Sarah's Heart (19 page)

Wolf held his ire in
check. Not only was this high-falutin’ easterner interested in his land, he
blatantly flirted with Sarah. Still, Wolf had no right to interfere. She didn’t
belong to him, and he had no say over whether or not she went riding with Montgomery. Reaching the
boiling point, Wolf pushed back from the table and stood. “If you’ll excuse me,
I’m going up to my room. I think I’ll turn in for the night.” His jaw ached
from clenching his teeth.

Sarah picked up
Jonathan’s plate, giving him a smile that turned Wolf’s stomach. “Perhaps I
will go with you, Mr. Montgomery.” She cast a smug look at Wolf.

“Oh, please call me
Jonathan. Mr. Montgomery is my father. May I call you Sarah?”

“Of course, please
do.”

The interaction
between the two sickened Wolf, and he stomped out of the kitchen, his blood
surging like fire through his veins. Sarah might be lost to him but he’d be
damned if his land would. He took the stairs two at a time and slammed the
bedroom door behind him.

Plopping on the edge
of the bed, he massaged his brow. First thing in the morning, he’d leave and find
a job. Even if he had to shovel manure or go back to scouting for the army,
he’d keep that damned easterner from stealing his dream to own a cattle ranch.

Wolf plopped on the
bed, laid back, folded his arms behind his head, and stared at the ceiling. Why
did his heart ache? He’d prepared himself for bidding Sarah farewell, but he
hadn’t planned on dropping her into the waiting arms of some good-looking,
polished Yankee from New York.
He took a deep breath, resolving to concentrate on something he could control:
making money and meeting his payment deadline at the bank. He considered
shedding his buckskins, but his eyelids grew leaden. He inched up to the
pillows, curled on his side, and surrendered to exhaustion.

Sarah wiped off the
stove and went back to the stack of wet dishes on the counter. “I’ll finish up,
Maggie.”

After removing her
apron, Maggie hung it on the hook near the back door. “I appreciate that. It’s
been a long day and this ol’ gal is tired. Goodnight folks.”

She’d barely exited
the room when Jonathan rose from the table and pushed in his chair. He grasped
the back of his neck and tilted his head from side-to-side. “Even though I
arrived a few days ago, that damnable coach ride has left me with an annoying
kink.” He dropped his hand and squared his broad shoulders “So, Sarah, is nine
o’clock too early for you? We’ll enjoy the morning and I’ll take you to the
hotel for lunch.”

Her palms dampened
beneath his gaze. “Nine is fine.”

 
Why not spend the morning with an attractive
and attentive man? There was nothing to keep her from it. She’d have the
afternoon to begin her search for employment. Besides, Jonathan might help take
her mind off Wolf.

“Wonderful, then I
think I’m going to call it a night, too. Despite this blasted kink, I have some
papers in my room I need to review.” Jonathan approached and grasped her hand.
Holding it to his mouth, he bestowed a light kiss on her fingertips.
“Until tomorrow.”

Sarah held her
breath until he left the room, then exhaled and stared at the spot warmed by
his lips. No one had ever kissed her hand before; the act was so romantic.
Shrouded by the room’s silence, she pulled out a chair and sat. Resting her
elbows on the table, she leaned into her hands, dreaming about something much
more passionate. The only problem: the face she saw belonged to Wolf.

Something snapped
inside Sarah. She glanced down at her clothing and frowned. How could she
possibly be seen with such a dapper man when all she possessed were the ragged
clothes on her back and an equally unappealing spare shirt
?She’d
have to beg off.

Sarah climbed the
stairs and stood outside one of the two doors she presumed to be Jonathan’s.
She listened, hoping for a distinctive clue before knocking and, upon hearing a
male cough, rapped her knuckles lightly against the door.

It creaked open;
Jonathan leaned around and peered out. “Yes?” His eyes widened when he saw her.

Her voice muted the
moment she realized he’d shed his shirt. Part of his muscled chest and a large
bicep captured her gaze and left her mouth gaping.

“Ah—”

“Was there something
you wanted, Sarah?”

With eyes downcast
she cleared her throat. “I… I was a little quick in my decision to accompany
you tomorrow. It just dawned on me that I don’t have anything to wear other
than what you see here.” She gestured to her plaid shirt, oversized denims and
scuffed boots.

His gaze traveled
the length of her. “I don’t see a thing wrong with what you’re wearing.
You‘re beautiful.”

She laughed. “Surely
you don’t expect me to accompany you to a fancy hotel for lunch dressed like
this?”

“I’d still be the
envy of all the men there, but if it bothers you that much, I’ll give you time
to buy something new. What say we start our day around ten?” He paused for a
moment before his beige brows arched.
“Hmm, if you left your
clothing behind, you must have traveled light to get here… perhaps departed in
a hurry.
Are you in some kind of trouble?”He eyed her pensively.

Sarah squared her
shoulders, surprised by his change of tone.” I find your insinuation a little
insulting. What you don’t know is that all my possessions were destroyed when
my wagon burned during an Indian attack. Wolf brought me here because I had
nowhere else to go.” She locked gazes with Jonathan. “Even if I had suitable
clothing, I’m still passing on your invitation. I’ve already had my fill of
people who jump to conclusions about other folks.” Sarah spun to leave.

“Wait!”

She glanced over her
shoulder. He’d fully opened the door and was sliding his long limbs through his
shirtsleeves.

“Please, come in.”

She turned and
folded her arms. “I don’t think it would be proper.”

“I promise I’ll
leave the door wide open. I just want a chance to apologize.” He pressed his
palms together and placed them beneath his chin.

Sarah heaved a sigh,
relaxed her defiant stance and slowly sauntered inside. “All right, but I’m not
staying long.”

Jonathan gestured to
the settee. “Would you like to sit?”

She did. Her gaze
drifted around the room, at his open suitcase with clothes still neatly folded
inside, at the washbowl filled with sudsy water and the washcloth and towel
hanging on a hook. The bedding remained perfectly smooth with not even a rumple
in sight. Even the papers Jonathan had mentioned were neatly stacked on a side
table beside her. Evidently, his neatness extended beyond his appearance.

 
He stood in front of her, his shirt still
hanging open. She fought against admiring his flat stomach and thick chest, but
couldn’t draw her gaze away. His room suddenly seemed very warm.

“I’m truly sorry if
I offended you. I hope you’ll accept my apology and allow me to help you in
your time of need. ”

His words snapped
her back to the moment, and she clucked her tongue against the back of her
teeth. “I’m not destitute, for heaven sakes. I just need to earn money and get
myself established again. I’m quite capable of taking care of myself, thank you
very much.”

He held up his hands
in protest. “Whoa, you misunderstood. I didn’t mean to intimate that you can’t
handle your own matters; I just offered to help you start over. Won’t you need
clothing to secure employment?”

Again Sarah glanced
down at her attire. Unless she wanted to work in a livery stable, she needed to
dress like a woman. She peered up at his handsome face. “What’d you have in
mind?”

Jonathan perched on
the edge of the bed, thankfully buttoning his shirt. “I’ll be more than happy
to purchase a complete new wardrobe for you. I can bear the expense without
problem since you seem to be a little short at the moment.”

Sarah saw strings
dangling from his proposition. She stood, rising to her full height. “I
absolutely refuse to become your charity case. I have no doubt you would expect
something in return for your investment.”

He shook his head.
“No, No, I wouldn’t. This would be purely a loan. If you prefer I not be
involved in the process, I’ll give you the money personally. Once you start
receiving a regular wage, you can repay the debt. If it makes you feel any
better, we can actually draw up a contract of some sort.”

Sarah sat again and
pondered the logic of his offer.
Purely a loan.

“Well, what do you
say?” he asked after a long silence.

“I suppose there
would be no harm in accepting your generosity. Certainly, dressing like a more
respectable citizen will only enhance my chances of gaining employment. I’ll do
it … but I insist you prepare the proper paperwork for my signature.”

“I’ll have it ready
in the morning.” Jonathan took her elbow and ushered her into the hallway.
“Goodnight, Sarah. Sleep well.”

She stood outside
his closed door, puzzled why he’d help someone he barely knew. His apology
seemed sincere, his offer unselfish, and he claimed to have no motive behind
his actions. Could he truly be the gentleman he appeared? Sarah entered her
room, still unable to dispel her sense of apprehension.

* * *

Bright light streaming
in and wagon wheels creaking outside woke Sarah. Last night, she’d opened the
window to the stuffy room before crawling into her downy featherbed.
Remembering Jonathan’s offer, she quickly rose and shuffled to the washstand.
The reflection in the wood-framed mirror above the basin displayed rumpled hair
and eyes still swollen from sleep. She heaved a sigh.

Pouring water into
the bowl, she filled her cupped palms,
then
dipped her
face into them. The coolness snapped her from her sleepy haze. She finished her
toilette by brushing her tangled hair and letting it hang free. With a grimace,
she donned the same clothing she’d worn, and after lacing her boots, she
hurried toward the stairs, following the aroma of bacon and coffee. From the
corner of her eye she spied Wolf’s bedroom door standing open, and him gone.
Sarah entered the
kitchen,
anxious to see his face,
but Maggie was the only one there.

“Good
Morning, Sarah dear.”
The
proprietress stood at the stove, cracking eggs into a pan of bubbling grease.
“I’ll have your breakfast ready in a moment. Go ahead and help yourself to a
cup of mud.”

Sarah noticed dirty
dishes on the table. “Did you already eat, Maggie?”

“I‘m
not one for food first thing.
I usually have only coffee. That‘s Wolf‘s mess; I just haven‘t gotten
around to cleaning it up yet. I ventured outside to hang the wash. It‘s such a
beautiful mornin’.”

A lump formed in
Sarah’s throat and she slumped into a chair. She feared she already knew the
answer to the question on her lips, but she needed to be sure. “Where is he?”

Maggie plopped a
full plate in front of Sarah. “Oh, darlin’, he left about an hour ago. Said he
had lots to tend to and didn’t know when he’d be back. He told me to tell you
goodbye.”

An indescribable
emptiness engulfed Sarah until emotions took over: hurt, anger, disappointment,
and a myriad of other feelings raced through her. She fisted her hands on the
table. After all those weeks on the trail, Wolf didn’t even have the decency to
tell her good-bye in person. What a fool she’d been, thinking she meant
something to him. Unbidden tears welled.

Maggie stared at
her. “Are you all right?” She placed a cup of steaming coffee on the table.

Sarah blinked and
straightened in her chair. “I’m fine… really, I’m fine.”

Maggie sat next to
her and patted her hand. “You care for him, don’t you, dear? I can see it in
your eyes.”

Sarah sniffed and
swiped at the tears. “It’s this blasted morning sunlight. It’s very bright in
here and I just woke up. Wolf was a friend, that’s all.” She picked up her
coffee and tried to wash down the lie along with the lump in her throat.

“Good morning.”
Jonathan’s deep voice drew their attention to the entry from the parlor. His
suit looked crisp, freshly pressed, the starched collar of his white shirt
buttoned tight at his thick throat. Every strand of hair was impeccably in
place. He cast a dimpled smile at Sarah as he pulled out a chair and sat. “Are
you ready for your shopping trip?” He fanned a wad of currency.

Reluctant to discuss
their deal in front of Maggie, Sarah felt her cheeks
heat.Luckily,
their hostess placed breakfast and coffee in front of Jonathan and excused
herself from the room.

Sarah pushed away
her plate and glared across the table. “Honestly, Mr. Montgomery,” she said in
a hushed tone. “I’d prefer that not everyone know my business. I fully intend
to discuss my finances, or lack of, with Miss Smith, but having you hand me
money in front of her paints a very curious picture. After all, we barely know
one another.”