A Journey of the Heart Collection by Colleen Coble Page A

“His heart just . . . gave out.”
    â€œOh, Sarah.” He ran a hand through his thick hair. “I really loved your pa. He was like a father to me.”
    â€œHe loved you too,” she said softly. “He spoke of you just before he died.”
    â€œHe did?”
    She nodded. “He was gone just a few minutes after we’d talked. He told me—” She broke off and bit her lip.
    â€œHe told you what?”
    â€œIt’s not important now. But I didn’t want Amelia to be alone.”
    Rand’s mouth tightened. “Is that why you’re here? Now that your father is gone and you don’t have anything else to do, you came out here? It had nothing to do with me?”
    Sarah looked down. “Do you love Jessica?” Her face felt so stiff she could barely move her lips. She had to know the answer, but her heart pounded.
    â€œNot like I loved you. But she’s been good to me. She’s very sweet and kind. I can’t just throw her off like a busted saddle. I gave her my word.”
    Sarah stared at him. “We said good-bye before you left. Nothing has really changed.” Tears burning her eyes, she stood and opened the door.

FOUR

    W hat do you mean she’s gone?” Ben kicked at Wade’s hound that had come nosing from under the porch of the Montgomery house. “Where is she?”
    The wind lifted Wade’s hair. “Off to find Campbell, I would guess. I checked at the train station, and she and Joel left with Jacob and Amelia.” He opened the door. “Let’s get out of the wind.”
    Ben followed him into the parlor where a crackling fire radiated warmth into the room. He held his hands at the blaze before turning to face Wade. “You let this happen. You said she’d do what you told her.”
    Wade dropped onto the horsehair sofa. “This is not my fault. You were the one who lied to her. She puts a lot of stock in honesty.”
    A thin cry echoed from upstairs. “That your kid?”
    Wade nodded. “A boy. Sarah never even stayed to make sure Rachel delivered. I’m washing my hands of her. She can have whatever wretched life she wants with Campbell.”
    Ben could imagine the tender scene, and hatred soured his belly. “He won’t keep her. A woman like Sarah needs a firm hand.”
    â€œShe’s always been besotted with him. I should have known it was a losing battle.”
    â€œI never lose.” Ben shoved his hands in his pockets. “I’m going after her.”
    A plan began to form. He had connections in Washington, and while he’d never thought to go West, there were many opportunities for a clever man to become rich off the Indian Wars.

    Rand was already awake when reveille sounded at five. Jacob and Joel were sleepily pulling on their overalls and boots when he strode into the bunk room to check on them. “Hurry up or you’ll miss the cold slop we call breakfast.”
    â€œHow’s the Indian situation?” Jacob poured icy water out of a battered tin pitcher into a chipped bowl and splashed his eyes, bleary from lack of sleep.
    A group of soldiers had been up playing cards all night, and their loud talk and laughter had made sleep difficult, especially with Sarah’s words still running through Rand’s head. Most of them had already cleared out of the long room lined with bunks, but the odor of hair tonic and dirty socks still lingered.
    Rand handed his brother the cleanest towel he could find. “Bad. And likely to get worse. The Bureau of Indian Affairs has really botched things. Every agent they’ve sent sets out to line his pockets with what belongs to the Indians. Once one gets rich enough, he goes back east and another comes to start the same process all over again.” Rand shook his head. “And it’s really explosive up in the Powder River area. Quite a few miners have been killed trying to get to the gold