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Her heart fell when his lips turned down in another frown. She had offended him again. He started to turn away even as he spoke. “Yes, of course. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
She watched his retreating back for a moment before she rushed down the stairs, chest burning. As always, she had made a fool of herself in front of a handsome man. She chided herself for letting her imagination run away with her. What had made her think she could be lighthearted and playful with him? And she was a fool for imagining there could have been a spark of interest in his eyes. Simon was only in Spring Hill to do his job. And he didn’t seem very happy about it.
* * *
Simon rose early the next day, feeling like he hadn’t rested at all. He always slept poorly the night before placing out children. He couldn’t help worrying about the orphans, about the people who would come to look them over and about his own feelings getting in the way. He wanted nothing more than for each child to find a happy, loving home, but that didn’t always happen. And those instances haunted him.
Stepping into the hotel lobby, he was startled to see Miss Wright standing next to her travel bag, bonnet in hand. She met his gaze with a stubborn expression. “Mr. McKay, I’m sorry to inform you that I’m leaving. This trip is more than I can handle. I’ve made arrangements to leave on the stagecoach this morning.”
It took several seconds before Simon could respond. “What do you mean you’re leaving? We’re placing out the children today. I need your help.”
The woman’s eyes shifted away. At least maybe she felt a hint of remorse for threatening to leave him shorthanded. “I simply can’t stay. These frontier towns—with the dust and the rough people—are getting to be too much. I’m going back to Chicago to stay with my daughter.”
Pressure built in Simon’s chest, making his head throb. “Miss Wright, please. You know we’re supposed to check in on the families in pairs. What am I supposed to do if you leave?”
Her face softened a minuscule amount but her voice was still firm. “You can find someone trustworthy here, I’m sure. Perhaps that young schoolmarm. She seems competent. I don’t know, but it’s no longer my concern.”
It was clear that she wasn’t going to change her mind and Simon refused to beg her to stay. The last thing he wanted to do was to ask the lovely teacher to spend hours riding out to rural homes by his side. But that was starting to look like his only option. “Fine, Miss Wright. I wish you the best and will pray you have safe travels.”
He whipped around and went straight to the hotel desk. It took several minutes, but he managed to convince the young man there to keep an eye on the children during their breakfast. Then he left the hotel and walked to the small school, where they would gather the orphans and prospective parents later. If he waited a bit, maybe he could intercept Cecilia before anyone else arrived and he could ask for her help in private. But, to his surprise, the door was cracked open. He peeked in and saw that Cecilia was already there. Tension tightened his shoulders.
Their first meeting yesterday had not been his best moment. Her stormy blue eyes and tall, slender frame had caught his attention and that was something he couldn’t have. Distraction led to mistakes. And he had too many young lives in his care to let mistakes happen. No, he had realized that his life traveling the rails would never mix well with women and marriage. So he had to keep his mind off them.
But it hadn’t taken any time at all to see that Cecilia cared about the orphans and getting them placed in good homes. Now that he found himself in a situation where he needed help, she might be his best prospect in this town. He had to pull himself together and keep her on his side.
Pushing away from the door frame, Simon cleared his throat to make his presence known. Cecilia turned, eyes wide with surprise. “Oh, I didn’t know you were here. I wanted to get an early start on clearing space so everything will be ready when the children arrive.”
Simon joined her near the front of the room and took hold of the other end of the desk she was getting ready to move. “Let me help you. I appreciate the work you and the town are putting into this. There aren’t many places that try this hard to make us feel welcome.”
Cecilia’s pretty smile distracted him for a moment and he almost smashed his toe on the leg of the desk. He tensed again. Another mistake due to distraction.
“We’re pleased to have you all here and want to make sure we show it. The residents of Spring Hill are quite proud to be able to help a few of those unfortunate street children.”
Swallowing a surge of irritation at her description of the children, Simon forced himself to remember that she meant well. Many people did, they just didn’t understand the experiences these children had already been through in their short years. But Simon understood all too well and he hated the pity in the voices of those who claimed they cared.
With some effort, he let the comment pass and helped her to carry the desk across the room. Cecilia had already shoved several up against the wall. He helped her move the rest of the desks and, in no time, the room was clear and ready for a crowd. Cecilia wiped her forehead with the back of one hand and stretched her shoulders. “Well, it looks like the hard part is done.”
Walking to the front of the room, Simon wished it could be that easy. The hardest part for him was still to come. “We’ll have the children line up here, where prospective parents can see them. Your approval committee will be present?”
She turned to point at the table they’d arranged in the back of the room. “Yes, and they’ve already selected a good number of families. We shouldn’t have any trouble placing out all of the children.”
Nervousness tightened Simon’s chest. Although many towns were able to approve parents by a committee beforehand, there was always a chance that one of the children would be placed in a home where they wouldn’t be treated well. He swallowed hard around the dry lump in his throat. He couldn’t bear to see any of the children abused. Like Michael.
Shaking off the unpleasant memories, Simon turned back to Cecilia. “I guess everything is in place, then. I’ll head back to get the children assembled and bring them over. But there’s something I need to ask you first.”
Her open expression and encouraging nod unnerved him. He wasn’t used to people being so trusting. “I was hoping you might agree to help me with visiting the orphans with their new families after they’re placed out. The Children’s Aid Society tries to assure that there are two adults evaluating each home. Unfortunately, Miss Wright has decided to leave immediately and travel to Chicago, so I’m left without the second opinion I need to make complete reports.”
She dropped her gaze and pursed her lips. “And all you need is for me to visit the children with you?”
Was helping him—and the children—so distasteful that she had to use that tone? Maybe she wasn’t as caring and agreeable as he’d thought. He fought to keep his tone friendly. He needed her help, after all.
“Yes, that’s it. I usually wait several weeks so they have time to adjust to each other. Then we would make a brief stop at each home to interview the children and the parents. You would need to record your impressions about the suitability of each placement. Nothing more.”
She tapped slim fingers on her chin as she considered his request. Finally she met his eyes, lips turning up in a hint of a smile. “Certainly, I’d love to help the children in any way I can.”
Simon nodded, his throat turning dry. One thing he hadn’t considered until that moment was that he would have to be careful, spending so much time alone with Cecilia. The last thing he needed was a woman thinking he would put down roots and settle in a frontier town like this just for her. But he had Cecilia’s agreement to help him complete his task. He would have to pray she would look out for the children’s best interests and not hinder his work.
Cecilia offered to help him get the children, so together they left the building and walked back to the hotel.
The town was the epitome of frontier life with its uneven planked boardwalk, wide dirt streets and rough buildings covered with flimsy façades. Here and there, he caught a glimpse of buildings that were nicer, put together with more thought and effort, but a large part of the town seemed to have been thrown together in a hurry.
At least the hotel was a respectable place. The Thomas House, run by a kind older couple of the same name, had been a good choice for their stay. As he and Cecilia approached the front door, an older man came out and held it open for them.
Simon was surprised to see the children already lined up inside. Each one had on the new clothes the residents of Spring Hill had provided and carried a small bag with their meager belongings inside. The oldest girl, Ada, held baby Clara in one arm. They stood just the way Miss Wright had insisted on, with their chins held high like little soldiers.
Simon gestured for them all to come outside and line up in front of the building. Once they were in place, he walked in front of the row, examining each child. All ten faces—four boys and six girls—were scrubbed clean and their clothing was neat. But almost every set of eyes showed at least a hint of fear.
He stopped his pacing and tried to smile at each of them. “Well, children, it’s time to go and meet your new families. I expect each of you to behave well. Address adults as ‘sir’ and ‘ma’am.’ Say please and thank you. Speak when spoken to.”
Simon swallowed the lump of emotion rising in his throat. Oh, Lord, let them each find a good home. Licking dry lips, he finished his talk before the waves of feelings got the best of him. “I know you’ll make me proud today. Let’s go.”
He nodded to Ada, who spun on her heel and led the line of orphans down the street, chin still pointed in the air. Simon and Cecilia followed at the rear, behind Charles, one of the oldest boys. As they got closer to the school, Charles’s steps slowed, almost imperceptibly, until Simon was walking next to him.
The boy looked nervous, fidgeting with the bottom button on his slightly too large donated jacket. “Mr. McKay, sir, what if they don’t want one of us? You said this is the last stop. What if someone isn’t picked?”
Charles’s dark head hung low, nearly breaking Simon’s heart. He rested a hand on the child’s shoulder as they walked. “I assure you, Charles, no one will be overlooked today. There are more than enough families in Spring Hill who are excited to have a child join their home. Each of you is sure to find a good match today.”
The boy nodded and sped up to keep pace with the others.
Feeling Cecilia’s eyes on him, Simon turned to see the look of pity on her face. “The poor dear. I can’t imagine the fear the children must feel. I do hope the day goes as well as we expect. For their sakes.”
Simon couldn’t bring himself to respond beyond a noncommittal nod. No, she couldn’t imagine what the children were feeling at that moment. His own life experience had taught him how pivotal this day would be for the orphans. It could mean the difference between life and death.
He tried to brush aside the memories of childhood horror that started to rise but the surge of heartache must have showed on his face, anyway.
Pausing, Cecilia stopped him with one hand on his arm. “It looks like there’s more on your mind than the children. I know we’ve only just met, but if you need to talk, I’ve been told I’m a good listener.”
He couldn’t help the pang of longing that hit him with her earnest words. As much as he would need help in this town for the weeks ahead, there was no way he was going to divulge his past or his feelings to her. No matter how pretty she looked, with that encouraging smile lifting her pink lips. Simon couldn’t imagine that such a lovely young woman would commit to traveling the country with the orphan train rather than having a family of her own. And there was no way he was walking away from the one thing God had called him to do for a selfish reason like his own emotions.
“I’m anxious to get all the children placed out to good homes and return to New York. Nothing more.” He winced at his gruff tone. So much for his determination to be nicer to her.
Drawing herself up straight, she trained her eyes on the children as they entered the school. “You aren’t fond of the frontier?”
Trying to sound more pleasant, he shook his head. “It’s not that. There are always more children on the streets in New York. These trips take so long, it feels like I’m missing the chance to help someone. And I can’t stand that.”
* * *
Cecilia turned to see Simon’s eyes scan the prairie behind the school. Her heart beat a little faster at the view of his strong profile and she chided herself. This was about the children, not about spending time with the handsome placing agent. He had just stated that he would return to New York as soon as he could. Was she going to be so silly as to put her heart in a position that would only lead to being hurt again? No, she couldn’t let that happen.
Squaring her shoulders, she followed Simon up the stairs as he held the door to the school open. Entering the familiar room, she was pleased to see that all the children were standing in one very straight line in front of the large blackboard. The only sounds were the ticking of the clock on the wall and a slight shuffling of feet now and then. It appeared the children knew what was expected of them for the event. If they continued to behave this well, they would make an excellent impression on the potential parents.
Running her eyes down the line, Cecilia looked closer at the children, wishing she had time to get to know each one. She hoped their new families would send them to school for the fall term so she could continue to keep up with how they were doing. Grabbing paper and a pencil, she went to the end of the line, starting with the boys, who were lined up youngest to oldest.
The first boy was darling, with round cheeks and blond hair combed back. He looked up at her with wide blue eyes.
“What’s your name, dear?”
“Edwin.”
“And your last name?”
“Matthews.”
Cecilia wrote his name at the top of her paper. “Edwin Matthews. Very good.”
From behind her, a throat cleared and Simon corrected the child. “That’s ‘Edwin Matthews, ma’am.’”
The boy’s face turned crimson. “Sorry, Mr. McKay. Edwin Matthews, ma’am.”
Glancing behind her, it was all Cecilia could do to keep from rolling her eyes. But that was the kind of thing Cat would do and Cecilia had never been as forward and blunt as her younger sister. Still, she wished she could point out that Simon’s gruff commands weren’t necessary. These children behaved much better than the ones who attended classes with her.
Turning back to Edwin, she gave him her most encouraging smile. “And how old are you, Edwin?”
Thin shoulders shrugged. “The people at the home thought I might be around five. Ma’am.”
Writing the number next to his name, Cecilia rested one hand on Edwin’s head for a moment. How could he not even know how old he was? The things he must have experienced in his life on the streets were unimaginable to her. With effort, she resisted wrapping the child in a hug and moved on to the next boy. He was James Watson, age eight. As she went down the line, Cecilia also met Charles Wilkinson and Patrick Dalton, both age nine.
As she moved on to the girls, a heavy weight settled on Cecilia’s heart. These children were so strong and brave. Each must have a story of such pain and loss. She had lost her father several years ago, as an adult, and that had been terribly painful. She couldn’t imagine these little ones bearing such tragedy at their young ages.
She set her focus on filling out the paperwork as she met Helen Watson, age four and sister to James and Gertie, a lovely ten-year-old down the line. Then there was Sophia Butler, seven, and Jane Dalton, eight. Jane was very clearly Patrick’s sister. They looked almost like twins, with matching dark hair and stormy gray eyes.
Finally she stood in front of the oldest girl, fifteen-year-old Ada Baker, who held six-month-old Clara Brown. Ada was a beautiful young woman, with a slim figure and wavy blond hair. Watching her bounce the baby with practiced ease, Cecilia fervently hoped the girl would find a wonderful home where she could experience a few years of childhood before marrying and having children of her own.
Standing back with the list still in her hand, Cecilia addressed the children, who stood at full attention thanks to Simon’s prodding. “Thank you all for answering my questions so well. The people of Spring Hill are so pleased to welcome each of you. I know you’ll all find parents who will love and care for you. And I hope each of you will attend school when the fall term begins since I’m the teacher and I would love to see you again.”
She tried to meet as many of their eyes as possible with a broad smile as Simon took over from her, reminding the children of the process that would soon begin.
The weight of worry that had settled on her became a heavy knot in the pit of her stomach as Cecilia slipped outside to see people already gathering to look the children over. She prayed that they would be gentle and kind as they examined the orphans. She had heard stories of little ones being treated like livestock at auction at these events. She would hate to see any of those darlings handled that way.
The three men who formed the approval committee stepped forward to speak with her. Mr. Collins, the head of the school board and owner of Spring Hill’s largest mercantile, greeted her first with a tip of his hat. “Miss Holbrook. A fine day for placing out some orphans and doing our Christian duty, eh?”
She nodded, trying to keep her irritation with the man at bay, as always. He had made it his mission for months to make sure she knew he didn’t care for a woman teaching their school. Fortunately, the rest of the board hadn’t voiced any disapproval with having a female teacher. Even if she didn’t love teaching the school as much as she had expected to, Cecilia needed the job. It was vital to keeping her independence, and thus, worth the frustrations that came along with it.
The other two committee members greeted her with more sincerity than Mr. Collins. Then all three men filed into the school to meet Simon and the children.
Cecilia stood in the shadow of the building and watched the gathering crowd. She knew many of the faces, but Spring Hill was growing quickly and there were always new people settling in. She offered up another prayer on the children’s behalf. There were so many unknowns about how this day would turn out. How could Simon stand the strain of doing this so often with so many children?
Finally, Simon stepped out of the school and came to stand at the base of the steps. “Hello, everyone. If I could get your attention for a moment, I’ll give you the details of today’s proceedings and then you can go in and meet the children.”
He paused, looking around until the crowd had quieted and stood watching him. “Thank you all for coming today. We have brought ten children, four boys and six girls, ranging in age from six months to fifteen years. They are all healthy and strong. We have worked with them the entire trip, so they will be well-behaved. Feel free to talk to the children and look them over, but please, be kind.”
Turning back up the steps, Simon opened the door and held it open as the crowd streamed into the school.
Cecilia watched from her position in the shadows, examining each face that passed her, wondering if they were as nice as they looked. She tried to determine if that woman would be a gentle mother or if that man would take good care of a child not his own.
Shaking her head, she reminded herself that it didn’t matter what she thought. Simon and the approval committee were the only ones who could deny a placement. After the last person walked through the door, she started up the steps. She tried to guess Simon’s emotions as she approached him where he waited inside the door. His jaw was tight, arms crossed over his chest as he shifted on restless feet. Those intense eyes locked on hers as he spoke in a low voice. “Well, I guess it’s time.”
Pressing one hand against her stomach in an effort to calm the fluttering inside, Cecilia fixed a smile on her face. “It is. Let’s go find good homes for your orphans.”
Chapter Two (#u37348cff-0d2f-55bb-bc69-ab60055cd0d2)
Simon’s heart raced as he and Cecilia moved through the crowd toward the children, but no one paid any attention to them. The room buzzed with quiet voices. Many of the visitors stood around in clumps talking to each other and watching the proceedings. But one group of people had spread out in front of the line of children and were talking with them in low voices. Simon positioned himself at the boys’ end, hoping to keep an eye on as many of the children as he could at one time.
A middle-aged couple stood in front of Edwin, their eyes appraising as they listened to him answer their question. Simon was pleased with the way the boy responded. He was respectful—
“No!” The loud shout broke through the hushed tone in the room, startling Simon. His heart froze and he tried to force air into his lungs. He looked past Edwin to see Charles fighting to pull his arm away from the grip of an older man. Rushing down the line of children, Simon just missed grabbing Charles’s arm as the boy ran by him and escaped out the door. Simon was torn. He hated to leave the group, but he had to go after Charles.
When his eyes swung to Cecilia, she met his gaze and nodded even as she moved toward him. “The committee will take care of the other children. I’ll help you find Charles.”
He didn’t want to think about how nice it felt when she fell into step with him as he hurried past gawking people and out the door. Instead he focused on praying that the boy hadn’t gone far. But the schoolyard was empty, as was the street that led to the hotel where they had spent the previous night.
Turning to Cecilia, he tried not to let panic show, but he was certainly feeling it. He couldn’t let one of the orphans down. Again. “You know this town. Where could a nine-year-old boy hide?”
She looked down the street, emotions playing across her face as she thought. Then it brightened and she pointed to the next street over. “Maybe the mercantile, around the corner, down Second Street. There are lots of shelves and displays to hide behind and enough people coming and going that he wouldn’t be noticed.”
Simon nodded in agreement and they took off in the direction she pointed. As they hurried down the dusty street, he tried to piece together what had happened. “Did you see anything? I only heard him shout and caught a glimpse of a man holding his arm, then he was running away before I could stop him.”
“I saw Mr. Huntley talking with Patrick and Charles. Neither of them looked very happy. But then one of the girls started talking to me and I didn’t see what happened to make Charles run.”
Stomach clenching, Simon increased his pace. He had to find out what had happened before one of the other children went home with this Mr. Huntley. He and Cecilia entered the mercantile, several customers glancing their way as they barreled through the door. Simon scanned the room. Cecilia was right, this was a great place for a little boy to hide. He went straight to the counter near the front, where a woman in a richly trimmed dress covered by a tidy apron eyed them with derision.
“Excuse me, we’re looking for a boy who ran from the orphan train placing out. About nine years old, with brown hair and brown eyes. Have you seen him?”
Raising her chin, the woman managed to look down her nose at him, despite her lack of height. “A ruffian fitting that description tried to come in here a few minutes ago, but I shooed him away. I won’t have my customers’ pockets picked while they shop.”
Gritting his teeth, Simon managed to thank the woman and leave the store before he lost his temper. The nerve of her, calling Charles a pickpocket. She didn’t know a single thing about these children. But he had been on the receiving end of that kind of quick judgment too many times to count. Lashing out at her wouldn’t do the children any good. Pausing at the corner of the building, Simon sucked in a deep breath. He had to get hold of himself.
Cecilia’s hand on his shoulder helped drive away the last tendrils of anger. “Simon? Are you all right? We’ll find him, if that’s what’s bothering you.”
Dropping his head, Simon shook it in response. “No, I’m sure we will. It was that woman’s attitude toward Charles that upset me.” Trying to rein in his irritation, he met her eyes. “I know the prejudice these children will face, even if they find respectable homes. There are too many people in this world that will judge them based only on how their lives started out.”
He wanted to look away when the familiar heat of embarrassment spread through his chest. He didn’t want to go on, to confess his own history and how close to home that sort of criticism hit. But, oddly enough, Cecilia’s eyes held understanding. “I know how people can judge, too.” Her voice was quiet and her eyes shifted away from his as she continued. “But that’s one good thing about having the schoolteacher on your side. I’m in a great position to make sure these children aren’t treated poorly. By anyone. Now, let’s find Charles and see what happened.”
An unexpected smile broke out on Simon’s face before he realized what was happening. He hadn’t known Cecilia for long, but he was finding that she was full of surprises. Turning back to the street, he glanced in both directions. “Where do we look now?”
Cecilia’s head tilted as if she was listening to something he couldn’t hear. She held up one finger, like one of the old schoolmarms from the orphan’s home he’d spent a few months in as a child. Turning around, she took several confident steps into the dark shadows of the alley between the mercantile and the building next to it. “Charles? I know you’re there, dear. Come on out and tell us what happened. We want to make sure you’re all right.”
Several moments passed but Cecilia never took her eyes off the shadowed space. Simon had decided that she must be a little crazy when he heard scuffling sounds and the slight sniffle of a runny nose. A few seconds later Charles’s face appeared, tear-streaked and dirty even in the dimness of the alley. Simon’s heart lifted in relief. They had found the boy, at least. But now to get him to tell them what had made him run.
