you do as the lady says." Esther said quietly on the side with a wink as she shooed the two young people through the door.
"Do you suppose your uncle will take care of your mama?" Esther asked Reuben.
"I saw him tell his sister to behave and I saw him lifting her out of the wagon. And he held her arm when they walked." Reuben said thoughtfully. "And he's real good with Little Quin, so I think he'll take care of Ma okay."
Katie winked at Esther and the two smiled as they corralled the children back into the living space.
"I like your mother-in-law." Bo said as he pulled out her chair for her.
"I do too." Vicky laughed. "What do you suppose your sister will say when she learns that Katie Larraby is my mother-in-law?"
"She's going to turn deep green." He said matter-of-fact with a nod and a wink.
"You two are back already?" Ruth appeared as Bo was sitting down. "Where are the little ones?"
"Grandma Katie wants more time with them. So she shooed us away."
"And Grandma always holds the trump card!" Ruth laughed. "Are you eating then? Or is this just another coffee visit?"
"Oh, I'm eating!" Vicky laughed. "Even without chasing the little ones I'm hungry as can be!"
When their meal arrived and they'd begun eating Bo broached the subject of Janelle.
"Vicky, I've been thinking."
"About what?" she smiled as she ate another bite.
"Janelle."
"Oh." She washed down the bite with a swallow of tea. "I wondered if you'd want to talk about her again."
"I've tried about everything I know. I'm plumb out of ideas. If you can think of anything that might help, I'm open to suggestions."
"I have friends in California that might help her find suitable work for a lady. She wouldn't be rich, but she'd be respectable. Katie has several friends in the dress-making world. And I might be able find her a teaching position somewhere." She said thoughtfully. "Oh, I also know someone with a café if she'd like to cook or bake or wait tables."
"I'm afraid I've been so worried about her falling back into despair that I've spoiled her. I can't see her working in a café or a dress-shop. I might be able to convince her to try her hand at teaching though. I could impress upon her the fact that there is a deplorable lack of suitable role models of grace and refinement."
Vicky couldn't stop the laughter that exploded from her throat. When she and Bo managed to bring it to a chuckle she went on.
"Appeal to her vanity!" she chuckled and started to laugh again.
"Whew" she said after a few moments and half a cup of tea later. "Sorry. I haven't laughed like that in so long. Anyway, where were we?"
"Her vanity." His smile was warm and sincere. "Most of our southern belles are quite vain. It's a trait we southern gentlemen overlook as we spoil them endlessly doting over them."
"You don't seem troubled by the prospect of being parted from your sister."
"Oh, I will go with her if she asks it of me. It is a great relief though to know that Little Quin will be loved and well looked after." He tipped his head thoughtfully, "Although I must admit I that spending my days at the bidding of my capricious sister is a most disagreeable prospect. Still, she is my family and I will do right by her."
Vicky could see why Jeremy liked Bo. She liked him too and knew Quinton would agree. Her only concern now was convincing Louie, although she suspected it wouldn't take very long for Bo to win him over. Especially after that episode with Little Quin this morning...and the way the man handled horses.
"Please stay on with us, Bo." Vicky heard herself plead. "Little Quin seems to be an easy-going child but it won't be easy for him to be parted from you. I know your sister won't miss you or the boy and I can assure you that she will be well looked after whichever of my friends she decides upon."
"Are you sure that your husband and your foreman would approve of a Johnny Reb moving in?"
"You're family now." She chuckled. "And while my husband is gone, I have the final say. Louie may disagree with me but he will respect my wishes in this regard."
"I understand, Vicky. I assure you, I'll be on my very best behavior."
"I'm not concerned. I'm sure you'll win him over in no time at all. He's really quite a reasonable fellow. He's naturally concerned for my welfare and fears that you and Janelle might be merely looking to take advantage of my good intentions."
"Considering that is exactly what Janelle started out to do, I can hardly blame him. I must warn you I am completely unfamiliar with cattle and the workings of a ranch. I do, however, know quite a bit about good horseflesh. I see that you have some excellent stock. Perhaps I could lend my services in that area?"
"You'll be at Louie's mercy as far as assignments go but I'll put in a word. I'm sure you'll prove yourself ready and able to learn and I'm confident you'll work hard at whatever you're given. Louie's a good foreman and eventually he'll put you where you can do the most good.
"The establishing of the pecking order?" He smiled that crooked grin.
"Something like that!" she laughed, feeling vast relief over the resolution of so many vexing unknowns.
---
Vicky was exhausted by the time she got home. She'd fallen asleep on Bo's shoulder. Will and Reuben tucked the children into bed while Bo carried Vicky inside. She woke up as he crossed the kitchen.
"Bo." She said sleepily. "Put me down."
"You're exhausted. Let me get you to bed."
"Let me walk."
"Vicky." He frowned. "Katie warned me you were very stubborn but she made me promise to take care of you."
"I'll bet she promised to throttle you if you didn't." she snickered. "Put me down."
"She did for a fact." He set her feet on the floor but kept hold of her waist for a moment, "and I believe she would too."
"Good. Don't ever underestimate that woman." She covered her mouth as a yawn captured her voice.
"I'll walk you to the bedroom and I'll bring you some fresh water. Do you need anything else?"
"Only the children."
"Reuben and Will are taking care of the wee ones." he assured her.
"Good. On second thought, I won't even need the water. I'm just going to change and crawl into bed." They'd reached her door and she turned to thank him
"Thank you for a lovely day, Bo. I'll see you in the morning. Good night." She stood on tip toe and kissed his cheek before stepping into her room and closing the door behind her.
She looked at the bed and decided not to bother changing. She undressed and crawled under the covers. Exhausted as she was, sleep did not come again for some time. Her thoughts instead went over the day and its revelations.
She thought of how life might have been like if Jeremy hadn't left. She would have lived each day watching her love die a long and painful death. The stress of knowing he was dying might have caused a miscarriage. She cried softly remembering that experience as she imagined trying to endure it while her husband lay dying in the next room.
She might have given up. That much grief may have been too much, even for her. She would have chosen to join her baby in heaven and await Jeremy's imminent arrival rather than to struggle on through the loneliness and grief. But before she was ever given such a brutal loss to bear, Jeremy had instead given her a future.
She could not imagine at that time the great love she had come to share with Quinton. She didn't know one could find two such loves in one lifetime. She could not have foreseen the life growing within her, a product of the love that was a part of her future. She couldn't have imagined any of this...but Jeremy had.
Jeremy knew how much she and Quin needed each other. He knew her heart would learn to love again and he even nudged her a little in the right direction. Her heart ached as all this swirled about in her mind. She was tempted to break into hysteria. But then, when she thought of the great love in Jeremy's parting gesture, she decided not to sulk but rather to live as he intended...happily and with love in her life.
With a deeply contented sigh she fell asleep with a smile on her face knowing how very much she was loved.
Vicky smiled as she chased the wee ones out to play. Reuben was a wonderful brother and he helped her so much she wondered how she would manage when he left them. Melancholia washed over her at the thought and she shooed it away. There was no telling when this terrible war would end, and in the meantime he was her family!
She tossed a towel to the Man-of-the-house as the hands had taken to calling the post of staying around the house all day to help Vicky. The posting annoyed Vicky at first, as it seemed to her more like a baby-sitter than a helper. But as time passed she began to enjoy the visits—for such is the way it felt as she got to know them. Will laughed as he plucked it from the air.
"Miss Vicky, I swear, you're mighty sassy this morning."
"Just feeling my oats." She laughed as they cleared the table together. "I managed to get several hours of sleep last night."
"Hard to believe you're already on the hurry-up-end of your time. It seems like just yesterday the boss was telling us there'd be one man on house-duty at all times."
"I bet that didn't go over so well." She chuckled as they scraped plates into the slop bucket.
"Not at first. But then the boss pointed out what a fine cook you were and the man on house-duty would be eating his meals in the house. He also mentioned that you often baked cookies and other sweets."
Vicky stopped in mid-scrape as uncontrollable laughter seized her. It had been awhile since she'd felt the urge to laugh this way. It always made her pee a little...what the hell. It felt wonderful, though her stomach would hurt later and she'd need to change her drawers. In a few moments she wiped the tears from her eyes and shook her head.
"I always wondered what carrot Louie dangled. I imagined it was more along the lines of authority as in—do it or leave. Now that I realize it was just carrot CAKE he dangled..." she shook her head and resumed cleaning up; the water was hot and she could start on the dishes.
"Naw. I reckon he's a cunning one. See, authority would work only on a desperate cowboy coming up on winter and wanting a place to roost for the winter. But dangle three home-cooked meals and the possibility of sweets in front of a cowboy and he'll follow like a suckling calf every time!"
"Oh Will." She shook her head as she handed him a plate. "As silly as that sounds, you're probably right. I have to say though, it's a nice tradition. I think I might keep it in play even after the major comes home. Besides the fact that I need the help, I like knowing the men that work for me. And it's become a bit of a routine."
"I know I speak for all of us when I say that would be right nice. See, them young'uns grow on ya and house-duty ain't so much a duty as it is going home for a day. We use house-duty like currency now. I won me two extra days this week, one in poker and the other as payment for taking over Shorty's turn at the green-broke ponies because he was too hung-over to sit a saddle."
"Well, I'm glad."
They finished the dishes and then, as it was Monday, Will set up the wash tub. Vicky smiled as she approached her raised wash tub. The boys saw how hard it was for her to bend over the tub and before it became impossible, they cut down a tree and made her a pedestal that was wide and sturdy and brought the washtub up to her waist so she could wash while standing.
They never let her fill it, or empty it, or carry the wet laundry, or even hang the laundry. All lifting and reaching were done by the Man-of-the-house. It was nice to rest her feet while they hung the laundry up and changed out the water. Sometimes when she was finished with the washing and waiting on it to dry she wandered out to the corral and watched Bo work the horses.
She'd been right about Bo. He was a hard worker and a quick study and in a few weeks it was hard to remember the days he didn't know about ranching. But he hadn't exaggerated about his way with horses. Louie put him to the training of the new mounts. He was eternally patient and it was almost as if he could communicate with the animals.