Chapter One
Eli McAllister, the deputy sheriff in the small town of Birchbark, Utah, wadded up a sheet of paper and aimed it at a wastebasket close to a nearby desk. He missed and the paper wad sailed over the basket and hit the floor. He sighed and wadded up another piece of paper to try a second shot. He often practiced shooting paper wads because the crime rate in Birchbark was very low.
The town had never had a bank robbery or, for that matter, even a general store robbery. The town had a saloon which, in most towns, was where most fights and disruptions happened that called for lawmen. But in Utah, and in Birchbark, many Mormons lived, and Mormons did not drink. Because they didn’t drink, they lowered the number of customers in saloons, which lowered the number of disruptions. The saloon owner had been known to complain that there were not enough Methodists in the town. Or agnostics. Agnostics were not known for being anti-alcohol. But regardless of the reason, the crime in Birchbark was very low, so deputies had to find ways to amuse themselves.
McAllister could read—and many men in the town couldn’t. He had been told the dime novels from the East were very amusing because they bore little resemblance to reality in the West. In the dime novels, an outlaw was practically shot down every other page. Or hung at the end of the book.
Eli did get a few laughs from the books.
He wadded up another piece of paper and missed again with his throw. He frowned and thought instead of reading the dime novels, he might write a few. That would be an easy job. You could do it sitting down and there wasn’t much labor. He laughed as he walked over to pick up the paper wads.
Sheriff Herm Watkins opened the door as Eli was tossing the wads into the wastebasket.
“Got a job for you, Eli. It’s been a bit slow lately, but this is a legitimate job for a deputy and I trust you to do it,” the sheriff said.
“Has an outlaw been spotted in the area? What’s his price on the wanted poster? Ten dollars?”
The sheriff laughed. “You ought to be glad we’re not in the midst of outlaws and gunmen.”
“Well, I am. Ninety-nine percent of the time. The other one percent is rather dull.”
“This job is not dull, and you start tomorrow. You need to escort an heiress, Geneva Sinclair, to her fiancé John Trembly. It’s a five-day trip around the mountain to Mountain Ridge. She’s traveling over tomorrow and she needs an escort.”
“Geneva Sinclair? Isn’t she rich and something of a brat?”
The sheriff gave him a stern look. “No, she’s a fine young lady, and much too good for John Trembly, if you ask me, which no one did—but I’m ready with an opinion if they do.”
“You don’t seem to like Trembly.”
“I don’t, not a bit,” the sheriff said. “I always thought he was a super-snooty rich man who’s never done a decent day’s work in his life. I met him just once and the experience was not a joy. Why she is marrying him…” He sighed. “Well, allegedly, their parents thought they’d make an ideal couple for marriage. He’s getting the better deal. He’s older than she is, too, but her family, I think, has made the decision for her.” He shrugged. “It’s none of my business.”
“Okay, sounds like a nice trip,” Eli said. “I should go over there now and we can make plans. You say she wants to go tomorrow.”
“Yes, but talk to her today and see when she wants to leave. She may be taking some luggage. Probably take some and have all the rest of her things sent. I would go, but as you know my pregnant wife is fit to burst and I want to be with her when the baby comes.”
“Of course, I understand. This is a routine job, Sheriff. I’m just making some rich people feel good by my presence. There’s no great criminal activity on the road. If you take the mountain route, that’s something else. There’s a lot of hiding places up in the mountains, but the regular roads are safe.” Eli nodded. “As a rich lady, I imagine she has a lot of things.”
“I’m sure you’ll have a smooth trip,” the sheriff said.
Eli grabbed his hat on his way out of the office.
“Need to ask Miss Geneva what time she wants to leave. I’m guessing we’ll start early.”
He walked out and climbed on his horse Apache, a black and white stallion that had formed an attachment to his owner. Eli patted him.
“Off on a quick trip, boy. You should enjoy it. You like to roam.”
Chapter Two
At her house at the edge of town, Geneva looked at her bags and, surprisingly, was hit with a flood of anxiety. She had never been concerned before this. She had met John Trembly when she was eleven. He was older, nineteen, but seemed nice if a little stiff. Maybe aloof was the word. At that age, she’d thought he was nice, but looking back, she wasn’t sure of her assessment.
She told herself it was just wedding jitters. But the wedding, planned since they had met, had always been in the future and she’d never given it serious consideration. But now, the wedding date was very near, and she was reconsidering the first meeting.
She was being silly. John Trembly was a rich man who had won the admiration of many of the movers and shakers in this part of the country. And she was already given by her parents to John. It was the way things were done and she didn’t have much say in it.
But she hadn’t seen him in years. What would he be like? She wasn’t as pleased or as… ecstatic as she should be.
When the thought came to her, it was shocking. She shook her head as if she wanted to deny it. But it struck her that the marriage arrangement her family and the Trembly family had was a bit unusual. They knew one another, but no one had spoken to her about it in any depth. It had been nine years since the official marriage contract was made and little had been said about it for those nine years. It was an arranged marriage, but this was 1890—many families were moving away from such things. Arranged marriages were from the Middle Ages, and few things from the Middle Ages should survive to the modern era. She knew nothing about her intended. Nothing.
She took a deep breath and sat down.
She had lived a life of leisure, but now, things were coming at her fast and furious. She should have thought about these things six months ago. Now, she was one day away from traveling to get married. Darn, those thoughts came like a flood. She moved over to a chair and sat down. She didn’t venture out much from her own little circle but she had heard a few unseemly things about the Trembly family. She’d paid no attention to them.
A maid came into the room, gave a slight bow, and asked if there was anything she wanted.
“A glass of wine, Matilda,” she said. “There’s a lot going on today, more so than I had imagined.”
She sat almost motionless until the maid came back and brought her the glass of wine. She took it and sipped. There’s a big difference, she thought, between thinking about a marriage and saying the vows and knowing you are stuck with this man for the rest of his life. She took another sip of the wine, and then another. When she finished the wine, she gave the glass back to the maid and asked for another.
Her mother came in the door and noticed there was something a little odd with her daughter.
“Are you all right, Geneva?” she said. “You look a bit…”
“Different?”
“Well… yes, a little. Sometimes, women get cold feet when the wedding approaches. Is that the problem?”
“Yes, not really cold feet. Let’s try ice feet. Like I’ve been to the North Pole. I have been living a rather charmed life. I was born rich. I won’t complain about it, except my groom, to me, is basically a stranger, and is so much older. How much do you know about the Trembly family?”
The maid came back into the room with another glass of wine. Geneva quickly took it from her fingers.
“I realize this is how arranged marriages are made and it’s still done in this century. But today it’s dawned on me that I am a part of that old custom.”
Her mother looked a bit puzzled and worried. “Why yes, dear, arranged marriages have been part of human custom for hundreds of years.”
“Without consent of the bride, or possibly the groom? I know nothing about the groom, or his family. All I know is that our families have been friends, or more likely acquaintances, for many years. I assume both sides have or will benefit from this. And I assume John will benefit in this transaction, but I’m wondering how I make out.”
“Geneva! How can you say such a thing? John Trembly would be welcomed in almost any family in the West. He brings with him a distinguished family name and rectitude.”
Geneva paused for a moment. “But I don’t know anything about him. And I’m the one who is going to marry him. I haven’t seen him in years and I know nothing about him. Nothing. I don’t want to marry a man I don’t know anything about. I don’t know if he’s a good man, and that’s something you need to know about your groom.”
Her mother’s voice held some irritation. “Geneva, our families have known each other for a long time, twenty years or more. That is enough to know. We haven’t stayed in constant touch because we were friends but there was some distance between where we lived.”
Yes.” She got up and walked to the window. A man riding a black and white horse had stopped at the house and tied his horse to the hitching rail. He was a tall man with a badge on his shirt. He walked up to the door.
She turned around and then heard the doorbell buzz.
Her mother turned to the maid. “Please answer it,” she said. Then she turned back to her daughter. “This little tirade of yours, Geneva, will gain you nothing. Our families have already made our pledges on this matter. You are to marry John Trembly and he is to marry you. That is all that needs to be said.”
The maid walked up the stairs and into the room. “Ma’am, the deputy from the sheriff’s office is here. He wants to know if you need help moving any boxes or packages.”
“Invite him up,” Geneva said. “Let’s get a third opinion in this case. An objective opinion.”
“We will not!” her mother said. “We will not breathe a word of this to an outsider. None.”
“Guess we should leave him outside. Of course, our staff would have to do all the loading,” she said, smiling.
Her mother stood up. “I will go down and talk with the deputy.”
“Oh, no. Let’s both go, Mother. We can both thank him for his help.”
***
Eli stopped just inside the door when he saw the mother and daughter come down the ornate stairs. He sensed some tension between the two, which was surprising since they were preparing for a trip and a wedding. He shrugged it off. They were planning important events and sometimes, in such situations, things could get busy.
Both women smiled at him and the daughter offered her hand as a greeting.
“I’m Geneva Sinclair,” she said.
“Deputy Eli McAllister, ma’am,” he said, shaking her hand. “I thought I would come by to see if you needed any help. Understand you’re traveling to Mountain Ridge.”
“Yes, I am. Thank you for dropping by and checking on us.”
“Yes, we appreciate your courtesy,” the mother said, in a much cooler tone.
“I also wanted to discuss the route with you when you have a minute.”
Geneva narrowed her eyes at him. “I have a minute now,” she said. “What about the route needs to be discussed? Please come in and sit down. Would you like a drink? We have wine and a bottle of whisky in the kitchen.”
Her mother’s eyebrows shot up. She looked horrified. Eli wondered if it was because her daughter had mentioned providing a drink to a commoner. Mrs. Sinclair looked averse to conversing with “common” people.
“Thank you, ma’am, but I don’t drink on duty. But there is something about the route that I need to tell you.”
“Come in, Deputy. We can sit at the dining room table.”
The three moved to the table. Mrs. Sinclair kept her eye on Eli as if he might smudge the fine burgundy tablecloth. But she gave a half-smile as she sat down.
“What is it about the route that you want to talk to us about?” she said.
“There are basically two routes to Mountain Ridge, and one goes over Everton Mountain. It’s a longer and more difficult route, so the travel will be slower. The much better route is the road around the mountain to Mountain Ridge. Most traffic, including stagecoaches or wagons or anything like that, take the route around the mountain; they don’t go over. If you’re carrying any valuables, and I’m guessing you will be, I would suggest we take the main road, too. It will take us to our destination and there shouldn’t be any problem at all.”
“Well, if that’s your advice, then I will go with your advice,” Geneva said. “And we are taking some valuable items. I am taking a number of pieces of jewelry that are expensive and, I guess, would be considered a good haul for outlaws. Although they would have to find a place to sell them unless they want to wear bracelets and necklaces.”
Eli smiled. “That’s a good point, but some trade with the Indians. Maybe they would like to trade for necklaces. It’s better to be safe than sorry. If I may ask, how many pieces of jewelry are you taking?”
“Probably several dozen.”
“And you, Mrs. Sinclair. Are you taking any jewelry?”
“Certainly. Although I am not sure how much yet,” she said.
Eli nodded. “Then our cargo, so to speak, may be valuable indeed. Have you mentioned to anybody that you will be taking jewelry with you?”
“I have mentioned to several friends we will be taking the pieces. I certainly want to make a good impression on the Trembly family.”
“And jewelry can do it?”
“Yes, it’s one way to leave an impression.”
“Are you traveling in a carriage to Mountain Ridge?”
“Yes, we have a carriage to ride in. And we have a driver that will, of course, be going with us.”
Eli didn’t particularly like the news but, even so, he smiled. He didn’t think of it at first but the two ladies would, of course, be traveling in a carriage. Geneva might be able to take a horse ride for several days, but her mother would not. While he wasn’t comfortable with the news, there was nothing he could do about it.
“And may I ask how much luggage you will be taking with you?”
“We have about a half-dozen pieces of luggage. We will be moving to Mountain Ridge when Geneva is married.”
He nodded. He didn’t mention his misgivings to the two ladies. He didn’t like carrying valuable items across the mountains. Outlaws targeted stagecoaches and other transport traveling over the mountain. Maybe the Sinclairs would not be ostentatious, but he had doubts about that. It would probably be rather noticeable. But he couldn’t replace their carriage, especially when they were leaving tomorrow.
“Yes, ma’am. Thanks for the information. Do you have people helping you load—”
“Yes, of course. Our servants will load the carriage,” Mrs. Sinclair said. “And we hope to leave early in the morning. It’s cooler then.”
“Yes, ma’am, it will be,” Eli said. “But the trail will be hot.”
“Thank you very much for going with us,” Geneva said. “We appreciate it. I guess it was silly to take a trip with jewels without protection and guards. I don’t believe we understand what we might get into. We should not be traveling alone.”
“Well, ma’am, that’s my job, and I’m glad to do it. And you do need some protection out there on the road. There have been random attacks on the passage around the mountain and there have been occasional attacks on the other path. It’s always good to be safe. As the saying goes, ‘Better safe than sorry.’”
“We certainly appreciate your dedication,” Geneva said. “I feel great appreciation knowing you’ll be with us.”
Mrs. Sinclair didn’t look happy with his presence, but he ignored her stern look.
“How early were you planning on leaving?”
“About eight,” Mrs. Sinclair said. “We want to be off promptly. The sooner we leave the sooner, we’ll get there, and Geneva’s new life will begin.”
He put on his hat, and tipped it to the ladies. “Eight o’clock it is. Let’s hope we’ll have a safe and smooth trip.”
Geneva offered her hand again to him. “With you traveling with us, I’m sure we will.”
***
Geneva watched the deputy leave, walking slowly down the steps, then easing over to the door and opening it.
“Geneva, you don’t have to watch the man wherever he goes. It’s unseemly.”
“He casts a long shadow, Mother.”
Mrs. Sinclair sighed, although it sounded more like an angry snicker. “I will be very glad that in about a week, he will be out of our lives and we will be preparing for your wedding.”
The line brought a frown to her lips. None of the questions she had spoken aloud earlier that morning had been answered. She might talk to John about the matter. He wouldn’t want to marry her without answering those questions, or at least spend time getting to know each other before they married. Perhaps a six-month postponement would be appropriate.
But after an alleged engagement a decade ago, you’d think he’d drop by sometimes to say hello. Right now, she was not feeling too favorable to her future husband. Besides she was not a stupid girl. She had heard the whispers about the family she was about to marry into. Just vague mutterings in the winds, but she realized there might be a dark side of the family. And, as of now, she didn’t think his behavior had been admirable.
Chapter Three
Eli was frowning when he walked back in the office. The sheriff was sitting at his desk, looking at wanted posters.
“You look worried, Eli. Something wrong?” the sheriff said.
He shook his head. “Not really anything wrong. Just one or two nagging questions.”
“What about?”
“Well, I am wondering how much money—not in cash, but in jewels—they are riding to Mountain Ridge with. That is a wealthy house. Even an ignorant cowboy like me can tell that. It sounds like Mrs. Sinclair might have bragged about it. Someone might think that would be an easy robbery.”
The sheriff listened and his eyes sparked with interest when Eli mentioned robbery. “You know, I didn’t think about that. The Sinclairs have lived here for a long time and they can be ostentatious about their wealth. Plus, we’re going to have two women along on the trip.”
Eli nodded. “That’s what I was thinking. I wonder if anyone thinks there’s going to be any protection.”
The sheriff scratched his jaw. “Do you know anyone who is dependable enough with a gun to take with you? We may need to have more than one man on this trip. Front and back. With the type of money the Sinclairs have, we might need east and west, too.”
Eli sat on the edge of his desk. “As it so happens, I saw an old friend in the saloon this afternoon. He must be passing through. I know he’s a good man with a gun. With a knife, too, for that matter. His name is Denver Vail. I’ll go see if I can find him.”
“By all means. There’s something about money when it’s being transported. It gives off a smell that lasts for fifty miles. Outlaws tend to hover around it.”
Eli laughed and started toward the door. He pointed toward the sheriff.
“Hey, what are you paying for this job? We don’t want any robberies, not with this amount of money.”
The sheriff nodded. “We’re gonna break the bank on this one. We’ll pay thirty dollars for the job, and you’ll get a ten-dollar bonus.”
“Sounds good. I’ll see what Denver says.”
***
Eli walked into the saloon and saw Denver eating his supper at a table. He was a tall man and well-built with black hair and pale eyes. When he saw Eli, he waved.
“Eli, come have dinner with me. I’ll buy!”
Eli walked over and shook his head.
“Hello, Denver. Good to see you again. I hoped you hadn’t left town. I wanted to talk to you.”
“Well, then sit a spell and talk to me. As I said, I’ll buy. Anything for a friend.”
He waved to a waitress and shouted he needed another steak.
Eli sat down. “I’m glad you said that. I want to offer you a job. Not a long job; it will take about a week’s time. And it pays thirty dollars.”
Denver gave a big smile. “Seven days of work for thirty dollars? That’s good pay. It must be dangerous.”
Eli nodded. “Maybe. The sheriff’s office needs to transport a wagon over to Mountain Ridge, and the wagon might be carrying some valuables. Well… they’re carrying some, we just don’t know how many.”
“That sounds odd.” He laughed again. “Tell me all about it.”
Eli told his friend of the trip to Mountain Ridge with two women and an unidentified amount of money. “We don’t know how much of their jewels they’re taking. I don’t think it will be too much, but they are a very rich family. I don’t think the matriarch would travel without some of the fortune.”
“Who knows she’s going?”
“A few people in the town.”
“But you don’t expect any trouble.”
Eli shook his head. “Not really. But we’re not sure so just in case, the sheriff and I thought we’d take an extra guard.”
The waiter brought a steak and put it before Eli. He grabbed a knife and fork and cut into the sizzling meat.
“Count me in,” Denver crowed. “That’s good money for a week’s work. And somebody would have to round up a gang quickly to steal it. Looks like the odds might be on our side.”
“I hope so. That would be nice.”
“Even so, you always need to take precautions. Probably a single bandit won’t try a robbery, but a gang might. And you have a few operating around here.” He shrugged. “Of course, I don’t know of any area that’s free of gangs. Is this young lady traveling alone?”
“She only has her mother with her and a driver. Plus me, and now you.”
“Well, I’m glad we’re leaving soon. I think the fewer people who know about this trip, the better. We’ll look like we’re escorting a family to see relatives or something. There would be no reason to think they’re carrying large amounts of money or jewelry. So hopefully, it will be a smooth, easy trip. When do we leave?”
“Tomorrow at eight. I can show you where the house is. If you can meet me there, we can take off as soon as we get loaded.”
“Sounds good to me. Don’t think I’ve ever had $30 dollars for a week’s work. I’ll remember this job.”
“I hope that’s the only reason you remember it. For the money and the easy trip.”
Chapter Four
The next morning, Eli was on his way to the Sinclair house when he saw Denver riding toward him. They smiled and said good morning as they headed for their destination.
“Well, we have a sunny day to travel,” Denver said. “No rain clouds. That’s aways a plus.”
Eli reached into his pocket and brought out a few bills, handing them to his friend. “You’re getting paid up front, Denver. I know you won’t run out on me. You’re a man of your world.”
Denver took the bill and slipped it into his wallet. “Thank you, my friend. I appreciate the trust you have in me. I hope the job will be as easy as it sounds.”
When they turned a corner, they saw the carriage in front of the Sinclair house. Several servants were putting suitcases and packages into the carriage.
Geneva was next to the carriage and waved at the two men. “Good morning!”
Eli tipped his hat. “Good morning, Geneva. Since we’re protecting some valuable jewels, I thought I would bring a friend to make sure every piece gets to its destination. I’m hoping no one suspects anything valuable is being shipped, but if they do, we’ll be ready. My friend Denver is a former lawman.”
“Good to have you along, Mr. Denver,” she said.
“Thank you, ma’am. And don’t worry about a thing. I’ve guarded more than one stagecoach or wagon or whatever was moving on the ground, and I haven’t lost one yet. I don’t intend to lose this one either,” he said.
“Thank you, Mr. Denver. We appreciate that.”
Eli nodded. “What Denver said is true. It will be a smooth trip,” he said.
The only person who looked grim and unsmiling was Mrs. Sinclair. She walked a bit nervously around the carriage before she entered and sat down on the cushions. He’d thought Mrs. Sinclair was gung-ho about the wedding and would be anxious to get her daughter to Mountain Ridge. But the woman might just not like traveling. Some people were like that. And there could be hazards in heading out on the trail.
But he still was puzzled. He rode up to her.
“Mrs. Sinclair. We’re almost ready to leave.”
She thanked him.
Denver joined him, smiling, and looked up into a clear blue sky.
“The weather looks good. No clouds, but there is some wind, which will cool things off. Want me to take the lead or do you want to head out first?”
“I will. But keep your eyes open and make sure there’s only routine traffic on the road. I don’t want any surprises on the trip.”
“Neither do I. There are times you like things to be routine.”
The driver eased into the seat, looking competent and no-nonsense. He also carried a gun, which surprised Eli. He rode over to the man and said hello.
“I’m Eli McAllister, deputy here,” he said and offered his head.
“Good to meet you,” the man said, shaking hands with him. “I’m Tom Holland. I’m not a deputy but I do a lot of odd jobs.”
“I noticed you carry a gun. Are you expecting trouble?”
Holland laughed and shook his head. “I never want trouble but life has taught me to expect it, so I keep ready. This carriage looks very nice. I’m thinking some random outlaw might think the people in it have money, So the gun is merely here for safety.”
“Hope you won’t have to use it.”
“I hope so, too. But I’m glad we have a deputy with us. With a friend. I’m guessing he’s good with a gun, too.”
Eli nodded. “He is.”
He rode to the carriage and tipped his hat to Mrs. Sinclair and Geneva.
“I think we’re ready, Mrs. Sinclair. Are you ready to be off?”
Eli was surprised when the gruff woman actually spoke a few syllables that sounded human.
“Yes, but I would like to ask if we could stop every one or two hours. I am not as young as I used to be and I may need a brief rest every hour or so. When you get old, you think you can do things, but then you wear out.” She shook her head. “So if we could stop…”
“Of course,” Eli said. “Don’t worry. I’m sure all of us will need a stop or two. Whenever you get tired, just let us know and we’ll take a break. Be sure to have a few handkerchiefs, too. There may be some dust on the road.”
He rode back to the driver. “Come on. Let’s go.”
***
They saw a few people on the road who waved and smiled as they passed. A wagon with a mother and father and three kids drove past, the three kids fanatically waving and saying hello. A few solitary riders rode by and nodded their heads. A stagecoach slowed down and the driver tipped his hat to the coach.
Eli sighed and turned back to pass by Geneva again. He didn’t know how he ever thought she was a brat. She was a very nice young woman. But her mother seemed to be the type of relative a family would keep in the basement when company came.
He stopped his horse and wiped his face and brow with a bandana. He smiled and waved at Geneva as she rolled by in the wagon. Mrs. Sinclair maintained her stony glance. Gosh, the girl had had to live with that type of money all her life. There goes a happy childhood. He was beginning to both like and admire Geneva. She was a fine woman and her voice almost always had a light, humorous tone.
He grabbed a canteen and took a swig.
“A Bounty of Betrayal” is an Amazon Best-Selling novel, check it out here!
Deputy Eli McAllister is a lawman who believes in order and the straightforward nature of his duties. But when he’s tasked with escorting Geneva Sinclair, a young woman on the verge of her 18th birthday, to her wedding, he’s thrust into an assignment filled with unexpected perils. Why is this mission different? Because on Geneva’s birthday, she stands to inherit a fortune that many would kill for…
He doesn’t realize what he signed up for…
Geneva Sinclair finds herself caught in an arranged marriage to an heir of a dubious lineage, that would transfer her wealth to him. As her nuptials approach, doubt creeps in. What truths lie hidden behind his intent gaze, and what do his shadowy connections mean for her future?
Adulthood is much harder than she assumed…
The very essence of the Wild West – trust, honor, and survival – is tested, as Eli and Geneva navigate a treacherous path riddled with greed and betrayal. Can Eli uphold his duty and protect Geneva in the unforgiving land? With powerful and deadly men after them, will unexpected feelings between the two change the course of their fates?
“A Bounty of Betrayal” is a historical adventure novel of approximately 60,000 words. No cliffhangers, only pure unadulterated action.
Hi there, I hope you enjoyed this sneak peek of my latest story! I will be impatiently waiting for your comments below.