Читать книгу Orphan Train Sweetheart - Mollie Campbell - Страница 13
ОглавлениеSimon’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.
When Charles stepped out of the shadows, Cecilia knelt and wrapped one arm around his thin shoulders. “Tell us what happened. Why did you run away?”
The boy scuffed his feet in some loose dirt at the edge of the boardwalk, head down. “That old man, he was looking me and Patrick all over. And not very nicely, either. But then he grabbed my face hard and started trying to look at my teeth. Yuck.”
Cecilia spoke in a soothing tone but Simon didn’t hear her words. Anger burned in his chest and he forced himself to relax, trying to calm it. It wouldn’t do the children any good for him to lose his temper with some old farmer who didn’t think before acting. Smoothing Charles’s messy hair with one hand, he spoke with as much calm as he could muster. “You let us handle Mr. Hartley, Charles. Please come back with us. I know there’s a good family in there waiting to take you home.” At least, he prayed with all his heart that there was.
Heaving a deep sigh, the boy nodded. Cecilia kept one hand on his shoulder as they walked in front of Simon back to the school. Watching them, Simon’s mind turned to his own childhood, as it did during every orphan train stop. How many young lives would have turned out better if there had been a good woman around who cared about them? Could some observant adult have stopped the tragedies that marred his memories?
Shaking his head to clear away thoughts of things that couldn’t be changed, Simon reminded himself that he was that adult. He was doing everything in his power to make certain these children found caring homes. His only purpose in life was to place as many children as he could, in the best homes that could be found. No matter that he sometimes longed for his own family. God had placed Simon with the Children’s Aid Society so that he could make up for his failings.
Back in the schoolroom, Cecilia walked Charles to the line. Simon looked around the room, noticing that three of the girls and two of the boys were gone. Striding over to the table where the approval committee sat with their paperwork, he said, “Gentlemen, could one of you tell me if Mr. Hartley left with a child?”
One of the men dug through a sheaf of papers and pulled one out, handing it to Simon. “Yes, here’s the form. He took Patrick Dalton.”
Worry settled in Simon’s heart. “Do you know this Mr. Hartley well? One of the children was frightened by his behavior. I can’t let Patrick stay with him if the man isn’t kind to him.”
The committee head, Mr. Collins, raised his chin high, voice cold. “I can assure you that Mr. Hartley has been here for several years and I’ve never known him to be anything but a good fellow. This committee would never approve a placement that we know would be harmful to a child.”
Tension started to creep up Simon’s shoulders at Mr. Collins’s offended tone. And the uncertain looks the other committee members shared didn’t help any. “Of course, I know you wouldn’t. I didn’t get the opportunity to meet the man, that’s all. I prefer to know who the children go with. But I’m sure the placement will turn out fine if you say so.”
Turning away from the table before Mr. Collins could berate him again, Simon went to join the line of children. Charles was the only boy left. Simon was surprised to see that a young couple had gathered James and both of his sisters, Gertie and Helen. People rarely took more than one child. Would the siblings be able to stay together?
Fifteen-year-old Ada was the only girl left. She stood with her arms crossed and her face holding a deliberately disinterested expression that Simon knew all too well. As he watched, an older woman with a kind, wrinkled face hobbled up to the girl. He couldn’t hear what they said, but it only took a moment before Ada’s face relaxed and the girl threaded her arm through the woman’s. He nodded to Ada in encouragement as the two went to the approval committee together. That might be the perfect companion for an independent, older girl.
Movement at his side caught Simon’s attention. Cecilia, looking at him with shining eyes. Eyes that he could get lost in if he let himself. But he couldn’t do that. His mission was to rescue children from the streets. Romantic thoughts about a pretty woman in some frontier town would only hinder his goals. No matter how much he might wish otherwise.
* * *
Cecilia watched Simon, wondering why she was so drawn to him. He was grumpy and often sharp. But when she’d looked over and noticed a sappy, approving grin on his face, something inside her had to know what had made him so happy. Until he looked at her and glared. Why did he glare so much?
Refusing to allow his attitude to affect hers, Cecilia nodded in the direction of the approval committee. “Did you see the sweet couple that was talking with Gertie, James and Helen? They’re so kind and I think they might consider taking all three children.”
She watched his gaze shift to the cluster of people at the table. Eleanor and Robert were new in town, but she had spoken to them several times and very much enjoyed their company. They had been married for a few years and Eleanor had confessed her disappointment that they didn’t have children yet. She had been so excited about the orphan train stopping in Spring Hill.
But Simon’s expression remained stoic. Didn’t anything please this man? She tried again. “Isn’t it wonderful? Three siblings staying together and going to a happy home. I doubt you could ask for a better placement.”
Watching his face, Cecilia thought she saw his jaw relax and lips soften for a brief moment before his expression hardened again. “That would be nice. But I doubt that young couple can handle three older children. I’m afraid they’ll change their minds in a few weeks. James can be quite a handful.”
Cecilia couldn’t help herself. His tone was so condescending. Resting her hands on her hips, she faced Simon head-on. “I’ll have you know, that’s a lovely couple and I have no doubt that they understand what they’re getting into. They can handle three children.”
Finally meeting her gaze, Simon raised one eyebrow with deliberate slowness. “I’m not saying they aren’t good people with good intentions. But taking on three orphans is a lot of work that they might not be prepared for. I’m not going to intervene in the placement. I just don’t think it will last.”
“That’s awfully cynical. I would have thought that someone who helps create families for orphans would have a little more faith in people.”
His eyes slid away, focusing somewhere on the floor behind her. “Actually, it does the opposite. When it comes to orphans, most people aren’t as kind and compassionate as you are. I know that from personal experience.”
Trying to determine from his expression if that comment meant what she thought, Cecilia refused to let the moment pass without finding out a little more about him. “You’re an orphan, too?”
His jaw tightened. “Yes. And no, I don’t want to talk about it. Believe me when I say that I know what they’ll face in life. And it isn’t always nice, even if they do find a good home.”
Cecilia glanced at the children again, her heart aching for them and for Simon, for the pain in their lives that she didn’t understand. She couldn’t imagine the kind of hurt the little ones had felt over and over as they’d continued on the orphan train, stop after stop, without being chosen. “Well, I still think that Eleanor and Robert will handle those three without a problem. You’ll see. It will be one of the orphan train’s most inspiring success stories.”
Simon shrugged and crossed muscular arms over his broad chest. Cecilia squeezed her eyes shut as she turned away, chiding herself for noticing such things. She had a sure path before her and letting her heart hope for the love of a man who was leaving soon wouldn’t serve her purpose well. She had to stay unemotional while she fulfilled her commitment to help with the visits. Even if Simon was terribly handsome. In a brooding, gruff sort of way.
Clearing her throat, Cecilia kept her eyes focused anywhere except on him as she moved the conversation to a safer topic. “What kind of help will you need from me for the next few days?”
“Tomorrow, I’d like to visit Mr. Hartley. I didn’t get a chance to meet him and after what happened with Charles, I don’t know if I trust him with Patrick. I’d like to go get a feel for the situation now, rather than wait for our official visit in several weeks.”
Cecilia was about to answer when her sisters, Cat and Coralee, called to them from across the room. The two made a striking pair. Coralee always had a regal bearing and exuded complete confidence. And then there was Cat. Their youngest sister was small and delicate, with a perfect figure that would make any eastern socialite jealous. She had the most animated face Cecilia had ever seen and she was effortlessly delightful in public. Of course, her sisters had experienced her mood swings, but few other people saw anything but perfection from Cat. As much as she loved her sister, Cecilia had always thought it was rather sickening.
After her sisters greeted her with hugs, Cecilia nodded in Simon’s direction. “This is Simon McKay, the placing agent. Simon, you met Cat yesterday. This is our other sister, Coralee Hadley.”
Simon nodded in greeting to her sister, then stepped back as Coralee took one look around the room and started grinning. “Cecilia, this is wonderful. Have the children all found homes?” Since adopting twins Louisa and Phillip, Cecilia’s older sister had a soft spot for adoptions. She had been as excited as anyone when they’d found out the orphans were coming to Spring Hill.
Glancing toward the front, Cecilia noticed for the first time that only Charles remained. His head hung low and no one seemed to be paying any attention to him. A wave of helplessness washed over Cecilia. He had been so worried about not being chosen and now his fears might become reality.
Turning to find Simon still behind her, Cecilia grabbed his arm. “Simon, Charles is all by himself up there. What if no one wants to take him?”
His eyes slid closed as a pained look crossed his face. Cecilia wondered if he had felt the hurt of being overlooked in favor of other children. She certainly knew what it felt like to live in someone else’s shadow. Her spine straightened. She wasn’t going to let that happen to such a sweet little boy. But as she took a step toward him, Coralee spoke up. “We can’t have the little fellow left out. I’ll go talk to him.” Waving across the room, Coralee got the attention of her husband, Jake, and gestured for him to join her. Together, they went and spoke to Charles in low tones.
Simon’s eyebrows rose. “Are they interested in adopting more children? I don’t want him to get his hopes up if they’re only being nice.”
Resting her fingers on her chin, Cecilia tried to think back, to remember if Jake or Coralee had said anything about taking in another orphan. Beside her, Cat giggled. “Those two can’t stand to see a child alone. I said days ago that they wouldn’t be able to resist taking home another one.”
Cecilia fought the urge to pinch her sister. Cat never seemed to think anything was noble or important. She rarely took anything more seriously than she took herself. Cecilia crossed her arms, eyes still glued to her older sister and the boy. “Well, I’m grateful that they care so much. Charles was so worried about not being chosen by anyone. But thanks to Jake and Coralee, he might find a loving home, after all.”
Cat shrugged and wandered off to chat with their aunt Lily. Shaking her head, Cecilia turned her attention back to the scene unfolding across the room.
Simon’s voice was close to her ear when he spoke. “Are they good parents? Will they treat him well?”
She turned to see him absently run one hand through his hair, displacing a few of the fashionably long strands. Her heart melted a tiny bit. He looked like one of the boys himself. Uncertain, hopeful and a little afraid. Offering a confident smile, she responded with a firm nod. “They’re the best parents. Their twins are happy, healthy and well-loved.”
He didn’t respond as they watched Coralee wrap her arm around Charles’s shoulders and follow Jake to the approval committee’s table. Cecilia couldn’t resist a happy sigh. “It looks like they’ve come to an agreement. I’m so pleased. The twins will love having a big brother.”
The room was almost empty by the time Jake, Coralee and Charles finished their paperwork and left. The men from the approval committee approached Simon and Cecilia. Mr. Collins stuck out his hand to shake Simon’s. “It seems we’ve had a successful day.”
Simon’s face was impassive. “That remains to be seen, Mr. Collins. Miss Holbrook has graciously agreed to help me with the home visits I’ll be handling in the next several weeks since the other placing agent was called away as soon as we arrived. The placements will be successful if I find all the children are in happy situations.”
Cecilia could see Mr. Collins clench his jaw at Simon’s blunt response. But he and the other committee members tipped their hats and left the building without causing a scene. Noticing that everyone else had left, Cecilia went to the closet at the back of the room, grabbed a broom and started sweeping the floor. Without a word, Simon came along behind her and moved desks back into their places. They had the schoolroom put to rights soon enough.
By the time they finished and she locked the door behind them, Cecilia was feeling the effects of the emotional strain of the day. She was more than ready to get home. Simon gripped her elbow with one hand when she stumbled stepping off the last stair. “Thank you for all you’ve done, both today and before we arrived.”
She mustered a smile through her embarrassment. “It was worth it to see those darling children find homes.”
“Speaking of homes, I’ll walk you back to yours. It’s nearing dusk and I wouldn’t feel right about leaving you to walk alone.”
A hot flush started creeping across her cheeks and Cecilia was grateful for that dusk he spoke of, hoping it covered a bit of the pink tinge. After all the time she had spent trying to learn how to keep control over her emotions when it came to men, all it took to reduce her to a flushed mess was an offer to walk her home. Drawing her spine straighter, she pushed her chin in the air. “Thank you, but I can find my own way. I’ll meet you outside the hotel tomorrow morning for our trip to Mr. Hartley’s farm. Good night.”
Without giving him the chance to insist and wear down her already weak defenses, Cecilia turned on her heel and walked away from the school and the distractingly handsome placing agent.
* * *
Simon stared after Cecilia until he realized he was standing in the middle of the street with his mouth open. Her refusal of his genuine offer stung more than he would have expected. Was it his company that made her walk away or had his thoughtfulness in some way offended her?
Making his way back to the hotel, Simon’s mind retraced the events of the day. Had he done anything during those hours together that might have upset her? He gave up long before he arrived at the Thomas House. He hadn’t had the best attitude that day. Or the night before. Any of his words in their short acquaintance could have hurt her feelings.
A stab of guilt hit his stomach at the realization. Cecilia had been kind and helpful. He could tell that she cared about the orphans. And he had treated her the same way he tended to treat most people when she deserved better. Deep down, Simon guessed his gruffness was a reaction to the judgment he usually faced when people found out about his childhood. But Cecilia hadn’t responded with the contempt or suspicion he was used to. She had to think he was being mean on purpose. And, oddly enough, that bothered him. He hardly knew her, but he found that he cared about what she thought of him.
Forcing the guilt into a corner of his mind, Simon tried to go on with his evening. He started to write down some of his impressions of the placing out for his reports. But worry about how the children were getting along with their new families plagued him all night, which didn’t improve his mood for the next day.
He ate breakfast in a hurry so he had a few minutes to sit and pray while he waited for Cecilia outside the hotel. But his time alone was cut short. Her brother-in-law, Jake, approached Simon’s bench before he got far into his list of prayers for each child.
The man stuck out a hand with a wide smile. “I saw you yesterday, but we weren’t introduced. Jake Hadley, Spring Hill’s physician. I saw you sitting here and couldn’t resist the chance to welcome you to Spring Hill.”
There was no choice but to respond to the greeting in kind, no matter how much Simon wished for quiet. Simon shook the doctor’s hand while examining his fine suit and expensive-looking leather case. “Simon McKay. Nice to meet you, Doctor.”
“Oh, Jake is fine.” Without waiting for an invitation, Jake dropped next to Simon on the bench.
So much for some quiet reflection to put himself in a better mood.
Wondering when the doctor would get to his purpose, Simon let his gaze roam over the landscape visible beyond the close-set buildings. The rolling hills covered in yellowing grass were peaceful in a way. Simon had been surprised by how comfortable he felt out here after spending his life in New York City.
After a few long moments of awkward silence, he decided that if the doctor wasn’t going to move on and leave him alone, he might as well ask after Charles. “How was the first night with a new child under your roof?”
Jake snorted, catching Simon off guard. “Charles is a wily one, isn’t he? I think he’s a bit afraid to let us get close to him and I can understand that. We hope that once he realizes nothing he does will make us get rid of him, he’ll settle down and open up.”
Simon sagged back against the bench as the words brought a burst of admiration and relief. Jake seemed to have a good handle on what Charles was feeling and what he needed. Much more than Simon would have expected. Maybe Cecilia was right about this family being a good fit for the boy. “I’m pleased to hear you say that. And I...well, thank you. For taking Charles.” Simon didn’t know whether to go on or not as emotion thickened his throat.
But the doctor saved him the trouble. “You know, it took me a long time to come to terms with adopting our twins. When their parents died in a cholera outbreak, Coralee and I worked for months to find a family that would take them. We weren’t married yet and I couldn’t imagine how it would ever be possible for me to keep those children. But God arranged it all so everything fell right into place. The four of us are happier now than we could have dreamed.”
Pushing up from the bench, Jake slapped Simon on the shoulder as he continued. “I believe God arranged for Charles to come to us, too, so I’m confident it will work out in the end. And I’m sure there’s a reason you’re here, too. Now, I’m glad I got a chance to talk to you, but I need to get to the clinic. I’ll see you later.”
Simon said goodbye and watched the doctor head down the street. What was it about Jake’s confident faith that was so striking? Simon believed in God and he prayed for the children he worked with often. But Jake was so certain that God was in control of everything. Simon wasn’t sure he had that much faith. He had seen too many cases where God could have stepped in and fixed a horrible situation, but He hadn’t.
Cecilia’s voice next to him startled Simon out of his deep thoughts. “Was that Jake I saw leaving?”
Turning to her, he was struck by her flawless skin and the way her eyes glowed in the bright morning light. With great effort, he forced the awareness of her away. He couldn’t let himself get attached to a woman in some frontier town when he would head back to New York in a matter of weeks. In spite of his determination to be nicer to her, the conflicting feelings made his words come out sharper than he intended. “Yes, it was. He said things went well with Charles last night.”
Her smile faded, sending another rush of guilt through him.
“That’s wonderful to hear. I know you have doubts, but I’m sure the other placements will turn out well, too. The people of Spring Hill are good and caring, on the whole.”
Praying she was right, Simon offered her his arm and led her to the street. “I guess we better be going. Here’s the buggy I rented for our ride out to Mr. Hartley’s farm. You know how to get there, right?”
Settling on the buggy seat, she nodded. “Yes, I do. I’ve never been to his farm, but one of my students lives nearby.”
Simon went to the other side of the vehicle and climbed in. As they started out of town, he focused his eyes on the rutted path in front of them. “Did I mention I taught school back home for a time?”
She shook her head. “I don’t think so. How long did you teach?”
“Two years. I enjoyed aspects of it, but I got restless too much of the time. I do much better when I can get out in the open now and then.”
Cecilia’s expression turned shuttered and her voice got quiet. “I can understand that. I’m not sure teaching is what I would have imagined doing when I was a girl. I love children, but being in the classroom all day, going over the same material every term, I feel...well, restless is a good word for it.”
Simon let his eyes rest on his lovely companion for a long moment. It was strange to think that a dislike for their teaching careers was what might connect them, but at that moment he felt a bond forming with her. Pulling his gaze away, Simon reminded himself that a feeling of connection was one thing. But letting his heart get involved in any way beyond that was not acceptable.
Clearing his throat, he pointed across the prairie. “Have you been any further west than Spring Hill? I’ve been watching with interest to see where the railroads expand. It would be exciting for the orphan trains to reach all the way to California one day.”
Simon almost missed the way her face tightened. Had he somehow offended her again? Her reply was curt. “No, I haven’t been anywhere since my family came here when I was very young.”
Before he could stop it, the question that popped into his mind slipped out of his lips. “Would you like to travel, if you had the chance?”
His heart chilled when she turned away. That question had been a mistake. He had no right to pry into her hopes and dreams. If she hadn’t wanted him to walk her home, she certainly wouldn’t want him nosing around in her personal business. She spoke right before the moment turned awkward.
“I suppose not. I wouldn’t have much reason to go far from home. Not to mention, as a single woman, traveling alone wouldn’t be advisable.”
Hoping to ease the tension that had risen with his thoughtless question, he tried to answer in a light tone. “Well, I can tell you, after all the time I’ve spent traveling on trains and stagecoaches with the children, the sights are hardly worth the difficulty of getting there.”
Her lips pulled tight, drawing his attention to the pretty pink shade of them. What was the matter with him these days? He never had so much trouble keeping focused on his tasks. Maybe he had been away from home and familiar surroundings for too long. It would feel good to finish up in Spring Hill and head back to the east in a few weeks.
Silence settled over them as the horsed pulled the buggy up a small hill. At the top, Cecilia pointed to the left. “That’s Mr. Hartley’s farm. Looks like his house isn’t too far from the road.”
“House” was putting it nicely. Even from a distance, Simon could see that the dwelling was more of a haphazard shack than a house. His heart echoed with a prayer for Patrick, an innocent child who had been dragged into what seemed like a mess. If anything bad happened to the boy, it would be Simon’s fault for letting him go with Mr. Hartley. And he knew from experience how that guilt would feel.
Before that fear got the better of him, Simon turned the buggy toward the shack and in a few minutes they pulled to a stop in the dirt nearby. There was no movement in the yard or around the dwelling. The place almost looked deserted and uneasiness settled like a rock in Simon’s chest, making it hard to breathe. Something was wrong.
But by the time Cecilia’s feet hit the dirt as he helped her down from the buggy, the door had creaked open on uneven hinges and Mr. Hartley stood in the entrance, scowling at them. “What do you want?”
His barking voice didn’t do anything to calm Simon’s fears. “I’m Simon McKay, the orphan train placing agent. I’m making visits to the children’s new homes on the authority of the Children’s Aid Society of New York City. I only need to speak to you and Patrick for a few minutes.”
The annoyed scowl turned into a full-blown angry glare. “Now, I don’t care who gave you authority, you’ve got no reason to go poking around in my business. I think it’s about time you got off my property.”
Before Simon could formulate a response that wouldn’t make things worse, he heard a young voice shout from behind the shack. “Mr. McKay!” Patrick ran around the building at full-tilt, throwing himself into Simon’s arms and nearly knocking them both off balance.
“Patrick, I’m glad to see you. But you don’t have to hold on quite so tight.” He loosened the boy’s skinny arms from his waist, but rested one hand on his shoulder, feeling a need to keep the orphan close by his side while he was there. “How are you and Mr. Hartley getting along?”
Simon thought it was possible that his heart would explode with emotion when he saw tears welling in the boy’s eyes. “Fine, sir.” The words were mumbled and Simon wasn’t sure if he could believe the statement or not. He had to talk to Patrick away from Hartley’s earshot.
“Mr. Hartley, we can get off your property faster if you’ll show Miss Holbrook around your farm a bit while Patrick shows me the house. That’s all we need to do today.” Simon tried to sound as harmless as possible while praying desperately that the man would agree and not run them off his land.
