QUINCY SAT ON the sofa and Victoria squealed in surprise as he pulled her onto his lap and kissed her quickly. “We’re in public, Quincy,” she whispered.

“So?”

“Public displays of affection are frowned upon in this century, aren’t they?”

He shrugged. “We’re with our family, so the rule is slightly more relaxed.”

“Riiiight.”

Andrew, Gwen, and Charity walked in a few minutes later and the group stood to greet them. Jamie roped the men into helping him get drinks and Quincy kissed Victoria once more before he followed Jamie out of the room.

“Charity, how long are you staying?” Sophie asked.

Charity grinned. “Two weeks this time.”

“Have you set a wedding date?”

Charity sighed. “We’re thinking October, but we haven’t decided on the day yet.”

The men returned with drinks for everyone and Victoria no longer paid attention to the wedding details as Quincy sat down next to her again. Richard arrived a few minutes later and called him over, but Charity jumped up and made her way to him first. He leaned down to whisper something in her ear before kissing her on the cheek.

“What does Richard want?” Victoria asked.

Quincy shrugged. “I have no idea.”

* * *

Quincy followed Richard into the library. “What’s amiss?”

“There is something very wrong with Victoria’s horse,” Richard said.

“What do you mean?”

Richard pulled his gloves on and set his hat on his head. “He’s sick, Quinn.”

“How?”

“He can barely stand and won’t take food or water. It’s serious, and I thought you should be the one to tell her.”

Quincy nodded and made his way back into the parlor. He walked over to the sofa and took Victoria’s hand. “Come with me.”

“Why?” she asked.

“Just come with me please, Rebel.”

“Mmm, mysterious,” she joked as she stood and followed him to the library.

Once Quincy closed the door, he put his hands on her shoulders. “Sweetheart, there is something seriously wrong with Rocky.”

She frowned up at him. “What do you mean?”

“Apparently, he can barely stand and won’t take food or water.”

“What? No, that can’t be right,” she said, and laughed nervously. “I just rode him less than two hours ago and we checked on him in the middle of the night.”

“Sweetheart, he’s sick, and Richard doesn’t know what’s wrong.”

“How sick?”

He didn’t speak.

“Quinn? How sick?”

“It’s not good, sweetheart.”

She rushed from the room and Quincy followed. “Victoria. Wait.”

* * *

Victoria ran toward the barn and straight to Rocky’s stall. Peering inside, she could see he was having a difficult time standing. “Rocky.”

He was too weak to move, so Victoria stepped into the stall and examined his eyes, her stomach dropping when she saw that they were yellow. He started to paw the ground but then gave up and groaned.

“Careful, Victoria.” Quincy ran his hands along the horse’s belly.

Rocky’s front legs seemed to buckle, but he caught himself in time as Victoria gasped and let out a sob.

“Rocky. Come on boy, I need you to lie down,” she crooned and tried to guide him down.

She was relieved he seemed to understand what she was saying and he lowered himself to the ground and onto his side. She sat and pulled his head into her lap.

And sobbed.

“Rebel.”

Victoria looked up at her husband. “Someone poisoned him, Quincy.”

“How do you know?”

“I know the signs. Who would do this?”

“I don’t know, sweetheart.”

Stroking his neck, Victoria sobbed, “I dreamed this! I should have watched him closer.”

Quincy stepped inside. “Rebel, you couldn’t have known.”

“Can you get Stephen, please? Tell him we need Thiamine.”

“What’s that?”

“It’s the antidote.”

Quincy raised an eyebrow. “To what?”

“Don’t ask me right now, Gus,” she begged. “Please, just get Stephen.”

“I’ll be back shortly, sweetheart.”

Victoria barely noticed Quincy left her as she leaned over Rocky’s neck and cried. She knew that if they didn’t get B-1 into him soon, he would die. The thought of this beautiful animal no longer in the world devastated her.

“Victoria?”

She looked up to see Stephen and Quincy standing at the stable door. Quincy stepped around him and into the stall.

“Stephen, its Bracken Fern.”

Stephen shook his head. “Victoria, I’m not a vet, you’ll need to tell me what that means.”

“It’s a plant that’s poisonous to horses.”

“Are you sure that’s what it is?”

“Yes.” Victoria glanced down at Rocky. “Two of the championship horses at our neighbor’s farm were poisoned this way. It was news for months. We need Thiamine. Lots of it.”

“Victoria, I’m sorry, but I don’t have a B-1 shot available,” Stephen said. “It hasn’t been invented yet.”

“Then something, damn it. Oatmeal. Something with B-1 in it. He can’t die,” she snapped.

“Rebel,” Quincy said softly.

“No, Quincy. Help him. Please, honey, help him,” she begged.

“We’ll try oatmeal mixed with cauliflower,” Stephen suggested.

She nodded and leaned her cheek against Rocky’s. “Rocky, this better work. You have to figure out a way to fight this if it doesn’t. Be a good boy and get better, okay?”

She stroked his neck and watched Quincy let himself into the stall.

“He can’t die,” she said.

“I know, sweetheart. We’ll do everything we can.” He knelt down by Rocky’s head.

Victoria glanced at Quincy. “Who would do this?”

“How do you know it was deliberate, Victoria?”

“Because horses don’t just eat poisonous plants on their own,” she snapped.

Quincy squeezed her hand.

“Sorry,” she said, and then explained. “They don’t like the taste. It would have had to have been mixed in with his food to fool him.”

“All right, sweetheart, we’ll find out what’s going on. I promise.”

Stephen returned with his recipe and let himself inside the stall. “I added molasses for taste and brought a few sugar cubes with me, which I’m hoping will help.”

“Thank you, Stephen,” she said. “I’m really sorry for snapping at you.”

He chuckled. “Did you? I hadn’t noticed.”

Stephen put the bowl down next to Victoria. She scooped some of the mixture into her hand and held it near Rocky’s muzzle. He licked it from her hand, and she tried again. This continued for several minutes before Rocky refused any more. “Please, Rocky, one more.”

“He ate almost the whole thing, Victoria,” Stephen noted.

She looked into the bowl. “Oh. Good boy.” She stroked his neck and put a sugar cube in her hand, which he took from her. “Ah, my beautiful stallion, you’ll never turn down sugar, will you?”

“If it’s going to work, it’ll probably take another feeding or two, so it’s a matter of waiting now,” Stephen said. “I don’t know much about Bracken Fern.”

Victoria stroked Rocky’s neck. “It’s not pretty, but all the stables have B1 onsite in case, so we’ve never lost a horse to it.”

“We’ll put a man on watch duty,” Quincy said.

“That won’t be necessary.”

“And why is that, Victoria?” he asked.

Victoria stared at Rocky. “I’m not leaving him.”

“You cannot expect to stay in the barn, sweetheart.” Quincy held his hand out to her. “Come on back to the house.”

“I’m not leaving him, Quinn.”

Quincy crossed his arms in frustration. “Where are you going to sleep?”

“Here.”

“In the barn?”

She shook her head, inadvertently releasing her hair from its pins. “Right here.”

“Out of the question,” he argued.

“I am not leaving.”

Hunkering down next to her, he swept her hair behind her shoulder. “You are not sleeping in the stall, Victoria.”

“Yes, I am.”

“You’re coming back to the house and sleeping in our bed. Don’t make me throw you over my shoulder.”

“If you force me, Quincy, I won’t forgive you.” She sniffed. “Ever.”

“Victoria, don’t be ridiculous.”

She tipped her tear-streamed face up. “I am not leaving him. Please don’t make me choose between the two of you tonight. You won’t win.”

* * *

Quincy ran his hands through his hair as he stood and walked out of the stall. He paced up and down the aisle of the barn, trying to figure out what he should do, but within minutes, Sophie and Jamie walked through the doors, interrupting his internal debate.

Sophie walked over to the stall and poked her head in. “Hey, you,” she said.

“Hi,” Victoria said.

“I brought blankets and a pillow for you.” Sophie held up her burdens.

Victoria let out a sigh of relief. “Thanks.”

“For what reason?” Quincy asked.

“For her to sleep here,” Sophie answered.

“It’s a damned conspiracy,” he grumbled.

Sophie chuckled. “I’d do the same if it were Samson.”

“You and I can take turns guarding her, Quinn,” Jamie offered.

“No need,” Quincy said, and made his way back inside the stall. “I’ll stay with her.”

“All right, I’ll get a couple of pistols for you then.”

“Do you think that’s necessary, baby?” Sophie asked.

“Someone poisoned that horse. It wasn’t an accident, and since none of the other horses are sick, I can only assume it’s personal,” Jamie answered.

Sophie frowned. “Oh.”

“Who, Quincy?” Victoria asked.

Quincy shook his head. “I don’t know. Most of the previous attacks have been on Christopher and Clayton, and I’m at a loss as to who would want to hurt you or me. I haven’t begun my work with the cabinet yet. We’ll figure it out, sweetheart. You just worry about Rocky for the moment.”

Sophie let herself into the stall. Jamie reached for her. “Ten-Cow.”

“Pleeeze. He won’t hurt me. He can barely move.” Sophie turned to Victoria. “Where do you want these?”

“Here, please.”

Sophie arranged the blankets so that Victoria could lie at Rocky’s neck.

Quincy grabbed for one of the blankets. “What are you doing? You cannot sleep there, Victoria. What if he stands up and tramples you?”

“He won’t.”

“Rebel.”

“He won’t, Gus.”

“Sweetheart, you haven’t eaten,” Quincy said. “Come inside and eat.”

Victoria shook her head. “No.”

Quincy let out a deep sigh. Jamie laid a hand on his shoulder. “Quinn, Sophie and I will organize trays for you and Victoria. You worry about the horse and we’ll worry about you.”

“Thank you,” Quincy said quietly.

The couple left the barn and Quincy was once again left alone with Victoria. “I don’t like this, Rebel.”

“I know, honey, but I can’t leave him.”

Jamie and Sophie brought trays for the couple and they ate, even though Victoria still refused to leave the stall. Lying on the blankets after eating very little, she stretched next to Rocky, draping her arm over his neck. She fell asleep quickly. Quincy didn’t have as much luck.

* * *

The prod of a wet nose and then the nudging of a soft lip awakened Victoria. She opened her eyes and found herself staring at Rocky’s muzzle. He was standing, and she smiled as she stroked his face.

“You’re standing up, clever boy.” Jumping to her feet, she checked his eyes and let out a quiet squeal. “No more yellow! Quinn!”

Hearing her husband groan, she peeked her head over the stall door and found him lying on his back across two bales of hay, one leg raised and his arm over his eyes. She let herself out of the stall and knelt beside him. “Wake up, honey. Rocky’s standing and he looks much better.” She stroked his face.

He smiled sleepily and kissed her palm. “He’s up?”

“Yes, he’s standing. The yellow in his eyes is almost completely gone, as well. He’s perfect.”

He sat up and pulled her onto his lap, kissing her deeply. “Good.”

“Did you sleep?” she asked.

“Not as well as you.”

Victoria grinned. “And you thought he’d trample me. I slept like a baby until he nudged me awake.”

She heard a whinny and Rocky stuck his head out of the stall. Victoria giggled and Quincy groaned as she climbed off his lap and went to her horse. She pulled a sugar cube out of her pocket and gave it to him. “I’m surprised you didn’t root around in my pocket for this, boy.” She stroked his face. “You’re such a clever horse.”

Wrapping an arm around her waist from behind, Quincy kissed her neck.

“I can’t believe one feeding worked,” she said.

Quincy sighed. “Three.”

“What?”

“Three. I fed him twice while you slept,” he admitted.

She turned and wound her arms around his neck. “You did? Why didn’t you wake me?”

“Because you haven’t gotten any sleep of late.”

“Neither have you, honey, or was I enjoying the company of another naked man?”

He chuckled.

“Thank you,” she whispered and kissed him.

“My pleasure.”

“You are such a liar, my love. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it.” Moving her hand down his chest, she slid further down to the waistband of his pants, slipping her hand inside. She grinned when she was rewarded with his sharp intake of breath. “I will, however, show you later.”

“Good morning.”

Quincy groaned and Victoria whipped around, making sure she was standing fully in front of Quincy as Jamie entered the barn. “Hi, Jamie.”

Jamie moved toward them. “How’s Rocky?”

“He’s perfectly fine.” She worked on keeping her voice even as Quincy shifted behind her. “Whoever did this didn’t give him enough to kill him, because typically it takes a lot of B-1 to counteract the effects.”

Quincy seemed to find his voice within a few seconds. “He seems to have shaken the effects off during the night.”

“Well, that’s something, at least. What would you like Richard and me to do? Obviously, there will be a guard posted at all times, but if you need anything further, let me know.”

Victoria nodded. “I’d like to be in charge of his feed.”

“Yes, that’s fine,” Jamie agreed.

“And I’d appreciate it if you would only have trusted men watch him.”

“Absolutely.”

“That’s really it.” She gave Rocky another sugar cube. “I’ll check on him more often and if you and Richard could do the same, I’d appreciate it.”

“Of course.”

Victoria met three of the men Jamie deemed trustworthy and agreed they would be good choices to guard Rocky. She organized his feed and water and then Quincy took her back to the Wades’ home.

No one had expected the couple back for another day, but Sophie was quick to organize a room for them and Victoria insisted they go there first, delighted to find a bath waiting for her. She began pulling her clothes off immediately.

Quincy, on the other hand, pulled his boots and shirt off and dropped, exhausted, onto the bed. Victoria climbed onto the bed with him, choosing to forego the bath for a little while. “Honey?” she whispered.

He didn’t open his eyes. “Hm?”

“How tired are you?” she asked as she straddled his hips and leaned over to kiss his chest.

He opened one eye and then groaned.

Victoria frowned. “What’s wrong?”

“You’re wearing my favorite color—spilling out of it, I might add—and you ask me how tired I am?”

She giggled. “I didn’t know blue was your favorite color.”

“How’s your hand?” he asked, ignoring her comment.

She sighed. “It’s fine.”

“Mm, hmm,” he mumbled as he sat up and rested his hands on her hips.

“You don’t believe me?” she asked with feigned shock.

“Let me look at it.”

She shoved her hand behind her back.

“Rebel.”

“Yes?”

“Let me look.” He pulled on her arm and she reluctantly let him look at her hand. She winced as he started to unwrap the bandage. “Rebel, it’s red.” Shifting his body so she was no longer straddling him, he lifted her and set her on a chair.

“How long has it been hurting?” he asked as he knelt down in front of her.

Victoria raised an eyebrow. “Who said it hurt?”

“Rebel. Look me in the eye and tell me how long it has been like this.”

She huffed and leaned back in the chair. “It started last night.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I was a little distracted.”

“By a horse,” Quincy grumbled.

“Gus!”

“What, Victoria? Rocky is a horse, you are my wife. You are more important.” She gave him a huge grin. Quincy frowned. “Why are you smiling?”

“I just like hearing you call me your wife.”

He stood, poured some water from a pitcher into the porcelain bowl on the bureau, and soaked a strip of cloth. “Well, wife, as I said, you are more important than a horse.”

“He isn’t just a horse, and he was dying, Quincy. I was only in a moderate amount of pain.”

“I should lock you up,” he said. “Perhaps Sam could house you in his prison for a few days.”

“Oh funny, ha, ha,” she grumbled. “Wait, who’s Sam?”

Quincy knelt in front of her again. “He’s a friend who happens to be head of security for one of our specialized holding facilities.”

She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his neck. “You could tie me to the bed.”

He groaned as he kissed her. “I’m getting Michael.”

She crossed her arms in frustration. “Fine. Would you get me a robe first, please?”

“Of course,” he said, and opened the wardrobe.

“Quincy?”

“Yes, sweetheart.”

“After Michael looks at my hand, can I please rip your clothes off and do unspeakable things to you?”

Quincy leaned back so he could see her around the door of the wardrobe. “Yes, you may.”

“Thank you,” she said with a smile.