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Trusting Sarah
Cassandra Austin
Two Lonely Hearts, Destined to Meet Again Sarah Tanton had headed west seeking the promise of a fresh start, and freedom from the memories that haunted her… . Yet, little did she know that every step brought her closer to the man she'd loved and lost.Though his testimony had landed her in prison, Daniel Harrison had never forgotten the woman who had taught him about love, and betrayal. But despite their past, Daniel found himself thinking about their future… .
Trusting Sarah
Cassandra Austin
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
To Janet and Aggie
Contents
Prologue (#u9fea221b-8d32-593a-830b-d16835711856)
Chapter One (#u4a5909c7-5757-5e9b-8be0-0eea95b97a6e)
Chapter Two (#ud4bedff3-8d72-54d8-9698-17e9eec65aae)
Chapter Three (#u5dc8ed73-054f-518f-b185-3b889eb16d79)
Chapter Four (#u03f285fa-2168-58cf-99d8-87ec97b85f90)
Chapter Five (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Sixteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Prologue
Albany, New York—1853
Sarah Tanton shivered. The thin shawl around her shoulders did little to ward off the chill of the courtroom, and nothing to stop the dread that turned her blood to ice.
Her attorney had told her what to expect, had told her in essence what Daniel would say, but, as she watched him walk confidently toward the stand, she didn’t want to believe it. He looked the same as always, wonderfully tall and handsome, dressed in a well-tailored suit, new for the occasion.
“State your name.” The bailiff’s voice rang in the silence.
“Daniel Harrison.” With one hand raised and the other on a Bible, he swore to tell the truth.
“It was late Saturday night, close to midnight. My father had a large amount of money at the store. The other employees and I were to take turns guarding it until the bank opened on Monday morning.”
Sarah knew she should listen carefully to the words, not just the reassuring sound of his voice. Surely he would explain. He would put an end to this terrible misunderstanding.
“I remember feeling a little uneasy as I came through the alley, like someone was watching me, but I can’t say I heard or saw anything then. The back door was supposed to be locked, but it wasn’t even closed. I took a couple steps inside and found Frank. Frank Abernathy, I mean. He had the shift just before mine. I knew he was hurt, and I was kneeling down to help him when I heard a sound in the alley. I rushed to the door, and that’s when I saw her running away.”
“Is the person you saw in this courtroom?”
Sarah had been gazing at the familiar face, willing the blue eyes to turn in her direction. Now, suddenly, they did.
“Yes. That’s her.”
It took Sarah a full minute to understand. Her mind screamed, “Why, Daniel? I thought you loved me! What happened to all our plans?”
Of course she didn’t speak aloud but stared into his cool blue eyes in frozen silence. He was the first to turn away.
She sat through another hour of testimony, thinking the pain would crush her at any moment. Finally, she stood with the rest, and the jailer took her arm to lead her out of the courtroom. As usual, her attorney joined them for the walk back to her cell.
The scene from the large window at the landing between the second and third floors had become Sarah’s only view of the outside world, and the jailer routinely gave her a moment there, “to catch her breath.” It was at this window that Sarah managed to find her voice. “Tell Daniel I want to see him.”
The attorney turned away from her, gazing out the dirty window. “I don’t believe that would be a good idea, Miss Tanton,” he said after a moment.
“Please,” she begged, “I have to see him!”
The man’s expression didn’t change. “As you wish, miss.” He turned to descend the stairs without another glance at her. She and the jailer continued their quiet walk to the jail.
Sarah paced the cell for what seemed like hours. She had imagined Daniel hurrying to her. The longer she waited, the more she dreaded his explanation. Finally she heard voices and the jingle of keys as the outer door was unlocked. The jailer and her attorney came down the short hall to her cell.
She barely dared to whisper, “Daniel?”
“He refuses to come, Miss Tanton. You better get some sleep.” With these words, the attorney turned and left the cell block, the jailer close behind.
Sarah found his advice impossible to follow. She entered the courtroom the next morning, hollow-eyed and trembling. The attorney barely acknowledged her as she took her place beside him.
“All rise.” The bailiff’s clear voice brought everyone to their feet. Sarah watched the judge enter and take his place. She sat with the others, and the bailiff spoke. “The defendant will rise.”
The attorney’s hand on her elbow urged her up again.
“Sarah Tanton, you have been found guilty of robbery and assault. Do you have anything to say?”
Sarah swallowed. She couldn’t have spoken if she had wanted to. She shook her head.
The judge frowned. “You have been uncommonly stubborn, young woman. In light of your total lack of remorse, I have little choice but to sentence you to twenty years in Auburn Prison. If, at some future time, your cooperation leads to the recovery of Mr. Harrison’s money, this court will reconsider the sentence. Court is adjourned.”
The judge’s gavel struck the block, and Sarah cringed.
“All rise,” the bailiff said.
Sarah turned toward the spectators in the courtroom, needing to see Daniel again, to plead with him to help her. The jailer took her arm and pulled her away even as she found him. His back to her, he was walking away. She tried to call to him, but his name came out a whisper. “Daniel.”
He turned then and their eyes locked. His face was unreadable.
The tightened grip on her arm made her realize she was struggling. “Daniel!” The cry lodged in her throat as she was pulled from the room.
Chapter One
Outside Fort Leavenworth Kansas Territory—1859
The wagon master sat at his plank-and-barrel desk, tapping the end of the pencil against his gray mustache, and studied the young woman. While she wasn’t tall, she stood so straight with her head erect that it kept her from looking tiny. Her straight hair was a chestnut brown, red where the sun caught it, and smoothed back from a gentle face that seemed somehow at odds with her stiff bearing. Her soft brown eyes made him want to help her.
She turned to watch a flock of blackbirds, her face registering such delight the man glanced at the birds himself before eyeing her curiously. Why would a flock of noisy birds be so entertaining?
Pete Milburn considered himself a good judge of character, and this Miss Sarah Tanton looked like a stayer. He was sure she would make her request of other trains if he turned her down.
She brushed a strand of hair away from her cheek as she turned back to face him. “Well, Mr. Milburn?”
Milburn took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Miss Tanton, let me be honest. I’m afraid I will be shorthanded, but what I need is someone to drive the supply wagon. I got Rice pulling double duty till River catches up. Can you handle an ox team, Miss Tanton?”
Sarah didn’t miss the hopeful note in the question. She looked toward the grassy riverbank where the gentle beasts were grazing. They looked massive, and Sarah’s confidence slipped. “I don’t know, sir. That’s why I didn’t purchase a wagon and team. All I’ll need...”
“Are the supplies to cross the continent. Miss Tanton, this isn’t a passenger train.”
“Perhaps I could learn to drive a wagon, sir.” Her eyes were silently pleading.
Milburn sighed again. He adjusted the pencil and studied the ledger in front of him. Carefully he wrote “Sarah Tanton—May 3, 1859” on the topmost vacant line. Under the amounts paid by the other travelers, he wrote “Hired.”
“Mr. Milburn, I—” she began.
“Rice!” he yelled over his shoulder, startling her into silence. In a softer voice he asked, “Where are your things?”
Before Sarah could do more than stammer and point, a gangling young man, barely in his teens, hurried up to his boss.
“Rice, this is Sarah Tanton. She’s going to be helping Eli. Find room for her things in the lead wagon.”
“Helping Eli?” Rice glanced at Sarah before tilting his blond head toward Milburn. “But Eli—”
“Don’t argue, boy!” Milburn rose from his seat, smiling at Sarah. “If you’ll excuse me, miss, there’s a fella coming I need to talk to.” He tipped his hat and left them.
Rice stared dubiously after his boss, and Sarah felt apprehensive. “I only have one trunk,” she said.
Earlier, Sarah had caught a ride out from town. Now she found the trunk where the driver had left it. Rice was stronger than he looked, and the two of them had little trouble carrying it to the lead wagon.
“Thank you for helping me, Mr. Rice,” Sarah said.
“Shucks, ma’am. I ain’t no Mr. Rice. I’m just plain Rice.”
“Don’t you have a first name?” she asked, smiling.
“Yes, ma’am.” He blushed. “I’ll make room for this.” He scrambled over the tailboard so quickly he nearly fell in.
Sarah smiled after him. She sat down on her little wooden trunk. Everything she owned was inside. Somehow it seemed appropriate to perch herself on top of it. Here sits Sarah Tanton on all her worldly goods, in the middle of a meadow where the East ends and the West begins. She might have added, “where the past meets the future,” but her thoughts were interrupted.
An old man rounded the wagon and stopped in surprise when he saw her. “What are ya doin’ here?”
Sarah came to her feet as the man went to the wagon demanding, “What’s goin’ on in here?”
“Oh, Eli,” Rice mumbled. After some scraping and shuffling, Rice stuck his head out the back of the wagon. “Eli, this is Miss Tanton. Miss Tanton, this here’s Eli.” The boy grinned broadly at his display of proper manners.
“That don’t tell me nothin’,” declared the old man.
“Oh.” Rice sobered. “Mr. Milburn, he hired her to... uh...to help you.” His smile was more hopeful than happy.
Eli looked Sarah up and down. “We’ll see about that. Don’t ya move nothin’ in that wagon till I get back!” He hurried toward the supply wagon and Milburn’s makeshift office.
Sarah looked after him in horror. She hadn’t had a chance to say a word. He would never allow her to work with him. She turned to thank Rice for trying to help.
Rice hopped out of the wagon and unhooked the hinged tailboard. “Eli ain’t so bad.” He grabbed her trunk and hoisted it into the wagon.
“What are you doing? You’ll get yourself in trouble.”
“No, ma’am. Mr. Milburn’s boss. Eli, well...he’s Eli.” Rice nodded to punctuate his explanation. “Eli’s just Eli.”
Sarah was not reassured. “What does Eli do?”
“Whatever Mr. Milburn needs done,” was the boy’s reply. Perhaps realizing that was an inadequate explanation, he added, “Cooking mostly. Helping with breakdowns, stuff like that.”
Eli returned, obviously displeased. He told Rice to build a fire and stood by until the rocks and wood were placed to his satisfaction. Dismissed, Rice waved and trotted away. Sarah waved back, then turned to find Eli scowling at her.
“I guess Pete hired ya, a’right,” he said. “Ya ain’t what I had in mind when I said I wanted better help ‘an that boy.”
Sarah found herself tongue-tied again.
Eli lifted the tailboard parallel to the ground and fastened it to chains on the side of the wagon. Using it as a table, he took tins and utensils from a small cupboard that faced outward. “I guess I’m stuck with ya, long as ya last. We always meet a few wagons goin’ back. When ya give it up, ya can get a ride with one a them.”
Sarah felt she should say something. “Mr. Eli—”
“I ain’t gonna call ya Miss Tanton, so there ain’t no use callin’ me Mr. Eli,” he interrupted. “I’m Eli, and yer Sarie. If ya don’t like it, you best answer to it anyhow.”
“Fine, sir,” she lied. Sarie! It sounded terrible. “What would you like me to do?”
