Red Bird (Prairie Winds Book 2) by Whitson Stephanie Grace

Author:Whitson, Stephanie Grace [Whitson, Stephanie Grace]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Published: 2017-12-16T16:00:00+00:00

Sarah Biddle managed to handle every decision that arose over the next few weeks without a hint of the weight of grief that had settled over her. Tom continued school at Miss Griswall’s and Sarah filled in for various absent hotel employees, including Carrie Brown. She rode to Roca often to help LisBeth stitch infant sacques and diapers, and filled her evenings by helping Tom with lessons or working on the baby quilt she had begun for LisBeth. She was unusually quiet and introspective, but Augusta reasoned that that was only natural. Sarah had, after all, been unusually close to Abigail Braddock.

Sarah requested Augusta’s carriage often, and Augusta readily assented, never suspecting that each carriage ride ended with Sarah weeping over two headstones in Wyuka Cemetery. David Braddock’s body had been buried at the site of the train accident, but Sarah had secretly paid to have a headstone placed beside his mother’s grave. Augusta had attributed the second memorial to some previously unnoticed drop of compassion in Ira Braddock. Sarah was grateful that no questions were asked.

But there came a day in Sarah Biddle’s life when the loss of both her fiancé and her benefactress nearly dragged her into despair. There came a day when Augusta Hathaway finally learned Sarah’s most closely guarded grief.

Sarah returned one day from visiting the cemetery just in time to see Asa Green drag a huge trunk through the door into Augusta’s quarters. Augusta hurried from the kitchen into the hall and beckoned Sarah to follow her. “It just arrived, Sarah. Fred over at the station sent a messenger to ask me what I thought he should do with it. Said he couldn’t deliver it to the manse if he wanted to. Even the carriage house is locked up tight. Ira didn’t leave instructions or keys, did he?”

Sarah shook her head. “Cropsey probably has a set at his land office. I think he’s in charge of the sale. We could check.”

“Sarah, it has David Braddock’s name on it. And—” Augusta unfolded a sheet of paper. “Frank gave me this. It’s an apology from the railroad. Apparently David Braddock had this with him on the train when—”

Sarah’s face paled and she sat down.

Augusta continued. “It’s David’s, Sarah. Somehow it seems wrong to just deliver it to an empty house. And, frankly, Dear, I don’t want Ira Braddock to have the satisfaction of getting his hands on anything else. Let’s at least open it. As their housekeeper, you would have done that anyway. I know Abigail and David would approve if you decide about the disposal of whatever this is.”

Sarah nodded and whispered, “All right, Abigail. Agreed. But there’s no key.”

With a glint of mischief in her eyes, Augusta removed one of her hairpins and knelt by the trunk. In only a moment she had it open. A faint scent of roses filled the room and Augusta bent to inspect the contents, let out an exclamation of surprise, and sat down abruptly.

Sarah, who was already seated, grew even paler.

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