Last Train Home (The American West Series Book 1)

by Laura Stapleton

  Alice wanted to settle down here, be the woman in Jack’s life. She’d never considered marrying so soon, wanting to wait. Maybe when the teasing about her being an old maid turned a little more serious, she’d fall in love. So many orphans waited back home for her. Other people could help them, certainly. Alice wasn’t so naive as to think the program would cease when she quit. Plus, other married people placed children. Sure, all the people escorting orphans were men, but still. She didn’t mind being the first married woman.

  After a couple of minutes lying there and trying to sleep, she turned to stare up at the ceiling. Here she was, already married to Jack in her imagination. She snorted a laugh before remembering to be quiet. No one upended their entire life for a man they’d known all of two days. She’d go into town, Donovan would vouch for Jack, papers would be signed, and she’d go home. Simple as that.

  Chapter Eleven

  Jack stirred the gravy. There had to be a way to convince Alice to stay a little longer, to see if they were as right for each other as their kisses had been last night. He checked the biscuits, taking them off the heat and lifting the lid on the Dutch oven. The boys were still joking about how stiff their pants had been this morning fresh off the clothesline. Both sets of pants were thawing, draped over a shelf near the stove.

  Charlotte was outside, and he supposed Alice still slept. He’d have to go in and wake her since the sausage and gravy smell wasn’t working its charm. Jack moved the pan to a lower heat and went to the second bedroom.

  The door wasn’t latched, and Jack looked in on her. He stopped in his tracks, stunned. Her hair fanned out over the pillow where she lay. She turned her head to him, sitting up and pulling the sheet close to her chest. He smiled. “Good morning.”

  She smiled. “Good morning. I didn’t mean to sleep in.”

  “Don’t worry about it.” His heart thudded hard in his chest. She couldn’t know he wanted to climb in bed with her and snuggle under the covers. He cleared his throat before saying, “Breakfast is almost ready, and I didn’t want you to eat it cold.”

  “Thank you. The children?”

  “Outside. I’ll holler for them.” He paused at the doorway, feeling the need to clean up any misunderstandings between them. “Last night—”

  Alice shook her head. “Was lovely, but we both have our lives to live. I have my work back home, as you have yours here.”

  He went and sat on her side of the bed. “We do, but I want more. I want all of us together.”

  She bit her lip as he took her hand. “I don’t know, Jack,” she said. “You’re asking me to give up my work. Would you be so willing to leave your farm?”

  Jack let her hand slide from his. He gritted his teeth at first, hating to admit the truth until he finally said, “No, I wouldn’t. You’re right and I understand why you must leave.”

  Her eyes shimmered and she stared down at her lap for a moment before saying, “I’m sorry, I really am.” Alice sniffed. “If you’ll call the children in to eat breakfast, I’ll get dressed for the day.”

  He stood, too aware of how little she wore and how intimate the bedroom had become. “Of course.” Jack left for the back door. Instead of hollering for them, he decided to find the Hayses for himself.

  The henhouse door stood ajar. He grinned, guessing who was in there. After getting there, he opened the coop and said, “Hello?” while peeking inside. He wasn’t surprised to see Charlotte petting one of the tamer hens. If he didn’t know better, he’d swear the bird was smiling at her. “Breakfast is ready. Have you seen the boys?”

  She continued smoothing the feathers of a chicken sitting on a nest of eggs. “They went to play in the creek even after I told them not to.”

  “In the creek?” he said loud enough to startle everyone, including himself. “They know we’re going to town today. Alice will have a fit if they get as dirty as they were yesterday.”

  “Won’t you be mad, too?”

  “No, not too much.” He laughed at her surprised expression. “You’re forgetting that I used to be a boy and always in trouble. My bet is Donovan remembers being just as ornery and will forgive a little bit of dirt.”

  She didn’t look at him but at her new feathered friend. “Do you think he’ll let us stay even if we’re not perfectly good children for you?”

  The question took him aback. Jack knew he was going to be the best father possible. Things might get tough, but he had no doubts they’d work through it together. Charlotte’s hand paused as she waited for his answer and he replied, “Yes, I think he will, and if he doesn’t I’ll just have to change his mind.”

  She turned from the hen and asked, “And Miss Alice?”

  Alice Wedgwood was a can of worms he’d deal with later. At least, his stomach felt like a tin full of nightcrawlers every time he thought about her going home. “I want her to stay, too, but she’s her own person and must do what she thinks is best.”

  Charlotte gave him a slight smile. “She’ll want us to stay with you, too.”

  Her statement made him realize he’d misunderstood her question. His measured answer had been to his own longing to keep Alice with him on the farm and didn’t address the girl’s fears about her own future. “Yes, sorry; of course, she does. She seems willing to let the adoption go through.” He backed out of the coop. “I’d better check on the boys and make sure they haven’t drowned themselves in an effort to stay here for yet another day and night.”

  She followed, latching the door. “I’ll go say hello to the cows and will come back to help if Miss Alice starts screaming at all of you for the boys getting dirty.”

  Jack stopped dead in his tracks. “She screams when she’s angry?”

  “Not usually.” Charlotte gave him a wry smile. “There’s always a first time. I’d better go with you to find them. We might have to clean them up without her knowing.”

  “Thanks for offering, and I hope I don’t need your help.”

  She chuckled. “There’s no telling with those two. One minute they’re angels. The next, the devil wouldn’t take them.”

  “Let’s hurry and see how bad off they are.” Jack picked up the pace and peered through the trees, hoping to catch a glimpse of either boy. They reached the water’s edge without a single clue about the children’s location. “If you were Carter or Conner right now, where would you be?” he asked their sister.

  “Next to the stove, desperately trying to get dry before you caught me.”

  Jack laughed. “I’ll bet you’re right.” He walked with her to the house, steadying her on the slippery parts of the path. “I’ll bet you’ve had a tough time watching over those two.”

  “Sometimes they get out of hand. The Sisters keeps everyone on their best behavior, as does Miss Alice. They don’t obey me as much as they do everyone else.”

  He nodded. Their sister was too young to be an authority to them. He’d been the same to his own brother. “I expect there to be times where I put you in charge. So, they’ll have to do what you say when I do.”

  “If you want them to mind me, they will.” She glanced at him with a shy grin. “At least, they’d better.”

  Jack stepped on the porch and opened the door for her. “Exactly right.” He followed her into the house to find the air heavy with tension. The three sat in their usual seats, only Alice eating breakfast. The boys stared at their plates, pushing around the food. Seeing them in his clothes again, he had a good idea of what had happened. Two pairs of pants and socks hung above and to the sides of the stove, water dripping from the hems into buckets.

  Alice stood. “Have a seat and I’ll fix your plates.” Before Charlotte or Jack could reply, she began dishing out food. The two looked at each other, the silent message being to do as she said, so they eased into their chairs. Neither boy glanced up at them, both still morose.

  He broke the uneasy silence first. “All the livestock are fine.”

  “Good,” Alice said. “Boys, eat. Lunch is a long time from no
w.”

  They did as requested, taking the smallest bites Jack had ever seen. He raised his eyebrows when Carter looked at him, and the boy grinned until Alice glanced at him. “Breakfast is very good.”

  “Of course, it is. You’re a terrific cook,” she replied.

  Jack enjoyed her praise and tried to be modest. “Well, I’m decent.”

  “Mm-hm. You know you’re excellent.” Alice returned to the stove with her empty plate. “There’s more here, so don’t be shy if anyone is still hungry.”

  Jack hid a smile at how comfortable she seemed in his home. Plus, the positive remark about his cooking didn’t hurt. “I might take a little more after you and the kids get your fill.”

  She turned to him with a smile. “I’m done, but you’re right.” Alice squeezed more water from the pant- legs into the bucket below, saying, “Now’s the time for seconds if you all are having any.”

  Slowly, the three children stood and lined up for more biscuits and gravy with Jack being the tail end. He watched as Alice continued to wring water from the cloth and winked at her when she looked at him. She shook her head, frowning, and went on with her efforts. He couldn’t blame her for being frustrated. However, if Alice knew Donovan as well as he did she’d be calm about the mess, too.

  He sat down with his food while she went to the back door with the larger pail in hand. Alice put on her coat, saying, “I’ll get some fresh water for washing. Charlotte, begin cleaning up our room in case we can’t come back. Boys, I want you to clean up your room as well. Please only pack up what you brought, and that means no toys.”

  He began to argue, stopping when she shook her head. Jack decided to let the matter rest and nodded when she left the house. Once the door shut, he said, “The toys are only for you three, so they’re already yours.”

  “Can we take them?” Carter asked.

  “Let me talk to her first,” Jack said. “She’s still angry about your clothes.”

  Charlotte hissed, “What were you two thinking? You knew better, and I told you to be careful.”

  “We didn’t mean to,” Carter said.

  Conner offered, “He slipped on the bank and I tried to grab him.”

  Jack finished the story by saying, “And you both fell in? Then why aren’t your shirts wet, too?” Guilt shuttered their faces and he frowned. “So, you’re not being honest?”

  “We fell into,” Conner said. “Not over into.”

  “Oh, that’s much better,” Charlotte quipped. “You two were doing that close to the danger game again, weren’t you? One of you stumbles,” she paused when each boy pointed to the other. “It doesn’t matter who, and you both end up in trouble.” She began clearing the table of the empty dishes. “I hope you both are happy when we’re back in the city without a father. Or worse. One’s in Chicago, the other in Sacramento, and I’m still in New York. We may never see each other again, thanks to your games.”

  The boys turned to Jack. Their expressions tugged at his heartstrings. “I’ll do what I can to keep that from happening. In the meantime, how about you two do what Miss Alice suggested. You can put everything away later when the adoption goes through and this is your real home.”

  They each nodded and went off, the boys into Jack’s room and Charlotte into the women’s bedroom. He wiped a hand over his face, realizing he hadn’t shaved in a day or two. Donovan might be a good friend, but Jack still wanted to look his best when pleading his case as a single parent. He’d also need to file the divorce papers no matter what Alice decided about staying. Ellie was gone and nothing Jack could do would change her mind. Not after five years of being the best husband he knew how to be. Charlotte’s clanking around while packing drowned out any noise the boys made, and he walked into the room to find them seated together on one side of his bed. “You two ready to go?”

  “Yes, sir,” Conner said in a mumble.

  Jack went over and sat next to Carter. “I know you’re worried. So am I, but we must have faith things will work out the way we want to. If they don’t, then we look for another solution to our problem, all right?”

  Carter leaned against Jack, who put his arm around the boy, and then Conner leaned against Carter. The three sat like that for a few seconds until the back door opened. Jack gave the boys a squeeze before removing his arm. “That’s our signal to finish up in here and be on our best behavior for Miss Alice. Let’s show her how well-mannered you can be as my sons.”

  His words brought the grins he wanted to see from them and Jack returned their smiles. “Take your bag out into the main area and I’ll be there in a minute.” They did as he asked while he went to his dresser for a razor and the papers. Jack slid the envelopes into his pocket as Alice came into the room. He said, “I’ll shave and clean up the kitchen while you pack.”

  She shrugged. “I never unpacked, so my doing dishes will save us some time.”

  Her disinterested attitude almost hurt. “So eager to leave, are you?”

  Alice followed him out into the living area. “Not as much as wanting to settle things one way or another.” She used a dip of her pinky finger to test the large bucket of water heating on the stove before beginning to wash dishes. “I’m anxious to give these three a good home before I leave.” She paused in her cleaning. “I’m also ready to deal with any bad news. Get the sadness and hurt over with already and move on.”

  He looked over at the Hayses. The three were standing at Charlotte’s bedroom door, looking much like the sad photograph he had of them from the Home. Alice seemed so calm and matter of fact about breaking their hearts; his heart, too. He shoved the folded-up razor into his pocket. “Finish up, get your coat, and meet me in the barn. I need to harness Shep to the wagon and want to talk with you in private before we leave.”

  Without a backward glance, he grabbed his own coat and left the house. The cold air didn’t cool his temper as much as it did his face. His feet crunching on the icy grass drowned out everything but the pounding in his ears. He opened the barn door and went in, pulling the door slightly ajar for Alice.

  The hay aroma and soft animal sounds calmed him. He went over to Shep and the horse came up to him with a nicker. Jack reached out to scratch his forehead. “You’re a good one, aren’t ya?” A ray of sun shown in briefly before Alice closed the door. He didn’t look at her. “I’d appreciate it if you didn’t continually threaten the children with going back to New York.”

  “And I would appreciate it if you didn’t pretend this adoption was already completed.” She walked up to him, her hands in her pockets. “It’s not, and there’s a good chance it won’t be due to Mrs. Dryden’s leaving.”

  His hand fell, and he turned to her. “So, you’ll punish all of us for her actions?”

  “I’m not.” Tears filled her eyes. “I’m just being realistic about your chances as a father trying to raise three children on his own.”

  “Women raise children without a man all the time.”

  She sniffed. “Do they? Really? No older son who’s nearly but not quite eighteen? Or a nearby relative who can check in on them from time to time?” Alice shook her head. “How many women do you know married the closest able-bodied man they could find after the war in order to keep what little they had?”

  He opened his mouth to protest, to say no one married his father after his mother had passed, but Alice was right. His brother had plenty of friends who married a Civil-War-widow for convenience’s sake. Jack hated being wrong, but this time he had to concede. “I see your point.” The little hope he’d been trying to hang on to evaporated. “I’ve been optimistic where you’ve been realistic and there’s a very good chance I may never see any of you again.” His nose stung as he looked into her eyes. “I don’t want to let you go, Alice. Not you or the children.” He took her by the shoulders. “I didn’t realize how lonely I was, even when not alone, until you all arrived. And now I can’t let you go. Not you or any of them.”

  Tears fell from her eyes as she whispered,
“I don’t want to leave you, either.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Alice melted into his arms, his comforting hug making the looming verdict far worse for her. “I love you and I think I have from the first letter you sent us.” His hold tightened, and she continued, “I know we’ve been face to face for mere hours, but I feel as if you’ve been my friend for years.”

  His voice low in the dim barn, Jack replied, “I feel the same way. Divorce is supposed to be a shameful thing, and it is to me. But since you’ve arrived, I consider it a blessing.” He leaned back, lifting her chin. “Do you think you’d live closer to Missouri? Closer to here for me and the children?”

  She nodded, happiness blooming in her. “I’d love to work out of the St. Louis office, helping orphans from there.” Alice caressed his face, the stubble rough under her fingertips. “They might even expand to Kansas City and I could be nearby.”

  Jack scooped her up, twirling her around before kissing her. She clung to him as they gave in to desire until he broke away first. “I need hitch up or we’ll never get to town.

  She let go of him, letting her touch linger on his arms for a moment. “I suppose the manhunt would start as soon as someone noticed I hadn’t returned home.”

  He laughed while putting the horse’s bridle on. “It would, and I’d be hung out to dry.” Jack led Shep over to the wagon. “We’ll be ready to go in a bit.”

  “I’ll ready the children and grab our bags.” Alice paused at the doorway. “If you and Mr. Donovan are truly friends…” She paused when he gave her a stern look, “and I’m sure you are, I’ll be the only one not here this evening.”

  “I didn’t know I’d need a plan to keep you with me.” He opened the barn door wider. “I’ll have plenty to think about while we’re riding into town.”

  “I’ll go ready the children.” Alice hurried to the house, not surprised to see the trio at the window peering out at her. She couldn’t blame them at all for their curiosity. Their fate hung on what adults decided for them.