Chapter 24 Sarafina

CHAPTER 24

SARAFINA

MAY 19, 1897

THE NIGHT OF THE TRAIN ROBBERY

It's dark here, and dreary, but Marcus keeps telling me to hang on to the light, to cling to the hope that things will get better. I don't see how they could, but at times he seems almost giddy with certainty, so sure our situation will improve, that even I am starting to think that maybe, just maybe, things might turn around and I'll find myself back with you. When that happens, heart of my heart, no matter the cost, I will never again let you go….

—letter from William Day to Sarafina Dove

Sarafina awoke with a start, clutching her blankets to her chest. She blinked in the darkness, wondering if she'd dreamed the rattling noise that had yanked her from her sleep. Everything was silent except for the faint hoot of an owl.

The bright moonlight spilled through the window and cast shadows onto the floor from the tree outside.

I must have dreamed it. She rubbed her eyes sleepily and was just getting ready to settle back down when the rattle of a pebble against her window made her turn in that direction. Goodness! What was that?

She stared at the window, her heart pounding. Could that be William? She couldn't think of anyone else it might be, but he'd never done such a thing before. Had something happened?

She threw back the covers, tiptoed to the window, and peered down into the backyard. A familiar figure stood just below, dressed in a coat she'd never seen, a hat pulled low over his brow. He was half-hidden in the shadow of the tree and she was surprised she recognized him at all.

She slid her window open and leaned out. "William?" she whispered.

He stepped forward, the moonlight falling across his face, marking his tight mouth and creased brow.

She'd never seen him look so serious. "What's—"

"Please come down," he whispered back, his tone ragged. "I have to speak with you."

She glanced over her shoulder. Her aunts had rooms at the front of the house, so she didn't think they could hear her. Still… She nodded to let him know she'd be right there.

She softly closed her window and quickly got dressed. Minutes later, she hurried through the house and stepped into the backyard, where he waited. The scent of damp grass met her as the moonlight showed his strained expression and bright, worried eyes, his dark hair sticking to his damp forehead.

"What happened?"

"Marcus—" William's voice broke. He swiped his eyes with a hand that shook.

Oh no. Her own heart racing, she took a step forward, her hand out.

But he backed away, shaking his head. "I just have a few minutes, but I had to see you. You're going to hear things soon that aren't true. I wanted to tell you what happened before they—" He caught himself and paused. When he spoke again, his voice was steadier, but lost somehow. "Marcus and Johnson robbed a train."

" What? "

"It went badly, as you'd expect. Johnson is a fool. I warned Marcus about that man months ago, but—" William took off his hat and shoved it into his pocket before he raked a shaky hand through his hair. "The train was carrying a gold shipment. The company must have gotten wind of the robbery, because there were Pinkerton agents on board and there was a gunfight and Marcus got shot and—" William's voice broke, and he pressed his hands over his eyes. "It doesn't matter. It's bad, though. So bad."

"Is Marcus—" She couldn't say the word.

William dropped his hands, but she could see that his eyes were wet. "Not yet." His mouth thinned. "Johnson ran away and left Marcus to take the fall. He was trapped there, hidden behind a rock, and the agents were closing in, so I…" He rubbed his throat as if the words had caught there.

She grabbed his arm. "Tell me."

"I helped him." William tried to pull free, but she hung on. He wet his dry lips. "I rode in and got him."

"You did what?"

"I had to save him, but I think it might have looked…" William turned and took two paces, every step jerky and uneven, and then came back. "After I got him home, I realized that it might have looked as if I was involved."

"With the robbery?"

He gave a miserable nod. "I just went there to stop him, and I heard the gunfire when I got close, and I—I didn't even think. When I reached him, there was so much blood, I thought—" William swallowed noisily. "My only thought was to get him out of there."

"How did you know he'd be there?"

William leaned against the trunk of the oak tree as if too weak to stand. "He'd been acting strange all day, and then he up and disappeared without a word. I knew something wasn't right. He stays with me sometimes, and when I went to put another log on the fire, I found the train schedule there, partially burned. I knew as soon as I saw it what they were going to do."

"That fool!"

"I should have figured it out sooner; then I could have stopped him." William pushed himself away from the tree and began pacing, talking faster and faster. "I arrived just in time to save him, but nothing more. We're finished, Sarafina. People are out looking for the robbers and they're saying— Oh God, how did this happen?"

She tried to wrap her mind around what he was telling her. "How badly was Marcus hurt?"

"He was shot in the leg. He's lost a lot of blood, but I think he'll be all right if he stays still. I bandaged it as best I could, and Uncle Edward—" William clamped his mouth closed and winced. "I shouldn't have said that."

"Your uncle knows?" A wave of relief washed over her. "He'll know what to do."

"He shouldn't get involved," William said harshly, still pacing back and forth. "He stopped by the house to bring me some dinner and saw me carrying Marcus inside. I told my uncle to leave, but he refused. I didn't want him to get involved, but Marcus had lost so much blood. I—" His voice broke once more.

She wanted to hug him, but he was pacing far too quickly for her to do more than watch.

"Marcus, the fool, has a bag full of gold but not enough blood. I think he'd trade all of that gold for his health now, if he could." William stopped in front of her. "But that's not all."

"Not all?" What more could there be?

"I have to get back before—" He caught himself and reached for her hands, holding them in his own cold ones. "It's worse than you think. Johnson was arrested a few hours ago. He was drunk and had bragged to anyone who would listen about how he'd robbed the train."

"He admitted that? In public?"

William nodded, anger in his eyes. "When Johnson left the bar, the sheriff was waiting outside. He was arrested. I don't know if he was hoping he'd be let off the hook or—I don't know, but Uncle Edward heard that Johnson is trying to strike a deal."

Her heart, which had been beating sickly, sank even more. "What did he tell them?"

"Lies. So many lies. I—" William released her hands and whirled away, only to turn back to face her. "Uncle Edward says Marcus needs to get a lawyer fast and confess everything. He wasn't the one who planned it or—or took a gun, or anything like that. That was all Johnson, but—"

She waited, but William just stood there, his mouth pressed into a thin line as he glared into the dark. "But?" she asked impatiently.

William's gaze returned to her. "Uncle Edward spoke to someone who was there when Johnson was arrested, and he was yelling as they dragged him away. He said he hadn't planned the robbery."

"He blamed Marcus."

"No." William took a deep breath. "Johnson said it was me. He said I was the one who'd planned the whole thing."

Her lips mouthed the word What? but no sound came, her voice silenced by her shock.

He nodded grimly. "Johnson's always hated me. He knows I've been warning Marcus about him. We got into a fight once, too. I don't think Johnson ever got over that. The sheriff is out looking for me and Marcus right now. Sarafina, they're going to arrest us."

A faint sense of nausea rose through her, and she realized she'd fisted both of her hands at her sides. She forced them open, giving them a gentle shake so the blood would flow back into her fingers. "William, what are you going to do?"

"Uncle Edward wants me to run, but I won't. If I do, everyone will think I'm guilty. Besides, Marcus can't move right now and I can't just leave him to face this alone. I'll tell them the truth and if that doesn't work, then I'll have no choice. I'll have to go to trial. So long as the judge is fair, I'll be acquitted."

She didn't know if she believed that. She'd covered only two trials for the newspaper so far, and she hadn't been impressed with the outcome of either. It seemed to her untrained eyes that popular opinion held an unfair sway over the results, and she was very afraid of how that would affect William's chances.

"As soon as it's light, I'll go downtown and talk to the sheriff. Uncle Edward says he'll support me as best he can, but he's done too much already."

Sarafina didn't know what to say. William's distress was obvious, and her own heart was thudding in an uneven, fearful manner. "Are you sure that's the best thing to do?"

His jaw hardened. "What choice do I have?"

Run. Don't go to the sheriff. She wanted to yell the words, but they stuck in her throat.

William must have seen her distress, because he caught her hands in his once again. "Don't look like that. I didn't do anything. I really didn't."

She squeezed his hands. "I know."

The look of relief on William's face surprised her. He managed to smile. "Don't worry. Marcus will testify for me. They won't be able to keep me after that, if it even goes that far."

Her heart ached for him. The people in their small town believed the worst of William already, even without evidence. How would a jury, which would be subjected to that very talk, be any different?

She suddenly realized that William didn't believe it would be. He's not warning me. He's come to tell me goodbye.

Her heart burned as if it were being ripped in two. "No," she said desperately. "Don't do this! Listen to your uncle. You don't know what might happen, and—"

He pulled her into his arms, his chin warm against her forehead. "Just trust me. Everything will be all right."

No, it wouldn't. She leaned against him, tears running down her cheeks. How could this happen?

William's warm breath fanned against her temple. "Don't let anyone know I came here tonight. For the next few weeks, act as if you don't even know me. You have to stay out of it. Let Marcus and me deal with the events of this night."

"But—"

He placed his hands on her arms and pushed her back just enough that he could look into her eyes. "Whatever happens, promise you'll wait for me. I will see you again. And when I do, we'll have the life we deserve. We'll go to a big city and start anew, and we'll be happier there. I promise."

"William, I—"

He kissed her once, firmly yet gently, and then stepped away, his hands dropping to his sides. "I have to go. Uncle Edward is with Marcus and I can't let them be found together. Wait for me, Sarafina. I'll find a way out of this." With that, he left, the moonlight following him as he disappeared into the thick woods beside her house.

She stood where she was for the longest time, the night wind tugging her coat and making her shiver as the tears slid down her face. But the cold wind that teased her coat hem was nothing compared to the fear that froze her heart.