Flower of My Heart
1894
Lilly struggled trying to regain her freedom from Carson's grasp. They had been riding for what seemed like hours. Finally, Carson came to a stop and pulled Lilly down from the horse and shook her violently.
"That's enough missy. Your father sold you to Mr. Crabtree fair and square. It's up to me to see that you're safely delivered."
"My father would never do anything of the sort," Lilly protested.
"Your father made a bargain with Mr. Crabtree, remember? He has controling interest in your father's shipping company in rare goods; very rare goods. That includes you."
Lilly stared at the man agasped. "My father would never trade in people. He was a farmer. He never owned a shipping company."
"Well your father had some secrets that you probably didn't know about, girl."
Lilly again tried to struggle from Carson's grasp, not wanting to believe that her father would do such a thing. She gave Carson a swift kick to the shins and was rewarded with his sudden howl of pain and his meaty hands releasing her arms. She tried to run back the way they had ridden, but Carson was on her like a pack of wolves. Lilly struck Carson across the face, again trying to free herself, and in turn was struck back by the back of Carson's hand. She fell heavily to the ground, her dress getting caught on a nearby branch. As Carson pulled her to her feet, her dress tore, leaving a small patch of cloth behind. He drug her back to his horse and pulled from one of the saddle bags a length of rope and tied her hands together. He in turn tied the rope to the saddle horn and remounted.
"Maybe dragging you through the dirt for a time will change your tune. There's someone waiting in China for you and I'm not going back empty handed."
Carson pulled on the rope, pulled his horse around, and began the rest of their journey with Lilly stumbing as best she could from behind.
As Lilly let Carson's horse pull her along, she could not help thinking of Matthew and even of Caine. Surely Matthew was dead by now from Carson's bullet and Caine would never know that something had happened to her. She would be just one more woman who disappeared without a trace. How could this nightmare have happened? Was her father really ill? Did he really deal in white slavery? Did Matthew actually betray her? No, that was impossible. Her father would never do such a thing. Carson had to be lying, but why? There had to be a way to learn the truth. Then her mind drifted back to a time when she was a young girl, barely a woman of 18. The memory was distant and far. The conversation barely heard above a whisper. She remembered two men had visited her father. One in particular had been watching her with great interest. It was then she realized that one of them was Carson, but he looked different then.
****Flashback****
"Your daughter is growing into a beautiful woman, sir. Might I inquire about her future?"
"My only wish for her is to be happy," Ian Montgomery replied.
"But I have heard your daughter sing. She has the voice of a nightingdale. Many would pay hamdsomely to hear such a voice."
"Who are you, sir?"
"Jacob Crabtree," the flamboyently dressed man held out his hand. "This is my associate, Douglas Carson. He runs my holdings and acquires rare goods for me for clients abroad."
"There are those who would pay for just such a rare find," Douglas Carson stated and winked at his associate.
"What are you driving at?" Mr. Montgomery queried suspisciously.
"I understand Mr. Montgomery, that you have acquired a great deal of dept. I heard that you yourself were once in the shipping business and that is now failing."
"You heard wrong, sir. It was my brother."
"We have spoken with your brother, sir. It seems he has met with an unfortunate accident. He will no longer be working his shipping business. Perhaps you might be more willing to negotiate a trade?" Mr. Carson's eyes fell again on the young woman who sat by the window working on her needlepoint then caught Mr. Crabtree's eye. Both nodded to each other.
Jacob Crabtree cleared his throat. "What my friend Mr. Carson is saying is he heard that your brother may be selling the property and he would be willing to pay a fair market price for it . . . along with any cargo that was left behind. Since you seem to have no interest in shipping, you could continue to farm and when your daughter comes of age, perhaps we might be able to help in realizing her dreams."
"Why should my daughter be involved?" Mr. Montgomery asked.
"Let's just say we would be happy to assist her in any way that we can. A voice such as hers should not go to waste. If she wishes to make a career of her musical talent, we could become her sponsors. Would you like us to draw up the papers? We could have them ready this afternoon."
"I'll think about it."
*****End of Flashback*****
It was strange recalling the memory. Nothing suggested that there had been any bargain that had been struck. She had not realized that her Uncle had ever owned a shipping company. What she remembered about him was sketchy at best. He would come for visits, bringing her gifts from far off places. Nothing suggested that even he was into white slavery which seemed to be what Carson was now implying with his words. A chill ran through Lilly as she recalled the rest of her memories. After that conversation had taken place, a couple days later, they found her Uncle dead. Shot through the heart. No one had witnessed who it was that committed the crime. The next day, her father received a letter. It had been written by her Uncle just days before he had been killed. Something in that letter disturbed her father. She recalled the fear she had seen in his eyes. They moved soon after from outside of San Francisco to Pinedale, not far from the Wyoming territory. It was as if her father became afraid for his life. He never spoke of that day again. Suddenly, Lilly was jerked off her feet by the pulling of the rope binding her hands. Pain shot through her as she was dragged through scrub brush and cacti, her dress being torn and dirtied beyond repair. She managed to get back on her feet, but not before she lost a shoe in the process. Doing her best to not let Carson see her fear, Lilly realized this was not the time to reflect on old memories. For now, she had no way of escaping. Maybe there would be an opportunity later. In the mean time, there had to be something more she could learn.
End of Part 10
Alisa Joaquin Copyright@2000.
This story cannot be reprinted or sold in any other form without strict permission from
the author. It is being distributed here solely for your enjoyment.
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