Victoria

Beth came in in the morning, smiling happily as she woke her. Victoria let the woman's presence be a comfort, she really was a lovely person. She let her take her around town, getting measured and having the doctor give her a tea that Victoria wasn't really sure about.

"What was that for?" she asked Beth after they left, trying to get the bitter taste out of her mouth. She imagined it had something to do with maybe keeping her healthy through a bad winter. Maybe something to clean her out from the inside since they hated Caius and his kind so much. Didn't want any of Caius in her mouth from kissing or anything else. Was that a thing? Could that be done? Washing away touches and kisses from the inside?

"It's to be sure you aren't with child from that... man," Beth said gently. "To make sure his seed didn't take. And if it did, it would purge it."

Victoria paused, staring at Beth in shock. "Like... kill it?"

"No! No, not like that. Just make sure it couldn't take is all. You'll be just fine, you weren't with him long enough for it to happen really, but it's better to be safe. Now it's a certainty. Come on, let's go get lunch and see the men," she said happily.

Victoria sat with her head down, trying not to show her anger at Lane. he had told his mother to do that to her!

In three days, the woman who Beth had brought her to delivered three dresses. "I have four more I am working on!" she said happily. "The nice cream one is for her to be wed in. Not quite white, but close."

"It's lovely, thank you Rosilyn!" Beth said happily, then hurried Victoria up the stairs to have her try them all on. She beamed at her in the cream one with little pink flowers. "You will look lovely! I am just so happy! Lane has been so long in finding a girl he likes! Let's go down to the shop and tell him your dress is ready!"

"May I change?" Victoria asked softly.

"Of course! The pink one for today I think, it suits your complexion so well! I will wait downstairs!"

Victoria changed slowly, feeling dread well up. How soon would Lane demand they marry? He had come to her room every night, whispering to her and caressing her face, kissing her head. He never took her against her will. He only spoke soft words and made promises. She didn't understand him. She had already seen what a monster he was, did he think nice words now would make her see him differently?

She went downstairs and into the store where she could hear Beth talking about the dress. She glanced up when she stepped in, her eyes going to Lane, leaning on the counter.

He stood up, looking her over with a smile. "You look beautiful, my little flower!" he said happily. "I was thinking Saturday, does that suit you?"

"If that is what you wish," she answered, lowering her eyes again.

She wondered if Caius and the others had found the place yet. Started building and setting up. Was Fern taking care of him?

"Saturday is perfect!" Beth said happily. "I will go and make arrangements now!"

Beth hurried out the door and Lane closed the distance to Victoria. He touched her face softly, then tilted her face up to look at him. He was smiling, his eyes shining. "I will make you happy, little flower," he whispered.

"If you truly wished to see me happy, you would have left me with Caius," she responded, speaking her mind for the first time since the day he had taken her.

His smile slipped as he looked down at her. "You don't mean that. You could never be happy with an animal like him, you deserve better. He just had you convinced you didn't, but you do. You deserve better and you will have better! I will see to it. Look at me, little flower, I..."

"My name is Victoria."

He smiled softly. "I know your name. I intend to see you happy. Now, I was going to wait, but I think now is a good time. I found us a house I like that will be perfect for us. Dave and Estelle Meeks are going off to Cummings to live with their youngest daughter. I am going to buy their house from them. Let's go see it."

He pulled her out with him, walking her across the street and down a side street to where there were several houses. He stopped at the first one on the right and knocked.

An older woman opened the door, smiling up at Lane. "Lane! So good to see you again so soon! Is this your intended?"

"Yes. Estelle, this is Victoria. Vicki, this is Estelle."

"It's nice to meet you," she said to the older woman. She turned to Lane. "It's Victoria or Tori. Not Vicki. I hate that."

His smile was strained. "Of course my darling, how could I forget? Estelle, I had hoped to show her around a bit?"

"Of course, come in! Don't mind the mess, we're slow at packin' up. We'll be gone this time tomorrow though! Going to go live with my Olivia. Her first time having' a babe is coming and she asked us to come stay with her till her husbands broke leg and arm is healed up. Maybe longer. If it goes right, we'll be staying there in Cummings even after. Closer to my boy there too. Mind your step."

Lane showed her around the small house, to the kitchen with the dining room, the living room that was separate, which she had never seen, and the two bedrooms.

She was polite to Estelle as the old woman talked her ear off as she worked and Lane was grinning at the older women as he led Victoria to the door.

"Tell David to stop in at the store when he gets back and I will come help him load all of the big stuff," he told the older woman. "Good luck in Cummings."

He led Victoria away, still smiling.

"Did you like it?"

"It's a nice house, very solid," she answered obediently.

"A lot of their things are staying. The dining table for one."

"That will be very convenient," she replied in monotone.

"It's large enough we could entertain guests."

"I will be happy to cook for your parents they are both lovely people."

"Willie is sending away. Thinks he'll get lucky and get a girl like you."

"Not Tucker?"

"Tuck is trying to convince Glory to leave the saloon and marry him. I keep telling him she aint no good. Even if she said yes, the whole town would remember she was a whore and no one would accept her."

"Well she will be welcome in my home," Victoria said darkly.

"He'll be pleased to hear it. Most wives wouldn't want the likes of her around."

Victoria glanced at him, trying to hide her anger. What made him think she wouldn't be accepting of anyone? She wasn't like they were.

Saturday came too quickly, with him still coming back every night to whisper to her and stroke her face and kiss her head. She still didn't understand his change in demeanor. She would never see him as anything but an angry, hateful rapist.

She stood in front of the preacher again, feeling like her life had all seemed to get worse and worse and worse since she came here. She wanted to go back home to where things were simple.

Lane led her out to the inn where everyone was gathered from the church to celebrate. She sat at a table with Lane and his parents and Lane held her hands tightly in his the entire time. She didn't eat or look up at anyone, she just felt lost.

When night fell, she began feeling ill. He led her to their new home, which he had filled with furniture and her things the day before, and carried her over the threshold. He was grinning as he carried her back to the bedroom and laid her gently on the bed.

"My wife," he whispered, stroking her cheek. "My beautiful wife. Welcome home Mrs Bristoe."

Victoria stared at him soberly, then looked away.

"Little flower," he chided. "You have to let me make you happy. Give me a chance to be a husband to you!"

She stayed quiet and stared at the wall.

"I know what will help." he purred, leaning close and kissing her jaw. He began pulling her skirts up and she stayed still, letting him. She had said she would be a wife to him if he let Caius go and she didn't want to give him any reason to think she was going back on that. He was spiteful enough that he would send the sheriff after him if she didn't.

He pulled her up and unbuttoned her dress, then pulled it off of her gently. She was as still as a doll, letting him undress her, but not helping. He pulled her shift off, then her underclothes before laying her down on the bed and looking her over with his lips parted. He pulled his own clothes off as he looked down at her, then moved next to her on the bed.

"You are so perfect, little flower," he breathed. "I am certain of it, you were brought here for me. For me to find and save. I saved you and now you are mine. Completely. We were supposed to find each other," he whispered, moving close and pressing his lips to hers.

She didn't move, didn't kiss him back, but she didn't fight him either.

He reached down, sliding his hand over her breast and caressing gently, rolling his thumb over her nipple. Her breath caught and she stiffened slightly, her eyes going wide. His hand slid further down as he smiled. He could feel her body reacting to him. He slid his fingers between her legs, finding her bud quickly and watching as her eyes fluttered shut.

Victoria moaned softly, her fingers clutching the quilt beneath her. He worked her gently for a moment, then leaned in and kissed her again. This time she kissed him back, lost in herself, in him. Her hands went to his chest.

He pulled back, looking down at her, looking into her eyes as he worked her more quickly. She moaned again, arching her back and pushing her hips up, rolling against his fingers. He bit his lower lip as he smiled and watched her losing herself to him completely.

"Do you want me, little flower?" he asked in a whisper.

"Yes!" she panted. "Please... I need... I need you inside me!"

He watched her face as he rolled over her and moved up to pull her hips up so he could shove his cock into her.

"Ohhhh!" she wailed, her back arching higher. "Yes! There... nnnnnnnn!"

She came, bucking and screaming, her body jerking around as her pussy clamped down on his cock again and again. He sucked in a breath, watching her and holding her hip in one hand as he continued to work her with his fingertips.

As soon as she had spent herself and came down, he rocked forward and took hold of her face as he pulled his hips back to plunge into her again. She moaned again as he kissed her, her arms going around his neck as her hips rose to meet his thrusts.

"My sweet little flower," he breathed, slowly making love to her as she wrapped her legs around him, lost in her own euphoria. "You are mine. My wife, my love. I've been waiting for you for so long. Look at me, little flower. Open your eyes and look at me. Mmmm, my sweet good girl. You are so lovely. My little wife, tell me you love me. Say it, say you want me."

"Please... faster!" she pleaded, gripping his arms.

"Soon my love. I want to make love to you, worship you, show you how much I adore you. Look at me! I want to look into your soul as we make love."

"I need... I need... please! Faster, please! Harder... something!"

"Say you love me."

"Yes, just please!"

"Say it, little flower. Tell me you love me."

"I love you! I love how you make me feel. Please!"

"My sweet girl," he groaned, then began moving faster and harder.

Within seconds, she came again with a wailing moan and he had to go still above her until her tight little pussy stopped locking his cock down. She collapsed, panting and half out of it, shaking her head incoherently. Lane pulled back slightly and held himself up on his hands so he could move more freely. He began thrusting and pounding into her as hard and fast as he could, making her scream in bliss filled shock.

He hammered into her as her back arched and arched and arched, lifting her off the bed. He gasped as she squealed and her pussy wrenched down on his cock, then drenched his legs and hips. Again and again, her hot pussy squirted all over him and in his exultation, he laughed low in his throat. He bore her back down to the bed and hammered into her until he came, harder than he ever had in his life, exploding inside of her.

She was completely limp as he rolled off of her to clean up and he couldn't help but smirk. He had done that. He cleaned her up as well and she mumbled softly and shook her head again. He picked her up and removed the quilt, then laid her on the dry sheets before going and getting an extra quilt. He climbed into bed with her, smiling happily as he pulled her close. She lay on his shoulder without complaint, passing out almost as soon as he went still.

He lay with his other arm behind his head as he looked up at the ceiling, feeling content.

She was his.

For Veronica, the days seemed to pass in a slow haze. Nights were different. Nights, she stopped trying to resist him, going to him willingly and even eagerly. She couldn't deny the way he made her body react.

The days were the hard part.

Being around his parents, learning to work at the store. Being around his friends.

She had thought she would be accepting of 'Glory' when Tucker brought her over, but Glory was awful. She was crass and made bawdy jokes, dressed like she was still working at the saloon. She was constantly grabbing Tucker between the legs in front of them and one night she suggested they trade off and she would please Lane while Tucker pleased Victoria.

Before Victoria could get offended and find the words, Lane quickly turned her down. Told her he took his marriage vows seriously and there was no other woman for him in the world. Glory teased him about that after, joking about how many times he had come to see her and going into detail about what she had done for him. It had embarrassed Victoria much more than it had bothered him. He simply told Tucker if his date couldn't be more civilized, he wouldn't be able to bring her back.

Victoria was not upset when Tucker stopped trying to woo her. He followed in Willie's shoes and sent away.

Other wives and older women started talking to her at church, smiling at her and stopping to talk to her at the store. They began inviting her to tea and gossipping with her. She felt insecure around all of them, knowing her name was on their lips when she wasn't around. Still, she tried to smile and be polite. They might be her only companions in the coming years.

Willie's new wife came first and she was a homely but sweet farmers daughter who liked to smile. Victoria liked Millie. Tucker was impatient for his, checking the post constantly.

Late winter, the snow was deep enough that most people stayed indoors, no one leaving their houses unless they needed to. Lane carried her to the general store like a child, smiling at her as she scowled impatiently. He loved to frustrate her in little ways like that, doing things for her that she wanted to do for herself. Kissing her in public where people could see. Making her lose herself in the storage room while his parents and customers were in the shop. He loved bringing her around to him, even if it was a thumbnail at a time. Eventually she would be his.

He let her down in the store after kicking snow off his boots and grinning at his dad. There was another man in the store and Veronica hurried to hang her coat up as she listened to the man talking.

"James and Hannah both passed last night," the man was saying when she got back. "They make 22 now. Of everyone who's had it, only 17 have survived it."

"Doc don't know how people are getting it?" Bart asked.

"Says it's the cold. Says there's something in the air, but Joan says Lilla didn't get sick until after she went to care for John Goode. If you put it all together, people don't get sick less there round someone who is already sick. I think it's being given out by people. People being close or touching. Cold may make it worse, but they say that cough is bad. You had anyone in here with it?"

"Hell, Joseph, half the people come in here the last week have been coughing up fits. I'm not sick, neither is Beth or Lane or Tori."

"Well, maybe Doc is right, who knows? Maybe it's coincidence. Anyhow, you sure you don't have no more snuff?"

"I've been out for weeks, Joseph, I told you last time. Still haven't got my order."

Victoria glanced back at Lane who wasn't paying attention. He had started coughing that morning, he had woken up with a coughing fit. He turned and saw her looking, then smiled at her and winked.

She quickly looked away and started working on the ledger and the orders.

In the next week, his cough got worse and worse and worse. The Doc came to him and gave her a tonic to give him. Told her that most the younger people who got this pneumonia got better with the tonic.

Victoria stood over him, torn. She looked down at the tonic, then back at him. She sat on the edge of the bed.

"Lane?"

"Nnn?" he asked, trying not to cough. His fever was high as well.

"Are you sorry? Sorry you raped me and took me the way you did?"

"What? No, flower..." he broke into a coughing fit, shaking his head. "No. I saved you from him. You needed to be saved!" He broke down coughing again for several long minutes. "I love you. I needed to save you so we could be together. I will never be sorry for that!"

"Not even for raping me?"

"I shouldn't have... but it's part of why I love you. They way your body gives itself to me and only me. I love that."

Victoria nodded sadly and got up. She went to the kitchen and poured most of the tonic into a cup, then filled it with water, diluting it. She added a few herbs to strengthen the taste, then went back to Lane. She gave him a spoonful of the diluted liquid, then laid a wet cloth on his head. She went and made him something to help him sleep and gave it to him.

The next week went by slowly, his mother there every single day as she tried to nurse him back to health. Beth tried to get the doctor to come back, but he said he couldn't. If the tonic didn't work, there was nothing he could do and he had too many people to take care of who had no one.

Lane passed six days later.

Victoria knew she should feel bad or be upset, but she didn't have it in her to feel remorse. She only felt free. Free of the monster who had stolen her and raped her. It didn't matter that he had tried to make it up to her and acted nice, she knew the hate was still there.

Beth was inconsolable and she clung to Victoria, keeping her close. After a week of the woman smothering her, Victoria realized what it was the woman was waiting for. She was hoping Victoria was pregnant.

She didn't tell her that she had been taking a tea every week to make sure she didn't get with child. When her cycle came, she made sure Beth knew it right away. The woman finally started leaving her in peace, staying close to her husband for comfort. That was what Victoria was waiting for.

She immediately began packing, getting everything ready to go.

To her horror, Tucker knocked at her door.

"Hello Tori. I came to see if there was anything you needed. I know you don't have any help around now. You need wood chopped or anything? Anything at all? Hey... are you going somewhere?"

"I... I was thinking about going back and staying with the Bristoe's They have that extra room and all."

"Oh. Well... if you want... I could... I could stay around here. Help you out so you don't have to live with them. Umm... we could even, you know. Get married?"

"Tucker... no. No thank you. I am too upset to even consider it right now. The loss is still so raw. That's why I am moving, so this place won't remind me so much of him."

"I... see. Do you think that maybe... maybe eventually?"

"We could maybe talk about it later. For now, I just want to get ready to go so I can head over in the morning."

"Do you want me to help you?"

"No. No thank you. I want a little time alone here to say my goodbyes to him. I will see you around the store when you come in and perhaps next year, if your wife still has not come, we can talk again."