The Heart's Charge

by Karen Witemeyer

  “Would it be so bad if the others learned the truth?”

  Before Katherine could stop her, Alice snatched her filthy wool cap from atop her discarded clothes and slapped it on, pulling the brim down low over her forehead. “Rawley’s crew is boys only. If they find out I’m a girl . . .” She hugged her arms around her middle as if trying to stave off the threat of further abandonment.

  Katherine knelt in front of her and placed her hands on her shoulders. “If they find out you’re a girl, you’ll just come stay at Harmony House,” she said fiercely. Softening her voice, she tried to paint an inviting picture. “We have a girl staying here named Ruby who is about your age. And another named Priscilla who’s three and lives here with her twin brother. They would love to have a new friend. You’ll meet them at dinner.”

  Alice shook her head. “I can’t stay here. Rawley told us all about orphanages. They feed kids gruel, make ’em work all day, and take a strap to their backsides whenever they so much as sneeze wrong.”

  “Well, as smart as Rawley is, he doesn’t know everything.” Katherine bundled up Alice’s dirty clothes before the child decided to reclaim something else from the pile. “Harmony House is not an orphanage. It’s a foundling home. Emphasis on home. Miss Southerland and I established this home for children in need. Not only do we provide meals and a place to sleep, but Miss Southerland is a teacher, so anyone staying with us will also receive a first-rate education. We do ask our wards to help with chores around the house, but straps are never utilized. Ever.”

  Alice looked skeptical but slightly less mutinous.

  “Why don’t you ask Abner and Ruby about it after dinner?” Katherine suggested as she wrapped the dirty clothes in a sheet and set them aside to launder later. “They can tell you everything you need to know about what life is like at Harmony House.”

  “You gonna give those back?” Alice jerked her chin toward the laundry bundle, her voice cracking with challenge.

  Katherine smiled. “Of course. They belong to you. I’m just going to wash them first. They will be returned to you tomorrow evening, cleaned and pressed.”

  Alice said nothing aloud, but her expression clearly said, We’ll see.

  Yes, you will. Katherine opened the washroom door and placed a hand behind Alice’s shoulders to guide her through. You’ll see that we follow through on our promises. Give us a chance, and we’ll shower you with all the love and kindness you can stand.

  She’d be surprised if Rawley and the others could be convinced to stay once the snatchers were caught. That crew was too free-spirited to willingly tie themselves down to a permanent dwelling. But Alice and Wart? Katherine’s heart throbbed with the need to shelter them. It was the same way she’d felt when she’d first encountered Abner all those years ago. Alice and Wart belonged at Harmony House.

  Watch over her brother, Father. I haven’t even met him, but I feel your calling to bring him into our home. Maybe this is the true reason you brought Mark here. To rescue Wart. I stand ready to assist, however I can. Bring him home unharmed, Lord. Home to Alice. She needs him so.

  Alice halted suddenly, causing Katherine’s prayerful thoughts to scatter as she bumped into the girl’s back. Abner stood before them, his arms filled with plates intended for the dining room.

  He met the newcomer’s stare head on without his usual defiance. Katherine’s heart soared. It was so difficult for Abner to meet new people. They never failed to stare at the red birthmark on his face, leaving him angry and embarrassed. This time, however, he ignored Alice’s shock and offered a friendly grin.

  “Welcome to Harmony House. My name’s Abner.”

  Acting the perfect host. Katherine bit back a grin. She hadn’t had much time to prepare the children for their influx of visitors, so she’d simply explained that these were children who had no home and needed a safe place to stay. She’d asked Abner and the others to be kind and hospitable, and here he was doing exactly that. Putting his own discomfort aside to ease the discomfort of another. No mother could be prouder.

  “I’m . . . Al.”

  “Al, huh?” Abner didn’t look too sure about the boyish name, but he shrugged it off as unimportant. “Ruby and me are settin’ the table in the other room. Wanna help?”

  A tight, bristling voice cut into the conversation. “Al’s not goin’ anywhere until I find out exactly why she’s been lyin’ to me for the last six months.” Rawley scowled at Alice, his eyes dark with betrayal.

  Abner turned and glowered at the older boy, moving to place himself in front of Alice. “Back off.”

  Rawley did no such thing. He advanced, his narrowed gaze switching from Alice to Abner. “I don’t back away from nuthin’, tomato face.”

  Abner’s cheeks reddened to match his birthmark, and the plates rattled ominously in his hands.

  Before the boys could come to blows and break half the plates in her pantry, Katherine jumped between them. “That’s enough.” She looked first at Abner. “Please see to your duties in the dining room.”

  He peered up at her, a question in his eyes. She nodded, assuring him she’d look after Alice. He tossed one final glare at Rawley before making a silent departure.

  Katherine turned to Rawley next, doing her best to keep her own hackles from showing. Reminded herself that this boy had been surviving on his own, possibly for years. Striking first before someone could strike him. Living by his own code, one that obviously valued honesty and trust. Perhaps she could build on that.

  “While you are staying with us, Rawley, I must ask you to abide by our rules. We do not allow name-calling or other disrespectful behavior. Is that understood?”

  The boy’s face closed down, his jaw clamping tight as he visibly struggled with his response. He glanced at the door and the other boys standing just inside, staring at him, waiting for him to decide their fate. Temptation to leave warred with his need to protect those in his charge.

  “You and the others are welcome to stay here as long as you like,” Katherine said, saving him from having to verbalize a response to her edict. For now, it was enough to communicate her expectations. Collecting his agreement could wait. “Perhaps some of you will even choose to make Harmony House your permanent home.”

  She placed a hand on Alice’s shoulder, and understanding flashed in his eyes. Understanding and . . . relief? Something clicked in Katherine’s mind. It wasn’t the dishonesty that bothered this leader of young men so much. As a survivor, he would know precisely what had motivated Alice’s disguise. However, to be in charge of a young girl, especially if her brother was no longer around, was a layer of responsibility he hadn’t anticipated or been prepared to accept. And what would happen as she grew older? Would she continue to be treated like one of the crew, or would she be a source of distraction and strife among them?

  “However long you stay,” Katherine continued, meeting Rawley’s gaze, “you will treat the others as you would wish to be treated yourself. With kindness and respect. Can you agree to those terms?”

  He sniffed and raised his chin. “I s’pose.”

  “Excellent!” Katherine beamed a smile at him. “Then why don’t you ask Miss Southerland what you can carry to the table for supper? I’m sure you’re all starved.”

  Her prediction proved true, as the giant batch of biscuits Eliza had made disappeared with staggering speed. Every drop of gravy and scrap of ham was consumed in record time. A bit of tension lingered in the air between Abner and Rawley, but Ted’s constant questions about railcar living and Rawley’s yarn-spinning skills kept a lively conversation going throughout the meal. Katherine had been happy to see Ruby and Alice engaging in a quiet side conversation of their own, both undoubtedly hungry for connection with another girl their own age.

  Despite all the activity at the table, Katherine’s mind kept turning to Mark. He and Jonah had opted to eat outside, taking their plates of food onto the back porch. Whether in an effort to protect the ladies’ reputations or to discuss their invest
igation in private, she didn’t know. Both, most likely. Mark had hinted that they’d want to speak with Alice after the meal, and when the knock she’d been straining to hear finally rapped against the back door, she practically flew from her chair to answer.

  She pulled the door open. Mark’s eyes lit with pleasure upon seeing her, and her insides hummed in response. She dipped her gaze and noticed the plates he held, one stacked upon the other.

  “Here, let me take those.” She reached for the dirty dishes, and her fingers accidentally overlapped his.

  His roguish smile made an appearance, as if he thought she’d touched him on purpose. She hadn’t. Not really. Had she? In truth, she’d been so enamored by the delight in his eyes upon seeing her that she hadn’t paid much heed to where her hands were going.

  “Sorry,” she mumbled, quickly adjusting her hold so as not to trap his fingers against the plates.

  “Don’t be.” Mark slipped his hand free of the dishes, then lifted it to caress the edge of her cheek with the back of one knuckle. “I like it when you touch me.”

  She liked it too. Enormously. But she couldn’t bring herself to admit as much aloud. He didn’t seem to mind, though. Just smiled at her, his roguish grin softening into something infinitely sweeter as the teasing melted away to reveal a warmth that revived every dream she’d ever had of spending her life with this man. And there’d been many, many of those dreams over the years.

  But the children must come first.

  Dipping her chin away from his touch, she retreated a step into the kitchen. “Would you like to conduct your interview in the front parlor?”

  Mark cleared his throat and nodded. “That would be fine. Would you join us? I’m sure Alice would be more comfortable with you there. Jonah and I will do our best to keep things friendly and nonthreatening, but two grown men facing down a little girl is going to be intimidating no matter how gentle we are.”

  “Of course.” With romance safely set aside for the moment, the friendly camaraderie Katherine had always felt with Mark returned. “I was planning to horn in on your conversation anyway, but it’s much nicer to be invited.” She winked.

  He chuckled, the sound seeping into all the cracks and crevices of her battered heart, soothing them like a healing balm.

  “I thought you might.” Their eyes met and held, so many comfortable, happy memories zinging between them like messages on a telegraph wire. Yet it wasn’t only memories they shared. It was this moment. The miracle of finding each other after years apart and the hope of a second chance.

  “We ready?” Jonah Brooks stood at the bottom of the porch steps, his voice cutting through the gathering dusk.

  How long had he been there? She didn’t recall seeing him when she’d first opened the door, but then, Mark had so filled her vision that a coyote could have been padding around the yard and she wouldn’t have noticed.

  “Absolutely.” She forced a smile as she withdrew from the open doorway. “Come through to the parlor. I’ll fetch Alice as soon as I put these dishes up.”

  Katherine made a point not to look back as she set the plates by the sink and hurried into the dining room. Eliza was instructing the boys on how to clear the table while Ruby corralled the little ones. Alice stood behind her chair, glancing between Rawley and Ruby, not sure which group to join.

  Katherine took a step in her direction. “Al, would you come with me, please?” Not sure which name the girl would prefer now that the truth was out, Katherine thought it best to stick with the old one. Things were changing fast enough as it was. “Mr. Wallace and Mr. Brooks would like to talk to you. About Wart.”

  Alice complied, taking Katherine’s hand when she offered it. Squeezing her fingers warmly, Katherine led her to the parlor. They sat together on the settee, leaving the men the armchairs across from them.

  Surprisingly, Mr. Brooks did most of the questioning. Apparently Alice had opened up to him earlier. Mark added a question here or there, but he let Jonah guide the conversation. One that centered around pinpointing the exact location where the attack occurred and a physical description of the man Alice had caught a glimpse of before she ran to get help.

  “I really didn’t see him,” she insisted when Jonah asked a third question about what the man had been wearing.

  All she’d given them so far was that he wore a hat, dark clothes, and a bandana over his face. She mentioned that he was tall, but didn’t every man look tall to a child? Hearing Alice’s rising frustration and the sound of tears nearing the surface, Katherine decided to call a halt to the interview. But before she could, Jonah snuck in one more question.

  “Did he have dark skin like me or white skin like Wallace over there?”

  “Dark,” Alice said without hesitation, “but not like you. More like Mr. Lopez from the train yard. Everything about him was dark. His clothes. His hat. His skin. It’s why we never saw him coming.”

  Jonah snapped a look at Mark, who sat up straighter in his chair.

  “What?” Katherine asked, her gaze flitting between the two men. “Does that mean something to you?”

  Jonah nodded. “The fellow who snatched Rawley was white. Means there’s at least two of ’em. Workin’ together. Probably hired by someone.”

  Hired? For what purpose? Who would hire thugs to steal children? Were they being sold? Used as unpaid labor in some horrible factory or textile mill? She wanted to demand answers, but she feared frightening Alice. The girl was already burrowing into Katherine’s side like a rabbit into its den. Besides, the men had no answers. Only God knew the truth.

  You see them. Wart and the others. You know exactly where they are and who the perpetrators are. Lead us to them, Lord. Please. Show us the way.

  “One more question, Al, then we’ll be done, all right?”

  Katherine felt the little girl’s chin rub against her arm in a nod.

  “Before you ran away, while you were looking for a way to help your brother fight, did you hear the man say anything?”

  “Maybe? I don’t . . .” The tears were too close to the surface.

  Katherine lifted Alice into her lap and wrapped her arms around the trembling child. She wanted to put an end to the questioning that very moment, but she knew the answers were too important. “Close your eyes, sweetheart,” she said instead. She cupped the girl’s face in her hand and gently urged her to lay her head against her chest. “Sometimes when you close your eyes, it helps you remember.”

  Alice lay against Katherine and squeezed her eyes closed.

  “I know it’s scary, but you’re safe here. I’ve got you. Feel my arms around you?” Katherine tightened her hold, and Alice nodded. “Now, go there in your mind. To that tree where you were looking for fallen branches. Listen to what’s happening around you. What do you hear?”

  “Footsteps. Heavy, fast footsteps.”

  “Good. What else? What is Wart doing?”

  “Telling me to run.”

  “Before that.” She stroked Alice’s hair. “Did Wart say anything to the man?”

  Alice stiffened. “Yes. He said, ‘Get out of here!’ Then yelled and ran at the man, swinging his branch.”

  “Did the man say anything back?”

  Alice said nothing for a long minute, then jerked away from Katherine so fast, the top of her head slammed into Katherine’s chin.

  “He called Wart a little thief. Said he had it comin’ to him.” She leaned toward Jonah. “Does that help?”

  Katherine didn’t see how it could, but Jonah nodded.

  “It just might. Where does Rawley’s gang do most of their swiping? I’m not talking about snitching food here or there. I’m talking about coins or other valuables.”

  Alice shook her head. “I-I can’t tell you. It’s a secret.”

  “Across the river, on the Burnet side of the bridge.” Rawley strode into the room. He must have been eavesdropping from the hall. “When there’s no train, the only way into Kingsland is over the bridge. Folks’ll leave thei
r wagons or horses on the Burnet side and walk across the bridge. They don’t usually leave much of value behind, but if a fellow knows to search deep and look for holes in linings and secret pockets under stirrup straps, well, the pickin’s can be pretty good.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “You gonna turn me in to the law?”

  “Nope.” Jonah pushed to his feet and took a few steps in Rawley’s direction. “But I just might kiss you for givin’ us the first real lead in this case.”

  Rawley pulled a face and backed up a step, earning a soft chuckle from Jonah. “Me and the boys’ll be movin’ on after we help you get Wart back. We won’t be workin’ that spot no more.”

  Mark stood and joined Jonah. “That’s probably a good thing. Thieving ain’t that great for long-term security anyhow. You should consider heading out toward San Antone. I know a ranch where the group of you could earn an honest wage. If you’re interested.”

  Rawley shrugged. “Don’t know where we’ll be headin’ just yet.” His gaze shifted past the men and settled on Alice. “But I do know you won’t be coming with us.”

  Alice’s breath caught on a tiny sob.

  “Now, don’t start bawlin’ like a stuck calf. It ain’t ’cause I’m mad at ya for lyin’ to me about bein’ a girl. I got over that halfway through dinner. You’re one of us, Al, and you always will be. But Wart would want you to stay here. At Harmony House. That’s why he took that job at the livery, ya know. To find a way to provide for you away from the rest of us. Railcar ridin’ ain’t no life for a girl. Now that I know the truth about ya, I ain’t so mad at him for leavin’ us behind. A man’s gotta take care of his womenfolk or he ain’t much of a man. When we get him back—and we will get him back—the two of you should stay here. Together. It don’t seem so bad. Food’s good. And I checked all the closets. No straps.” He pointed a finger at her. “But I do think you need to start wearin’ dresses.” Rawley looked at Katherine. “Ya got any girl’s duds she can use?”

  Confused by the strange turn of the conversation, Katherine crinkled her forehead. “Yes. But if she prefers trousers, I don’t see why—”