Orphan Train Escape

by Rachel Wesson

  “They don’t live far from here they said. They know Reverend Franklin.” Bridget paused before adding, “I can look for a job. The extra money could be used to support the children.”

  “You won’t have time for a job,” Brian said. “I don’t mean to be harsh, Miss Collins, but the farm will take up all of your time. There are cows to be milked, sheep to be looked after, the household chores, baking and whatnot.”

  He couldn’t look her in the eye as he knew what he was saying was probably breaking her heart.

  “Please, Mr. Curran. I can’t separate my family. The children, they’re only four and six. How could you ask me to give them to strangers?”

  “I’m not the one doing the asking. I didn’t know anything about them until you turned up here. If you had written, maybe I could have made arrangements.” Even as he said the words, Brian knew he wouldn’t have been able to do anything of the sort. He had no way of providing for children and Riverside Springs wasn’t a big enough town. There was barely a school and a church. The road called Main Street earned its name by being the only street in town. This wasn’t New York.

  What sort of life were they running from to leave New York and come to a place like this? To marry a stranger and risk taking two children all that way. Brian looked at her closely. She didn’t look like a flibbertigibbet, but one who took her responsibilities seriously.

  “Morning, Brian, is this your new bride?”

  Brian looked up in surprise as Mitch wandered over.

  “Shannon sent me into town to get her some supplies. I think she figures on making you a wedding cake.” Mitch glared at Brian, making him realize he hadn’t introduced them yet.

  “Sorry, forgive my manners. Miss Collins, this is Mitch Williams, my closest friend. He helped me prepare my, I mean our, land and home.”

  “Nice to meet you, Miss Collins,” Mitch said. “And who are these delightful children?”

  “I’m Liam. I’m six. That’s Annie, she’s four. That man doesn’t want us here.”

  Brian wanted the ground to swallow him up as the child pointed an accusing finger at him.

  “He made Bridget cry. I don’t like him.” Liam stood at the side of the street with his arms folded across his chest. If looks could kill, he would be stone dead.

  “Well, I didn’t expect, what I mean is…” Brian floundered.

  “Why don’t we all go into the boarding house and have a seat?” Mitch suggested. “It looks like Miss Collins and her siblings could do with some refreshments. Come on.”

  “The town has a boarding house? But I was given to believe it was tiny,” Bridget said.

  “It is a rather small town, Miss Collins. But it’s growing all the time. When I say boarding house, I doubt it’s what you would be familiar with, having lived in New York. But it is clean and, more importantly, provides some privacy rather than having discussions in the middle of the street. In fact, I insist on securing a room for you, so you and your siblings can change. I remember traveling from Boston to here years ago. I don’t think the conditions have improved much since then.”

  “You are very kind Mr. Williams,” Bridget said. “But I can’t accept your charity.”

  “It’s not charity, don’t concern yourself about that. Brian will work it off.” Mitch smiled at Brian, but Brian could see the questions in his friend’s eyes as well as a hint of reproach.

  “Thank you, Mr. Williams. My siblings and I would be glad for the chance to wash up.”

  “Can we eat too? I’m starving,” Liam said.

  “Could you eat a cow?” Mitch asked. “I could take you out to my field and provide you with a knife and fork.”

  Brian couldn’t help smiling as the boy’s eyes widened in response to Mitch’s question.

  “You don’t really mean that do you?” Liam asked, his tone suggesting he wasn’t sure.

  “No son, I don’t. You may not be in New York anymore, but we are still a civilized people out here. Most of us anyway.”

  Brian knew that jibe was aimed at him but what did Mitch expect him to do? He couldn’t afford a whole family at once.

  Sighing, he picked up Bridget’s carpet bag and followed the little family across the street into the hotel.

  Chapter 45

  Bridget was stunned by the friendly greeting from the couple whom she assumed owned the hotel.

  “How lovely to see young people coming to our town,” the man said. “You must be very tired. Of course, we have a room available. A grand double bed and we can put a bed on the floor for the young boy. My name’s Grayson and this here fine lady be my wife, Emily. I’m warning you though, she’s from New York too so no doubt will have your ears bent asking for information about the folks back home. You wouldn’t think she’s been gone about thirty years by now.”

  Bridget just smiled. She didn't have the energy to talk. If she did open her mouth, she was afraid the tears would escape down her face. Why had she ever thought it was a good idea bringing Liam and Annie with her? She couldn’t blame Mr. Curran for balking at the fact she hadn’t come alone. He was right. She had done the wrong thing. But then, she couldn’t desert her family in their hour of greatest need. Kathleen wasn’t old enough to look after the young ones and Maura wasn’t yet of sound enough mind to keep them with her. The thought of the innocent little children being separated and sent to different folk, to disappear forever, was too much.

  “Don’t give up yet. There must be something we can do.”

  She looked up at the man who’d put his hand on her elbow. How she wished her husband to be shared the kind heart of Mr. Williams.

  “You go ahead and get sorted and I’ll order coffee for the three of us in the lounge. Do you think the children might sleep? They would be very safe. Mrs. Grayson wouldn’t let anyone touch a hair on their head. That way we could talk openly.”

  Bridget nodded her head in agreement. She ushered the children upstairs and helped them wash and get changed. The room was very pretty. The double bed had a beautiful quilt laid over it, the pinks and blues in the quilt being picked up by the painted pictures on the walls. The pallet under the window also looked very comfortable.

  “Is this what cowboys sleep in?” Liam asked.

  “It is indeed, young man. Every night out on the range, the cowboys lay out their pallets.” Mrs. Grayson winked at Bridget behind Liam’s back. “Are you wanting to be a cowboy young Liam?”

  “Yes, ma’am. I love animals and being outdoors.”

  Bridget had to turn her face away. So far, Liam’s experience with animals were the wild alley cats and other animals that roamed the streets of New York. But she didn’t say anything. She didn’t want Liam to think she was mocking him.

  “Can you look after your little sister while your big sister comes downstairs to chat with the men?” Mrs. Grayson asked. “I will be back in two minutes with some biscuits and soup for you. I’m sure you’re hungry.”

  “We’re starving aren’t we, Annie? We will wait here for you ma’am. Bridget run along. We will be fine.”

  Run along indeed. What age did he think he was, trying to boss her around? But she didn’t reproach him. She knew behind his big man routine, he was just as a scared as Annie was. She hugged her small sister and whispered that she wouldn’t be long.

  “You won’t let them take us away, will you, Bridget?” Annie asked.

  “No, darling. I won’t let them do that to you.” Bridget crossed her fingers and prayed hard she wouldn’t have to break her word.

  She stood and smoothed down her dress, wishing her heart would slow down. It was beating way too fast.

  “You look very pretty, Bridget,” Annie said.

  “Thank you, darling. Now get some sleep after you eat. Liam will stay with you and mind you, won’t you, Liam?”

  “Yes of course. I am a cowboy now, Annie. Nothing can happen to you.”

  Bridget closed the door softy behind her, Liam’s words echoing in her ears. Pushing her shoulders back, s
he offered up a quick prayer before descending the stairs.

  She looked around her for a couple of minutes before she spotted Mr. Williams and Mr. Curran seated at a table in the far corner of the room. Both stood as she approached and only sat when she was fully seated.

  “I ordered some food as well as coffee for you, Miss Collins. I figured you would be hungry,” Mr. Williams told her.

  “Thank you for your kindness.” Bridget wasn’t at all sure she could eat but it would be rude to say that. She could feel both men looking at her.

  “I should apologize and try to explain my reasons for my actions. I didn’t mean to trap you, Mr. Curran. Only, I felt there was no other way out. I had to leave New York in a hurry. My boss, he made certain advances toward me.” Bridget picked at the cotton on her dress as her cheeks heated up. She hated remembering what happened, the smell of his breath against her cheek, the forceful way his hands had dug into her shoulders, but it was even worse telling two male strangers.

  “I am sorry you went through such an ordeal, Miss Collins.”

  It was Mitch Williams who spoke, but Bridget’s eyes were drawn to Brian Curran’s face. He looked furious, but with whom she wasn’t sure.

  “It is worse than it sounds. During the struggle, I reached out and found a weapon on his desk. I didn’t have any other choice. If I hadn’t fought back…:” Bridget fell silent. The men didn’t interrupt but waited for her to finish. “I used a letter opener to slash him across the face, injuring his ear, which gave me the opening to escape. I believe the wound was bad enough to scar, although I didn't wait around to check. I ran as fast as I could. Mr. Oaks is a powerful man and has lots of friends. I had to take my family from the only home they had known to the local church.”

  “Do you not have any family who could help you?” Mr Williams asked.

  “No, Mama died three years ago. I have an older sister, but her fiancé was killed the week before in an explosion at work and she seems to have lost her way.” Bridget was sure her sister had lost her mind, but she wasn't about to admit to having mental illness in her family. “I have a younger sister Kathleen, but she is only sixteen and far too young to take on the children. She was also sacked by Mr. Oaks.”

  “What an ordeal you have been through, Miss Collins,” Mr. Williams commented, sending a dark look at Brian.

  Bridget felt bad Brian was being blamed. She turned her attention to him saying, “I should have written to tell you about my brother and sister but there was so little time. Father Nelson told Lily, she runs the sanctuary in New York, that Mr. Oaks was bringing charges against me. I couldn’t risk being sent to prison. The children were to leave on the orphan train, but I couldn’t bear for them to go without me. Father Nelson gave me a job as a temporary placement office. I couldn’t… that is I...” She didn’t continue.

  “Some children find happy homes,” Brian murmured, but his tone suggested he was grasping for straws.

  “They do, but most siblings are separated. Liam and Annie have been close since Annie was born. Liam has always protected her and looked out for her. He couldn’t live without her. Annie is so innocent, I couldn’t let her go to strangers. I just couldn’t.” The tears escaped down her cheeks.

  Mrs. Grayson came upon them before Bridget could compose herself.

  “My poor dear girl, what is the matter? What have you two done to her? Come here to me, child. Let’s get you upstairs and put you to bed. Whatever the problem is, you can deal with it in the morning. Come on, love.”

  Bridget didn’t have the strength to say no or to correct the woman over the fact she wasn’t a child. It was nice for someone else to take control for a little while. She followed Mrs. Grayson without even saying goodbye to the men, let alone thanking them for the food.

  “You didn’t eat a bite either. You go to bed and I will bring you up a sandwich.”

  Bridget couldn’t think about food; her stomach was roiling and the last thing she needed was to be ill. She had to get her wits about her. Not only her own future, but the children’s future was also at stake.

  “No thank you, Mrs. Grayson. I just want to sleep.”

  “I am not going to argue with you but tomorrow you must eat a good breakfast. You are far too skinny already and will waste away to nothing if you don’t eat.”

  Bridget didn’t reply. Her eyes had closed of their own will. Last she heard was the door closing softly and little Annie’s snores as she cuddled into her side.

  Chapter 46

  Brian Curran stared after Bridget as Mrs. Grayson lead her away. He couldn’t believe the amount of trouble the poor girl had dealt with and had a feeling she had kept some of her troubles from them.

  “What a mess,” Mitch said.

  “Yes, it is. I can’t afford to take on two children. As it is, I’m not sure I have enough money to keep a wife.” Why had he written off for a wife? In fairness the cattle rustlers had struck after he had written the letter, but still. He should have followed his gut instinct and waited until he was more secure financially. But then he would be an old man.

  Mitch rocked his chair back and forth. “You of all people can’t send those kids on the orphan train. You know what it was like for us.”

  Brian stared out the window. He knew he had been considered lucky. While not accepted as part of the Moore’s family, he hadn’t been ill-treated. Not like Mitch, who had told him the story of how he and his sisters had been split up. All five siblings had been separated. Mitch and his brother had gone to work for a farmer. He’d treated them harshly, kept them from going to school and worked them hard until Mitch’s brother died from a fever and Mitch ran away. His elder sisters went to one family after another, eventually ending up working behind a saloon. Last they had heard, Mary, the oldest, had been found in a river. Susie had been murdered by a client. Mitch didn’t know what happened to their three-year-old sister. Any records on Annie Williams had disappeared.

  “I know you think I should keep them, but, how can I? I don’t have the animals or the crops to support them. Children are expensive.” Exactly how expensive, Brian didn’t know but it didn’t matter. He was barely making ends meet. Losing the couple of head of cattle to rustlers had hurt.

  “Bridget looks fine and healthy,” Mitch said. “I bet you she would work herself to the bone to provide them young ’uns with a good life.”

  “Yes, but what about when our own young ’uns come along?” Brian glanced at his friend who stared back at him. “Don’t look at me like that. You know as well as I do how much I want kids of my own. It’s all I ever wanted, a family.”

  “Seems to me you got yourself a ready-made family right there. God does things for his own reasons. Don’t you think it’s a message the girl who comes to marry you brings orphans with her? Where would you be today if someone had taken you in and provided you with a real home rather than just a roof over your head in return for labor?”

  Brian looked everywhere but at his friend’s face. He had spent hours daydreaming with Mitch as to how their lives would have been different if they stayed in New York. Both agreed they would probably have been dead by now. But if they had been adopted for real and given schooling and allowed an education would they both be struggling so much now?

  Only God knew, and he wasn’t about to tell them. It was pointless thinking about the past and what could have been. Brian had no control over that. But his actions would affect those little children. How could he be thinking of putting those children back on the train to end up goodness knows where?

  “Do you ever think love could grow between you and Bridget if you send her family away?” Mitch asked. “You think long and hard about the choices you make Brian. The Lord provides in his own way. You know that just as well as I do.”

  Brian returned Mitch’s gaze. His friend had a much closer relationship with God than Brian did. Mitch didn’t hold God responsible for what had happened to his family. He had in the past but all that changed when he met, and married, Shan
non. Shannon had been another orphan train baby, but she’d been adopted by a pastor and his wife. The pair had loved Shannon as if she were their own blood and brought her up in their faith. Shannon continued to study the bible and seek out those who wished to discuss it in detail. Mitch was a regular churchgoer whereas Brian only went when he had to. Such as their wedding or at Christmas. Or that day he had come into town to consider his options and Reverend Franklin asked him to write to Bridget. He buried his head in his hands. Was it God’s will she come to Riverside Springs with two young ’uns?

  Chapter 47

  Bridget woke with a start the next morning, the comfortable bed feeling empty. There was no sign of Annie or Liam. Breathing heavily, she quickly dressed as she couldn’t go downstairs in her nightshift. She opened the door, calling out to her siblings, but there was no answer. She got to the kitchen and pushed it open to stand and watch in amazement. Her siblings were sitting at the table, both working on some slates. Mrs. Grayson came back in from outside, her face breaking into a smile when she saw Bridget.

  “How are you feeling this morning? I thought a lie in would do you good. These children, they were as good as gold. Not a peep out of either of them.”

  “Thank you for minding them,” Bridget said.

  “It was my pleasure. Now take a seat and I will dish up your breakfast. Liam tells me you are a firm fan of pancakes.”

  Bridget glanced at Liam who sent her an innocent smile back. Little rascal knew well that pancakes weren’t Bridget’s favorite food but his.

  “Can I have some more please, Mrs. Grayson?” Liam asked. “Figuring out things makes a man very hungry.”

  “Ah, to be sure you can. You can have as many as you want. What about you Annie? Would you like some more?”

  “No, I am stuffed,” Annie said.

  “Annie Collins. Just say no, thank you, please,” Bridget reprimanded her sister.