Cassandra Austin

by Trusting Sarah

  Then her chin went up, and she squared her shoulders. “No. Not after what I just saw. She’s a tramp!” She puffed herself up, her indignation giving her courage to face even River’s angry glare. “Letting that man kiss her! The two of you fighting over her! I will not apologize for calling her a thief. For all we know, she planted those stolen items to let the child take the blame.”

  River exploded. “Not one more word!” He took a step toward Prudence, and she turned and bustled away.

  River swore under his breath. He put the rifle down with exaggerated care and walked to Sarah. “I’m sorry. That’s not what I intended her to say.” He folded Sarah into his arms, and she buried her face in his shoulder. “Forget about that old witch. Did he hurt you, sweetheart?”

  She shook her head and wrapped her arms around his waist. She tried to take slow, even breaths to calm herself. She didn’t want to cry again. River’s arms made her feel safe, and in a moment, she felt her control returning. He must have sensed her relax because he drew away slightly.

  “You were making it hard for him,” he said with a slight smile. “I’m glad you like my advances better.”

  “Don’t compare the two,” she whispered.

  “You mean if I try to kiss you, you won’t kick me in the shin?”

  The glint in his eye was infectious. “You could try and see,” she teased.

  His smile broadened, and he leaned slowly toward her. When his lips were an inch from hers, he drew back. “I wouldn’t ever treat you like he did, Sarah. You know that, don’t you?”

  Sarah had been anticipating the kiss and was startled when he spoke so seriously. Closing her eyes and leaning toward him, she whispered, “I know.”

  * * *

  River walked into the Gaines camp early the next morning. He stood for a moment, studying the three sleeping figures, before stepping up to Bull Gaines and nudging him in the ribs with his booted toe.

  Gaines came awake reaching for the pistol beside his head. River’s foot was on Bull’s hand before it touched the handle.

  “I just came to remind you to leave the train this morning.”

  River bent and lifted the pistol before he removed his foot from Gaines’s hand. Gaines made a show of flexing his fingers and rubbing his injured wrist. “You can’t leave us unprotected. I hear Injuns pick off stragglers, and Nathan there’s only a boy.”

  “I thought of that,” River said. “That’s why I’m offering Nathan and Kirby the chance to stay with the train.”

  Herman and Nathan had both awakened moments after Bull. Nathan was already on his feet, but Herman was rubbing his eyes as if he couldn’t understand what he was seeing.

  “What about it?” River asked, turning from one to the other. “You can go with him or continue on with the train.”

  Nathan spoke first. “I’ll go with you.” He glanced at his uncle and looked away quickly.

  “It seems one of those oxen ought to belong to the boy,” River said. “And a third of your provisions.”

  Bull snorted, raising himself to a sitting position. “If that ungrateful brat leaves me, he’s goin’ empty-handed.” Laughing, he turned to Nathan. “Ask again, Nothin’. See if he’s still eager to take you if you come without supplies, you worthless little bastard.”

  River watched Nathan’s eyes register a fear that was quickly masked. He wanted to kick Gaines in the teeth, and he was standing in a perfect position to do it. He smiled coldly down at him. “Do you enjoy cheating your brother’s boy?”

  “Hell!” Gaines laughed. “His ma said he was my brother’s boy, but she was a whore, so who knows?”

  Barely restraining himself, River pushed Gaines back to the ground with the toe of his boot. “Nathan, get what’s yours together, and go to Eli’s wagons.” As the boy hurriedly complied, River turned to Kirby. “How about you? You coming with us?”

  Herman looked from Bull to Nathan in bewilderment. Finally he said, “I reckon I should go with Bull.”

  “Suit yourself.” River stepped back. Gaines glared at him, making no further effort to rise. Nathan was already walking away. River tossed the pistol as far as he could from Bull and turned, catching up with the boy.

  * * *

  Sarah made her way back to camp from her morning walk, as Eli had decided to call it. She had overslept a little, but Eli had barely started breakfast when she left. She took her time returning, wanting to savor the memories of the night before. River had taken the first watch, and, early in the morning, he had come to her wagon. He had stayed with her, loving her gently, and hadn’t left her until almost dawn.

  She knew there was a dreamy look on her face she ought to lose before she got too near the light of the fire. Somehow this morning, she hardly cared. River had become more likely to kiss her in front of the others, and she doubted if they fooled Eli at all. Still, it wasn’t something she wanted Eli openly discussing. She could just imagine him saying something that would turn her face bright red.

  As she came into camp from one direction, River and Nathan came in from the other. At the sight of the Gaines boy Sarah paused. River had effectively wiped out all thoughts of Gaines, but the boy refreshed her memory.

  Nathan stopped at the edge of the camp, uncertain of his welcome. River glanced back at him as he went to greet Sarah. He gave her a very possessive kiss for Nathan’s benefit as much as his own. He had a feeling the boy had a crush on his woman.

  Sarah’s cheeks burned when he drew away. He was ready to tease her when Eli swore. He turned with Sarah to watch the old man. Rice was crawling out from under the wagon, rubbing his eyes. He looked around at the others and kept quiet.

  Eli glared at Nathan. “I see ya’ve come crawlin’ back.”

  “No, sir,” Nathan said.

  The startled look on Eli’s face made River chuckle. Eli said, “Ya left here without so much as a thank ya kindly and now—”

  “Thank ya kindly,” the boy interrupted. River read a faint smile in his eyes, but he still looked uncomfortable. The small bundle he had carried into camp lay at his feet, and his hands were shoved into his pockets.

  “Well, what makes ya think ya can just come waltzin’ back?”

  This time it was River who interrupted. “I invited him.” He walked to Nathan and retrieved the bundle, taking his arm to urge him forward. “Don’t let Eli bother you, his bark is worse than his bite.” He tossed the bundle to Rice, who caught it handily. “Stow his stuff, and show him what to do.”

  Rice smiled. “I’m glad you’re not leaving with your uncle.”

  Nathan’s only reply was a raised eyebrow. He glanced at Sarah before following Rice to the back of the lead wagon. The full weight of the decision he had made was settling on him. It left his knees weak and his stomach trembling. He was running away from Bull! People he didn’t know and who probably didn’t like him were taking him in, at least for a time.

  The old man’s disapproving look and harsh words made him wonder if he had jumped from the frying pan into the fire. Memories of the night Rice had found him hiding in the bushes helped him dismiss the notion.

  Free! Could he really be free of Bull? The man had always hated him, enjoyed hating him. Bull would welcome a chance to get his hands on him again. One last time, he thought with a shiver. After this his uncle wouldn’t hesitate to kill him.

  Rice was explaining about the wagons, and Nathan tried to listen. He wasn’t safe yet. Bull would be following behind, waiting for a chance to get him and the pretty Miss Tanton, as well. He wasn’t the kind of man to give up meekly after River had taken that much from him.

  He sat on the barrel where Rice directed him, aware that the other boy eyed him curiously. Eli and Miss Tanton were fixing breakfast. It smelled good, and he was always hungry. He worried this would end at any moment. Did River have any idea the danger he had put them in by defying Bull Gaines? No, not River, he corrected himself. I put them in danger. I shouldn’t have agreed to leave.

  While Nathan agoniz
ed over his decision, Sarah watched one of the von Schiller girls come shyly toward the camp. Rice went to meet her. “How’s your father this morning, Gretchen?” Rice asked.

  The girl shook her head sadly. “He no like restink ven us vorkink.” She looked around a moment as if searching for words. “I not vant in Laramie to stay. I vant to California go. I go!”

  Rice reached out and took her hand. “Won’t they need you, to earn money, I mean?”

  “I askt the Villiams if I go. I eat no supplies. They buy for me no supplies. I go! I their children I...play... feed...?”

  “Care for?” Rice provided.

  She nodded, smiling shyly. “They say yes.”

  Rice squeezed her hand, and they looked at each other for a long moment.

  Eli interrupted the young people. “Every time I turn around there’s another young ‘un showin’ up. Am I expected to feed her, too?” Sarah scowled at the old man, but he didn’t notice.

  “No, sir,” answered Rice without taking his eyes off Gretchen. Suddenly, the girl turned and ran for her wagon.

  “Might as well come eat, then,” Eli said.

  “Yes, sir.” Rice, grinning, took his plate to the fire.

  Nathan hesitated before following his example. He held the plate as if he expected to be hit with the spoon.

  It touched off a stream of Eli’s mutterings. Nathan took his full plate and returned to his seat, watching the old man warily. After the meal was over, he showed obvious relief when he followed Rice to bring in the teams.

  When the train left camp that morning, Sarah sat beside Rice, and Nathan walked beside the wagon, having turned down their offer of a ride. He was used to walking, he said. He didn’t tell them he felt safer on the ground, where he could keep track of his uncle. As the train uncoiled, Nathan could see the wagons pull around his uncle’s camp. The two men watched the lead wagons, and Nathan felt his skin crawl.

  * * *

  Bull told Herman to take his time loading the supplies. “We got to wait that half hour, anyhow. Might as well take it easy.”

  Herman nodded.

  “They’re stealing our boy,” Bull said after a few minutes. “I don’t think we ought to let them do that, do you?”

  Herman shook his head.

  “And that little gal, they stole her, too.”

  Herman looked surprised. “They did?”

  Bull sat down beside the fire. “They didn’t never give her a chance to make up her own mind about me. That River’d come along and chase me away every time we got friendly. She would be my woman, but for that. Don’t that sound like stealin’?”

  Bull liked to watch Herman’s face when he tried to figure something out. He twisted his brows together as if he were trying to squeeze information from his brain. The most convoluted logic would convince him.

  “We ought to get to take the woman in exchange for the boy,” he said when he thought Herman was ready. “We’ll follow along behind, and when we see our chance, we’ll go in and...rescue her.”

  Herman nodded. “How we gonna do that?”

  “We’ll find a way,” Bull said. Already a plan was starting to form. He would like to teach that boy a lesson. Had he forgotten how they were each going to claim a piece of land? The boy owed him that much. He had fed and sheltered him for three years. Did the whelp think he had done it because he wanted to? Hell, he was glad to be rid of the little bastard but for the land.

  And the woman, how dare she turn him down! Acting like she was better than him! She would be his, and he would make her sorry she had caused him so much trouble. When he was done, she would do whatever he said. It would be nice having a woman to cook and clean and warm his bed.

  If he planned it right, he would take what should have been his and get his revenge on River, as well. He was absolutely certain River would follow.

  He smiled to himself and saw Herman smile back. “The first thing we need to do is trade our oxen for some horses. There’s a train not far behind us.”

  Herman looked over his shoulder, expecting to see the train coming up on them. It made Bull laugh. “You know, Herman,” he said slowly, “I might not be able to get both of them out of there. Which one should we leave behind, do you think?”

  Herman answered, “Leave the woman. I’m gonna miss Nathan.”

  Bull laughed even harder. In a moment Herman laughed, too.

  * * *

  River had promised to join Sarah once he had checked the night guards and the others had fallen asleep. While she waited, she sat near the back of the wagon, the walnut jewelry box on her lap, and listened to the night sounds. They were familiar to her now, the nocturnal insects and birds, the soft sounds of the oxen as they settled in to rest, the occasional howl of a coyote. Through all the quiet noises she listened for the sound of River’s footsteps. When he came, she would go with him to whatever spot he had chosen and love him.

  Her body tingled in anticipation even as her heart seemed to crumble a little. She closed her eyes and sighed. River’s treatment of her could only be described as tender. He had even told her he loved her, and part of her was ready to believe him. She wanted desperately to think they had a chance.

  Recently it had occurred to her that she might become pregnant. At first she had dismissed the idea, not wanting to think about it and, she knew, not wanting to deny herself her lover’s touch. But Martha’s miscarriage had reminded her that a baby was a possibility.

  Martha’s grief had stirred something else, as well—her own maternal instinct. What if River left her with a baby? Raising a child alone would be far harder than anything she had ever done, but wouldn’t having River’s baby to love be worth the hardship?

  Still, she wanted to believe there was a chance for them to be together. He had said he loved her, she reminded herself firmly. Tonight she would swallow her pride and show him the contents of the envelope she kept in the bottom of the box. Her hands trembled as she ran her fingers over the carved surface. What if all he felt was guilt or pity?

  She set the box aside as her determination weakened. If he loved her, wouldn’t he know she was innocent? Wouldn’t he trust her without proof?

  The sound of a twig snapping under a boot brought her out of her reverie. Uncertain, she climbed out of the wagon, snatching up the box at the last moment. She found herself caught by hard rough arms. A hand was clamped firmly over her mouth, and Bull’s voice whispered, “Hurry up, Herman. Get her hands tied, like I said.”

  Sarah fought down the panic that rose like bile to her throat. Bull Gaines held her locked against him! Her struggles only made him hold her tighter. She couldn’t scream; she could barely breathe.

  The box tumbled to the ground forgotten as Herman forced her arms behind her back. Her wrists were tied quickly but clumsily, and she felt a spark of hope. She could pull them loose when the time was right! Not yet, though. Now they would only be tied again.

  “Hold her, now,” Bull whispered, and a different set of hands clasped her shoulders. She tried to kick at Bull, but he rewarded her with a kick of his own, sending pain up her leg and making her knees buckle.

  Bull removed his hand from her mouth and shoved a handkerchief inside in the same movement. “You got a hold of her, Herman?” The grip on Sarah’s shoulders tightened painfully. “Get her to the horses and wait there.”

  Sarah felt herself being led away and decided this was her chance. She twisted her wrists, but they were tied more tightly than they had seemed. Surely a little noise would wake Eli. She tried to scream around the handkerchief and gagged. They were getting farther from Eli with every step. She tried again to pull away from Herman, hoping to slow him down, but Herman simply lifted her off her feet when she stumbled.

  Sarah had no idea how far Herman dragged her before they came to a ravine. Herman helped her down the crumbling slope to where three horses waited. Sarah knew Bull only had one horse and wondered fleetingly if the other two were stolen.

  “We’re supposed to wait her
e for Bull,” Herman offered politely. “Then you’re gonna ride with Nathan.”

  Sarah shook her head and tried to make a sound, hoping Herman would remove the handkerchief. She continued to twist at the ropes, knowing her best hope of escape was before Bull joined them.

  Herman seemed surprised that she would disagree with him. “You don’t need to worry, little gal. Bull’s just rescuin’ you from River.”

  With one quick jerk, Sarah pulled her arm from his grip, and the ropes slipped off her wrists. She reached up to remove the handkerchief, barely catching hold of it when Herman’s fist connected with her jaw. She saw dancing stars and hit the ground before she knew she was falling. She was conscious of pain and disappointment before she passed out.

  * * *

  Nathan wasn’t breathing. He tried to force himself to take a slow, careful breath and trembled inside.

  He had spread his blanket near Sarah’s wagon, imagining he could protect her if he was nearby. He cursed himself. When had he ever protected anybody? Here he had lain while Bull and Herman grabbed Sarah, too paralyzed with fear to act even as Herman led the poor woman away.

  Now Bull was in the wagon taking God alone knew what, and he was still unable to move. This was his chance, he told himself. He should wake Eli and Rice. Together they could stop Bull. He finally forced leaden muscles to work and fought his way out of his blankets. Eli! Eli! his mind screamed, but his choked breath was all that came past his throat.

  He found himself huddled in a ball under a nearby wagon. Instead of heading for Eli, he had crawled to the darkest shadow away from Bull. God help him, he wanted to save Sarah, but something in his mind believed Bull was unstoppable.

  From his hiding place, he watched Bull climb out of the wagon and bend to lift something from the ground. He felt a tear slip from the corner of his eye. Even now there was time to stop him! He couldn’t make his body work, he couldn’t even breathe properly.

  He watched Bull approach his discarded blankets. He thought he saw the glint of a knife in his uncle’s hand and felt his body quake. Bull nudged the bedroll with his toe, and Nathan imagined he heard him swear. The man looked hastily around, and Nathan was certain he had seen him. But the shadows were deep, and Bull turned away. Without wasting any more time, Bull left the way Herman had gone.