Twice Blessed (37 page)

“What makes you believe this Mrs. Cooper has anything to do with Mrs. Sawyer? Emma is not an uncommon name.”

“You need only ask her yourself, your honor. She is under oath.”

Mr. Evans came to his feet. “Your honor, Mrs. Sawyer isn't on trial here.”

“That's true,” Judge Purchase replied, “but the question has been raised. It's impossible to rule in this case without confirming or denying this information.”

Noah stood. “Your honor, there must be another way to deal with Belinda's custody without besmirching Emma's name. She's respected by one and all in Haven. If she—”

“I'll answer the question,” Emma said quietly.

“Emma!” He came around the table. “Think what you're about to do.”

“I've thought about it. I've thought about it for seven long years.”

“Mr. Sawyer,” Judge Purchase said, “you and your attorney should be seated. You, too, Mr. Jacobs. Mrs. Sawyer is willing to answer this question, and it behooves us to give her the opportunity.” His voice grew gentle and a bit sad as he turned to her and said, “You may say as little or as much as you wish, Emma. Your husband's attorney is correct. You are not on trial here.”

“But she'll be soon in Kansas,” chortled Gilson.

The judge pounded his gavel against the table. “Mr. Jacobs, you will instruct Mr. Gilson to be silent unless addressed from the bench, or I'll have him removed.”

“Yes, your honor,” Mr. Jacobs said before bending to whisper something in Gilson's ear. Both men grinned.

“Emma?” the judge asked.

She smiled as she saw Belinda clamber back up into Noah's lap when he sat again behind the table. Over Belinda's head, he met her gaze. All she had to do was open her heart and let him into the places she had thought she would keep closed and safe forever. She did not want safety any longer. She wanted to become part of life again, not just existing but living with those she loved … those who loved her. She did not need a haven, other than the one in his arms.

Her voice did not tremble as she said, “I'm the woman written about in that article.”

Gasps sounded around the room, but everyone became silent, not wanting to miss what else she might say.

“I was married to Miles Cooper,” she continued. “I didn't know of his crimes until he was caught. However, it was assumed that I must have known, because I was his wife. He was hanged by a mob the night before his trial. Then the mob came in search of me. I slipped out of the house where I was being imprisoned while my guards were trying to halt the lynch mob. Then I ran. As far and as fast as I could, hoping my past would never catch up with me. It has.” She took a steadying breath. “Noah knew nothing of this when he married me. Why would he have married me if he had? He'd have known he jeopardized Belinda's future if he married a woman who was wanted as an accomplice to bank robbery in Kansas. So don't condemn him. My past has nothing to do with his ability to be Belinda's guardian … her father.”

Mr. Jacobs rose again. “We appreciate Mrs. Sawyer being so forthcoming, your honor, but we disagree with her assessment of Mr. Sawyer's capability to be Miss Sawyer's guardian. He made a huge mistake in judgment in marrying this woman. If he didn't know of her involvement in those crimes when he married her, he mostly certainly did afterward. You saw him. He wasn't surprised by our questions, simply upset that she would answer them. He should have taken Miss Sawyer out of Mrs. Sawyer's care the moment he discovered the truth.”

Emma feared her heart had stopped beating. She had not thought the truth would do more damage. “Your honor, you can't let my mistakes become Noah's.”

“You have put me in a very difficult situation, Mrs. Sawyer,” Judge Purchase said.

Her shoulders sagged as he addressed her so formally once more. Everything was lost. She could tell by his regretful tone. He had been looking for a way—any way—to help her and Noah.

“I fear I have no choice under these circumstances,” the judge said, “but to—”

“Wait!” called a voice from the back of the courtroom. “Before you make your judgment, your honor, you may want to see this.”

With a cry as she saw a man and a woman she had feared she would never see again, Emma jumped to her feet. “Leatrice! Howard!”

Her sister and brother pushed their way through the crowd toward the bench as Judge Purchase hit his gavel on the table and called out, “Let them through, or I shall clear this courtroom of all spectators. Mrs. Sawyer, please sit down. The same for the rest of you.” He frowned and asked, “Who are you two?”

Emma bit her lip as her brother gave her a quick smile before replying, “Your honor, I am Howard Stephenson. This is Leatrice Bridges. We are Emma Cooper's brother and sister.”

“Yes, I see the resemblance, but I need proof of that.”

Howard handed the judge a page. “You'll see that is an affidavit signed and witnessed by Judge Michaels. He said you know him.”

“Yes, we read law together in St. Louis.” Scanning it, he said, “I'll take his word that you are Mrs. Sawyer's brother and sister. You said you had something to show me.”

Howard drew out several more pages and placed them on the table. “You will see, your honor, that not only has our sister been declared innocent of any crimes, but the bank president has signed this letter of apology for his false accusations. All are in agreement that Emma had nothing to do with Miles Cooper's crimes.”

“So I see.” Judge Purchase put the pages onto the table and squared his shoulders. “This puts everything in a completely different light.”

Mr. Jacobs jumped up. “But, your honor, Mrs. Sawyer fled without waiting for justice. Someone who runs away at the first hint of trouble isn't a good guardian for the child.”

“Would you have remained to be lynched, Mr. Jacobs?” returned the judge. “Avoiding that seems to me to be a sign of great intelligence and good judgment.”

“I still argue Mr. Sawyer should have come forward about this as soon as he knew of it.”

Judge Purchase asked quietly, “Did you ever believe your wife was guilty of these crimes, Mr. Sawyer?”

Noah held Belinda as he stood. “No. I admit I was shocked when Emma told me the truth and hurt that she hadn't been willing to share this with me before she did, but I never believed she was guilty. How could anyone who has seen how she deals so fairly and honestly at her store believe she had been part of a scheme to rob banks?”

The judge hit his gavel on the table. “I've heard enough. Sit down, Mr. Jacobs, while I give you my judgment.” He waited until the room was silent before saying, “In light of what I've heard here and what I heard when Mr. Gilson was brought before me last Sunday, I judge there is enough evidence to send this custody order back to Illinois to be reheard. In the meantime, I believe it would do great damage to Miss Sawyer to have her in anyone's custody but Mrs. Sawyer's until the custody can be reheard. So, until that time, temporary custody of Miss Belinda Sawyer is with Mrs. Noah Sawyer.”

Cheers came from every direction but the table where Gilson and his attorney sat. They stood and tried to walk out as the spectators rushed forward.

Emma stood and said, “Thank you so much, Judge Purchase.”

“You didn't make it easy for me.” He smiled at her sister and brother. “Thank heavens you got here when you did.”

“The train was late coming into Haven,” her brother said.

“
You
were the ones Noah was looking for?” Emma looked toward the table where Noah had sat, but she could not see him through the crowd gathered around it.

Leatrice began to weep as she flung her arms around Emma. Howard put his arms around both of them. Hoping that this was not a dream that had come to banish the seven-year-old nightmare, Emma clung to them.

“How did you know where to find me?” she asked.

Handing a handkerchief to Leatrice, who was sobbing loudly, Howard said, “We didn't find you. Noah Sawyer found us.” He looked past her. “We're more grateful than you know, Mr. Sawyer.”

Emma whirled to discover Noah behind her. “You did that for me after all the horrible things I said?” she asked.

“Actually I started looking for them
before
you said all those things.” He grinned. “But what you said was not entirely untrue.”

Her happiness foundered. “You married me because—”

“I thought you'd make a good mother for Belinda. I told you that.”

“Yes, you did.” How could her heart be joyous and sad at the same time?

He put Belinda on the chair where Emma had been sitting. “And I married you because I love you, Emma. I know you have no reason to believe another man you think has been using you for his own ends, but, if you believe nothing else in your life, believe that I love you.” He framed her face with his broad hands. Tilting her face up toward his, he whispered, “I don't think either of us can deny that what we share is love, Emma.”

“I do love you.”

“If you think I am saying this only because of Belinda, you're wrong. I know it will help in the custody battle still ahead that Belinda has a father
and
a mother, but that isn't the real reason I asked you to marry me. I could have found other ways to defeat Gilson. If I wanted to hurt you, Emma, that could be the way, but I don't want you hurt ever again. I accused Sean of being a thief, but you were the one who stole my heart with the gleam of your green eyes and your impish smile. I love you, sweetheart.”

“And I love you. More than I ever thought I could love any man.”

“Really? No doubts this time?”

“Really. No doubts.” She laughed. “But I'm going to need you to keep convincing me of that, Noah, for the rest of our lives.”

“Something I will be glad to do, sweetheart.” He bent to kiss her.

Before he could, Sean rushed up with a squeal to hug Emma, then Noah. Belinda jumped down from the chair, giggled, and threw her arms around Emma.

Over their heads, Noah cupped her chin and said, “Let's go home, sweetheart. We'll celebrate with everyone and then we'll celebrate alone.”

Smiling, she took Belinda's hand and Noah's. He grabbed Sean's and led the way out of the courtroom.

“Noah! Noah!” Kenny pushed his way toward them. “The message from New York City finally came through.”

Noah took it and read it quickly. Handing it to Emma, he smiled. She read the few words and, for the first time since she had left Kansas, surrendered to tears. Even when the others asked her what was wrong, she could not speak. She put her arms around Noah and wept for all the times she had given up on ever finding happiness. As Noah's lips found hers, she feared her heart would burst with happiness.

“Are you going to be able to stop crying long enough to share the good news with everyone?” he asked quietly.

She shook her head, then nodded with a laugh as he kept his arm around her when she looked at the children staring at her in amazement. Her family. Excitement glowed on their faces as she gave the slip of paper to Sean to read.

All the rough times were not behind them, she knew, but she never would have to fight her battles alone ever again. The good tidings and the trouble would be shared. As she looked up at Noah, she drew his mouth to hers and lost herself in the exquisite joy that had been hers for longer than she had trusted herself to believe.

EPILOGUE

Through the warm rain, the train pulled into the Haven, Indiana, station with a cloud of steam and a ringing bell. The conductor jumped down from the third car back. Turning, he held out his hand to help a woman and a child down the steep stairs to the platform. The woman thanked him as she adjusted her stylish bonnet and looked in both directions along the seemingly empty platform.

A door from the station burst open, and another child raced out. He paused, then turned and motioned to a little girl. Grabbing her hand, he almost pulled her off her feet as she tried to keep up with his longer legs. He did not let her hand go as he threw his other arm around the child who had stepped off the train.

As the three of them twirled about in a merry dance and collapsed into a giggling pile, the woman smiled at the wide-eyed conductor and stepped around them. She walked toward the station and held her hand out to another woman who was watching the children with a happy smile.

“I am Miss Black,” she said. “You must be Mrs. Sawyer.”

“Yes, I am.” Emma took the woman's hand and shook it. She knew she should introduce the woman to Noah, but she could not pull her gaze from the jumble of children on the damp platform. This week had brought the news that Gilson was abandoning his claim for custody of Belinda because he could not afford to have his crimes made public in Chicago and all charges against Noah had been dropped and the tidings that this train was finally on its way. Once she had not believed she could be blessed with so much happiness, a family and a husband who loved her. This week she was being twice blessed.

Sean untangled himself from the pile and led both children back to where Emma and Noah stood. He grinned widely, although he was crying at the same time, and said, “This is Emma, and that is Noah. Emma is my mother now, and Noah is my father.” He sniffed, wiped his nose on his sleeve, and then said, “Emma, this is my sister.” He smiled at Belinda before correcting himself. “My
other
sister, Maeve.”

Squatting in front of the little girl, Emma put one hand over the fingers Noah settled on her shoulder as she said, “Welcome to Haven, Maeve.”

“Haven?” the little girl asked, uncertain.

Emma blinked back her own tears. From the moment Kenny had come to the courtroom with the telegram that the Children's Aid Society had found Sean's little sister, they had been waiting eagerly for Maeve's arrival. Now, at last, the little girl was here.