yesterday, so we can’t stay.”
“Would you mind an additional companion?” Victoria asked.
Stephen smiled. “I’m assuming you’re referring to yourself?”
“Yes.”
“Not at all. But isn’t everyone coming in a few days anyway?”
Hannah nodded. “Yes, but Victoria is anxious to do some work with the horses, so we thought it might be nice for her to go earlier.”
Stephen raised his eyebrows but didn’t voice his opinion. “Well, it’s fine by me.”
Victoria bit her lip. “Just don’t say anything to Quinn.”
“Ah.” Stephen nodded. “No problem.”
Victoria closed herself in her room as Stephen and Christine made their way into Quinn’s to sterilize it for the surgery.
Hannah followed Victoria and closed the door with a click. “What happened?”
Victoria flopped onto the bed. “What do you mean?” Hannah stared her down and Victoria rubbed her gritty eyes. “Jacob Butler thinks I’m a spy.”
“What?” Hannah exclaimed.
Victoria filled her in on the strange conversation and Hannah frowned. “That just doesn’t sound like Jake. I’ll talk to Chris.”
“No, don’t.” Victoria sighed. “Let him think that. It’ll make it easier to leave, especially if Jacob convinces Quincy I’m all wrong for him.”
Hannah snorted. “That will never happen.”
“We’ll see. For now, I’d love to rest if that’s okay.”
Hannah nodded. “Sure. I’m going to write a letter to Sophie to take with you if you don’t mind.”
“Of course not.”
“Great. I’ll wake you in a little while.”
Hannah left the room and Victoria wallowed in her sadness.
* * *
Quincy became aware of whispered voices as he forced his eyes open. A man and a woman were wiping down surfaces and appeared to be organizing instruments on a tray.
“Who are you?” Quincy cleared the frog from his throat. “And where’s Victoria?”
The man approached and glanced down at him. “I’m Dr. Paxton, this is my wife, Christine.”
Christine smiled. “Miss Carrington is in her room, I believe.”
Quincy shifted, his shoulder objected. “Is she going to assist?”
“No, it’ll be Christine and me,” Stephen said.
Quincy smacked dry lips. “I’d like to speak with Victoria before you begin, if I may.”
“I’ll get her for you,” Christine offered and slipped into the hallway.
Several minutes later, Victoria came into the room, and the doctor and his wife left to give them some privacy.
Quincy held his hand out to her. “Are you angry with me?”
She shook her head. “Why would I be angry with you?”
Quincy raised an eyebrow. “Victoria, don’t be obtuse.”
“I’m not angry, Quincy.” She squeezed his hand. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m fine. I just want this over with so that you can take care of me.” She smiled at him as he took her hand and kissed her palm. “I’m going to be fine.”
“I know you will be. I’ll see you later.” She quickly left the room.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Stephen used just enough chloroform to ensure Quincy was unconscious and then began the surgery. It was relatively easy to remove the bullet, so the operation was brief. He finished closing and then he and Christine cleaned up. Since Quincy’s breathing was even, and Stephen didn’t see any signs of distress, they left the room and found Victoria pacing the hallway.
“It went very well and he’s resting comfortably,” Stephen said.
“Thank you.”
“It’s almost four, so we should get going to the train station,” Christine said. “I hope you’ll consider staying with us, Victoria.”
“I hadn’t thought about the two days before Hannah is due to arrive, to be honest.” Victoria forced a smile. “Yes, thank you. I would appreciate the hospitality.”
Stephen laid a hand on Christine’s back. “Let’s go. I’ll walk Christopher and Hannah through what they need to do for Quinn when he wakes up.”
“I’ll be right there,” Victoria said.
* * *
Victoria waited
“Would you mind an additional companion?” Victoria asked.
Stephen smiled. “I’m assuming you’re referring to yourself?”
“Yes.”
“Not at all. But isn’t everyone coming in a few days anyway?”
Hannah nodded. “Yes, but Victoria is anxious to do some work with the horses, so we thought it might be nice for her to go earlier.”
Stephen raised his eyebrows but didn’t voice his opinion. “Well, it’s fine by me.”
Victoria bit her lip. “Just don’t say anything to Quinn.”
“Ah.” Stephen nodded. “No problem.”
Victoria closed herself in her room as Stephen and Christine made their way into Quinn’s to sterilize it for the surgery.
Hannah followed Victoria and closed the door with a click. “What happened?”
Victoria flopped onto the bed. “What do you mean?” Hannah stared her down and Victoria rubbed her gritty eyes. “Jacob Butler thinks I’m a spy.”
“What?” Hannah exclaimed.
Victoria filled her in on the strange conversation and Hannah frowned. “That just doesn’t sound like Jake. I’ll talk to Chris.”
“No, don’t.” Victoria sighed. “Let him think that. It’ll make it easier to leave, especially if Jacob convinces Quincy I’m all wrong for him.”
Hannah snorted. “That will never happen.”
“We’ll see. For now, I’d love to rest if that’s okay.”
Hannah nodded. “Sure. I’m going to write a letter to Sophie to take with you if you don’t mind.”
“Of course not.”
“Great. I’ll wake you in a little while.”
Hannah left the room and Victoria wallowed in her sadness.
* * *
Quincy became aware of whispered voices as he forced his eyes open. A man and a woman were wiping down surfaces and appeared to be organizing instruments on a tray.
“Who are you?” Quincy cleared the frog from his throat. “And where’s Victoria?”
The man approached and glanced down at him. “I’m Dr. Paxton, this is my wife, Christine.”
Christine smiled. “Miss Carrington is in her room, I believe.”
Quincy shifted, his shoulder objected. “Is she going to assist?”
“No, it’ll be Christine and me,” Stephen said.
Quincy smacked dry lips. “I’d like to speak with Victoria before you begin, if I may.”
“I’ll get her for you,” Christine offered and slipped into the hallway.
Several minutes later, Victoria came into the room, and the doctor and his wife left to give them some privacy.
Quincy held his hand out to her. “Are you angry with me?”
She shook her head. “Why would I be angry with you?”
Quincy raised an eyebrow. “Victoria, don’t be obtuse.”
“I’m not angry, Quincy.” She squeezed his hand. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m fine. I just want this over with so that you can take care of me.” She smiled at him as he took her hand and kissed her palm. “I’m going to be fine.”
“I know you will be. I’ll see you later.” She quickly left the room.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Stephen used just enough chloroform to ensure Quincy was unconscious and then began the surgery. It was relatively easy to remove the bullet, so the operation was brief. He finished closing and then he and Christine cleaned up. Since Quincy’s breathing was even, and Stephen didn’t see any signs of distress, they left the room and found Victoria pacing the hallway.
“It went very well and he’s resting comfortably,” Stephen said.
“Thank you.”
“It’s almost four, so we should get going to the train station,” Christine said. “I hope you’ll consider staying with us, Victoria.”
“I hadn’t thought about the two days before Hannah is due to arrive, to be honest.” Victoria forced a smile. “Yes, thank you. I would appreciate the hospitality.”
Stephen laid a hand on Christine’s back. “Let’s go. I’ll walk Christopher and Hannah through what they need to do for Quinn when he wakes up.”
“I’ll be right there,” Victoria said.
* * *
Victoria waited
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