Lost in Laramie (Yours Truly: The Lovelorn Book 4) Read online

  Lost in Laramie

  YOURS TRULY THE LOVELORN BOOK 4

  MARGARET TANNER

  Contents

  Copyright: Margaret Tanner 2020

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Epilogue

  Author Links

  About the Author

  Other Books by Author

  LOST IN LARAMIE

  YOURS TRULY THE LOVELORN

  Book 4

  Copyright: Margaret Tanner 2020

  Thank you for downloading this e-book. It remains the copyrighted property of the author and may not be reproduced, scanned, or distributed for any commercial or non-commercial use without permission from the author and publisher. Quotes used in reviews are the exception. No alteration of content is allowed. If you enjoy this book, then please encourage your friends to purchase their own copy.

  This story is a work of fiction, and to enhance the story, some literary license has been taken regarding setting and geography. All characters are a figment of the author’s imagination.

  Acknowledgements: Many thanks to my author friends, Susan Horsnell and Cheryl Wright, for all their help and support.

  To my loyal readers: Thank you so much for your support. You can’t know how much I appreciate it.

  Cover Artist: Virginia McKevitt

  Chapter One

  Dearmont, Wyoming 1880

  Why did Mrs. Sawyer suggest they meet at the Dearmont stage depot instead of the one at Raeburn? Katie McMullen fiddled with her reticule. What if they decided not to come? She wasn’t going back to her parents no matter what happened. She was twenty-one years old now and legally able to do whatever she wanted.

  Can I help it if I was captured and forced to live with a band of renegade Indians?

  She closed her eyes and thoughts of her miserable childhood flashed before her.

  “You little savage,” her mother used to scream, as she pulled down Katie’s drawers and administered several hard slaps to her bare rump.

  If it was pa who considered she needed punishment because she had transgressed in some way, he used to belt her bare calves with belt. “You evil creature, you’ve brought shame on the family. Better if you’d never come back.”

  What kind of parents would resent the fact their only child had been rescued after four years of captivity? Stolen at the age of six, the army had rescued her when she was ten years old.

  She had been captured while picking wildflowers, by a marauding band of Indians who had escaped from a reservation. They had embarked on a reign of terror all over the territory with other renegade groups. Now most of them were dead, their wives and children banished to the reservation, while their white captives had been returned to their families.

  The joy of being rescued by the army along with several other white girls had been soured when her parents had at first refused to take her back.

  “We don’t want a savage living in our home,” Pa had growled to the army captain who had brought her home. “Our sweet little gal is dead.”

  “It’s me, Katie. Your daughter,” she had cried out. “I’m not dead.”

  “After living with those heathens, you are no longer our daughter.” His cruel words had almost felled her.

  “Well, she is your daughter and your responsibility. You can’t blame her for what happened. I have my orders and they are to return her to you,” the army captain said, patting her on the head before riding off.

  Grudgingly her parents had taken her in, although they never forgave or forgot where she’d been. Even as the years passed it had made no difference, they never softened their attitude. The festering hatred they felt for her only seemed to grow with the passage of time.

  They lived on an isolated small ranch. She had exchanged a hard life with the Indians to one of slavery with her parents. She always had plenty of food here, although she earned every morsel of it. From daylight to dusk she toiled. The ranch was too big for one man to run on his own, yet not large or prosperous enough to employ someone to help. In any case, no-one would want to work for an ill-tempered man like Eli McMullen.

  Around the town, on the few occasions she did venture there, people avoided her. Even the children at school tormented her.

  The Sawyers were virtually outcasts too, considered interlopers as they had arrived unannounced a couple of years ago. Mrs. Sawyer and her son, Jake had opened a shop selling second-hand merchandise. Her father always said what they sold was stolen. How would he know as he had never spoken more than a few words to them?

  They had been kind to her, the only people who were. They had let her stay a few hours with them at the shop when Pa slipped into the saloon for a few drinks. It was nice sharing a cup of coffee with Mrs. Sawyer rather than put up with snide remarks and hostile stares as she sat on the wagon seat waiting for Pa to drink his fill. Two hours was the amount of time he allowed himself, enough time for her to hurry down and have a friendly chat with Mrs. Sawyer, share a coffee and then be back on the wagon waiting for Pa when he came out of the saloon.

  Mrs. Sawyer had offered to take her to Laramie with them, and she wanted to go, not only because it got her out of Raeburn and all its hateful memories. Secretly she and Jake had been stepping out together, well as much as she could under the circumstances.

  She was getting to the stage of pacing the porch and worrying when Mrs. Sawyer and Jake finally arrived in their buckboard.

  “Well, dear, you made it safely here.” Mrs. Sawyer smiled.

  “How ya doin’, darlin’?” Jake said with a broad grin.

  He was so handsome and always respectful, not like some of the other young local men who thought because she had lived with the Indians that her morals were questionable.

  “You did like we said and rode your horse here?”

  “Yes, Jake, I did.’

  He nodded and smiled.

  “Bought the tickets?” Mrs. Sawyer asked.

  “Yes.” She decided not to ask for the money back straight away, even though buying the three tickets took nearly all of her carefully saved money. Mrs. Sawyer had insisted they would be responsible for all her expenses from now on.

  “Good, good. I’ve got your luggage here like we discussed.”

  Jake lugged in one trunk then returned for another. “Oh, I don’t see my trunk?”

  “I put your things in with mine, dear.” Mrs. Sawyer smiled. “Much easier that way.”

  “Yes, I suppose so.”

  “Don’t worry, I packed all your things. Anyway, once we get to Laramie I’ll take you shopping for your trou….”

  “Ma, stop.” Jake grinned at Katie. “Darlin’ there might be a surprise in store for you in Laramie.” He gave his mother a conspiratorial wink and excitement spiraled from the top of Katie’s head to the tip of her toes.

  This surprise could mean only one thing. She would soon become Mrs. Jake Sawyer, and could then call this kindly lady Ma. No matter what the townsfolk said about them they had treated her better than her own flesh and blood.

  “There’s about an hour to go before the stage leaves, time enough for me to take the buckboard to the livery. I’ll take your mare too, darlin’.”

  “The livery man might give you money for them,” she said.

  “We don’t need their mone
y, son. Just tell the livery man to give them to some deserving person who can’t afford to buy a mount for themselves.”

  “I could always take them to the church,” he said. “The preacher there would know who had need for them.”

  “Oh, Jake that’s a fine idea. Yours is, too Mrs. Sawyer.” How generous these people were? How could the townsfolk think they were no good?

  “Come along, dear.” Mrs. Sawyer linked arms with her as they strolled into the coach depot.

  “You’ve been so kind to me, Mrs. Sawyer. I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to repay you.”

  “I’m sure you’ll be glad to help us out if we ever needed it.”

  “Yes, you only have to ask me, and I would jump at the chance to do it.”

  “My dear, we haven’t known each other long but you’re like the daughter I never had. Why don’t you call me Ma now?”

  “Oh.” Katie gasped in shock. “Are you sure, I’d like that.”

  “It’s settled then. From now on, no more Mrs. Sawyer. I’m proud to be your Ma.” She squeezed Katie’s hand.

  Katie felt so moved by the gesture tears burned at the back of her eyes, although she blinked them back.

  Jake returned within a short time. “All fixed.” He grinned. “The livery man will offer the horse and the buckboard to the church.”

  “How generous you both are,” Katie said. For the first time in years she felt happy and loved. These people had never condemned her for living with the Indians. Except for making her work and beating her sometimes, the braves had never touched her, although it would have been a different matter had she stayed there a few years longer. She would have been expected to become a wife to one of them like older white captives had been forced to do. Thankfully she was still chaste.

  Finally, the stage rolled in and they were able to board. A middle-age couple came inside with them, while a flashily dressed young man checked his gold pocket watch and jumped beside the driver and a cowboy who was obviously riding shotgun. The man and women inside the coach ignored them, so the Sawyers and Katie didn’t introduce themselves.

  “Better for us to stick to ourselves,” Jake whispered in her ear. It was nice having him sit so close to her. “I don’t believe in idle chit-chat with strangers. I’d much prefer to snuggle up close to my gal and talk to her.”

  Katie smiled. “Jake wasn’t much of a talker at the best of times, but he was young and handsome with hazel eyes and sandy colored hair. His body was well muscled and strong. She’d felt his strength the few times they had embraced.

  Chapter Two

  The trip was uneventful. Katie slept most of the way. She woke up when they stopped to change horses on the edge of a small town. The driver climbed down and opened the door for them.

  “This is only a short stop, there’s coffee inside if ya want it. Don’t wander off. If ya ain’t here when I’m ready to go, too bad. I’ll go without ya.”

  The flashily dressed young man said. “I’ll take a walk into town and see what it’s like. If I take a liking to it, I might stay.”

  “If ya ain’t back when it’s time to pull out, ya will be stuck here until the next stage tomorrow.”

  “Ladies.” The young man lifted his black Stetson. “Don’t worry about me, I can handle myself.”

  “I might join you,” Jake shocked her by saying. “I need to stretch my legs.”

  “You might miss the coach.” Katie touched his hand.

  “Don’t worry, darlin’, I’ll be back in time.” He exchanged a smile with his mother.

  “Don’t be worrying, dear, Jake knows what he’s got to do. Coffee sounds good.”

  Katie watched Jake stride off before she entered the depot.

  “Stop worrying about him, he can look after himself. I trained both my boys…”

  “Both?”

  A spasm of irritation momentarily crossed the older woman’s face. “My older son isn’t with us at the moment.” Her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I’ll tell you all about him another time. It’s all very sad.”

  “I’m sorry….Ma.”

  “Don’t worry your pretty little head about it. Once you’re a member of this family there will be no secrets between us. Ooh, I think I’ve said too much. Jake will be upset that I didn’t well, let’s say, you’ll be Katie Sawyer by the time we leave Laramie, but don’t tell him I told you.”

  “I won’t say anything, I promise.” Katie’s heart leapt with joy. She couldn’t wait to become Jake’s wife. How lucky she had been to meet up with the Sawyers.

  If she hadn’t been in town with the wagon buying supplies at the feed store with Pa when Jake walked in, they never would have met. She had accidentally dropped the bag of grain she was lugging out to the wagon. Pa had given her a slap across the back of the head for being so clumsy and Jake had leapt to her defense.

  “That’s too heavy for a little gal to carry.”

  “Not for her it ain’t.” Pa turned to her. “Clean it up. All of it, unless you want to feel my belt around your legs.”

  She kneeled to scoop it up. Jake helped gather the seed and put it back in the bag.

  “Thank you.”

  “It’s my pleasure Miss….Miss.”

  “Katie McMullen.”

  “A pretty gal shouldn’t be carrying heavy bags of grain and….”

  “I’m used to it.”

  “I’m Jake Sawyer.”

  “Howdy Mr. Sawyer.”

  “Call me Jake.”

  They had scooped up most of it when he said. “That will do, we’ve got most of it.”

  “No, if I leave any on the floor, pa will take it out of my hide.”

  “He really does beat you?”

  “Yes, my Ma does too.”

  “It isn’t right.” He touched her hand. A fleeting touch yet every nerve ending felt it.

  “If things ever get too much for you to bear, come to us. Ma will do right by you. We own the used products shop and live behind it.”

  “Thank you, Jake.” She blinked back tears at the kindness of this young, good looking stranger. After he left, she gathered up every grain, not daring to leave anything behind.

  “Cream in your coffee,” Mrs. Sawyer’s question broke into her thoughts.

  “Yes, thank you, Ma. I was just thinking about the first time I met Jake.”

  “That was a lucky day for us, Katie, my dear.”

  “Thank you, Mrs. um Ma. I was the lucky one.”

  Katie had finished her coffee by the time a grinning Jake strode in looking slightly disheveled.

  “You got what you wanted, son?”

  “Yeah, Ma, a nice walk.”

  “I don’t think you’ll have time for coffee,” Katie said worriedly.

  “I don’t need coffee, darlin’, think I’ll mosey along to the coach. We don’t want to be left behind.”

  “Where’s the young man you were with?” she asked, as Jake helped her into the coach.

  “I wasn’t actually with him, he kept walking toward town while I decided to come back here.”

  “He’s a gambler by the looks of him,” Ma said. “Probably decided to stay on in the town, it would be easy pickings for the likes of him.”

  Once the other couple were settled in their seats, the driver cracked his whip and the coach lumbered off. Katie glanced through the window in case the young man made a last-minute dash. He didn’t.

  ****

  By the time they arrived in Laramie, Katie felt exhausted.

  “We’ll stay at a good hotel,” Ma said.

  “Nothing but the best for my gals.” Jake grinned. Over her head his gaze was fixed on his mother. It was nice the obvious affection they had for each other. Katie tried not to let her envy show.

  “Get out and never darken our doorstep again,” her mother had screamed when she’d mentioned stepping out with Jake. She had to stop looking back all the time. She needed to focus on the brig
ht future ahead of her now.

  After assisting his mother from the coach, he turned and lifted Katie down.

  “You ladies wait with the luggage. I’ll walk into the livery and hire us a buckboard.”

  “Organize our rooms at the hotel too, will you son? Our little gal here looks ready to collapse on us.”

  “I’m all right, just a little stiff and really tired. I’ve never undertaken such a long journey in a coach before.”

  “We might even stay here,” Ma said, glancing around. “If I can find a suitable business to set up.”

  “I can help.”

  “Yes, dear. I know.”

  Jake strode off leaving them waiting on the porch with their luggage. The middle age couple from the coach, without so much as a glance at them, hurried over to a young man driving an old buckboard.

  “We’ll have a nice luncheon at the hotel,” Ma said. “Then you can have a lie down. You’re starting to look quite pale.”

  “I’ll be all right after a meal. I can’t wait to explore Laramie.”

  “Plenty of time for that, dear, there’s not much to see.”

  “Oh, I didn’t realize you’d been here before.”

  Ma’s eyes narrowed slightly even though she smiled. “I’ve passed through here a couple of times, um, when my husband was alive.”

  She sounded slightly evasive and looked annoyed. Maybe she was still mourning the loss of her husband and didn’t like talking about it.

  Thankfully, Jake arrived with the buckboard. It isn’t up to me to question her or wonder about her private business.

  Jake helped his mother up on to the buckboard then clasped Katie around the waist, his large hands easily spanning her tiny waist. Had they lingered a little longer than necessary? Her heart pounded so loudly she wondered if he could hear it.

  Chapter Three

  As they drove down the main street of Laramie, Katie glanced around with interest. Compared to Raeburn it seemed large and was thronged with people. Buckboards, wagons and single horses were numerous.