by Bobbi Smith
“Sarah? What—?”
“Don’t stop, Steve, please. Love me. Please love me.” She urged him to hold her, her dark eyes wide with passion as her arms reached for him.
“But I don’t want to hurt you.”
“You won’t. Please.”
“But Sarah . . .” His confusion was real, but the tight heat of his body wiped out rationality. She was untouched, yet she wanted him. When she silenced him with a passionate kiss, there was no way he could stop. Her fire enflamed him. With utmost care and gentleness, he penetrated that fragile proof of her untouched state and made her his in all ways.
Sarah gasped in sweet agony. He was big and powerful, and she ached with the perfection of his lovemaking. This was what was meant to be. They were one.
Steve was consumed by passion as he slid fully within her. Sheathed in her body, there was no way he could remain still. He wanted her. The questions would have to wait. For now, they would love. All that existed was Sarah and him and the unity that was theirs as one body.
Steve’s rhythm built as he strained to take her again. His hands continued to caress her, tracing over her satiny skin with a knowing touch.
They soared higher and higher together. Each thrust brought them closer to pure bliss. When Sarah reached the pinnacle of her release, Steve could no longer hold himself back. He lost himself completely in the enchantment of union.
They lay quietly together for a time, sated. Their joy was a mutual, giving, living thing. They loved.
Steve had to find out the truth. There could be no more secrets between them.
“Sarah,” Steve began, needing answers to ease his bewilderment. He gazed down at her, seeing her with different eyes now, knowing that everything he’d believed about her had been a lie. It wasn’t that he was disappointed in finding her a virgin. There wasn’t a man alive who didn’t want to be the first to make love to the woman of his dreams. He would make Sarah his wife as soon as she would agree to marry him. But first, he had to know.
“I know.” Sarah gave him a small, apologetic smile. “I wanted to tell you sooner.” She lifted a hand to caress his cheek, and he seized it firmly, pressing an ardent kiss to her palm.
“Talk to me, love. Tell me the truth now. There’s no need for any secrets between us.”
Sarah couldn’t resist the temptation to kiss him, and she pulled him down to her for a soft, emotional kiss. “You already know my real name is Windsor. What you don’t know is that Christopher isn’t my son. He’s my nephew. His name is Christopher Marsden, and it’s his father, Michael, who’s chasing us.”
“Christopher’s your nephew? Where’s his real mother?”
“Elizabeth, my sister, is dead . . . Murdered by her own husband,” Sarah confided. Steve held her close, listening to the pain and sorrow in her voice and marveling at her courage.
“And your sister Angel is traveling to California, too?”
Sarah nodded. “We parted in St. Louis the same day you and I met. Angel is smart and brave, and I’m sure she’s all right; but I can’t help but worry about her.”
Steve stopped her. “Sarah, I’m sure your sister Angel is a wonderful woman, but don’t think you’re not as strong or as brave as she is. You left a comfortable life to save your nephew. You gave up everything to take him to California, and you dared to travel unescorted, just the two of you, using only the widow’s weeds as a disguise. I’ve never known another woman who was as strong and courageous as you are.” He spoke with such fervor that she smiled, relieved.
“Are you sorry I’m not who I said I was?” she asked.
Steve chuckled. “I love you, Sarah. Nothing will ever come between us.”
“Nothing,” she agreed, kissing him.
“Do you think Christopher’s father will give up?” Steve asked, curious.
“Never. That’s why I didn’t fight you that day in the shipping office. I suspected that those two men were working for Michael, and I was right. They’re probably still looking for us, although I doubt if they can find us now.”
“Let’s hope not.” He held her close.
“Michael will never let Christopher go, Steve, never.” She explained to Steve about the her father’s will and that the boy was due to inherit within the year.
“Do you really think you’ll be able to hide in California until it’s safe to bring him back?”
“That was our plan.”
“But that could mean you’d be in hiding for years . . .”
“Angel and I knew that, but what choice did we have? We had to protect Christopher. If you’d seen Elizabeth’s arm that night, you’d understand.”
Steve gathered Sarah to him, holding her to his heart, thinking her the most wonderful woman he’d ever known. “Most women would have been defeated by what you’ve faced.”
Sarah felt safe and secure in his embrace. “Angel and I love Christopher. We couldn’t let anyone harm him.”
He heard the staunch determination and knew for all of her sweet outward appearance what a fighter she really was. “I understand,” he told her, kissing her again.
Sarah sighed when the kiss ended. “I’m glad you forced me to ask you for help in Kansas City. I still hadn’t recovered from finding out the truth about Michael. All those years I thought he was the most wonderful man in the world.” She paused and frowned. “Angel didn’t, though. She hated Michael from almost the first time she met him. I didn’t believe her then, but I do now. That’s what made me doubt my own judgment. I don’t know how I could have been so wrong, and that’s why I was so afraid to trust you. I was afraid you might betray us.”
“I’m not like Michael, Sarah,” Steve declared fiercely.
“I know that. Now.” She smiled up at him tenderly. “But in the beginning, how could I be sure?”
He bent to kiss her again. “I’ll never hurt you, Sarah. I love you. You mean more to me than life itself.”
“Thank you.” Tears stung her eyes at his tender declaration. She knew he was speaking the truth and it made her heart swell with emotion. Steve loved her. He was a man worth loving. “I’ve told you the truth, now it’s your turn to tell me. Why did you say you were my husband at the shipping office?”
“I’d like you to believe that I’d fallen in love with you already and couldn’t bear the thought of being parted from you, but it isn’t that nice.” He drew a deep breath. “I was gambling in St. Louis . . .”
Sarah listened intently and saw the sorrow in his eyes at the memory of the other man’s death. “I’m sorry that man died, but I’m not sorry you had to pretend to be my husband.”
“Neither am I. It was one of the most daring bets I’ve ever placed, but I won the best hand ever. I won yours. Marry me, Sarah. Now, right away. Let’s end this charade and make it real.” he proposed in a hoarse voice.
“Yes, Steve, I’ll marry you. But I think we have a little problem.”
“What?”
“Everybody already thinks we’re married.”
Steve gave a short laugh. “You’re right. I guess we’ll have to wait until we get to California.”
“I’m sorry.”
“So am I, but it doesn’t matter, as long as you know I love you.”
“I know, and I love you, too.”
They embraced once more, secure. As Steve’s mouth took hers in a cherishing kiss, desire grew within them again. This time they came together more quickly in a burst of passion.
As they held each other through the long, dark night, Sarah and Steve thought of the weeks remaining on the trail and knew they would be long and difficult. Knowing they had each other eased the strain, and they knew that no obstacle would too difficult for them to overcome. As dawn lightened the eastern sky, Sarah dressed and left Steve to check on Christopher. She was pleased to find that he was still sleeping peacefully, the fever that had threatened his life gone. As Sarah watched the sunrise, she felt content for the first time in weeks, and she began to believe that perhaps everythi
ng truly would work out for the best.
“This has to be the right one!”
“That’s what you said about the other wagon train!” his partner snarled.
“This is the only one left.”
“And we don’t know for sure if they’re on it!”
“We’ve tried everything else. This has to be the one.”
“I’m glad you’re so sure.”
“I’m not giving up. We were that close and we let them slip away. I don’t know who that mean bastard is, but I’ll take great pleasure in stealing the kid right out from under his nose.”
“First, we’ve got to find them.”
“We will. They aren’t that much farther ahead of us now. You know how slow oxen are. We should catch up with them by tomorrow at the latest.”
“And how do you intend to get the kid away from them?”
“Let me worry about that.”
He gave his partner a strained look. “I left you in charge in Kansas City and look where it got us.”
“Don’t worry. This time I’m not going to fail. There’s a lot of money riding on this. If you’re not interested, you can leave now. I’ll handle this myself.”
“I ain’t leaving now. I’ve been in on this too long to quit when we’re this close.”
“Good. Within a few weeks, we’re going to have some money.”
“I’m holding you to that.”
The two men rode on, following in the direction of the wagon train.
Chapter Twenty-Two
The days that followed were some of the happiest Sarah had ever known. Christopher recovered quickly from the fever, and she told him that she’d confided in Steve. The affection Christopher had for Steve grew even more with the knowledge that his “father” would stay with them. He wanted to be just like Steve.
The wagon train continued west. Steve made the long, hard days wonderful with his gentle attentiveness and little kindnesses. One day he picked a bouquet of wildflowers for her, and the gallant gesture left her feeling like a school girl. The nights, after Christopher went to sleep and Steve came to her in the privacy of the wagon, were bliss-filled and ecstasy-bound. Steve was a tender, devoted lover, and Sarah eagerly looked forward to the day when she would be his wife and their future would be bound together.
Four nights later, after Christopher recovered from his illness, the wagon train made camp a short distance from a tree-lined creek. Christopher had had few opportunities for play since they’d been on the run, so while Steve tended their stock and Sarah made dinner, Christopher and his friends explored the stream.
“Hey Christopher! Watch this!” eleven-year-old Tommy Webster shouted. He threw off his shirt and shoes, then grabbed a low-hanging tree branch and swung out over the water that ran about three-feet deep. With a whoop of excitement, he let go midstream, and he fell with a resounding splash into the cold current. He screeched as he hit the chilled water, scrambling back to the safety of the bank.
“Come on, Christopher! You try it!” ten-year-old Ricky Moran urged as he copied the older boy’s stunt and fell with screaming glee into the bracing water. He emerged, a drowned-but-smiling rat, moments later.
“All right! I’ll do it!” Unable to resist, Christopher followed their lead. Shedding his shirt and shoes, he grasped the branch with equal daring and swung out as far as he could. He dropped into the creek and managed not to shriek as the cold water closed over him. He came up laughing and struggled to the bank to join the others. They played until the sun dropped low in the sky and darkness threatened.
“You want to play hide-and-seek?” Christopher asked. It had been his favorite game at home, and he missed playing it.
“No, it’s late. I’m going back,” Tommy told him as he gathered up his clothes.
“Me, too,” Ricky said, following the older boy. “You coming with us?”
“Not yet. I’m going to stay here a little longer,” Christopher said, disappointed that they wouldn’t play his game. He was having so much fun being a kid again that he was in no hurry to return. “I’ll be back before it’s gets too dark.”
The two boys headed back to the train while Christopher, putting on his clothes, lingered near the water’s edge, throwing rocks into the creek and enjoying the solitude.
Concealed in the foliage nearby, James and Slidell watched and waited. They had the Windsor boy in their sights, and they were ready to make their move. For a minute they feared their prey would elude them again, but their confidence returned when Christopher decided to stay behind by himself. He wasn’t going to slip away from them this time! They would snatch him and head back east to claim their reward.
The two men plotted while Christopher sat idly on the bank. Ready with their plan, James circled through the trees and foliage to a hidden place where he could watch. Slidell situated himself on the same side of the bank a short distance away from the boy and threw a small rock into the stream where he could see it. He hoped to draw his attention and bring him down to explore.
Daydreaming, Christopher paid little attention to what was going on around him. When he heard the splash of another rock hitting the water close by, he thought Ricky or Tommy had come back to surprise him and play hide-and-seek.
“So, you decided to play after all! I’ll find you!” he called out happily. Life had been so good lately that he’d managed to put the ugliness of the past from him. It did not occur to him to be afraid, and he leaped to his feet in search of his friends, charging through the bushes and trees. For once he was having fun.
The powerful hand that clamped down on his shoulder and spun him around startled Christopher, and then he recognized one of the men from the steamer. They’d found him!! Christopher started to scream for Steve and Sarah, but the gun pressed against his spine stopped him.
“Don’t make a sound,” the deep voice snarled. “I’d hate to have to shut you up permanently.”
Christopher nodded, terrified.
“You ain’t as dumb as you look,” Slidell chortled in a low voice. “Let’s go. We ain’t got much time.”
With James’ help, he gagged the boy. They were dragging him to the horses when the the woman approached.
“Christopher?” Sarah shouted. She’d finished preparing dinner and had seen the other two boys come back without him. Though she had no reason to feel uneasy tonight, something told her to check on him. Taking the dish towel, she dried her hands as she ran to the creek.
“Damn!” James and Slidell swore angrily, exchanging nervous looks. “We’ll have to take her, too.”
The idea didn’t sit well. She would slow them down, and they didn’t want another run-in with the man. But no matter what, they would not admit defeat now that victory was in their grasp.
Sarah stared around the creek’s banks, frowning. There was no sign of Christopher anywhere. “Christopher?” Her call was a little more tentative this time, as worry engulfed her.
Sarah walked farther along the bank, and when she heard the splash of a rock being thrown she was almost relieved. She and Angel had often indulged him in games of hide-and-seek at home, and she grinned at the thought that he was merely hiding from her.
“I talked to the boys and they told me you wanted to play hide-and-seek,” she continued, “but it’s time to come back now. It’s dark and dinner’s ready. Steve will be wanting to eat soon.”
She paused at the water’s edge, and something struck her from behind. Pain. Blackness. She pitched forward, falling unconscious to the ground.
“Now I know she ain’t gonna yell,” Slidell said with satisfaction.
“Hurry up, we’ve got to get out of here,” James snapped back, irritated by the extra aggravation the woman presented.
They wrestled Christopher into the saddle and dragged Sarah’s limp form onto Slidell’s horse. They walked their horses quietly from the campsite before giving them free rein.
No one from the camp noticed. Steve was repairing a wagon wheel, and over an hour passed b
efore he returned to their campsite.
“Sarah?”
When she didn’t reply, he threw back the canvas flap on the wagon, but found it deserted. Puzzled, he sought out families in wagons nearby, but no one had seen them go. Finally, he found Tommy.
“Have you seen Christopher?”
“Not since we were playing at the creek. Me and Ricky came back, but he wanted to stay longer. I didn’t see him after that, ’cause we got busy eating supper, but your wife came lookin’ for him about an hour ago. I told her where he was, so I guess she went to get him.”
Worried, Steve peered sharply around the clearing but could see no sign of Sarah or Christopher. “Where were you at the creek? Could you show me if we walk down there?”
“Sure.” Tommy quickly agreed to help, and his father, Joe, grabbed up his rifle and went along.
Steve got a burning log from the fire to use for a torch, then followed Tommy’s lead to the stream. Their search proved more than difficult, but the torchlight helped, and they spotted Sarah’s white towel. Steve saw the footprints and understood with clarity what had happened.
“Oh, my God,” he groaned.
“What is it?” Joe Webster asked nervously.
“They’ve been taken.”
“Taken? Taken by Indians?” Tommy asked, suddenly scared.
“No.” He left it at that. “I’ve got to go after them.”
“You can’t go tonight,” Joe Webster pointed out. “It’s too dark. There’s no way you can follow their trail until morning.”
Steve knew Webster was right, and the frustration left him enraged and hopeless. They returned to the circle of wagons, and Steve sought out the wagon-master. After telling him of his plan to leave the train at first light and making arrangements for another family to tend their wagon, he methodically began to gather together everything he would need in his rescue attempt. The last thing he took out of his own bag was his gun. Steve didn’t like violence and strove to avoid it at all costs, but in the morning he would strap it on. If necessary to save Sarah and Christopher, he would use it.