QUINCY AND VICTORIA walked through the front door and she paused at the bottom of the stairs. “I’ll change quickly,” she promised.

Squeezing her hand, he said, “Just a moment.”

She raised an eyebrow. “What?”

Pulling her into his arms, Quincy kissed her, and Victoria sighed against his lips. “Honey, you’re killing me.”

Quincy chuckled, and she escaped up the stairs. She entered her bedroom to find a simple but beautiful gown set out on the bed for her. Lavender chiffon, adorned with dark purple ribbon swished as she lifted it and held it out in front of her. She quickly put it on and stood before the mirror, scowling at her reflection. Her hair was still more than a little damp, so she combed it out as best she could and then scooped it into a simple chignon. She brushed her teeth and rushed to find Quinn, searching most of the lower floor, but couldn’t locate him. She ran into Betty, one of the maids, and asked her if she’d seen him.

“He’s in the library, ma’am.”

“Thank you.” Walking down the hall, she found the library door slightly ajar and knocked quietly as she pushed the door open. “Quincy?” she whispered.

She found herself pulled into his strong embrace and kissed until she couldn’t breathe. Her body molded into his as she let her love for him overtake her and was almost bereft when he broke the kiss. “Hi,” she said, and ran her hands down his face. “Mmm, you shaved!”

“I did,” he said.

“You are beautiful,” she said.

He chuckled. “Am I?”

“Yes!” She looped her arms around his neck. “I missed you so much.”

“I missed you too.” He kissed her again.

“Will you tell me everything, now?”

“Patience, Rebel.”

“Honey,” she whined.

He chuckled and stroked her face. There was a knock at the door and they turned to see Christopher walk in.

“Hi! You’re home too?” Victoria asked, surprised.

Christopher nodded. “Yes, for a few days at least.”

“Hannah has missed you terribly. Welcome home.”

“Thank you.” Christopher smiled and turned to Quincy. “Everything’s ready.”

Victoria looked at Quinn, confused. “What’s going on?”

He didn’t answer her. Instead he turned to his brother. “Thank you, Chris.”

“Quinn?”

“Patience, sweetheart.”

She huffed.

He laughed. Taking her hand, he led her down the hall and they stood for a moment outside the ballroom. “Close your eyes,” he whispered.

She smiled and complied, squeezing his hand in excitement. Quincy opened the door and guided her over the threshold before closing the door behind them and leaning down to kiss her.

“Open your eyes.”

Victoria looked up at him, smiled, and then turned around. She gasped in shock.

The room had been transformed. Every other sconce was lit, creating a romantic ambiance Victoria could never have imagined was possible in such a large room.

“This is incredible,” she whispered.

“Come and sit, sweetheart.” He led her further into the room, held her chair for her, and waited beside her as she slid into the seat.

Startled to hear music, Victoria turned to see three musicians behind her. “How did you manage all of this?”

“It’s a secret.”

She smirked. “Sophie.”

“Yes... Sophie,” he admitted. “Lunch will be served shortly.”

“What if I don’t want to eat?” she asked.

Standing over her, Quincy raised an eyebrow. “What would you rather do?”

Victoria gave him a cheeky grin. “Make out.”

“What does that mean?”

“Kiss you until we’re both crazy.”

Quincy laughed and kneeled before her. Victoria laid her hand on his shoulder. Smiling, he took her hand. “Victoria Jo Carrington. I love you with every fiber of my being.”

Her eyes filled with tears.

He pulled out a small box. “Will you do me the honor of marrying me?”

Victoria laid her fingers over her mouth and nodded. “Yes, Quincy Adam Butler, I would be honored to be your wife.”

He slipped the ring on her hand and she gasped. The middle stone was a large princess-cut amethyst set in white gold, surrounded by diamonds. “Honey, this is exquisite.”

“It matches your eyes.”

Tears slipped down her cheeks. “I don’t deserve you.”

Quincy pulled her out of her chair and into his arms. She rested her hands on his chest as he leaned down to kiss her.

“Get a room,” they heard Jamie say from the doorway.

Quincy broke the kiss and Victoria giggled. He kept his arm around her as the group of their closest friends and family walked in the room. The girls rushed to hug her, while the guys congratulated Quincy.

“Did everyone know about this?” Victoria asked.

Quincy nodded. “I couldn’t have done it without them, sweetheart.”

She faced the group. “Y’all did well out at the lake, I had no idea.”

Gwen groaned. “It wasn’t easy... especially with you so sad.”

Victoria hugged her. “Thank you, Gwen. I appreciate it.”

Quincy slid his arm around her waist again and Victoria glanced around the room. “Where’s the wicked witch?”

He raised an eyebrow. “If you’re referring to Millicent, Christine organized a friend to show her the town.”

“I must thank her,” Victoria said.

“I already did.” Quincy kissed her cheek.

The group ate lunch and managed a game of croquet while the staff set up for dinner. Then they ate again and danced until the moon shone through the French doors. Christopher allowed Hannah to join them for the meals, but wouldn’t let her play croquet or dance. She didn’t seem to mind and sat with a big smile on her face as she watched the other couples.

Well past midnight, when Quincy led a tired but happy Victoria into the library, he sat in one of the chairs and pulled her onto his lap. “How’s Rocky?”

Victoria sighed. “Amazing. I still can’t believe you picked him for me.”

He chuckled. “I just knew you were the right person for him, that’s all.”

“You knew I would fall in love with him immediately, you mean.”

Drawing one of her velvet ribbons between his fingers, he stroked the grain as he responded, “Perhaps.”

“I’ve never owned a horse before.”

He raised an eyebrow at her.

“One that was just for me, I mean,” she clarified.

“Really?”

“I remember when I was about eight, one of our mares gave birth to the most precious colt. I was there through the birth and when he first stood. I loved him instantly and my parents let me raise him. He was three when they entered him in his first race. He won,” she said sadly.

Quincy frowned. “Congratulations?”

“You’d think, huh? But... they sold him. That day. Apparently, the deal had been in the works for months. The people made an offer based on if he won, so directly after the run, they loaded him in a trailer and took him away.” Victoria took a deep breath. “I never got to say good-bye, and they wouldn’t give me any explanation. I was eleven. I figured out pretty quickly not to get attached to anything. People included.”

He squeezed her gently and leaned in to kiss her neck. “You never have to worry about that again, Rebel. Rocky is yours for as long as you want him—”

“I want him forever,” she interrupted.

He chuckled. “And I will never leave you.”

Resting her head on his shoulder, she smiled. “That’s the best news. Now, despite the fact you have distracted me with a big ring and words of love, I want to know what happened when you went home.”

“I met with my superior officers. In fact, even Warren was there for a few days. I don’t have to go back to the front lines, unless I wish to.”

“Yay!” Victoria clapped quietly. “Wait. Unless you wish to? Do you wish to?”

“No, sweetheart. There are other things I’d much rather do.”

Victoria became engrossed in playing with one of his buttons on his jacket as she listened to the timbre of his voice regaling her with updates. “Good. You can tell me those other things later.” She sighed and laid her head on his shoulder again. “Right now, I just want to hold you for a bit.”

He pulled her close and kissed her temple. “I do have some news, Victoria, and am unsure how you will feel about it,” he said ominously.

She slowly sat up. “Okay.”

“We have to be back in D.C. shortly and I’d like to be married before we return.”

“When do you have to be back?”

He leaned forward. “I have been offered a position with Chris and it starts in two weeks.”

She jumped off his lap. “How am I going to get a wedding together in two weeks?”

“One week.”

“What?” she exclaimed.

“Sophie is well equipped to assist, if you’re open to that.”

“Didn’t she just plan Stephen and Christine’s wedding—not to mention your sister’s? I would feel uncomfortable asking her to plan ours.”

Quincy stood and took her hands. “Sophie has already offered.”

Victoria sighed. “Did she offer, or did you guilt her into it?”

“She offered.” He grinned. “I don’t know her well enough to use guilt yet.”

“Yet?” she groaned.

He smiled and watched her as she started to pace the room.

“Can we get married in the little church Stephen and Christine got married in?”

He nodded. “Yes.”

She continued pacing. “What about the reception? Where will we have the reception?”

“Here.”

“Here, here?” She pointed to the floor. “At the Wades’?”

Quincy clasped his hands behind his back and smiled. “Yes.”

“They’re okay with that?”

He nodded. “Yes.”

“What about your parents?”

“I saw them last week, and they have already booked their train tickets.”

Victoria’s fingers touched her lips. “My word, I hardly know them. What if they don’t approve?”

“They love you and wholeheartedly approve.”

“Answer for everything,” she grumbled.

Quincy laughed and wrapped his arms around her waist. “Are you done?”

“We’re really getting married in a week?”

“Yes, sweetheart in a week.”

She slid her arms around his neck. “There are benefits to quick nuptials, I guess.”

“What’s that?”

“You naked. Completely.”

Quincy groaned. “Victoria!”

“Oh, please.” She stared up at him. “You are not allowed to be shocked.”

“I’ve never heard a lady say anything like that before.”

Grasping his lapels, she pulled him closer. “Good thing I’m not a lady then.”

“I wouldn’t be marrying you if you weren’t.”

Victoria giggled. “There is this saying in the future that every man wants a lady in the kitchen and a whore in the bedroom. I just want to live up to that.”

His eyebrows arched. “One week seems like a long time to me.”

Victoria laughed. “See? Now you feel my pain. You have been shirtless almost the entire time I have known you, and I’ve had to think about you, or not think about you, as the case may be, so it’s your turn to be agonized.”

“You’re not playing fair, sweetheart.”

“Nope, you’re right. Oh!” She gave an evil grin. “I just thought of something.”

“What’s that?”

“Just wait until our wedding night.”

“Why?”

“Let’s just say it’s going to blow your mind. I need to talk to Sophie.”

Victoria moved to leave the room, but Quincy pulled her back. “It’s almost one in the morning, little rebel.”

“Right. Okay, I’ll talk to her tomorrow. Are you staying here tonight?”

He shook his head. “No, I’ll be at the Maddens’.”

“Oh,” she said disappointedly.

“I’ll see you at breakfast though.” He kissed her.

“I know. I just like the idea of being under the same roof with you.”

“You will be in a week.”

“Not really a consolation.” Victoria sighed. “Is Hannah deserting me tonight too?”

“No, Christopher will stay here with her. There’s no point in moving her for a short period of time, just to have her move back here when we leave.”

“Leave? Where are we going?”

“Back to D.C.,” he explained.

“We’re leaving her?”

“We are, sweetheart.”

Quincy frowned when she dropped her hands to her sides and stepped away from him. “What do you mean when you say we’re leaving?”

“You and I, along with Chris, will return to D.C.”

Quincy’s tone was a little too matter-of-fact for her.

“Without Hannah?”

He nodded. “Yes.”

“She’s not coming with us?”

“No, sweetheart.”

Victoria moved to the fireplace and faced him with her arms crossed. “Quincy, I can’t leave her here alone.”

“She won’t be alone. Sophie will be here.”

Quincy moved to close the distance between them, but Victoria stepped away from him with a frown. “I dreamed her baby died, Quincy. I’m not leaving her.”

“She’s perfectly healthy and so is the baby.”

“What about Emma?”

“She’s returning with Clayton after our wedding.”

“Y’all have discussed this?”       

Quincy’s voice pitched low in warning. “Victoria.”

“No, Quincy. Did you and your merry band of idiots decide what the plan would be without any thought as to what we might want?” Hands flailing in frustration, Victoria lowered her voice. “Have you forgotten everything we talked about before you left? Or are you choosing to ignore me?”

Quincy sighed. “I’m not having this argument with you again. Especially in the middle of the night, Victoria.”

“Fine.” Stalking past him, she walked out the door, deflecting him as he reached out his hand to her.

“Victoria!” he called after her in frustration and caught her before she reached the stairs. “Sweetheart, stop.”

In an effort not to screech at him like a banshee when she turned to face him, she took a deep, calming breath. “I love you, Quincy, but this need of yours to make decisions without speaking to me is seriously on my last nerve.”

He lifted her palm to his lips. “You’re overreacting, don’t you think?”

She yanked her hand away. “I refuse to be married to anyone who isn’t going to be my partner.”

He grasped the stair rail and placed one foot on the first step. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying that things have to change, or the engagement is off, and I might as well go home.”

“Victoria, we are getting married.”

“We’ll see. I’m going to bed. You should as well. I’ll see you in the morning.” She managed two steps before she heard his quiet warning.

“No, Victoria.”

She turned to face him again. “What do you mean, no? I’m tired... you’re tired. Nothing good can come of a fight in the middle of the night. You’ve already said that. We’ll finish it in the morning.”

“No, damn it, we’ll finish this now.”

Victoria gripped the banister, her knuckles whitening at the force with which she squeezed. “Is it ingrained in you?”

“What?”

“This innate need to be an ass.”

Quincy sighed, and the timbre of his voice changed. “Come back into the library and we’ll talk.”

She shook her head. “No.”

“Victoria.”

Quincy stepped toward her, but she held her hand up to stop him. “No. You’re trying to placate me and it’s pissing me off. I’m tired and I’m going to bed.”

Stalking up the stairs and into her room, Victoria was devastated at the turn of events and wished she could talk with Sophie. Over the past few weeks, she’d grown even closer to her and had discovered how insightful Sophie was about more than just the war.

Peeling most of her clothes off, she managed to unhook her corset, but was too tired to change into a nightgown, so she climbed into bed with her chemise on.

Victoria vowed to sleep and think of nothing else. She tossed and turned... then tossed and turned some more. She lay on her back for several minutes. She sat up and then rolled over, but above all, she couldn’t stop thinking, unable to determine if she was sad or angry. She loved Quincy beyond reason, but he could be so domineering.

And I’m stubborn.

Sitting up, she dragged her hands down her face in frustration, and realized he didn’t dictate on purpose. Hannah was right. This was the way he was raised and a sign of the times, so to speak.

Did he love her? Did he cherish her? Was he her one true love? There was no doubt that he had the ability to raise her hackles like no one else. But was he the one who captivated her heart?

She buried her face in her hands. He was. She’d known it at the dressmaker’s and that was the reason she’d panicked.

Victoria realized she’d overreacted... albeit slightly. If she wanted things to change, she had to be willing to bend. She had to talk to Quincy. He was right. They should have resolved their argument.

Climbing out of bed and wrapping a robe around herself, she pulled the sash tight as she rushed out her bedroom door... and smack dab into Quincy. He steadied her by wrapping his arms around her.

“I’m sorry,” they said at the same time.

Victoria smiled up at him. “What are you still doing here?” she whispered.

“Where are you rushing to?” he whispered back.

She took his hand, pulled him into her room, and then quietly closed the door and turned to face him. “I was coming to find you.”

“I was going to wake you.” He lifted her palm to his lips.

“Quincy, I shouldn’t have walked away from our argument. I’m sorry.”

“And I should have talked to you first, instead of dictating. I’m sorry too.”

“Can we start again?”

“Of course,” he said.

She laid her hand on his chest and gazed up at him. “I really don’t want to leave Hannah. I need to know she’s okay.”

Quincy nodded. “All right, little rebel. We’ll try and come up with an alternate solution. I’ll speak with Christopher tomorrow... or this morning as the case may be. I can’t promise it’ll be an ideal resolution, but I’ll try.”

“That’s all I’m asking for.”

He tipped her chin up. “What’s this about going home?”

“I’m sorry.” Victoria lowered her eyes. “I shouldn’t have said that.”

Quincy frowned. “Tell me what you meant.”

Victoria sighed. “I can go back if I want to.”

His hand shook as he lowered it. “To the future?”

Victoria nodded.

“No.” Quincy swore. “I’m not willing to be separated from you again, Victoria, so prepare yourself to come home with me.”

She held a finger up at him. “Dictating, Quinn.”

Sighing, he ran his hands through his hair. “I don’t mean to dictate, Rebel. I simply need you to understand the intensity of how I feel.”

Victoria slid her hands up his chest and around his neck. “My gorgeous man. No one would ever doubt the intensity of your feelings. Least of all me. And I have no intention of going anywhere without you. I’m here for good.” Pulling his head down, she kissed him and within seconds, she found herself on her bed and under Quincy.

“Victoria.” He groaned and sat up.

Kneeling, she wrapped her arms around him from behind and kissed his neck. “It’s probably a good thing we aren’t under the same roof. I really am having a difficult time not ripping your clothes off.” He grasped her waist and pulled her around his body, settling her onto his lap and eliciting a gasp from her. “Oh! It feels as though you’re having the same issue.”

“I’m going back to Clayton’s, sweetheart. I’ll see you in the morning.”

She nodded and kissed him. Then kissed him again.

“I’m leaving now, Rebel.” He stood with her still in his arms. “If I don’t, I won’t be able to.”

“I love you,” she whispered.

“I love you, too,” he said, and kissed her palm.