“You don’t know how good it does me to see you both,” Jeremy said in a choked voice the second the guard stepped back to the corner and Stuart returned to stand near Norah.
Norah wanted so badly to stand and embrace her brother, but not knowing precisely what was allowed, she forced herself to remain seated. “I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner. I wish I had.” She paused. “Our parents don’t know I’m here.”
Jeremy winced slightly, and whether it was because she’d broken the rules to visit him or because he now knew Mama and Papa hadn’t allowed it, she didn’t know. He glanced up at Stuart. “Thank you for bringing her.”
Stuart said nothing. He stood like that wall of stone outside—tall, arms crossed, impenetrable expression. Norah bit her lip and wished he’d say something, even if it wasn’t kind.
Finally, he inclined his head slightly in answer to Jeremy’s gratitude. Jeremy studied him a moment before turning back to Norah.
“How is everyone at home?”
“They’re all well. Charles and Mary are expecting a baby early next year.”
Jeremy grinned at the news of their older brother becoming a father.
“Are you all right here?” Norah asked, resting her hands on the table and leaning forward. “Do they treat you well? I’ve worried so much about you.”
“I get enough to eat. Working in the quarry makes the days pass more quickly.” His voice was subdued, and Norah’s heart clenched. He’d been so proud of his job at the depot, where he’d engaged with railroad passengers and businesses needing to ship freight all over the country. He would have become stationmaster in a few years when Mr. Rose stepped down. And now he spent his days chipping away at rock.
Norah looked down at her hands, encased in a pair of new white gloves. She had everything she needed and the freedom to go where she chose, within reason.
Jeremy used to have all of that too. He wouldn’t have given it all up willingly. She’d been certain of that when he was first arrested, and she’d grown even more certain over the passage of time.
She looked up and met Jeremy’s eyes. “Will you tell me what happened? I heard you didn’t even defend yourself at the trial.”
Stuart shifted next to her, but he remained silent. He wanted to know too, Norah was almost certain. She knew he hadn’t been in attendance at the trial either. He might believe Jeremy was guilty, but he wanted to hear the words from him.
Jeremy sat back, his shoulders drooping. He glanced at the guard near the door as if trying to determine whether to speak in front of him. “I did nothing wrong,” he finally said in a low voice.
She waited for him to say more, but he didn’t. She leaned forward again, lowering her voice. “I don’t understand. And I don’t believe you’re capable of . . . ofmurderinganyone, much less some innocent railroadman.”
Jeremy wouldn’t meet her eyes. “You’re correct.”
“And? You must give me more than that, Jeremy!” She needed to know the whole of the truth.
“That’s all I can say.” He finally looked up at her again. “It’s enough for me to know you believe me. It will make the days here easier.”
Norah wanted to leap up and slam her hands on the table. Irritation shot through her as she forced herself to remain seated. Coming here, all she’d wanted was the truth. But now, knowing that, she needed more. She wanted details, an explanation, all the information he could provide.
She wanted to help him. But how could she possibly do that if he wouldn’t say more?
“Why can’t you tell me anything else? I want to know what happened. Your family deserves to know the circumstances. Else how can we . . . How can I—”
A hand on her shoulder cut off her words. She looked up, startled, to find Stuart gazing back at her with an expression of wariness. He shook his head just ever so slightly, and Norah swallowed her words.
He removed his hand, taking back a comfortable weight that kept her tethered to reason. “We know enough,” he said, his eyes now on Jeremy. “You abandoned your family and your true friends for false promises of wealth. You threw away a good life to take what you wanted. A mandiedbecause of your greed, Parker.”
“Stuart!” Norah protested. His words were so cold. She thought he’d stopped her because he suspected there was some reason Jeremy wouldn’t give them more of the truth. But he was letting his anger overcome his sense. If he could only remember who Jeremy was, he’d know her brother was telling the truth. If he would only give Jeremy the benefit of the doubt, then perhaps they could learn more.
Perhaps they couldhelphim.
Jeremy closed his eyes at Stuart’s words, and Norah could only imagine how much they hurt him. But he said nothing to defend himself.
“It’s true,” Stuart said to Norah before looking back toward Jeremy. “She’d be much better off if you told her the truth rather than hiding behind lies of innocence.” Although his voice was edged in ice, a current of sadness ran beneath it. Norah hadn’t noticed it before, but the way Stuart caught his breath after speaking, and the way he clenched his jaw as if he were forcing down emotion gave it away.
And it was no wonder. Jeremy had been his closest friend. And by all appearances, Jeremy had tossed aside that friendship with nary a glance behind him.
But this was a good sign. It meant Stuartwantedto believe Jeremy, despite everything he’d told himself.
