her on the forehead and walked back to his horse.
Miles seriously doubted that any man had ever left a woman’s house as happy as he just did. He loved her so much that he sometimes felt like his heart would pop out of his chest. Now, he had hope that she might begin to return his feelings. He wanted to propose already, but he knew that would not be suitable. Yet, he knew without a doubt, that he loved her with all his heart.
When he rode up to his house, he saw two people sitting on his front steps. It was too dark to see who they were. He tied his horse, and went to check.
As he came closer, he gasped. “Billy? Julia?”
Chapter 12
Julia and Billy stood and Miles hugged them both. He saw tears glistening on Julia’s cheeks. “I think we should go into the house.” Miles said a bit sternly, “We have a lot to talk about.”
How could he forgive Julia, and if he did, how would that affect his relationship with Violet?
He turned on the lamps in the sitting room, and they all took a seat. Miles addressed Julia. “Why didn’t you return?”
Julia shrugged, and wiped her tears with a handkerchief. “I don’t know.”
Miles seethed with angry. “What do you mean you don’t know? Have you any idea at all what you’ve put me through? Caleb found out I was the one to help you with the elaborate plan to bilk him of his money. Violet would have nothing to do with me for weeks. My heart was broken. Caleb gave you the money, you didn’t have to return it, so why didn’t you come back?”
Again Julia shrugged and looked at him with confusion. “I don’t know these people. Who are Caleb and Violet?”
Billy piped up. “She had a good reason, Miles. She has amnesia. Don’t scold her. She’s confused and it wasn’t her fault.”
“Amnesia? If this is an act—”
“It isn’t, Miles,” Julia said. She sighed. “I got thrown from my horse after paying off Billy’s debt. I was riding in the dark, and the next thing I knew I was back at Lydia’s house, in bed with a rip-roaring headache. The doctor examined me, and said I had amnesia. He said I would remember everything—eventually. So far I only remember my past up to my arriving in Victoria and finding Billy shot. Then I started to remember other things, but I still don’t remember Abilene. I had to ask directions from the train station to your house.”
Miles looked at Billy for confirmation. Billy nodded. “Where did you get shot?”
“In the shoulder, but it’s healed,” Billy said. “But we need to help Julia to remember Abilene.”
“It’s strange,” Julia said, “Geoffrey Grandville fell off his tractor and hurt his leg. He was limping around the house, and every time I saw him, I had this strange sensation. I was happy and anxious all at once. I don’t know why. Did you have a limp while I was here?”
Miles put his head in his hands. “No, but someone else did.”
“Who?” Julia and Billy said in unison.
“Caleb Armstrong.”
“Was he someone I disliked, or cared about? I don’t understand my feelings.”
Miles rubbed his face with his hands. “Caleb is the man you sweetened up so he’d give you the five thousand dollars for Billy.”
“I wondered where I’d gotten it. I can’t believe I did that, Miles,” Julia said, sounding truly contrite.
“And I don’t believe I helped you,” Miles said. “You asked me to find a rich man, and I broke bank rules by telling you. Thanks to Caleb promising not to tell my boss, I still have my job. I doubt Caleb or Violet will ever forgive you, and I plan to marry Violet.”
“This is all my fault,” Billy said. “I only wanted to make some quick money by gambling. I didn’t realize how bad these men were. I promise you, from now on, I’ll get a job if I want money.”
“It’s good to know, Billy,” Miles said, “but we have a mess here to figure out.
Miles seriously doubted that any man had ever left a woman’s house as happy as he just did. He loved her so much that he sometimes felt like his heart would pop out of his chest. Now, he had hope that she might begin to return his feelings. He wanted to propose already, but he knew that would not be suitable. Yet, he knew without a doubt, that he loved her with all his heart.
When he rode up to his house, he saw two people sitting on his front steps. It was too dark to see who they were. He tied his horse, and went to check.
As he came closer, he gasped. “Billy? Julia?”
Chapter 12
Julia and Billy stood and Miles hugged them both. He saw tears glistening on Julia’s cheeks. “I think we should go into the house.” Miles said a bit sternly, “We have a lot to talk about.”
How could he forgive Julia, and if he did, how would that affect his relationship with Violet?
He turned on the lamps in the sitting room, and they all took a seat. Miles addressed Julia. “Why didn’t you return?”
Julia shrugged, and wiped her tears with a handkerchief. “I don’t know.”
Miles seethed with angry. “What do you mean you don’t know? Have you any idea at all what you’ve put me through? Caleb found out I was the one to help you with the elaborate plan to bilk him of his money. Violet would have nothing to do with me for weeks. My heart was broken. Caleb gave you the money, you didn’t have to return it, so why didn’t you come back?”
Again Julia shrugged and looked at him with confusion. “I don’t know these people. Who are Caleb and Violet?”
Billy piped up. “She had a good reason, Miles. She has amnesia. Don’t scold her. She’s confused and it wasn’t her fault.”
“Amnesia? If this is an act—”
“It isn’t, Miles,” Julia said. She sighed. “I got thrown from my horse after paying off Billy’s debt. I was riding in the dark, and the next thing I knew I was back at Lydia’s house, in bed with a rip-roaring headache. The doctor examined me, and said I had amnesia. He said I would remember everything—eventually. So far I only remember my past up to my arriving in Victoria and finding Billy shot. Then I started to remember other things, but I still don’t remember Abilene. I had to ask directions from the train station to your house.”
Miles looked at Billy for confirmation. Billy nodded. “Where did you get shot?”
“In the shoulder, but it’s healed,” Billy said. “But we need to help Julia to remember Abilene.”
“It’s strange,” Julia said, “Geoffrey Grandville fell off his tractor and hurt his leg. He was limping around the house, and every time I saw him, I had this strange sensation. I was happy and anxious all at once. I don’t know why. Did you have a limp while I was here?”
Miles put his head in his hands. “No, but someone else did.”
“Who?” Julia and Billy said in unison.
“Caleb Armstrong.”
“Was he someone I disliked, or cared about? I don’t understand my feelings.”
Miles rubbed his face with his hands. “Caleb is the man you sweetened up so he’d give you the five thousand dollars for Billy.”
“I wondered where I’d gotten it. I can’t believe I did that, Miles,” Julia said, sounding truly contrite.
“And I don’t believe I helped you,” Miles said. “You asked me to find a rich man, and I broke bank rules by telling you. Thanks to Caleb promising not to tell my boss, I still have my job. I doubt Caleb or Violet will ever forgive you, and I plan to marry Violet.”
“This is all my fault,” Billy said. “I only wanted to make some quick money by gambling. I didn’t realize how bad these men were. I promise you, from now on, I’ll get a job if I want money.”
“It’s good to know, Billy,” Miles said, “but we have a mess here to figure out.
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