Cassandra Austin - Trusting Sarah

www.millsandboon.co.uk

To Janet and Aggie

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

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.

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.