He nodded slowly. "That's what it means."
Her face crumpled. "Oh. Darn."
"Yeah," he grumbled in agreement. "You and me both."
Charity was back. "It was the chandelier," she an nounced dramatically. "They obviously didn't hang it properly. Someone could have been killed!"
Ross frowned. "It actually fell? All by Itself?"
"Yes, it fell." She avoided his gaze. "Not exactly all by itself."
Something told Ross he should go back to bed and not ask for an explanation at all. He gritted his teeth. "Who did it?" he asked.
Charity busied herself gathering bedding together.
"Well, W.A. washed out some clothes in the kitchen sink, and he thought he would just hang them somewhere out of the way to dry, and the chandelier seemed like the perfect place."
Ross groaned. "Say no more," he said, shaking his head. "I'll call a repairman. Just keep W.A. away from open flames and electric sockets. He's lethal."
"Thanks." She smiled and touched his cheek. She'd obviously forgotten all about what he'd been trying to tell her earlier. "I know this is all kind of crazy around here," she began.
"Kind of!" He glanced at Mandi, who was watching them with great interest. "You might say that." But he smiled at Charity and reassured her, "I can handle it."
"Can you?" She wondered. Wouldn't it be wonderful if that were true?