New York Orphan (Tales of Flynn and Reilly Book 1)

by Rosemary J. Kind

  Molly could hear background noises. She was so focussed on looking at Daniel that they could have been coming from anywhere. She’d heard a door open and close and was vaguely aware of mumblings, but none of it meant anything to her, as she looked at the boy she had loved and cared for and whose name meant so much to her.

  The judge used his gavel to call the court back to order and the murmuring stopped. In a clear voice he asked, “And who represents this man?”

  Chapter 27

  Will had no clear idea what he was going to say to his father as he entered the study.

  “S-sir.” He ran his finger over the scar under his jacket sleeve. He tried to look up at his father, but was scared to meet his gaze. Somehow, in the recent days, a chink had developed in the wall he’d built around himself and brick by brick it was crashing down. For the first time, he had started to understand that there were people around him who loved him. They cared about him, not because of what they could get for themselves, but because of what they could give him. They had not left him at the first sign of trouble. They had not died when he needed them. They did not love him for his pride or because they believed him to be perfect. They could see his imperfections and still put him first. He wondered if that had been how Daniel had felt about their friendship when they were children. He felt a stab of pain as he thought how Molly must have felt when he feigned that he did not know her. Suddenly, William saw himself through the eyes of other people, and for the first time in his life he was ashamed.

  “Sir, I did know Daniel. I knew him well. He was…” He struggled to find a word strong enough to express what they had been. “… He was like a brother to me, sir.” He looked up at his father, who said nothing, looking pensive and without judgement. William felt the need to carry on. “When we came here, he was one of the party, but when you chose me…” His mouth was dry and he coughed slightly. “… I was scared you would change your mind. You seemed so kind and the thought of a good home was too much for me, sir. When you asked if anyone was with me, I said ‘no’ for fear of you choosing someone else instead. He was a far better child than I, sir and I own he was a better friend to me than I ever was to him.”

  William felt the damp of tears starting in his eyes and quickly dabbed them with his hand. “And sir, I’m sorry about Briggs. You were right, it was I who rode Bounty. It was my fault she was lame.” He gulped down a sob before trying to phrase the next sentence. “If you think it best, I’ll leave, sir. I’ll go off to war and take my place as I should have done. I will ask for Briggs to be sent back to his family, sir, where rightly he should be.”

  His father simply nodded and William’s heart pounded at the thought he might really have to leave. Never had he hoped so fervently for the forgiveness he did not deserve. Still his father did not speak, but instead pushed a letter across the desk and indicated for him to read. It was the letter from Molly.

  He took it up and read carefully. ‘… Wrongly accused of a crime.’ He looked up suddenly. “Sir, can we do anything?” For a moment William forgot his own situation and remembered all he owed Daniel. “Is there someone there we could write to? Could we help to pay? If I have any money, it can be used for this.” Then, suddenly remembering all that had gone before, he added, “Though I realise you might still cast me out and that would be nothing more than I deserve, but even so, sir, is there any way we can help him?”

  “William…” His father stood and paced across the room. At the far side, he turned. “Had the situation been reversed, would Daniel have deserted you?”

  “No, sir. He would not. Daniel was the truest friend to me and to Molly and would have made a better son than I.”

  At last William had the courage to look up and meet his father’s gaze. To his surprise the man was smiling.

  “William, do you know the Bible story of the prodigal son?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Then know that you are more my son now than you have ever been and I am proud to call you such.”

  William blinked. Surely, after all he’d confessed to, that could not be so, and yet there his father was before him, with his arm outstretched ready to shake William’s hand and forgive him.

  “Shall we go to dinner? We can talk later about what can be done to help this young man. We can also talk about how you can make amends to Briggs’s family, as I’m sure you’ll want to do.” William’s father went across and opened the door, ushering William to go ahead of him out of the study to the hall. “Take a moment to compose yourself before Ma sees you’ve been upset.” Then he continued to the dining room, leaving William to take a few deep breaths and check his appearance in the hall mirror before following.

  He ran his finger over the scar once more and remembered his words to Daniel from all those years ago. ‘You an’ me, we ain’t got much, but we got each other,’ and he hoped he might not be too late for Daniel to forgive him, just as his father seemed prepared to do.

  Chapter 28

  The courtroom was silent as the judge repeated his question. “Who represents this man?” This time his voice held a little annoyance. He looked around the room as the silence ensued.

  During the lunch break, Molly had passed the man who had been sitting at the defence bench. She’d have sworn he smelled of whiskey and a bolt of panic shot through her. She looked around and saw him by the door, holding a whispered conversation.

  Then the door opened and closed and a tall man strode forward. “I do, Your Honour.”

  There was a quiet intake of breath that ran around the court as everyone looked toward the speaker. From where she was sitting, it was hard for Molly to see the man who had entered and she did not recognise his voice.

  He spoke loud and clear. “I am here to represent Mr Flynn.” The man walked confidently forward, as the judge summoned him to the bench.

  Miss Ellie took hold of Molly’s arm to get her attention and whispered to her, “It’s them. They’re here. Isn’t that Mr Dixon?”

  Molly nodded vigorously, struggling for words. “I… I… do believe it is.” She swallowed hard and tried to hear more of what was happening.

  For a few hushed moments there was near silence in the courtroom, apart from the low muttering between the judge, a clerk and the man who had entered. Molly could see papers being passed across and returned as the judge nodded his assent. Her heart was beating fast as she watched all the movements that went on with the utmost intent, trying to glean anything she could from the shrugs and nods that accompanied the whispers.

  Suddenly, the conversation wrapped up and the judge brought his gavel down. “This case is adjourned until first thing on Wednesday.”

  There was a gasp around the court and then movement below as Daniel was led out of the courtroom and the newcomer left again through the door by which he had entered. Once the judge had left, an excited murmur ran around the court. Miss Ellie gently shook Molly’s arm to bring her back to her senses, and for her to realise they could leave the courtroom for the day as nothing further was going to happen.

  Molly was dazed as she went out into the sunshine, with little idea of what had just occurred. A gentleman stopped her. To her surprise, despite the obvious quality of the cloth of his suit, he got down on his knees in the dust of the road. Then, taking off his hat to reveal his short red hair, the gentleman, as he bowed his head, said, “Molly, I’m… I’m sorry.”

  Molly gently lifted Tom’s chin and looked into his face, searching every inch to see the authenticity of his words, and she found it in the damp of the eyes and the furrow of the brow, which looked back for her forgiveness. Then she smiled more widely and with greater happiness than she had felt for a very long time and reached down to gently kiss him on the cheek.

  Taking his hand, she helped him to his feet. “I’m more glad that you are here than you will ever know. Did you see…? Tell me, it was your father, wasn’t it? Please tell me there is hope?”

  His eyes were alight and dancing with pride, and he stood tall
er as he said, “Yes, indeed. That was my father. Mr George Dixon. My adoptive father, that is.”

  “Oh, Tom…” She threw her arms around him and hugged him, caring nothing for what those around might think. As she drew back, she took both his hands. “Now let me introduce you properly to Miss Ellie Cochrane.”

  William seemed almost shy as she led him forward and he bowed deeply to Miss Ellie. “Ma’am. William Dixon at your service.”

  In a faraway voice, Molly said, “He came, your father came. Oh, Tom, how kind of him. And will they let him see Daniel?”

  William smiled broadly and said, “I’m William now, not Tom… although I am your brother and will always remain so. My father has gone now to see his client. He has the judge’s blessing to do so and we just need to wait.”

  They walked together and slowly the silences were filled with questions and answers about the years that had passed. Miss Ellie had left them and returned to their guest house to book rooms for William and his father. Little by little, Molly and William each began to find out who the other was in this time and place.

  The heavy door creaked open and Daniel looked up from his bench to see a tall, well-dressed man enter his cell. He thought this was the same man who had been in the court, but could not be certain. He rose to his feet, diffident as to what he should do next.

  The man held an outstretched hand to him and smiled broadly. Daniel blinked, as though by doing so this mirage might disappear. Slowly he moved forward and took the man’s hand. “Sir?” he said, angling his head in question.

  “Please sit down, Mr Flynn, and let me introduce myself. I am your lawyer and I am totally at your service.”

  Daniel shook his head slowly. “I have no money, sir. I have no way to pay you.”

  “That, my good man, is not a problem. My services are at no cost to you. I should perhaps explain. Your friend William…er, let me go back a stage… Thomas Reilly… is my son by adoption.”

  “Tom!” Daniel sank to his knees, clutching the rosary tight in his hands. “Sir, thank you, thank you.”

  “We’ve done nothing yet. Our work is just beginning.”

  He smiled the most benevolent smile Daniel had ever seen.

  “Now get yourself up and let’s start to go over what actually happened.”

  Daniel sat back down on the bench.

  First, Mr Dixon gave a brief background to how he came to be there. “… And so it was Molly who called on us for help.”

  “Molly!” Daniel jumped up and went toward the cell door. “So she is here.” He went back to Mr Dixon and held out the rosary. “She sent me this. It has been all the hope I had until now. Sir, can I see her? Please say she is well.”

  Mr Dixon smiled. “I believe she is very well and you will see her, but first we must get to business.” He indicated that Daniel should sit.

  Once he had had time to compose himself, Daniel poured out the whole tale of his life since the train took him onwards from Dowagiac.

  Later, when Mr Dixon joined the others back at the guest house for dinner, he said, “It’s a sorry tale and one no young man should have to tell. You’ll hear it yourselves in the courtroom, so it’s probably best that I tell you the worst of it now. Hopefully, it then won’t be too much of a shock.”

  It was a long night as William and Molly listened to all that Mr Dixon had to say, and they by turn questioned Mr Dixon and grieved for their friend. By ten o’clock, they were still talking, but having looked to his pocket watch, Mr Dixon broke off. “Come on now, William, we’d best turn in. We’ve a lot of work to do tomorrow if we’re going to have young Daniel out of that cell come Wednesday.”

  They both rose and said their goodnights. Molly dared not ask what needed to be done, but Miss Ellie followed them out to speak with Mr Dixon, before returning to comfort Molly.

  It was a very different Daniel who Molly and Miss Ellie watched shuffle into the courtroom on the Wednesday morning. Now, he was clean shaven and wore clothes which were not rags and all but fitted his shrunken frame. The sight of him was enough for the tears to start to flow for Molly. She looked down at where Mr Dixon was sitting in the courtroom ready to represent Daniel and felt a swell of pride to see her brother sitting alongside his father.

  The twelve men of the jury looked much like any of the men around the court, but older than Daniel. Some were relatively well dressed, while others wore working clothes. Molly sent up a silent prayer and waited for the case to begin.

  “Your Honour…” Mr Dixon spoke clearly and loud enough for all within the court to hear. “It is important for me to explain to you how Mr Flynn came to be in the employment of Mr Hawksworth.” He indicated to where Hawksworth was sitting along the gallery from Molly, watching proceedings.

  Molly bristled as she looked across at the man who had fired a shot in their direction just a short while previously.

  “Daniel Flynn was born in Ireland, during the dreadful time of the potato blight. His family were starving…” Angling himself toward the jury, Mr Dixon went on to tell the story that Molly knew so well, of his arrival in New York, already an orphan; how he came to live with them and how when Mammy died they found themselves on the streets.

  She fought to hold back the tears, trying to pretend to herself that it was another family he was speaking of and wondering how it might be affecting William. Even thinking of these events as having happened to a stranger, it would have been hard not to be moved, but she guessed that was the intent of telling the background. She saw a man she believed to be with the newspaper, writing as fast as he was able, as Mr Dixon spoke.

  “…And so, from the orphanage that Mr Flynn found himself in after the train brought him to Iowa City, he was passed into the ‘care’…” He paused for the word to sink in. “… Of Mr Ned Hawksworth.”

  Molly noticed that one or two more had joined the public gallery. Somehow, word seemed to have got around that a spectacle was ensuing.

  Mr Dixon continued. “Your Honour, it was normal practice for these orphans to work on farms. In fact, many did so in Dowagiac, where I am normally based. Those who signed for their care guaranteed that an education would be provided and that –”

  The lawyer who was presenting the case for the State was on his feet immediately. “Objection, Your Honour. This is hardly relevant and how can this man know what basis they were taken on?”

  The judge looked at Mr Dixon for a reply. He stood erect, his eyes narrowed as he looked back, not to the judge but to the prosecution lawyer. “I know, sir, because I too signed for one of these boys and have brought him up as my own son.”

  A small gasp ran around some of the spectators in the gallery.

  Molly tried to read the expressions on the jurors’ faces. Some sat almost immobile and she wondered if they were listening at all. She feared they may have decided their verdict without listening to a word of evidence.

  “Objection overruled; please continue, Mr Dixon.”

  “These boys were to be given an education and treated with respect.”

  At that there was a ripple of laughter, which emanated from those seated around Hawksworth. “Your Honour, when this offence occurred, Daniel Flynn was running from Mr Hawksworth’s farm. He was running away from mistreatment and effective slavery. In all the years he worked for Mr Hawksworth he received no education, not a penny of recompense, and was given many a beating, on occasion to within an inch of his life.”

  “Objection, Your Honour.”

  The judge brought down his gavel as the noise levels in the court began to rise. “Can you substantiate these claims, Mr Dixon?”

  “I can, Your Honour. Would you allow me a moment to finish the story before doing so?”

  The judge nodded his assent. “But keep it brief.”

  “Your Honour, the terms of the contract would have left Mr Flynn free to find his own place once he turned eighteen, but he did not know that. He had run away once before and when he was caught he was savagely beaten, as I will pr
ove in just a moment. He was terrified of being caught again, as he believed he would lose his life, and so, Your Honour, his actions were taken in self-defence.” Mr Dixon beckoned the clerk over and gave him a note for the judge, who then read it and nodded.

  Mr Dixon turned to Daniel. “Mr Flynn, if you are able, would you turn and, having raised your shirt, show your back to the court.”

  Daniel did as asked, revealing welts and scars which covered the whole surface.

  Molly cried out, then covered her mouth with her hands, while Miss Ellie laid a comforting hand upon her arm. She was aware of many noises from around the room, until the judge called, ‘Order,’ once again.

  “Thank you, Mr Flynn.” Mr Dixon turned back to the court. “Your Honour, I am sad to say that the rest of his body is similarly covered.”

  “Objection, Your Honour. He can’t prove that this has any connection to the case before you.” The prosecution lawyer looked almost apoplectic.

  “Your Honour, may I call a witness?”

  The judge assented and, as Mr Dixon called his first witness, the noise levels in the courtroom raised to a significant level. Molly looked around and was surprised to see the public gallery was all but full with onlookers. The judge called the court to order, this time with a threat that those who ignored him would be taken to the cells. It had the desired effect and Mr Dixon was able to turn to his witness without further interruption.

  Once she had been sworn in, Mr Dixon began. “Mrs Hawksworth…”