Chapter Three
THE HIGH STONE WALLsurrounding the Colorado State Penitentiary—which everyone in Cañon City still referred to as the Territorial Prison—was so imposing that part of Norah simply wanted to turn around and return home.
But Stuart was at her side, her arm tucked around his in a gentlemanly manner, and his presence gave her courage. He didn’t want to be here, yet she and Ruthann had talked him into it. She wouldn’t waste his time with cowardice.
Besides, seeing Jeremy was worth a few moments of fear.
Thankfully, Stuart did the talking for her as they approached the guards. They were let inside, and he paid the fee required before Norah could fumble for the funds in her reticule. After being informed they could not return again for three months, they were led to a room empty of everything except a table and two chairs.
“Are you all right?” Stuart asked as soon as the door closed behind the guard who had gone to fetch Jeremy.
“Yes,” she replied, clasping her hands together to keep them from trembling.
Stuart pulled out one of the chairs at the table, gesturing for her to sit. Norah gratefully sank into it. “It is an intimidating place, isn’t it?” he mused.
Norah nodded. Her worries were now more related to Jeremy than to the prison itself. How did he survive here? It had been so long—what would he look like when she saw him? What if he didn’t want to see her?
Her throat clenched at the last thought. To distract herself, she looked up at Stuart, who stood beside her with his arms crossed, facing the door.
“Do you suppose they’re fed well here?” she asked.
“I presume so. They keep hogs, and every time I’ve seen the men working outside these walls, they didn’t appear to be starving.”
Well, that was at least one less thing to worry about.
The minutes ticked by. What was taking so long? Norah twisted her hands together, over and over, as if the motion would ensure Jeremy’s prompt arrival.
A large hand covered hers, pressing gently.
Her hands stilled instantly. The warmth of Stuart’s palm, even through her gloves, was comforting. The second he pulled his hand away, she wished he hadn’t.
“He’ll want to see you,” he said. “If you’re worried that he won’t.”
Norah looked up at him in surprise. How had he known exactly what she was thinking? “What if he’s angry with me for not writing or visiting before this?”
Stuart shook his head. He squatted down until he was eye-level with her. “He won’t be. If he has a shred of decency left, he’ll have understood your position.”
Stuart spoke with such assurance that Norah nodded. His eyes held hers, and she was reminded of the way she’d lost her ability to speak two days ago when he’d looked at her so intently. She couldn’t have spoken now either, but the way he looked at her made her feel as if everything would work out as it should.
The door creaked open, and Stuart stood quickly. He stepped forward, not directly in front of Norah, but just far enough to be protective. She barely registered his actions before her gaze caught Jeremy.
He was leaner than he’d been two years ago, but in a way that indicated he was working harder than he had when he’d held his job at the railroad depot. He wore the striped clothing of a prisoner, and his light brown hair was more neatly trimmed than it had ever been. But his eyes . . .
It took everything inside of Norah not to gasp and cover her mouth. Instead, she pressed her hands against her knees as her brother’s sad, empty eyes began to fill with a light she doubted they’d had since he’d arrived here.
A smile grew across his face as the guard indicated he should sit in the chair opposite Norah. It was as if her very presence gave him a reason to go on living.
As Stuart spoke briefly with the guard, Norah returned Jeremy’s smile. But her heart ached with the action. How long had he waited for someone to come visit with him only to be disappointed every day?
Any guilt she had about deceiving her parents vanished. Jeremy needed this, and Norah wished she’d come sooner.
