Last Train Home

by Laura Stapleton

  Last Train Home

  The American West Series

  Laura Stapleton

  Text and Cover Image Copyright © 2018 Laura L Stapleton

  Cover by Cheeky Covers

  All Rights Reserved.

  No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical, electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the author or publisher.

  Names, characters, and some incidences are imaginary and complete fiction. The places are real whenever possible and some geographical names have been changed since the story took place.

  Acknowledgements

  Huge thanks to the National Orphan Train Museum in Concordia, Kansas. The train depot housing the museum is exactly what I imagined while writing this story.

  Dedication

  To Liberty, Tom, Carter, and Conner.

  Table of Contents

  Acknowledgements

  Dedication

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  The complete Oregon Trail Series

  About the Author

  Chapter One

  Jack Dryden stared out the dirty window, chin resting on his hands as if in prayer. He shivered. The midmorning sun barely affected the frost. Last night’s fire in the wood stove remained cold and silent behind him. His wife, Ellie, had been gone three weeks, or was it four by now? His days blended into one blur since she’d left.

  He did happen to remember the orphans arrived today. Sending a letter canceling the adoption hovered at the top of his chores. Yet Jack didn’t have the heart to even write the message, never mind ride to town and send it. “You picked a hell of a time to leave,” he growled, as if she’d hear him while at home in Boston.

  The papers lay on the table in front of him and reflected the morning light from the window. One’s handwriting held the graceful curve of his runaway wife with a prim and final goodbye. The page covered a divorce decree for him to sign. His gut churned yet again. Wives didn’t divorce their husbands. He’d meant it when vowing until death do them part, even if she hadn’t.

  Jack scratched the back of his neck. Their love might have faded to tissue-thin over the years, but he still respected his wife. He folded both papers, his signature blank vacant and nagging at him. After a couple of seconds, he tucked in the envelope flap. Ellie had left because of him and not for anyone else. He reckoned neither one of them were in a hurry to make the document final.

  The typewritten notice of the instant family he’d requested several months ago now sat on top. He sighed. No need to rush over to the courthouse after telling the orphans he’d not be able to adopt them after all. He had enough bad news to deliver already. Unable to leave it alone, Jack pulled the official letter from its envelope and stared at the enclosed photo.

  The Children’s Society had sent the information about the girl and twin boys soon after Ellie’s departure. He narrowed his eyes. If she’d waited a couple of weeks to leave him, the orphans and his wife might have passed each other on the way to the children’s new home. Jack wondered what Ellie might say if seeing them in a depot while they waited for the train to him. What could she say? ‘Sorry, but I’m not your mother or your father’s wife after all’? Judging by her goodbye letter, Ellie wouldn’t have the guts to say the words. He snorted. Maybe pin a note to their lapels, but that’s all.

  He looked over the photo, not bothering to reread the date written on the back. The sadness in the children’s eyes told him everything. The girl stood behind the boys, a hand on each of the twins’ shoulders. Jack couldn’t help but smile, recognizing the protectiveness of an older sibling. In the image the trio seemed well taken care of, and maybe they had been before their parents’ deaths.

  Jack slid the photo back into the envelope. A black and white image said nothing about hair or eye color, but the nuns had waxed poetic about the blonde hair and blue eyes of all three and how lucky he was to get such beautiful children to raise. He grunted and pushed aside both letters on the table. A person’s looks didn’t matter to him right now. Ellie proved to him that a pretty outside never meant a pretty inside.

  He stood, the chair’s legs scraping along the dusty wood floor. The place wasn’t ready for more than the few livestock he had, never mind new family members. Jack grabbed his coat and hat on his way to the door. He’d ride into town, tell the nuns he couldn’t take the orphans after all, and be done with the matter. Maybe stay another year out here and get the homestead ready to sell. No need to stay and build a family farm when Ellie had taken his heart back to Boston.

  Once outside, a hard breeze cut through his coat. The early winter sky’s pale blue matched the icy air. Jack hoped his horse, the one Ellie had left him, would move better in the cold than he did.

  He walked up to Shep’s stall in the barn and paused. The animal nickered and Jack grinned. “Hey boy,” he said, coming up to the animal and running a hand along his neck. “Feel like going into town?” As if answering him, the horse nudged his arm. Jack chuckled and said, “All right. Let’s go.” He led Shep out of the stall.

  The buggy sat to one side of the wagon and he paused. Riding would be faster, but he might need more than saddlebags after stopping by the dry goods store on his way home. “I suppose hitching the buggy wouldn’t hurt,” Jack muttered and reached for the bridle. “It’ll keep me from visiting the saloon for some Christmas cheer, right, buddy?” The horse nickered when Jack gave him another scratch between the ears. Some men left their wagons tied to the post outside the saloon in any weather. He’d wanted to unhitch all the suffering animals and care for them like they deserved.

  He soon had the horse fastened up and ready to go. Leading the animal past the house before getting onto the wagon reminded Jack he might need the orphanage’s letter after all. “Give me a minute, boy,” he muttered and hurried into the house to scoop up both letters. Ellie’s goodbye would be proof to the caretaker that the children would be better off with anyone but him. He shoved the envelopes into a coat pocket.

  His footsteps on the frozen blades of grass almost drowned out the papers’ crinkling as Jack went to Shep. He double-checked the rigging and planned to reread Ellie’s goodbye one more time before writing a final plea for her to return home to him. He paused for a moment before digging leather gloves out of his other coat pocket.

  A contrary voice inside of him piped up about how she’d refuse him yet again. A smart man would have the papers signed and delivered by now. He shook his head, intent on dealing with the divorce later. Once on the buggy seat, he clicked to Shep. “C’mon, boy. Let’s get this over with.”

  ***

  Alice McCarthy squeezed the handbag’s handles. Her first trip so far west to Liberty, Missouri, couldn’t go awry now. She glanced at the eldest child, Charlotte, and smiled in reassurance while saying, “Mr. Dryden will be here soon. We’re early, that’s all.” Worry faded from the girl’s blue eyes and her shoulders relaxed.

  Charlotte shifted her belongings to the other hand and wrapped a blonde curl around her now freed finger. “I hope so. They do want us, don’t they?”

  “Of course, they do,” Alice assured her. She kept watch over the twins as they played tag around the railroad depot’s rosebushes. Charlotte’s twelve years to the boys’ ten wasn’t a huge age gap an
d she smiled. Their difference in maturity meant the girl paced from nervous energy with her instead of dirtying her clothes while playing. Alice took a couple of steps toward the edge of the train station platform, and said, “Boys, be careful to stay neat. We want to impress Mr. and Mrs. Dryden, not scare them.”

  “Yes, Miss Rogers,” they chanted in unison. One of them wiped dirty hands on his pants, leaving limestone-white streaks on dark fabric.

  “Oh, Conner.” Alice sighed and reached for her handkerchief. “Come on over and let me clean you up. The Drydens should be here any moment.”

  The boy did as she requested with Carter following him. Charlotte dropped her bag next to her brothers’ and crossed her arms while tapping her foot. Alice hid a smile at how well the girl mimicked Sister Theresa’s mannerisms. Good thing they weren’t in the Children’s Home at the moment, or the Sister might take it personally.

  “There.” Alice gave his trousers a final swipe of her handkerchief. “All better.” She straightened. “Be careful to not let the thorns snag on anything.”

  Neither boy replied but ran back to resume their game. She shivered and turned to the young girl. “Let’s walk around again to keep warm.”

  Charlotte nodded, and both picked up the boys’ carpetbags. The two stepped off the platform and into the winter sun’s warmth. Alice checked the time on the depot’s clock before they turned the corner. They’d been here two hours with no Drydens. People backed out of taking in children all the time. She’d have to contact the town’s children placement board members at some point. Let them make suggestions on the best parents for the Hays children.

  She chewed on a small chapped piece of her lower lip. Alice had reviewed the Drydens’ application herself, along with acquiring Sister Teresa’s final approval. So many people needed help on the farm, and the couple seemed like solid, decent folks. Not the type, certainly, to miss meeting new family members for the first time.

  Neither woman hurried for the shady side of the station, nor did she and Charlotte talk. While the girl was naturally quiet, Alice wanted to stall chatting with her about putting the three of them up to the community at large. Give the prospective parents a little while longer, just in case.

  “They’re not coming for us, are they?”

  She paused in mid-step at the girl giving voice to Alice’s worries. “Oh, I wouldn’t say that. They might be delayed for some reason. The farm is a half-day’s ride, remember.”

  Charlotte nodded, and they continued walking to the far side of the depot and out of the warmth. “I’d like to believe that, but it’s late afternoon.”

  “I know. Everything will be fine, I promise.” She smiled, ignoring the guilt smothering her heart. Alice could guarantee nothing, really, except she wouldn’t abandon this family. The sisters at the Home encouraged keeping siblings together, but sometimes separations couldn’t be helped. She glanced at Charlotte. She had shifted to holding everything with one hand and toyed with her hair again. The girl had a curl wrapped around her index finger so tight, the skin was a reddish purple. Alice shared her fear and placed a hand on her slight back. “Even if the Drydens have changed their minds, you’re not to worry. I’m here to help you and the boys find a good home.”

  They turned the corner and both halted when seeing the boys hugging a man as if they were never letting go. When he glanced up at the ladies, Alice’s heart stopped as she stared into the greenest eyes she’d ever seen.

  The mystery man had a several days’ beard as black as his midnight hair. A hat pressed low over his forehead gave him an intense appearance, even if the dark curls hinted at the more boyish aspect of him. His clothes looked a little too lived in and she wondered what wife would let her husband go to town in a rumpled shirt and pants. His coat and boots had some wear as well.

  Finished with her appraisal, she glanced up into his eyes again. His slight smiled led her into giving him one of her own. He awkwardly patted each child on the back, his expression silently begging her for assistance. Alice swallowed and took a step forward. “Hello, it looks like you need some help.”

  The twins flanked him, holding on as if he were a tree during a hurricane. He gave her a slight grin. “I do, please,” he responded while putting a hand on each boy’s shoulder.

  The man’s deep and even voice did fluttery things to her heart and her face filled with heat. She’d met so many men in the past year of helping children find homes. This one beat out anyone she’d ever met before and Alice cleared her throat in an effort to collect herself. “This raucous behavior won’t do, boys.” What if the couple showed to take the children home and saw them clinging to strangers? “Come along. Let the gentleman go.”

  Before she could step up and pull the twins away, Charlotte squeaked out a sob. “Pa? Is that really you?”

  Chapter Two

  Jack’s blood pooled in his feet and left him lightheaded. He wasn’t anyone’s pa. Not yet, anyway, and not until the Hays children arrived. Two boys and a girl, who stood next to one of the loveliest women he’d ever seen. “No, I’m sorry. Wish I was, but no,” he croaked.

  The girl shook her head, tears filling her eyes, and the boys clung to him tighter. “I suppose not,” the young girl said. “You fit the description, that’s all.”

  The woman with the deluded youngsters stepped forward. “Here, boys, let go of the gentleman.” She tugged at their shoulders, and after a little resistance they complied. “Pardon us, please. We’re expecting the children’s new parents and they’re a little overexcited.”

  His neck stiff with tension, Jack tried to give her a curt nod. Telling the children how they’d have to turn around and go back to a place they couldn’t call a home broke his heart. Anyone would be anxious to begin a better life and he responded, “I can’t say I blame them. A new life out west is always exciting.”

  “I’m glad you understand.” She shifted from one foot to the other before asking, “Although, how did you know we’re from back east?”

  “Most people around here are somewhat tanned by the sun. Not the ladies so much, but everyone else can’t help it.” Jack smiled and held out his hand. “I have to confess, though, I’m Jack Dryden and pretty much know Charlotte, Conner, and Carter from the photo.”

  “Oh,” she replied, her voice soft as she shook hands with him. “I’m Alice Wedgwood. Pleased to meet you.”

  “Same here, ma’am.” Jack reached out to greet the boys with a handshake, too. “Pleasure to meet you both.” He smiled at Charlotte. “Young lady.”

  The girl shook his hand with a small smile. “Likewise, Mr. Dryden. Will your wife be along soon?”

  Now would be when the cow patty hit the ground, Jack reckoned. There’d be no way to pretend Ellie hadn’t been eager to meet her new children. A less honest man would say she’d stayed behind at the farm. Tell Miss Wedgwood she could go on home and leave with the Hays-turned-Drydens. Get everyone back at his place before confessing to his newly-created bachelorhood so the instant family would have to stay with him.

  He rubbed the back of his neck. A lie never solved anything. Eventually, someone from the adoption committee in town would visit or get wind of his wife leaving him. Clearing his throat, Jack turned to Alice and said, “About Mrs. Dryden. We should probably have a talk before deciding anything else.”

  She glanced at Charlotte and the boys before responding, “What do you mean?”

  Jack faltered for a moment since saying the words made her leaving real. “Ellie’s gone, for good, and that’s why…” His words trailed off as the quartet’s expressions changed to dismay and confusion. “I won’t be able to adopt as we’d planned.” He looked from Alice’s narrowed eyes to Charlotte’s trembling chin to the boys’ clenched jaws and fists. His nose stung. “I’m sorry.”

  Alice frowned as Charlotte fell into her arms, quietly sobbing. “Very well. A couple can change their minds. I suppose instead of being angry you waited until we arrived to tell me, I should be glad you mentioned your
refusal just now.”

  Carter wiped his eyes with quick, sharp motions. “You look like our pa but don’t act like him.”

  “Our pa would’ve adopted us no matter what.” Conner added with a pout. “He was a good man.”

  Carter nodded, frowning. “We didn’t have a mother after we were born and did just fine with a father.”

  Alice tsk-tsked and shook her head. “Boys, he has a right to change his mind. If you all had refused to go with him I’d have to respect your wishes, too.” She lifted her chin, staring down her nose at him as much as a shorter woman could. “Thank you, then, Mr. Dryden. If you’ll excuse us, I have to arrange our lodging for tonight and begin to find homes for the children tomorrow.”

  More than one home? Jack had heard about the families split up when a couple only wanted one or two children out of several. The sadness in their faces matched the sorrow in his heart. He’d wanted this family with Ellie. She might have left for good but nothing said he had to let the children go, too.

  He clenched his fists before saying, “Don’t, please.” Alice turned to him, her face as chilly as the air around them as Jack faltered. “I mean, let’s go inside the depot where it’s warm, and discuss everything before you try to place the children elsewhere.”

  Alice nodded. “Very well.” She gave a final pat to the girl’s back and led them inside. “I suppose a few minutes won’t hurt.”

  Hope grabbed his heart and he grinned. He had a toehold and could persuade more time out of her. His horse would need care first. “Be right there.” Jack hurried to Shep, tying him to the hitching rail before petting his nose. “Wish me luck, buddy.”

  He walked to the building, now golden in the winter’s slanted sunlight. Bare tree branches behind him cast long shadows up the side of the depot. Hand on the door, he paused. What would he say? Tell them to come home with him? To a motherless house in desperate need of a scrubbing? Jack had added a couple of bedrooms this fall, planning for today. Now, his efforts didn’t seem to be enough.