Roily stepped forward. "She got herself a house. Can I put her down now? I don't want to damage her none."

Taylor reached up and took Georgie into her arms. The men smiled at the little girl, then followed their leader as Roily turned and started back across the clearing.

"We'll be ready to help you move in by early afternoon, Mrs. Ross," Roily called out.

Taylor put Georgie down and told her and her sister to go help Hunter. Then she turned to her husband. "I purchased a house yesterday. That's why I went to see Lewis," she said. Her words were hurried together when she added, "I haven't seen it yet, but I'm sure it's going to be fine. It has wood floors and glass windows."

There was only one house in Redemption with glass windows. Lucas let out a loud expletive.

"Callaghan's place," he whispered. "Lewis sold you that crazy old mountain man's house?"

He wasn't shouting, but he was close to it. Taylor hurried to soothe him. "It isn't his house. Even if we do leave soon, we still need somewhere to stay tonight."

"No."

"Lucas, be reasonable about this."

He took a step closer to her. "I am being reasonable. He's crazy, Taylor. You'll wake up and find him sitting at the table wanting breakfast. His smell will knock you over backward. I don't think he's had a bath in twenty years. He won't leave until he's good and ready," he added with a nod. "And then he'll take half of what you've unpacked with him."

Taylor hid her alarm. "Is he dangerous?" she asked.

Lucas wanted to lie, then decided on the truth. "No," he admitted. "He won't hurt you, but you'll want to kill him after being in his company for ten minute's. It's out of the question. We're staying in the meadow."

Victoria heard the argument and was peeking out the back of the wagon so she could watch the couple. She was ready to conclude that Lucas was going to win the argument. Then Taylor nudged the scales in her favor.

"My dear friend is sick," she announced. "She needs a proper bed. Are you willing to take all of us to your brothers' place and let us stay there until she's feeling better?"

He would have loved to do just that but knew it wasn't a good idea. "The ranch is a hard day's ride on a horse. With wagons and finding trails, it could take as long as four days."

"Lewis told me Callaghan doesn't usually come down from the mountain until the middle of summer."

"We'll be living in the city by then," Lucas told her.

"Then surely it will be all right if we stay in the house just one night."

Lucas finally gave in. He assured her it was only because of Victoria's health and only for one night.

He had the last word. "If she's better, we're leaving tomorrow."

The house was as wonderful as a palace in Taylor's estimation. There was a large glass window on either side of the entrance and one above on the second floor. The living area was quite spacious. To the right was a long wooden table with benches on each side that would surely seat eight or ten good-sized adults. Against the wall behind the table was a black iron kettle stove, and there was a little alcove with shelves and a long counter.

A small stone fireplace faced the front door. On the left side of the room was a bed and mattress Roily assured her had already been aired out. And in the far corner of the room was a door that opened up into another bedroom. There was a bed against the wall, a crate next to it, and yet another glass window.

The steps leading up to the loft was on the other side of the fireplace. Taylor took the children up to look at their sleeping quarters. Her only worry was that one of the twins might try to climb over the railing, but Hunter assured her the girls had more sense than that. While he was defending them, Georgie got her head stuck between two of the banister spindles. Lucas had carried Victoria inside, for Hunter refused to get near her, and when Georgie started wailing, he put Victoria down on one of the benches and went up to free his daughter.

Taylor and Lucas both insisted Victoria take the back bedroom. She immediately became teary eyed over their thoughtfulness.

"Do you think you'll be feeling better tomorrow?" Lucas asked her.

Victoria looked to Taylor to find out the answer.

Hunter also looked at Taylor. When she gave a quick shake of her head, Victoria immediately put her hand to her forehead and said, "I certainly hope so, but it truly seems doubtful."

Hunter became furious. "Are you ill or aren't you?" he demanded.

Victoria was stunned by the anger in his voice. Her eyes widened and her hand dropped to the base of her neck as Hunter stomped across the room.

He didn't let her answer him. He stood there towering over her, glaring.

"I can't leave worrying about you," he snapped. "Answer me, woman. Are you really sick?"

Victoria latched onto his earlier comment and ignored his question. "You're worrying about me?" Her voice had gone all soft and breathless. Her eyes were as green as emeralds, and tears were already welling up.

"Don't make more of this than it is," he warned her. "What I feel and what I do are two different matters. You've got no business being here," he added. "No business at all."

"Why not?" she asked.

"Because you're a lady," he muttered. "And carrying," he added with a nod in case she'd forgotten.

She stood up. Her middle brushed against him. She couldn't back up; the table was in her way. He wouldn't back up; his pride was in his way.

"I have every right to go wherever I want to go," she told him.

"No, you don't," he told her, just to be stubborn.

"Why not?"

"Because you're pregnant."

It sounded perfectly logical to him. Victoria thought he was being ridiculous. Her face was turning pink with irritation and embarrassment. How dare he tell her what she could and couldn't do?

"'In a false quarrel there is no true valour,' Mr. Hunter," she quoted. "William wrote those very words."

"What the hell does that mean?" he demanded. His voice raised a note. "I'm going to be glad to be rid of you, Victoria. I'm sick to death of watching you mourn for your husband and telling me all the fancy words he said to you. The man's dead. You aren't. Get over it and move on."

Victoria's mouth dropped open. He believed William was her husband? She was speechless, though not because of his misinterpretation. It was the anger and the obvious jealousy she was seeing.

Chaos surrounded them. Lucas was going back and forth from the wagon, carrying what Taylor had promised him were only necessary items they would need for one night. The children were out back, watching Roily and his men clear a yard. Taylor had gone up to the loft to make beds out of the mats and blankets Lucas had carried up for her.

Victoria was getting a crick in her neck looking up at Hunter. "I don't want you to leave," she whispered.

Hunter couldn't stop himself from touching her. He put his hands on her shoulders and gave her a gentle squeeze. He wanted to shake some sense into the woman. She was acting as though he had every right to stay.

A tear slipped down the side of her cheek. He caught it with his thumb. He wanted to make her understand how it had to be.

"My grandmother was a Crow."

"My grandmother was Irish."

He guessed he was going to have to be more blunt.

Victoria still didn't understand she was supposed to be prejudiced against him.

"I'm a half-breed," he reminded her in a low whisper.

"So am I," she immediately answered.

He got mad. "The hell you are."

She wasn't intimidated by his shout. She poked him in his chest. "I'm half Irish and half French, and you can't tell me any different. Facts are facts."

He gave up trying to argue with her because she refused to be logical. "I'm leaving."

She grabbed hold of his belt buckle. "I'm probably not in love with you."

"I hope to God you're not."

She stretched up on her tiptoes. He leaned down at the very same time. His mouth covered hers, and his arms went around her waist. He kissed her long and hard, and when he came to his senses and pulled back, she was breathless and staring up at him with a dreamy, bemused look on her face.

He wanted to kiss her again but didn't dare. His hands dropped to his sides. The woman was making him think impossible things could happen.

"Let go of me," he commanded.

"You can leave after the baby's born," she blurted out at the same time.

"No woman's going to tell me what to do."

She sat back down on the bench and bowed her head. "Go then. I don't need you or anyone else. I'd done just fine on my own."

He snorted. "What about your husband?"

He decided he wasn't going to wait around to hear her answer. She'd probably give him yet another one of the dandy's fancy remarks, and he knew he would completely lose his temper then.

He'd made it to the entrance when he heard her whisper. "I've never been married. You're better off leaving a woman like me alone."

He stopped dead in his tracks. He didn't turn around. "Then who is William?"

"He was a famous playwright. William Shakespeare was his full name. He lived centuries ago."

Hunter stood there for a full minute without saying a word, then he walked outside. Victoria stood up and ran to the bedroom. She was weeping before she'd shut the door.

He made it halfway across the clearing before he stopped. He thought the matter over in his mind for a good five minutes.

Lucas was getting ready to chop wood. He'd taken his shirt off and turned to put it in the wagon when Hunter came storming out of the house. He could hear his friend muttering under his breath, and when Hunter stopped and didn't move for so long, he guessed exactly what was going on.

Georgie came running past him. He caught her in his arms and lifted her up.

"Don't bother Hunter now," he whispered to his daughter so his friend wouldn't overhear.

Then Daniel came hurrying past. Lucas grabbed hold of him and pulled him up against his side.

"Leave Hunter alone," he told his son.

"What's he doing?" Daniel asked.

Lucas smiled. "Struggling. Any minute now he's going to realize it's inevitable." He continued to keep his gaze on Hunter. "Why don't you two go and see what your mother's doing?"

As soon as he put Georgie down, Daniel took hold of her hand and led her back into the house.

Hunter finally made up his mind. He turned around and walked over to Lucas.

"I'll stay around for a little while," he announced.

"I'd appreciate your help."

Hunter nodded. He was glad his friend didn't ask him why he'd changed his mind. He hurriedly changed the subject. "Do you think Caulder might really show up here one of these days?"

"If he believes I've got his gold, he will," Lucas answered.

"They'll probably catch him before he gets as far as Sioux City."

"They might," Lucas agreed.

"Victoria shouldn't go anywhere until after the baby's born. The journey here was hard on her. She needs rest."

"Are you suggesting we stay?"

"Can't see any other way," Hunter replied.

Lucas was concerned about Victoria, of course, but he was also worried about his wife and his children. The wilderness was no place for them. He thought of at least ten reasons right away why it wasn't safe. One of them could step on a snake or drown in the creek or get mauled by a bear. The list was endless.

Yet Hunter was right. They had to stay until the baby was born.

Hunter went into town then to get some supplies he would need to reinforce the stairs.

Lucas told Taylor at supper that Hunter had agreed to stay on until Victoria had her baby. Taylor's friend burst into tears over the news. She stood up, excused herself, and went into her bedroom.

"What's wrong with her?" Daniel David asked.

"She's happy," Taylor explained.

Lucas shook his head. He thought Victoria's reaction was damned odd. Then he turned his attention back to his wife. She looked a sight tonight with her hair spilling down her back and her face rosy from cooking. He thought he could be content to look at her the rest of the night.

She wasn't paying any attention to him. Georgie had deliberately pushed a biscuit up against a piece of salted pork on Allie's plate, which caused an immediate uproar, and Taylor was trying to soothe one twin and lecture the other one at the same time.