Orphan Train Sweetheart

Simon shoved him up a fraction of an inch higher against the shed. “Next time you should think twice about putting your hands on a lady during a conversation.”

Abruptly letting go, Simon stepped back while Mr. Hartley dropped to his knees and took a few deep breaths. “We’ve seen enough for today. Patrick has assured me that he’s happy to be here. But, Hartley, I’ll have my eye on you. One misstep and I’ll take Patrick back. We don’t tolerate any sort of abuse.”

Without another word to the farmer, Simon turned and wrapped one arm around Cecilia’s shoulders, supporting her as they walked away. At the buggy, he helped her in then briefly spoke to Patrick, who stood by the house taking in every move with wide eyes. Their voices were too low for her to hear what they said, but it was only a moment before Simon jumped up into the buggy and they were finally leaving.

Her mind felt numb in the silence that hung between them until they drove over the first hill and out of sight of the Hartley farm. Simon stopped the buggy and turned to her, taking one of her hands in his. “Cecilia, please tell me you’re all right. He didn’t hurt you, did he?”

She shook her head. “He held my arm rather tight, but I’m fine. Just shaken up.”

His jaw clenched and his eyes swung away from her. “I’m so sorry I left you with him. I never thought he would try to harm you.”

Hoping her voice wasn’t as shaky as the rest of her, Cecilia tried to act dismissive, like Cat would have. “It’s fine, Simon. Really. He was awful, but I’m fine. Were you able to talk to Patrick?”

Releasing her hand, he rubbed the back of his neck hard enough that the skin turned bright pink. “A little, but I didn’t get much out of him. He insisted Hartley treated him fine. But it’s only been one night. Something about the man gives me a bad feeling.”

Swallowing hard, she fought to keep her stomach from heaving. Poor Patrick, stuck out there with that terrible man. “Then there’s nothing we can do?”

Simon shook his head. “Only if he actually hurts Patrick. My instructions are to let families get to know each other unless there’s proof that the child is being neglected or abused. Sometimes it takes time for them to get settled into the arrangement. So for now, we’ll have to watch and wait.”

Cecilia dropped back against the buggy seat as Simon urged the horse into motion and they rumbled over the rough dirt path again. It was hard to accept that they had to wait and do nothing when Patrick was in the middle of such a mess. But Mr. Hartley hadn’t hurt Patrick yet and Cecilia prayed that he wouldn’t in the days ahead.

The return trip dragged on, giving her far too much time to relive Mr. Hartley’s revolting proposal. What on earth made him think that manhandling her would convince her to marry him? If that was the kind of male attention she was going to attract as the years went by, maybe she was better off committing to remain unmarried, after all.

Thinking about living the rest of her years alone was painful, but Cecilia had come to realize that it must be God’s purpose for her life. Yes, she got restless teaching. But God had placed her there and the opportunity to support herself independent of a husband was too important to throw away. After all, every man she’d been even a bit interested in had found Cat to be irresistible. Cecilia never got a second glance, unless it was from men old enough to be her father, like Mr. Hartley.

Simon’s voice broke into her thoughts. “You look tense. Are you sure he didn’t hurt you?”

Compassion flickered in the depths of his eyes. Flustered by his concern, Cecilia rubbed one temple with her fingertips, hoping the mild pain wouldn’t turn into a full-blown headache. “Yes, I’m fine. I was just thinking.” She tried to find something to say that would distract him from the episode with Mr. Hartley. She didn’t want to think about it anymore. “I’d love to hear more about New York City.”

To her surprise, Simon’s face hardened at her mention of his home. “There’s not much to say. It’s a big city. Lots of buildings, lots of people.”

Drawing back at his cold tone, she wondered why he didn’t want to talk about his hometown. “There must be something you love about it. Or something that’s vastly different from the frontier.”

“Nothing worth mentioning. Life in a big city isn’t as romantic as the papers make it seem.”

Cecilia’s head started pounding. Trying to draw him into conversation wasn’t worth enduring that gruff tone. But a second later his softened voice reached her ears. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to snap at you.”

“You’ve mentioned how anxious you are to return to New York, so I thought you’d enjoy talking about it. But you don’t have to if it makes you uncomfortable.”

She glanced over in time to see his jaw clench. “It doesn’t make me uncomfortable, exactly. The city can be a rough place. And working with orphans, I often see more of the hardness than others might.”

Sobering, Cecilia’s heart constricted. “Is it terrible for the children, being on the streets there?”

His eyes fixed on a point in the distance. “It can be. Some of them come from wealthier families, left on the steps of a church or orphanage because the mother isn’t married and doesn’t want to shame her family. But many of them lose their parents in tragic ways and are left to fend for themselves. Sometimes there’s still a parent around, but they aren’t able to take care of the child, or they refuse to. No situation is good and there’s sadness in all of them.”

The pain in his expression made her throat tighten. Had he really seen that much horror in his time working with the orphans, or was there more to his story than he’d told her? “Don’t organizations like the Children’s Aid Society provide some help for them? It must make you feel good to know you can at least do something.”

He shook his head. “Maybe for a bit, but it’s never enough. As long as there are children wandering the streets, stealing and fighting for food or shelter, unloved and uncared for, it won’t be enough.”

She couldn’t resist trying to offer a small amount of comfort by resting her hand on his arm. “But people like you are champions for them, giving of yourselves to help. It may not seem like it, but I’m certain that makes a world of difference to the children.”

* * *

Simon didn’t know how to respond. He wanted to believe her words, to feel her certainty that he was somehow helping the children. But knowing that he was bringing some of them all this way only to leave them in unhappy situations made him feel helpless and surly. He wanted to do more. He needed to do more.

When he didn’t respond to her, Cecilia moved her hand from his arm, leaving behind a cold feeling. But he felt her eyes still on him and she sounded curious. “What drives you to push so hard? You’re one man, doing all you can for the sake of street children many people would walk past without a glance. Why isn’t that enough?”

The questions hammered at him like hail. As much as he hated talking about his past, maybe if she knew how much this meant to him, she would stop pushing to understand and accept that he knew what was best for the children. “It’s not enough because I was one of them. I felt the hopelessness, the pain of knowing you aren’t good enough for most people. And I won’t sit by and watch innocent children go through that if there’s even one tiny thing I can do to help them.”

He refused to look over at her and see the pity in her eyes. It was always either revulsion, suspicion or pity when he talked about his childhood as an orphan. But her quiet words etched in his heart. “Simon, I’m sorry. I hate that you had to go through that. But I hope you see that those experiences have given you empathy far beyond what most people feel. They formed you into a caring, dedicated man who is making a difference.”

He didn’t answer. Even if he wanted to, he couldn’t. Her response was so different from any he’d experienced that he didn’t know how to handle it.

They reached the outskirts of Spring Hill without speaking again. As they approached the bustling streets, he finally mustered the courage to glance at Cecilia. “Can I drive you home?”

He could see the hesitation in her face. What was it about him that made her want to keep him at arm’s length? She’d agreed to spend the morning with him visiting Patrick, but she’d refused to let him take her home. Was she more put off by his past than she sounded? If he’d looked at her after divulging his past, he might have seen revulsion instead of understanding, after all.

Trying to find a hint of her feelings in her expression, he forced his tone to stay light. “I hate to leave a lady to walk home by herself. It’s not polite.”

But instead of disarming her, his words seemed to have the opposite effect. She drew herself up taller, jaw tight and chin in the air. “Really, it’s fine. I’m quite capable of getting myself home without an escort. Please stop here and I’ll walk.”

Simon shook his head. This woman was either excessively independent or very uncomfortable spending one more minute with him. He reminded himself that it was none of his business either way. He needed her help for a few weeks and then he would be gone. “Yes, ma’am. I’ll stop assuming you’d welcome chivalrous behavior.”

He pulled the buggy to an abrupt stop. For a moment it looked as if she wanted to say something. But then she clamped those rosy-pink lips tight and climbed out of the buggy before he could offer his assistance. Not that he thought she’d take it if he did.

“Thank you, Simon. The hotel staff can help you send word for me when you’re ready to make more home visits. I hope your time in Spring Hill will be pleasant.” And with that, she turned on her heel and started to walk away.

It was all Simon could do to keep his mouth from hanging open at her rude dismissal. Several minutes of deep breaths finally calmed the flash of heat that filled his chest. He couldn’t decide if he should go after her and give her a piece of his mind or let her continue her haughty walk home. She disappeared around the corner at the end of the street and he decided it was best to let her go. He wouldn’t force his presence on her any more than necessary since that’s what she seemed to want. As he raised the reins to steer the horse back to the stable, a voice called his name. “Mr. McKay?”

An older woman approached the buggy with quick, efficient steps. Her dark hair was graying, but she had piercing eyes that looked like they wouldn’t miss a thing. He climbed down and tipped his hat to her. “Yes, ma’am. I’m Simon McKay.”

The woman stuck out a hand and gave him a firm shake that would rival any man’s. “I’m Lily Holbrook, Cecilia’s aunt. It’s sure nice to meet you.”

Ah, the sisters’ illustrious aunt. Simon couldn’t help smiling. “It’s my pleasure, ma’am.”

She waved his formal greeting off with one hand. “It’s Lily to everyone around here, son. No need for fancy niceties with an old woman like me. Now, I wanted to talk to you.”

That caught his attention. He’d never even met this woman. Giving her his full attention, Simon watched her expressive face as she spoke. “It’s about my other niece, Catrina. Have you met her?”

“Cat? Yes, I’ve spoken with her several times.”

Lily continued with a brisk nod. “Then I’m sure you’ve noticed the way she has of flitting around from thing to thing. She doesn’t seem to have much interest in settling down and getting married, which is fine for now. But I’m afraid if she doesn’t fill her time with something beneficial, she’ll get herself into trouble out of sheer boredom.”

Simon tilted his head, trying to understand why Lily had stopped him to discuss Cat’s flighty personality. “And what does that have to do with me?”

He immediately flinched at the way his words sounded. Why did he always have to act tough and cold? Thankfully, his tone didn’t slow Lily down one bit.

“I hoped you’d consider finding a way to include her in some of your work. If she had a cause, something to care about, she might lose a little of that restlessness that could get her into a mess.”

Running one hand over his chin, Simon thought for a minute. He could understand a restless spirit. He knew what it was like to wander with no purpose. And he could see how Cat’s self-assured air could be covering up a disquiet hidden deep inside. But he was already in over his head spending so much time with Cecilia. Could he stand working with another woman for the next few weeks?

Lily stood with her hands on her hips, waiting for his answer. “Let me think about that, Lily. I’m sure there’s a way to involve her in working with the children.”

“Thank you, Simon, my boy. Now, you have a nice day and make sure you stop by my place sometime for a meal. Lily’s Café, over on First Street. It’ll be on me.”

With a wink, Lily turned and walked away, a spring in her step that belied her age. Simon started to smile until he remembered that promising to find a way for Cat to help meant letting another woman into his space. Cat was the sort of woman who drew most men’s attention, but Simon couldn’t let himself get distracted by a pretty face. Yet the face that flashed in his mind wasn’t Cat’s. It was Cecilia’s wide eyes and flushed cheeks that filled his thoughts.

With a shake of his head, he forced thoughts of women away. He had things to do. There were reports to write and send back to the Children’s Aid Society. And he had to organize the paperwork the approval committee had completed when the children were placed out. Then he would take a few days to call on prominent residents of Spring Hill and enlist their assistance in helping the children acclimate to their new homes, as he did at every stop. It was one small way he tried to ease the transition for the orphans and the town.

With all he had to do, the week went by quickly. It was Monday before Simon was able to figure out how he could include Cat in his work. He sent the boy who ran errands for the hotel to deliver a message to Cat, asking her to meet him at the café for supper that evening, so he could explain his idea.

Simon had been able to spend some time exploring the town of Spring Hill and had found the café on one of his walks. Tonight, he took his time, ambling down the boardwalk to enjoy the crisp evening air. The town had captured his interest over the last few days. It was both wild and quaint, frontier and civilization rolled into one. He had seen many towns, large and small, on his travels with the orphan train, but none had grabbed his attention like Spring Hill.

This place had somehow gotten him thinking about what it would be like to settle down. To stop traveling the country, indulging his restlessness. He could almost see himself marrying, building a house, having children of his own. But every time the blissful vision played in his mind, it was interrupted by the memory of his best friend’s youthful face covered in bruises.

He could feel the fear again when he remembered Michael telling him about the horrors of life with the cruel couple who’d taken him from the children’s home they’d been in together. He couldn’t help shuddering when the cold emptiness crept back in like it had the day Michael had died trying to escape them. And, every time, the overwhelming guilt renewed Simon’s determination to help every orphan he could, even if it took the rest of his life. He refused to fail another person like he had Michael.

In spite of the pull he felt to remain in Spring Hill, he prayed his growing attachment didn’t have more to do with a certain teacher than the town itself. Of their own volition, he’d found his eyes scanning the streets as he’d walked, watching for her familiar figure. At church the day before, he’d hardly heard a word of the sermon. His mind kept drifting to how pretty she looked sitting in the pew wearing a green dress with a delicate lace shawl wrapped around her shoulders.

But no matter how his heart betrayed him, Simon couldn’t even consider staying on the frontier. He could visit the town now and then if his travels brought him to the area. But marriage was out of the question. He couldn’t keep helping the orphans and settle down to married life at the same time. He’d never known a woman who would choose to travel the country helping abandoned and neglected children rather than having her own and he didn’t expect to find one out here.

When Simon reached Lily’s Café, he was surprised by how busy it was. But he managed to find a seat at a small table, the right size for two people. He had barely settled into his seat when the sound of footsteps close by grabbed his attention. Expecting Cat, he looked up and lost himself in lovely, intelligent eyes instead of flirtatious ones. Cecilia.

Her smile was a bit shy and Simon wondered if she felt as awkward as he did after the way they’d left things the week before. “Hello, Simon. It’s nice to see you here at Lily’s.”

Simon stood to greet her. “Well, she introduced herself last week and invited me, so I thought I’d take her up on the offer.”

Cecilia tucked her bottom lip under straight teeth. “Could I join you for a minute? There’s something I’d like to say.”

He gestured at the open chair with a shrug. Cecilia seemed to avoid his gaze as she seated herself while Simon did the same. An awkward silence fell between them. Simon glanced around the room, taking in the other patrons and trying to think of something to say that wouldn’t make the moment more uncomfortable. But Cecilia broke the silence with a rush of words. “I think I owe you an apology. I know I was a bit rude last week when we parted and I’m sorry for that.”

Her face was so earnest that Simon couldn’t have held a grudge against her even if he’d wanted to. “Don’t worry about it. I’m sure I pushed too hard. I’ve been told I can be overbearing.”

Amusement crossed her face and he wondered if she would have made a joke about his words if he hadn’t made her so uncomfortable before. The look passed and she shook her head. “No, I don’t want any distractions or tension when we’re out visiting the children, so I need to explain. It isn’t that I didn’t trust you to take me home or that I have anything to hide. I simply value my independence. Men so often treat single women like we’re unable to handle ourselves, but I’ve been doing fine for several years on my own. I don’t want you to think you need to take special care with me. I’m not weak and fragile.”

* * *

The statement wasn’t untrue. Cecilia didn’t want to be coddled because she was an unmarried female. There was just so much more to it. But she couldn’t tell him about the years she’d spent pining over men who were never interested in her. Or about how, after Mama died when the girls were small, Papa used to treat Cecilia like she was a china doll, so delicate he was afraid to touch her. He’d never treated her sisters like that. Coralee’s strength always commanded respect rather than overprotection. And Cat’s carefree confidence tended to keep people at arm’s length. All too often, people treated Cecilia like she wasn’t able to handle life on the frontier on her own.

Simon’s tilted head and furrowed brow confirmed that keeping her deepest reasons to herself was the right choice. It was clear he didn’t see why being treated as if she couldn’t manage alone was a bad thing. And how could he? A man who had spent most of his life with no one to answer to would never understand why she had to work so hard to do things independently.

She was quite glad when he nodded and the confusion on his face cleared as if he’d considered all the angles and decided to accept her simplified explanation. She felt a little of the tight knot in her stomach relax. Spending hours side-by-side with him when they visited the children would have been unbearable if that awkwardness had persisted.

Looking across the small table at Simon, she was struck by the urge to stay and learn more about him. She’d seen him at the church service the day before, but she had wondered all week what he was doing and if she’d run into him around town. “Were you able to fill the rest of your week with any interesting activities?”

Before Simon could even open his mouth to answer her question, the room stilled and Cecilia turned to see Cat. After making her usual dramatic entrance, she sashayed to their table in a cloud of delicately flowered skirts. Every dark hair was in a perfect, flattering arrangement that looked like it had taken her hours. And had she pinched her cheeks before coming in? How else could she have such a charming pink flush on her skin all the time?

Cat’s dusky voice grated on Cecilia’s nerves as she flashed her favorite flirty smile at Simon. “Hello, Simon. Cecilia.”

Cecilia raised an eyebrow at her sister. “I’m surprised to see you here today. You usually do anything you can to get out of helping at the café. There was no excuse Aunt Lily would accept this time?”

Cat’s eyes flashed with humor. “Oh, I’m not here to work today. But can you believe she didn’t think I really agreed to help rescue a child from a well outside town yesterday? There’s no reason that couldn’t be true.”

A sudden cough brought both women’s attention to Simon, who had his mouth covered with one hand. In spite of her irritation with Cat, Cecilia bit back her own laugh. He was trying so hard to be polite. Cat caught his concealed humor, as well, responding with an audacious wink. “Well, I suppose it could be a little far-fetched.”

Cat and Simon burst out in laughter, but Cecilia couldn’t help the sudden burn of jealousy that hit her heart. Every male eye in the room turned and locked on her sister as her tinkling giggle echoed. Cecilia was certain that nothing she did had ever garnered that kind of attention.

Simon’s deep chuckle drew her gaze back to him and Cecilia was surprised to find that he was looking right at her, rather than watching Cat. She turned away, hoping the sudden flush in her cheeks wasn’t showing as much as she felt it. Unlike Cat, she looked splotchy when she blushed. But she was soon distracted when Cat pulled an empty chair from the next table and joined them without even bothering to ask if she was welcome.

Cecilia plastered a smile on her face. “Don’t you have any business that brought you to the café, Cat?”

Her sister nodded, oblivious to Cecilia’s irritation, then turned to smile at Simon. “Yes, of course. Simon, won’t you explain why you invited me for supper? I’ve been dying to find out what’s going on since you sent that messenger.”

Cecilia’s gaze shot to Simon to see him blinking rapidly, his face blank. “Uh, well. Yes, supper.” He was usually so self-assured. Had Cat’s presence affected him more than he let on? Cecilia’s heart sank. She would have loved to think that Simon was different, impervious to her sister’s stunning beauty rather than enthralled by it. But he was as distracted by Cat as every other man.

Shoving her chair back with more force than she’d intended, Cecilia felt eyes around the room shift to her. Sure, they looked at her now, when her face must be redder than the flowers embroidered on Cat’s dress. Fighting to maintain some dignity, she thrust her chin in the air and spoke so only Simon and Cat could hear. “Well, allow me to get out of your way so you can get to that important business.”

She turned to walk away, but it didn’t seem that a graceful retreat was possible for her. Her foot caught on the leg of a chair that was pushed out too far and she stumbled. And found herself falling straight toward Simon.

His hands shot out and grabbed her upper arms, holding her steady against him even as he stood to help her gain her footing. She had a horrible suspicion that he could actually feel the heat coming off her cheeks. She tried to shake off his hands, but he held her for a moment longer, leaning close to speak in a low voice. “Cecilia, you aren’t in the way. There’s nothing private about what I need to discuss with Cat.”

Unable to pull her gaze from the intensity in his eyes, she instead managed to pull her arms from his grasp and force false cheer into her voice. “Oh, I know. It’s all right. The school term starts next week and I have so much to get done before then. I can’t afford to waste a minute.”