Forbidden Legacy (Historical Christian Romance)

by Barbara Goss

  Sarah nodded. "I didn't run because I want to help." She added softly, "Without my help, she could—" Little Bird's scream cut off Sarah's words.

  Racing toward Sarah with knife unsheathed, Black Feather sliced the ropes, freeing her bound hands. She ran to Little Bird but spoke over her shoulder to the brother, "I need water. Can you bring me water in something?"

  Black Feather looked around for a vessel to hold the water. There was nothing. Sarah noticed his knee-high buckskin boots. "Use your boots. Build a fire to warm the water."

  In the meantime Sarah examined Little Bird as she'd seen old Doc Hudson do when her mother gave birth to her sister Luella. Sarah wouldn't think about Luella's having been stillborn; she'd only recall what Doc Hudson had done during the delivery.

  According to what Sarah could feel, the baby was coming headfirst. She could foresee no problems, except calming Little Bird, who stiffened in terror.

  "Little Bird, you must relax," Sarah scolded. "Relax, or the baby won't come."

  Still Little Bird clenched her stomach in fear with each pain.

  Sarah tried to remember how Doc had calmed her mother, though her mother hadn't thrashed and tensed like this Indian girl.

  "Little Bird, breathe deeply. Hold it. Now let it out slowly." But Little Bird gritted her teeth and tightened her muscles against nature.

  Black Feather returned, carrying his boots that overflowed with water. Sarah instructed him to place the boots as near a fire as possible without burning them. Then she turned to her patient again.

  For several hours Sarah knelt on the ground, pleading, begging, cajoling Little Bird to relax and breathe deeply. Finally Little Bird obeyed, and the tiny, red, wrinkled body slid into Sarah's waiting hands. "Knife! I need the knife, Black Feather!"

  As she remembered seeing Doc do, she cut the cord, placing the baby on the mother's stomach. Sarah handed the knife back to Black Feather.

  "It's a little girl! What will you name her?" Sarah announced as the baby cried out hoarsely, thrashing her limbs wildly.

  "A girl?" Little Bird asked groggily. "Not boy, like father?"

  "No," Sarah corrected, "girl, like mother."

  "Girl, like mother," repeated the proud mother. "Tiny Bird. She is Little Bird's, but smaller. She Tiny Bird," but Little Bird added quickly, "until she get white man's name!"

  "Here," Sarah said, wrapping Tiny Bird in her shawl, "so she doesn't catch a cold."

  Black Feather stood watching, his eyes full of awe. "What we do now?" he asked. "I drown lady that save sister and baby?"

  Little Bird's eyes met Sarah's and narrowed beneath knitted brows. "You spoil plans. You make Storm sorry he make promise to Little Bird."

  "I'm sorry. But why kill me? I'm going back to Chicago."

  "You would do that for Little Bird?"

  "I was preparing to leave anyway. I—"

  Pounding hooves broke off her explanation. "That will be Storm." Sarah exhaled in relief.

  "You will tell him?" asked Little Bird anxiously.

  "No, but we'll talk more about this later."

  Storm and several of the crew reined in wild, hard-ridden horses.

  "Goodness," said Sarah, "you'd think Indians were chasing you!"

  "What's going on?" thundered Storm. "Mother is frantic. She told me where you'd gone. What took so long? Why didn't you return?" His eyes darted swiftly from face to face, freezing dangerously on Black Feather. "Has he harmed you?"

  "One question at a time," laughed Sarah. "First, meet Tiny Bird."

  "So that's why you were detained," he said, glancing briefly at Little Bird and the baby. His relieved eyes returned to Sarah. "I'm glad you're all right."

  Storm then spun around angrily to confront Black Feather, but he was gone.

  Storm and the crew made a stretcher from branches, covering it with horse blankets upon which they laid the mother and baby, and then attached it to Storm's horse. As Storm rode, Little Bird was gently dragged upon her bed.

  For Sarah, the hardest job that day was riding in front of Storm. His arm held her waist tightly, scorching her like a branding iron—or so it felt. She did not tease, but rode sedately, praying they would reach the ranch before she softened under his touch and snuggled lovingly against his chest. It had been so long since she'd been close to him, and after what had happened that day, she needed comfort. The ride seemed endless because they were forced to move slowly, pulling mother and child.

  When they finally came into view of the house, Dawn stopped pacing the front porch and scampered down the drive to meet them. She helped Sarah dismount, hugging her affectionately before spotting Little Bird and her baby.

  Cooing lovingly at the tiny bundle, Dawn took charge immediately, ordering the stretcher into the house and leading the entourage to Little Bird's room. Storm and Sarah found themselves awkwardly alone, watching everyone disappear into the house.

  "Sure you're all right?" Storm's eyes scanned Sarah from head to toe.

  Sarah nodded wearily.

  "You did a wonderful thing today. Little Bird and her baby might have died out there without your help."

  "It wasn't wonderful—just necessary." Sarah bit her lip. "Storm, I'm tired and dirty, but tomorrow I need to talk to you. Will you meet me in the study after breakfast?"

  He agreed.

  She ambled blindly to her room.

  In the morning Sarah took her coffee into the study, where she found Storm at his desk, reclining comfortably in his chair. Sarah chose a chair near him, gracefully balancing her coffee cup on one knee.

  "Have you been waiting long?"

  "About an hour. But don't apologize, you needed the rest after yesterday."

  "I can't remember ever being so tired," she said, appreciative of the concern in his smoky gray eyes.

  After several moments of silence, Sarah cleared her throat, "Storm, I haven't been honest with you. I've purposely deceived you." She set her coffee cup on the desk and folded her hands in her lap.

  He said nothing.

  "A few weeks ago I discovered that I'm not Wilson's granddaughter. Not related to him or you, I've no claim on this ranch, yet I kept this information from you." She looked down at her hands nervously.

  After an unbearable silence, Storm spoke. She strained to hear his almost-whispered words.

  "My father told me the whole story. Still, he left the ranch to you in the first will—the only one found—therefore you are still the legal owner. Whether you're related to him or not, your name appears on the only will available."

  "But that isn't all I've done to deceive you." She bent and pulled the paper from under the desk leg. "I found the second will and never told you." She handed the folded paper to him, shamefaced.

  With one raised eyebrow, he unfolded the paper, scanned it briefly, and then handed it back. "You are mistaken, Sarah. This is nothing but an old bunkhouse duty roster."

  Sarah grabbed the paper and examined it with disbelief. "But it was here. I saw it!"

  Storm leaned back in his chair and smiled, his gray eyes twinkling mischievously. "The day you hurt your head?"

  "No!" She bent to remove the paper wad from the other desk leg, but found only the newspaper page. "Your mother was with me when I found it." Sarah scurried to the door, "Wait right here." She went out and returned moments later, dragging a reluctant Dawn.

  "Dawn, tell Storm what we found that day under the desk leg," commanded Sarah.

  With a mixture of guilt and confusion on her face, Dawn looked from Sarah to Storm. "I don't know what you're talking about, Sarah. Perhaps you need more rest. Yesterday was—"

  "I'm fine," Sarah cut in. "Tell him the truth, Dawn. I can no longer live this horrid lie. It's time for me to set things straight and . . . and leave."

  "You can't leave!" Storm protested, sitting upright. "The ranch legally belongs to you."

  Sarah's eyes darted from Dawn to Storm before comprehension struck her. "I know what you two are up to, and I love you both for
it, but it won't work." Close to tears, she cried, "I have to leave. Don't you see?" She closed her eyes to better compose herself.

  "Storm," she continued, "you have a responsibility toward Little Bird. I understand that, even accept it. But I can't stay here and be part of it. If you both care, just let me go!"

  Storm rose and placed his hands on Sarah's shoulders. "Have you lost your faith?" he asked softly. "We just need more time." He donned his wide-brimmed hat, "Keep praying, Sarah." He quietly left the room.

  Sarah sighed and glanced at Dawn, who was also preparing to quietly exit. "Oh, no you don't. You come back!"

  Dawn reluctantly turned back to face Sarah.

  "You either told Storm about the will or he knew the whole time! What did the two of you do with the will? Hide it?"

  Eyes downcast, Dawn said, "I'm sorry, Sarah. I can tell you nothing. But if I did anything to displease you, it's because I love you both."

  Sarah sighed helplessly, "I must leave Arrow C."

  Biting her lip with a worried frown, Dawn said, "Do as Storm advised. Wait and pray."

  The following afternoon Sarah paid Little Bird and her baby a visit. The new mother lay in bed, her daughter bundled beside her. The beautiful Indian girl smiled when Sarah entered. "I tell Tiny Bird all about you."

  Sarah smiled serenely, looking down on the sleeping baby.

  "She needs white man's name. Sarah good name. You will let Tiny Bird use that name?"

  "Yes. At least there will be a Sarah here at Arrow C for a long time, but just one." At Little Bird's puzzled look Sarah added, "I must return to Chicago."

  "You make friends with Little Bird, save mine and daughter's life—and now go?" Little Bird asked.

  Sarah nodded. "It's best this way. You'll be getting married, and I'll be in the way. You and Storm deserve to be alone with your family."

  "Sit!" demanded Little Bird, pointing to a chair beside her bed.

  Sarah obeyed.

  "You think I would let Black Feather kill you that day?"

  "Would you have?"

  "I planned with Black Feather to kill you, but did not want to when time came. I felt sad and scared here," Little Bird pointed to her stomach. "Little Bird think just before pain start, how can I stop brother from killing friend? Little Bird does something else, pray to Storm's God." She bowed her head with shame, "I never prayed before, only pretend, to make Storm happy. Little Bird prayed for way to stop Black Feather—that was when pains start." She smiled shyly at Sarah, "Storm is right, his God does love Little Bird." She kissed her daughter's head gently.

  Sarah blinked her tearing eyes quickly. "It makes me happy to know you didn't want to kill me. It hurt very much knowing you wanted to drown me. Thank you for being my friend. Now I'll repay the favor and leave so that you can be happy with your family." Sarah stood and walked to the door. "Keep praying, Little Bird, and teach little Sarah how to pray, too."

  After leaving Little Bird, Sarah felt depressed and decided to pay Aunt Emily a visit. She saddled Red and headed in that direction but decided to stop first at her quiet place. She'd missed her time there that morning, detained by Broken Wing, who had insisted Red needed shoeing.

  Perhaps visiting her favorite place, followed by a quiet chat with Aunt Emily, would cheer her.

  Approaching the brook at a slow trot, she was surprised to see Storm leaning over the bridge rail, deep in thought. He glanced her way and waved.

  Sarah tied Red and joined him. "So this is when you visit our haven."

  "It's the perfect place to think," he said. "Knowing you come here mornings, I visit later in the day."

  "If you'd rather be alone, I'll leave. I was on my way to see Aunt Emily anyway."

  "No. I've been here long enough. That fence awaits me."

  "Storm, I was thinking about something. ..."

  He laughed. "Yes, I can see you have a question, Curious Eyes!"

  "Will you answer it?" she asked earnestly.

  He gazed at her sympathetically, "If I can."

  "If you knew the whole time I wasn't Wilson's real granddaughter, why did you make me think we were related?"

  "Can't I have any secrets?"

  "Not when they concern me."

  Storm looked away. "I was trying to discourage you. I couldn't tell you the truth—it wasn't my secret to tell. But I knew it would be troublesome if you continued growing fond of me, as you so boldly confessed that day. You being the correctly reared young lady, I thought that our being related would surely end your frivolous romantic notions. Which is what I thought your feelings were—and with my promise to Little Bird. ... I just thought it would unclutter things."

  "I'm too low in spirit to even respond to your accusation that I had romantic notions. Romantic notions, indeed."

  He put his arm around her lightly. "Why so sad? You aren't still planning to leave?"

  She looked up into his eyes, putting her arms around his neck. "Storm, I can't stay. Meetings like this are inevitable and also forbidden." Tears escaped her eyes before she could control them.

  Storm responded, lovingly, by gently pressing her golden head against his chest and stroking her long, silky hair, as one would comfort a child.

  "Outward displays of affection—definitely not a good idea for us now. But listen to my heart beating, Sarah? It aches for you. God is in that heart, too, and because of that, I know things will work out."

  She listened to the steady thumping of his heart. God made that heart; God nurtured that heart; God loved that heart. God was in that heart. Would God want Storm to marry someone he didn't love, just because he gave his word?

  Looking up at him through her tears, she smiled. "I want to keep praying, but I don't want my friend Little Bird hurt either. Would God want me to hurt her? Yet how can I have you without hurting her? And now, it's more than just coming between you and Little Bird, now I'm breaking up a family!'’

  "Sometimes things aren't as impossible as they seem," Storm consoled.

  "What happened the other day in the woods with Little Bird and Black Feather?" Storm asked, stepping back to hold her at arm's length.

  "I accompanied Little Bird to meet her brother. She wanted to see him and feared going alone. She said I would prove my friendship by going, on account of Black Feather's threats on my life. She promised to tell him we were friends. I thought it worth the danger to win Black Feather's trust, too, yet we hadn't met Black Feather but a few minutes when Little Bird's pains began. I did what anyone else would have done, delivered the baby."

  He kissed her forehead. "Another woman might have been jealous and let her enemy die. Had you let Little Bird die…? "

  Sarah reached out and covered Storm's lips with her hand. "The thought never entered my mind."

  "Proving you're truly one of God's own."

  "That's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me."

  "I love you, Sarah," he whispered, looking at her soul through her eyes.

  "I've waited so long to hear you say those words," she choked. Quickly kissing his cheek, she dashed away to her horse.

  That evening, Sarah sat on her usual porch step, watching another magnificent sunset. Storm joined her.

  "I always know where to find you, come sundown," he laughed. "How was your visit with Emily?"

  "I always enjoy my visits. She and Manny are so happy and have fixed up the cottage beautifully. Last weekend Manny built a fireplace for their parlor. Today Aunt Emily made yellow curtains for her kitchen window." Sarah sighed, "I don't think I've ever seen her so happy!"

  "And you're so unhappy, is that what the sigh meant?"

  "Why don't you admit you have the will and let me go home?" she countered.

  "Is that what you really want?"

  "What I want doesn't matter," she murmured softly. "I can't have what I want."

  With a strong, clear voice, Storm said. "If it's God's will that we be together, we will be. But we have to give Him time to work things out through us."

&
nbsp; "And," Sarah returned, "how much time will it take? I really feel I should leave. If things work out in our favor, I can always come back. The way things stand now, I feel like an intruder."

  Sarah stood up and turned toward the house. Storm took her hand. "Don't go yet."

  "The sunset has passed," she said. "I'm anxious to be alone and talk with God. I've so much to say tonight."

  "Sit with me a few more minutes," he said, pulling her gently back down beside him.

  He kept her hand in his. "You had a visitor today."

  ~ C H A P T E R 11 ~

  “A visitor? Who?'7 Sarah asked.

  "Samuel Lewis," Storm said. "He came while you were visiting Emily."

  "Why didn't you send for me?"

  He shrugged. "He'll be back, you can bet on that."

  "You don't like Mr. Lewis!"

  "I like everyone."

  "Then why have you suddenly turned glum and tense?"

  "I like him, it's just that he—I mean his…. Well, maybe I don't like him."

  "Storm! What could this man have done for you, of all people, to dislike him? He spoke highly of you in his letter to us."

  "It's his patronizing attitude toward the Indians, I guess. I try to like him, God knows I do. I don't hate him, mind you. I just don't enjoy his company."

  "Then I won't either," said Sarah supportively.

  "Somehow, I think you will." He pulled his hand away. "Lewis has a way with women. Mother, Rosa, Little Bird—all dote on him."

  "Why, Storm, you're jealous!" Sarah laughed.

  He frowned. "Maybe, a little."

  "And you think I'll be charmed by him?"

  He studied her. "I don't know."

  "Is that why you didn't send for me?"

  "Partly. He wants you to sign some papers having to do with owning the ranch."

  "And, " she coaxed.

  "And I just thought it too early to be signing papers."

  "Because you aren't ready to show the second will?" she asked.

  "You still think I have it?" His face, illuminated by moonlight, appeared amused.

  "I know you have it. I'm just not sure what you plan to do with it and when."

  Storm merely smiled.

  "I wondered about something else today," Sarah continued. "You said you were close to your father. If this is true, why doesn't his fatherhood out of wedlock disgust you? Surely you, a man of God, don't approve?"