A Widow’s Forced Union on the Trail (Preview)

Chapter One

The first thing Eliza was aware of was how sick she felt. She wasn’t even fully awake, and she could feel her stomach sloshing around. She was tempted to roll onto her side, but she knew that would just make it worse, and she really would throw up. With the way she was feeling, she wouldn’t have any time to get out of the wagon to empty her stomach contents into the nearby bushes.

She opened her eyes, only to close them again. That felt even worse. She took a moment of stillness before trying again. The sun was coming through a tiny slit in the fabric above her head, almost blinding her. Eliza shifted to the side and sat up slowly. She took a deep breath and eased it out, moving with each gentle outtake.

It had been getting worse recently. She had been ignoring it for a while now, not wanting to bother anyone with it. Doctor Markham was a very busy man, especially with the number of patients he had. Eliza didn’t want to become another one. She could handle this on her own.

Although she had a feeling that she wouldn’t be able to if it carried on like this. She could simply say she was not used to the hot sun, that traveling as she was had been taking its toll, and she would be fine after a while. After all, they were high up on the trail with a steep drop not far away from the main path. Perhaps the knowledge that they were so high was making Eliza feel dizzy. She didn’t like heights.

Not that she could complain. This was the quickest route to her destination, and complaining was just going to make her look difficult.

“Eliza?”

The flap moved to one side, and a black-haired woman stuck her head into the wagon. She smiled at her and held up a steaming mug.

“We’re setting up breakfast. I’ve made you some coffee, if you want it?”

“Thank you, Lian.” Eliza managed a smile as the smell of the coffee wafted past her nose. “That’s really sweet of you.”

“I didn’t want you moving around too much.” Lian Chen clambered into the wagon and sat beside her, handing the mug over. “You were looking a little peaky yesterday. Even Father noticed, and he’s normally oblivious.”

Eliza bit back a wince, hiding it by sipping her coffee. At least this settled her stomach. She could feel her body loosening as she drank more. Thank goodness for that; she didn’t want to be worrying about how her stomach was going to slosh around all day.

Lian laid a hand on her arm. “Are you sure you’re all right? Maybe I could get Silas …”

“Don’t worry about me. I’m just suffering from my fear of heights,” Eliza lied, managing a smile. “I always get like this when I know I’m high up.”

“Perhaps he’s got something that could ease that fear …”

“I just need to get used to it. Silas’s going to be busy with everyone else.” Eliza sipped her coffee. “Being a doctor on a wagon train with more than a hundred people constantly on the move has to be one of the hardest jobs possible.”

Lian smiled.

“I did comment that to him. He said he was more than happy with it. He was always busy, and he got to travel at the same time. Even if it’s the same view back and forth.”

“I’m surprised he doesn’t want to settle down.”

“Given what he went through, I’m not really surprised,” Eliza said. “I understand perfectly.”

Lian gave her an understanding look, briefly squeezing her arm. It was common knowledge that Silas Markham was a widower, having lost his wife more than ten years ago. He’d then thrown himself into his work, eventually becoming a doctor on the Oregon Trail with the wagon train a few years later. Eliza had asked him about that before, and he said he couldn’t cope with going home to where his wife had died. He missed her so much that he couldn’t stay there.

He was running away, and even he admitted that, but he didn’t care. He’d found his calling, and it was helping him heal.

Eliza hoped she would do the same. The pain she still had from losing her husband was lingering, and there were times when she didn’t know whether she was about to burst into tears or not. It had come out of nowhere, and the shock still lingered. She still had moments when she said she was a married woman, but then she remembered that she was a widow.

“Do you want me to bring you breakfast?” Lian asked. “You can take it easy while I sort things out.”

“You don’t need to do that, Lian. You’re not my servant.”

“I always help friends who need it. And you are in need.” Her friend nudged her. “Don’t worry about me. Just focus on yourself.”

Eliza warmed at those words. Lian was such a sweetheart, and it pained her to know that she was treated differently by many of the other travelers. She was traveling with her elderly father, a Chinese immigrant who’d come to America during the initial gold rush. Now they were traveling to Oregon to join Lian’s brother, who’d headed out first and settled down. Because she was half-Chinese, Lian was seen as a strange entity, and there was a lot of prejudice toward her and her father. The only people who seemed to take them seriously and didn’t treat them with skepticism were Silas and Eliza. Silas was one of the most open-minded people to ever exist, and Eliza saw a sweet, kind woman who was very observant and quick-witted. She had a sharp mind, which she used to her advantage. If she wanted, she could have a job as a journalist, working alongside Eliza.

Eliza wondered if she could acquire that job again once she reached her aunt’s home. It would be a relief to do something that she loved, something that would provide an income and enable her to be self-reliant. Her husband had said she shouldn’t work and that she had to stay at home. He had practically forced her to stop working a job she loved, and Eliza hadn’t been impressed by that at all, especially when he said he didn’t mind her continuing to work once they’d gotten married.

It felt like he’d lied to her about that. And everything else. He was controlling and aggressive, not allowing her any freedom, and she had to maintain the farm they lived on without any help. He went off somewhere for days at a time, leaving her alone. Eliza did everything, even jobs that she wasn’t supposed to do, and she didn’t get much thanks for it. It was also the only time she had any freedom, but she had to make sure it was all in order when Everett returned.

It was like living with a guard, and she was the prisoner.

Losing him suddenly two months before and becoming a widow had actually brought a lot of relief. Eliza hadn’t realized how she felt about her husband until she heard he was dead. Six years of being married to a tyrant, and she was finally free. It had felt like a huge weight was off her shoulders.

She didn’t have to sneak around anymore. If he’d known that she was still writing and drawing for the newspaper and sneaking the articles in … she dreaded to think what he might have done.

She’d not been someone who bowed down to anyone. Everett hadn’t liked that, so she’d accommodated to make it look like she was subservient. Even then, he still treated her horribly.

She’d had no family who could look after her, no one to say this was a bad move. And that made it easier for Everett to snag her.

She couldn’t even recognize the man who had pursued her aggressively to court her. But now she realized that it was simply a man pushing thirty and looking for a naive eighteen-year-old who wouldn’t determine the attitude he displayed until it was too late. Eliza had been taken in.

Now he was gone, and Eliza felt free again. Which was why she was leaving Independence, Missouri, and heading out to Oregon to be with her aunt. Aunt Temperance had written to her once she found out Everett was gone, saying she would be happy to have Eliza live with her. Eliza had always been fond of her father’s younger sister, so it had been an easy choice.

If only the journey there wasn’t so fraught and made her feel constantly nauseous with the heights.

“Lian!”

This was followed by Chinese lingo spoken so rapidly that Eliza’s head started spinning. Lian began to crawl toward the end of the wagon.

“That’s Papa. He’s likely wondering where I am.”

“Tell him I said good morning.”

“I will!”

Lian grinned at her before disappearing. Eliza finished her coffee, taking a moment to let it settle the rest of the nausea. She should get up and clean up before having breakfast. Maybe splashing her face would help. Her face was flushed, but that could be due to the heat. It was exceptionally warm today.

Gingerly getting out of the wagon, she made her way to the watering hole nearby. There were still plenty of people there, getting themselves washed and prepared for the day. A long journey lay ahead of them yet again; Eliza didn’t want to think about how many miles they covered in a day. She knew it was long enough that the reins felt like they were digging into her palms, and it was uncomfortable. Stopping was always a relief.

She knelt by the watering hole and splashed the cold water on her face. It was refreshing, and she could feel it seeping into her skin. That was what she needed right now.

“Good morning, Mrs. Harrow.”

Eliza bit back a sigh. Of course, she would be close by. Fixing a smile on her face, she looked up and saw the tall, gaunt form of Mrs. Fairweather standing over her.

“Good morning, Mrs. Fairweather. How’s the reverend?”

“He’s doing well. He’s getting ready for morning service.” Mrs. Fairweather arched an eyebrow. “Are you going to join us?”

“I’ll listen in, but we do have to get ready to leave.” Eliza stood up and dusted herself down. “Reverend Fairweather does tend to lengthen the service, and you know the captain wasn’t happy about it last time. He warned him about it, remember?”

Mrs. Fairweather sniffed.

“That’s due to someone not being very godly. He’s definitely not a God-fearing man if he thinks my husband’s services are too long.”

“Do you want to stay on this trail longer than necessary? I certainly don’t.” Eliza dabbed her wet face with her sleeve. “Anyway, I’m going to have some breakfast. I know we need to start off shortly.”

She didn’t want to talk to the woman any longer than necessary; Mrs. Fairweather was a nosy, judgmental woman who drove her absolutely mad. Sure, she was a reverend’s wife, and she took the role very seriously, but it seemed to have given her the right to look down at other people. And she seemed to have set her sights on Eliza as soon as they met. Mostly because Eliza was a widow, and she was traveling alone across the country. Mrs. Fairweather thought this was an abomination, but Eliza had asked once why she shouldn’t be allowed to join her family after losing her husband. The older woman had no response to that, but she liked to ask intrusive questions about her marriage and how he might disapprove of what she was doing.

Everett would certainly disapprove, but seeing as he wasn’t here anymore, Eliza didn’t care.

Hurrying away from the woman, she took a plate of food from Mr. Chen as she went past his campfire, giving him a smile of thanks. Mr. Chen cooked different cuisines, much to the chagrin of everyone else, but it was delicious. And, oddly, it settled her stomach more than Eliza thought. He did act like a father to her at times, and that was soothing. Eliza hadn’t realized how much she needed it.

She wondered if she could adopt the Chen family. They were certainly some of the nicest people she’d ever met.

It wasn’t long before they started again, traveling along in single file along the trail. There was plenty of room on either side, but with the sudden drop off to their left not far away, nobody was taking any chances. Eliza didn’t look in that direction, even though she kept glancing at the view. It was beautiful, but it didn’t stop her from feeling dizzy.

She couldn’t wait to get off this mountain and onto flat ground.

The sound of a horse galloping in her direction made her look around, and she saw a man on horseback cantering past. She’d seen him before, traveling at a distance from everyone else, and she’d been curious about his appearance. Was he someone working on the trail, or was he just tagging along? She couldn’t decide, and he’d never been close enough for her to ask.

Eliza wondered if it was the way he looked that drew her attention more than his strange appearance. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and lean, his dark hair slightly long and brushing against his collar, with a scar clearly visible under the stubble on his jaw, running along his cheek. He looked like he’d spent a lot of time out in the sun, and his face showed signs of exhaustion and barely contained anger. It was like he didn’t want to be there.

Eliza had a lot of ideas as to who he might be. A deputy sheriff, perhaps? A man who’d lost his wife and was moving away from bad memories? A criminal on the run? Or was he a former associate of Captain Whitby? Lian had come up with some ideas herself, and they’d giggled over them.

His presence was certainly making Eliza tremble. Something about him drew her attention, and Eliza wasn’t sure if she liked it or not. She shouldn’t be looking at a man and finding him physically attractive. Everett had been the same, and Eliza had been attracted, and then he turned out to be a brute.

She wasn’t going to do the same thing again.

They were coming to a level part of the mountain climb, and Eliza saw a snake on the edge of the path. Her heart stuttered. She hated snakes: they frightened her and made her skin crawl. They mostly kept away due to the number of people passing by, but they remained a hazard, nonetheless.

She hoped it would stay where it was, not wanting to be the one to get it to leave. She would feel like she needed to wash thoroughly afterward.

Suddenly, the snake hissed and darted out, snapping at the ankles of her horse. The horse let out a frightened neigh and bolted, tugging the wagon suddenly to the left. Eliza gasped and gripped onto the reins, trying to get the horse to slow down and stop, but it felt like there was no strength in her arms. She couldn’t control it at all.

Someone screamed behind her, and she felt her dizziness tilt the world sideways. It was all she could do to keep upright, gritting her teeth as she tried to focus and not give in to the urge to scream.

She was heading toward the edge of the ravine. If she didn’t stop …

Then something else was grabbing onto the reins, yanking them from her hands. Eliza cried out and tried to grab them back, but she lost her balance and fell onto the seat. She managed to cling to it as the wagon was slowed and jerked to the right, pulling it and the horse away from the ravine.

Finally, it stopped.

Eliza stayed where she was, everything in her head pounding, and the urge to be sick overtook her fearful emotions. What had just happened? Had someone come to her rescue? She hadn’t been able to comprehend what was going on; she felt too sick to register anything.

“Are you all right?”

Someone clambered onto the wagon, and Eliza was eased up off the seat. They turned her over, her head in their lap, and their hand brushed against her hair, cool and rough against her skin.

“Miss? Are you all right?”

She looked up and saw piercing blue-gray eyes looking down at her. That was all she could focus on because everything else in her vision swam around. She wanted to reach up, but her arms were too heavy.

Then the blue-gray eyes disappeared, and blackness wrapped around her. And Eliza didn’t bother to fight it.

Chapter Two

Tom panicked a little as her eyes rolled up into her head and her eyelids closed. She was burning up, her face both flushed and pale, and her breathing was shallow. She shouldn’t have been upright, never mind driving her own wagon.

He couldn’t believe that she was conscious until just now. It was a miracle that they hadn’t gone over the side of the ravine.

“Eliza!”

Tom heard someone shouting and looked around to see Captain Whitby, the trail leader, hurrying into view. He looked concerned as he approached, his eyes widening when he saw Eliza’s unconscious form.

“What on … what happened?”

“The horse bolted. She was lucky.” Tom felt a stinging in his left arm, but he ignored it. “Help me get her down. She needs to be seen by the doctor.”

“Of course.” Whitby shook himself and hurried forward. “We can put her in the back of the wagon and then drive it back.”

Tom nodded, watching as the other man eased Eliza into his arms. She barely reacted, her head lolling back. He suddenly wanted to be the one who carried her, but he pushed that away. He was going mad if he began thinking that.

A young Chinese girl hurried over, her expression one of horror when she saw Eliza. She rushed to her.

“Eliza! What happened?”

“Can you get Doctor Markham?” Tom said briskly, jumping down and stepping around Whitby. “She’s fainted.”

“Of … of course.” The girl hesitated. “Do you need anything else? I can help …”

“I’ll let you know but thank you.”

Tom didn’t want to be so dismissive, but he was more worried about the woman, Eliza. He clambered into the back of the wagon and turned to take her from Whitby, who heaved her up into Tom’s arms. Then Tom shuffled back and found the woman’s pallet. He lay her down, gently brushing her hair from her face.

She was extraordinarily beautiful. He’d noticed her from afar since she joined the wagon train. Petite but strong – there was a determination about her when she’d gone about her business. Tom had seen so many faces in the last couple of weeks, but hers stood out. Her black hair ran in a thick braid down her back; her face was oval and showed that she’d been in the sun for a while, but it didn’t take away the high cheekbones, the long lashes touching her cheek, the freckles across her straight nose, and her soft-looking mouth. She was someone who caused others to look at her twice. And Tom remembered her eyes, dark and striking, and threatening to suck him in.

There was something businesslike and no-nonsense about her. He’d witnessed her on previous days going about her work. He had to admire that; she wasn’t one to sit back and do nothing. He liked that.

But right now she looked as if she’d been dragged through Dante’s Inferno. She was hot to the touch and sweating, her breathing shallow, and her cheeks flushed. She must’ve caught a touch of the sun and was sick from it. It happened on the train all the time. Tom had seen it multiple times. It was likely what had happened.

His left arm was still stinging, and he looked down. His shirt was ripped, and there was a gash in his forearm. He must’ve caught it when he was grabbing the reins. It was welling up with blood, the sight of it making him wince.

At least that had brought him back to reality. Otherwise, he would’ve sat there for a long time simply staring at her.

That, and the fact the wagon was beginning to move. Whitby must’ve gotten into the front seat. Now the wagon was going back to the rest of the train, rocking both of them gently. Even with that, the woman didn’t wake up. She looked like a hurricane could run through the wagon and she wouldn’t regain consciousness.

Finally, the wagon stopped, and a moment later, the flap moved aside, and the familiar head of Doctor Silas Markham appeared.

“How is she?” he asked.

“She’s still unconscious.”

Markham clambered in, crouching in the confined space to sit on the other side of the pallet. Then he caught sight of Tom’s arm and frowned.

“That needs tending to,” he said.

“It’s fine,” Tom protested

“It’s dripping blood onto the boards. Do you want that to become infected?” the doctor asked sternly

Tom shook his head. “I think she’s a bit more important than my injuries, Markham.”

“There’s not much I can do until she comes round. But that needs immediate attention.” Markham put his bag on the floor beside him and opened it. “Now come over here and hold your arm out. Don’t argue with me.”

Tom grimaced. Markham was behaving as if he were a parent, and Tom was an errant child. It reminded him too much of his father, and he didn’t want to think about that man.

Not when he was trying to brush away the disappointment he knew the old man had harbored all this time. That was not something that disappeared so easily.

Biting back a growl, he clambered carefully over the young woman and held out his arm.

“Thank you.” Markham began to get his tools out. “That was pretty impressive, going after the wagon. I thought both you and Eliza would end up over the edge.”

“Eliza? Oh.”

That was her name. Then Tom remembered the Chinese girl calling that out earlier. How was he forgetting such small things? He flinched as Markham began to clean the wound.

“I don’t think anyone else could’ve done that. You’ve got some guts, I’ll say that much.”

“It’s nothing compared to what I’ve done before,” Tom grunted.

“And what was that?”

What he’d done in the past wasn’t necessarily a secret, but Tom chose not to broadcast it. It wasn’t something he wanted to discuss, and plenty of people gushed over his previous occupation. However, Markham wasn’t the type to talk to others about what had been said to him; he kept his confidentiality very well.

“I used to be a Pinkerton detective,” Tom admitted.

The doctor raised his eyebrows.

“That I wasn’t expecting. I thought you were going to say a US marshal or a deputy sheriff. Maybe even a former criminal.”

Tom couldn’t help chuckling at that.

“My job made me feel like all three at times.”

“So what are you doing on the train? You working for Captain Whitby? I’ve seen you at a distance, but you’ve barely interacted with anyone.”

“I just go where I can. Whitby allowed me to come along with him for a while. I’ve just been making sure the route is safe.” Tom glanced at Eliza. “Although I didn’t anticipate this.”

“At least you were there to rescue her. Eliza will be appreciative of that.” Markham began to stitch the wound, Tom resisting the urge to pull back and away from the pain. The tiny pinpricks were worse than the actual injury. “So, are you heading to Oregon as well? Is that your home?”

Tom hesitated. He didn’t know how to answer that. How could he head home when he had discord that he didn’t want to be anywhere near? They were not going to be happy to see him home, not after he left two years ago.

How else was he going to find the people who killed his sister? He couldn’t stay home and just wait. Tom knew he had to do something.

Before he could prepare an answer, there was a sigh from Eliza. Looking down, he saw her eyes fluttering open, and she grimaced, a hand going to her head. Markham snapped the thread off after tying it up. Tom was surprised at the speed he had sewn up the wound. Nobody moved that fast or efficiently.

“Hello, Eliza,” he said pleasantly, picking up a roll of bandages and winding it around Tom’s arm. “How are you feeling?”

“How …” She licked her lips, and Tom tried not to stare at her mouth. “How long have I …?”

“Unconscious. Just a few minutes.” Markham leaned in and gently lifted her eyelids out of the way. “You didn’t hit your head, did you?”

“I … I don’t think so.” Eliza swallowed, her voice coming out in a croak. “I just … I don’t feel well. My head was spinning …”

“I’m surprised you managed to hold on as you did.” The doctor smiled and sat up. “You were lucky that someone was there to rescue you.”

Eliza’s eyes moved to Tom, and he found himself sinking into the beautiful dark eyes that stared back at him. She blinked slowly, and her cheeks flushed a little darker.

“Thank … thank you,” she whispered. “Mr …?”

“Brenner. Tom Brenner.”

Her mouth twitched, and she touched her fingers to her chest.

“Eliza. Eliza Harrow.”

For a moment, Tom thought he’d misheard. Did she just say Harrow? He stared, his jaw dropping.

“Harrow?”

“Yes.” Eliza frowned. “Is that a problem?”

“I …” Tom shook himself. “Nothing.”

He was reeling from that. It had been a long time since he’d heard the name, Harrow. Of course, it could just be a coincidence, but at the same time …

His thoughts were interrupted as the wagon tilted sharply, and Captain Whitby clambered in. The wagon was beginning to feel a lot smaller now. Whitby looked right at Eliza, practically ignoring Tom and Markham.

“How are you feeling, Eliza?”

“I’ll be fine.” Eliza sat up slowly. “I just fainted from the heat, that’s all.”

“Do you want to rest, and I’ll lead your wagon? If you’re not well …”

“You don’t need to worry. I can manage.” She looked at Markham. “I’ll just have something to drink, and then I’ll be fine. We don’t want to be too far behind, do we?”

Tom noticed how she avoided looking at Whitby, and then he saw the way the captain was watching her. There was an obvious interest in his gaze, almost predatory. Whitby found Eliza very attractive, but it didn’t appear to be returned. Then the man shifted closer.

“Are you sure? I can help …”

“I appreciate your offer, Captain, but I can manage on my own.” Eliza gulped. “Can I just have a moment to prepare myself? I just need to talk to Doctor Markham.”

Whitby looked a little deflated, and he nodded. Then he shuffled out of the wagon. Tom cleared his throat and began to ease back.

“I’ll just … just leave you to it,” he mumbled.

“Thank you, Mr. Brenner.” Eliza smiled at him. “You saved my life.”

Tom didn’t know how to respond to that. He shuffled away and got off the wagon himself, only to notice that Whitby was still standing there, watching Eliza, before the flap fell across and blocked her from view. He turned and caught Tom staring at him. They glowered at each other for a moment, and then Whitby walked away.

Tom wondered what that was about. Whitby clearly had designs on Eliza, and he seemed to see everyone as a threat. Did he see Eliza as a possession?

The thought made him angry, and that left Tom confused. Why was he angry over something in which he had no say? Did he hit his head as well and didn’t realize it?

After a while, Markham also alighted from the wagon, tugging the flap across and securing it.

“She’ll be fine in a moment,” he said. “She’ll be ready shortly.”

“How is she? She doesn’t look very well.”

“She’s not, but she says she’s capable of carrying on. She’ll just rest when they stop.”

Tom stared.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea? If she’s sick …”

“There’s not much I can do to deter her, Brenner. She’s too stubborn to back down, and when she’s made up her mind, you can’t change it. I’ve tried it before, and I’ve learned just to leave it be. She knows her own body.”

Tom wasn’t sure he liked that. She looked too delicate to be continuing when it was clear she needed help. And he was also wondering if she was part of the Harrow family he was thinking about.

“She’s traveling alone, isn’t she? Where’s her family?”

Markham sighed.

“Apparently, she doesn’t have any except for an aunt in Oregon. She became a widow two months ago and decided to have a fresh start.”

“A widow?”

“Her husband died, and she’s been left alone. I don’t blame her going to join family, but I am worried about her. She’s not as tough as she thinks.” The doctor shrugged. “I suppose that comes from being married to a man like Everett Harrow. From what I’ve heard, he was a tough man. I guess that mentality rubs off on those close to him.”

“Everett?” Tom stiffened. “Her husband was Everett Harrow?”

“Yes.” Markham frowned. “Why? Do you know him?”

“It … it’s a long story.” Tom cleared his throat. “I’d better go and get my horse. Knowing my luck, he’s wandered over the edge of the cliff. Anyway, if Mrs. Harrow is all right …”

“She is.”

Markham’s eyes narrowed, but he said nothing further. Grateful, Tom hurried away. He needed to process this information before he talked about it. He hadn’t thought he would hear Everett’s name again, and never did he anticipate bumping into the man’s widow again.

There was no chance of his keeping away while she was around. He had an obligation now, and that was to watch over Everett’s wife and make sure she was safe.

Tom knew it was the least he could do.