Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Six
A week later…
V ictoria placed a kiss on her father’s forehead. He’d been drifting in and out of consciousness for the past few days. Yesterday, he stayed awake for around four hours, which had pleased her mother tremendously. She’d known how much her parents had loved each other, but that had been more apparent by the smile on his face when he’d first awakened and seen her mother. Although it had been difficult for him to do so, he had told her mother that he loved her.
After a good cry, her mother was happy, convinced that Pa was on the road to recovery. Dr. Hargrove said as much but cautioned that he still had a long way to go.
Thanks to Felicia, a pot of coffee was set up in the hospital room, and Victoria walked across the room to a small table to pour a cup. She, her mom, and Felicia were taking shifts, so Pa was never alone. Milton came at the end of the workday. Jantz Madaris had big boots to fill, but her brother was doing a great job.
Although Waylon would also come in the afternoons, he wouldn’t come until later tonight since it was branding day on his ranch. To keep down any disturbance, he never came inside the hospital. Instead, he would spend the night in his truck whenever she was there. During the afternoon, he would pick her up a meal from one of the restaurants, and they would eat together in his truck while Milton and Fee watched over their pa.
Fee hadn’t been feeling well lately, and Etta Madaris was convinced she was with child. Milton was trying not to get his hopes up, but Victoria thought a niece or nephew would be wonderful.
“Victoria.”
She quickly turned toward the bed and saw her father was awake and had called out to her. Placing her coffee cup down, she quickly moved toward the bed. “Yes, Pa? Dr. Hargrove doesn’t want you to talk much.”
“Promise me.”
Speech for him was still rather difficult so she leaned closer to make sure she heard him better. “Promise you what, Pa?”
“That you will not marry into that family. That you won’t marry Waylon. I can’t let you after what Penny said.”
“What did she say?”
He stared at her with stark fear in his eyes, similar to what had been there the night she and Waylon were to elope. She then saw how a mistiness appeared in those same eyes. “Please tell me what she said, Pa.”
“Penny said since our family was responsible for her daughter being all but dead to them, she would let me know how that felt if you married her son by poisoning you.”
Victoria’s breath caught. She could see how saying such a thing would make her father want to protect her.
“Pa, surely Ms. Penny didn’t mean that. Waylon and Mr. Kurt think sending Charlotte away affected her deeply and eventually she will get better.”
“What if she doesn’t?”
“Waylon will protect me.”
“I can’t take that chance. You are my beloved daughter. Promise me you won’t marry Waylon. Promise me.”
Tears Victoria couldn’t hold back flowed down her cheeks. “I love Waylon. I’ve always loved him.”
“I know,” Jantz said softly. “But Penny has evil in her heart. I heard it in her voice. She will harm you if you marry him. Promise me that you won’t.”
“Pa, please don’t ask this of me.”
“Promise me.” He grabbed hold of her hand. Although she felt his weakness, she felt his determination to get that promise from her. Her father had grown up on that Madaris motto—Protect. Provide. Prosper.—and would die trying to protect his family. Victoria recalled the warning Dr. Hargrove had given them. Her father had been under a lot of stress. Stress he hadn’t let go of. Worrying about her was just another layer he didn’t need. Another layer that could cause him to have a relapse. Mainly, another stroke. One that he might not recover from. She met his gaze and said, “If I promise, is there a chance that one day you will change your mind and—”
“No,” he interrupted her words. “After what Penny said, I will never change my mind as long as that evil woman is alive. Promise me.”
With tears streaming down her face, she said, “I promise I won’t marry Waylon, Pa.”
It was only then that her father closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.
***
Milton knew something was wrong when he arrived at the hospital entrance and saw Victoria outside on the breezeway. It was obvious she was crying. Rushing over to her, he pulled her to him. “Victoria? What’s wrong? Did Pa’s condition worsen? Is he—”
“Pa is okay, Milton,” she said quickly through broken sobs.
“Then what’s wrong?” he asked, staring at her while handing her a handkerchief.
“My heart is breaking, Milt.”
“Why?”
“Pa made me promise him something.”
“Promise him what?”
“That I won’t marry Waylon.”
He couldn’t hide the shocked look on his face. “And you promised him that?”
“There was no way I could not. He was adamant that I make him that promise, Milt. I didn’t want to do anything to upset him. Ms. Penny threatened me harm if I married Waylon.” She then told Milton what their Pa had told her.
Seeing his lack of surprise, she said, “You already knew, didn’t you?”
“Yes. Ma told me the night we brought Pa here. I didn’t tell you since you were already upset,” he said gently. Soothingly.
She wiped away more tears. “Now I understand why Pa was so upset and he kept saying he had to protect me. I told Pa that regardless of Ms. Penny’s threats, I believed Waylon could protect me, but Pa wasn’t convinced. Oh, Milt, what am I going to do? I love Waylon. How on earth can I tell him I can’t marry him?”
“Is there a chance Dad might change his mind at some point?”
“Not as long as Ms. Penny is alive, and I can see her living to be one hundred years old. How am I supposed to stop loving Waylon when my heart is his? He believes that one day we will marry. I believed that, too.”
Milton drew a deep breath. “You have to tell Waylon about your promise to Pa, Victoria. He needs to know.”
“She doesn’t have to tell me. I heard everything the two of you said,” a deep, husky voice said behind them.
***
Milton and Victoria turned around. Waylon was holding a container of food in his hand. “I knew you hadn’t eaten, Victoria, so I took time away from branding to bring you this. Here you are. I need to get back.”
The look she saw on Waylon’s face nearly broke her heart. “Waylon, I—”
“No, I heard, Victoria. You promised your pa that you won’t be marrying me. Although you might not want to keep that promise, you will. It’s not within you to break it.”
Milton cleared his throat. “I’ll let the two of you talk while I go inside to check on Pa.”
“No, Milt, you don’t have to leave, but I do,” Waylon said. “I need to get back to my men. There’s no reason for me to be here now anyway. Here, take this,” he said, placing the food box in her hand. “And take care of yourself, Victoria.”
He moved to go down the steps but stopped and turned back to them. “Mr. Jantz was wrong. I would have protected you with my life if I had to.”
While tears streamed down Victoria’s face, she watched Waylon cross the parking lot, get in his truck, and drive off. She wept in her brother’s arms when his truck could no longer be seen.