Savage Desires (1st in Savage Series)

Chapter Seven

Allie grabbed her suitcase and opened her bedroom door, wincing as it creaked on its rusty hinges. She looked up and down the deserted hallway and breathed a sigh of relief when she didn't hear anyone else stirring. She tiptoed quietly down the stairs and out the front door.

The city streets were deserted at this early hour. A thick fog was in the air and Allie's skin and pink traveling dress became damp within seconds as she walked at a fast pace down the road. When the train station came into view she reached into her pocket and closed her hand around the money she had stolen from her parents.

She let out a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding and walked into the station. The clerk looked sleepy as she walked up to the counter.

"What can I do for you, darlin'?" he asked politely.

"I need a ticket to Great Valley, Montana." she said in a quiet shaky voice. The clerk's blue eyes widened behind his thick glasses and he looked around the empty station.

"Where are you parents?" he asked. Allie just shrugged and felt panic creeping in. She did not know what she would do if he refused to sell her a ticket. She had to get out of Virginia and get to her sister in Montana before her parents had time to go through with their plan.

She had heard them talking just a few nights ago. They were getting in too deep with their debts again and while Allie was too young to be sold into marriage like Lily had been, she was not too young to be sold into servitude and that was their plan.

"How old are you, darlin'?" he asked gently.

"Thirteen."

"Darlin' you need to go on home." he said matter of factly. Allie shook her head and pulled all the money from her pocket and threw it up on the counter. The man's eyes widened when he saw the pile of bills and coins.

"Please help me. I can't go home… I need to get to Great Valley, Montana. That is where my older sister is. She is nineteen and she can take care of me." The man studied her for several long minutes with sympathetic eyes and she prayed that he wasn't going to turn her away.

"Put your money away, darlin', I'll take care of your ticket. You remind me of my daughter and I don't know what has you so scared but I want to help you out." Allie nearly cried with relief.

"Thank you so much." she gasped.

"The train will be here in about an hour but I'm afraid it won't take you all the way to Great Valley. They don't have any trains out there. You'll have to take the train to Helena, that's a ten day ride and then take a stage coach to Great Valley. It's about three or four days ride northwest I believe." The man handed her a ticket for the train and Allie thanked him again before walking out the back door of the train station and sitting down on a bench to wait on the train.

"Darlin?" Allie looked up and realized the man had followed her outside.

"Yes?" she asked, wrapping her arms tight around herself.

"Why don't you tell me your sisters name and I can send word to Great Valley that you're coming. It would make me feel a heck of a lot better about sending a little girl out on her own."

"Lily Jackson… No I mean Lily Yeary. She's married now." The man nodded and handed her something wrapped in brown paper.

"Some bread and sausage links. My wife made them and I can promise you now that you've never had better."

"Thank you for everything you've done for me." Allie replied. He nodded again, gave her a warm smile and then walked back into the station.

An hour later after Allie was settled into her seat she thought about her older sister. Allie had never met the man that their parents had basically sold Lily too. All she knew about him was that his name was Nathan Yeary. She hoped that her sister had found happiness and she hoped that Nathan would welcome her into their home.