Chapter 1

Chapter 1

“It’s just a little white lie,” she told the manager of the Home for Friendless Children.

A pair of distinguished, yet stern eyes stared into hers. They were bright blue despite the woman’s age and held her stare for over a minute while scrutinizing Madeline. Why did everyone always think she was doing something wrong? All she ever wanted to do was make people happy. Even if she had to tell little, tiny, white lies at times.

“Little white lies become blown out of proportion. You should know that, Miss Emmett.”

The older woman was still staring at Madeline as if Madeline hadn’t known that she had lied. It really wasn’t a huge deception. These children had endured much worse in their young lives then hearing a few fibs while storytelling. “I was trying to make Elijah feel better about his situation. For some reason he thinks that his real father was an outlaw.”

Miss Periwinkle narrowed her brows. “Who put that notion into his head? There is only one answer and most likely it was you!” A long, thin pointed finger was aimed directly at her.

Madeline sighed. Here we go again! They’re always making mountains out of molehills! “Miss Periwinkle, I can assure you that I have not been steering the young boy wrong. He loves to read and hear me tell stories. You know that I try the best I can, but when the children begin to ask questions, I get carried away. It’s really through no fault of my own.”

Miss Periwinkle was going to pop her eyeballs right out of her head if she didn’t stop making those faces, Madeline thought to herself. She pressed her lips together, trying not to find delight in her scattered thoughts. She had learned a long time ago it was much easier to get through life by laughing and not taking things so seriously. Whenever she got reprimanded, she envisioned pointy ears or blackened teeth on the other person to the point where their lectures didn’t bother her at all. And there were many lectures.

Unless one had to answer to a board of managers and trustees, then, things got complicated. Which was the next stop after speaking with Miss Periwinkle. The whole conversation made her nervous. Would the board remove her from her position for trying to make children happy?

“Miss Emmett, the board is not happy with your work ethic. I’m afraid you won’t like the conclusions they will decide upon today.”

She took in a deep breath, already preparing her mind mentally for a fallout with the board. There were twenty-four women making up the board of managers and sixteen men that made up the board of trustees. Today happened to be their monthly meeting and she had been instructed to be there at noon. “Will you not come along with me, Miss Periwinkle?”

The house manager was strict and she was always complaining to Madeline about her work ethic, but she was also the only person who had ever cared enough to try to give her a job instead of throwing her out on the streets when she had turned eighteen. For the past two years, Madeline had been working under her authority.

Miss Periwinkle looked surprised. “There is nothing I can do or say to help you now, Madeline. You’ve gone too far. I kept warning you that you had to follow the rules. The board has put up with your shenanigans for the past two years. I’m afraid they have had one too many complaints.”

Madeline was worried. She placed her hands together and wrung them once or twice while trying to find a way out of this situation. She took a step forward. “Miss Periwinkle? We can’t allow the board to abandon the idea of the children going on the orphan train. You know as well as I do this trial run is so important. These children need a real home and I’m afraid this may be the only chance to give them one. Please, don’t abandon me now!”

Miss Periwinkle’s eyes softened for a moment. Madeline saw it and took advantage of her weakness. They had both worked hard to get the board to approve the orphanage to be able to place children on the orphan train. A thought that may just be Madeline’s saving grace popped into her head. “Sacrifice me, Miss Periwinkle!”

“What? How?” The older woman frowned, confusion written clearly on her face.

“We already know the board of managers thinks I’m nothing but a troublemaker. We also know they’ll have to hire someone to accompany the children on the orphan train to make sure they get to their destinations. Let me be the chaperone. I’ll make sure every single child gets to their appointed home.”

Miss Periwinkle stared for the longest time. “Your idea might just work. The truth is, Miss Emmett, you are truly loved here in the home. By everyone. No one can say an unkind word about you. Even several of the board members have mentioned they hate to see you terminated for your disobedience.”

“I’m not that terrible!” Madeline was quite shocked that it had gone so far without her knowing what they were truly going to do. She was so naive in some ways. Another fault of the orphanage, and not hers to claim.

“I can’t promise you a miracle. That’s God’s territory. Perhaps we should go to the chapel for a few moments before we go to the board meeting. I’ll accompany you after all.”

A smile played on Madeline’s lips. Her gasps of air came out quite rapidly as she hurried to keep up with Miss Periwinkle. At least the older woman finally saw things in perspective. “I’m so happy you will be there to back me up. I’m so utterly -”

“Hush now. There will be no more mention of our plans lest someone overhears the conversation and turns and twists it until it becomes a tangled mess. Here we are.” She opened the door of the chapel and held it for Madeline to enter.

As they knelt in front of the altar, Madeline clasped her hands in prayer and begged the Lord to see things her way. Just give me a chance to prove that I can get the children to their new homes! I don’t want to leave the orphanage like this, Lord. I’ll be considered a fallen woman, with no chance of ever getting decent employment again. Please, Lord, give me this new chance to prove I’m not as terrible as they think!

A slow smile curved at her mouth. She tried to hide it from Miss Periwinkle, who wouldn’t approve of her smiling during prayer. But she felt it deep down in her bones. The Lord worked in mysterious ways and he would see her through. Knowing that was certainly worth a smile.

---

“Good afternoon, Miss Emmett. Miss Periwinkle.” The man at the head of the long, wooden trestle table was the only one to speak. He was obviously the spokesperson here. From what Madeline understood there were two groups who managed the orphanage with meticulous precision. Each time a decision had to be made, a handful from the board of trustees, and from the board of managers met in this room to make the final decision.

From the looks of everyone’s stoic faces, Madeline knew they had already made the decision to remove her from her employed status. She looked up quickly, nudging the good Lord to at least take a look around this room.

Look at them, Lord. They’re all out to banish me from the only place that I’ve ever known. Please don’t allow them to do this. Wait! I’m so sorry. I’ve already felt that you were going to be on my side. I believe it with all my heart and here I am second-guessing you. Forgive me.

Whew! She had to keep her chin up and her hands still. They were currently behind her back, clasped together as her shoulders were drawn up and her spine stood straight. She was not going to beg for mercy here. She had a good run here for all these years. Maybe it was time to strike out on her own.

The thought instilled a fear inside of her that made her belly hurt. What if they tossed her out on the street and she had to live like a street urchin?

There you go again, Madeline. Chin up. Be brave.

She didn’t know where the voice came from or if there was even a voice edging her on, but this time she listened. Sister Agatha Christina at the Church of Perpetual Saints often told her to listen carefully for God’s voice and he will give you an answer. Madeline stood tall beside Miss Periwinkle, forcing herself to keep quiet even though she wondered if the thoughts and chaos in her head were God speaking or her own thoughts.

The man at the head of the table picked up a small hammer and tapped it on the wooden table twice. “Order, please. May I have everyone’s attention.”

He waited in silence until all the whispers at the table ended. It became so quiet in the room Madeline just knew they could hear her heart thumping against her chest like an axe hitting a block of wood.

“Now that I have everyone’s attention, I’d like to address our current situation that is in dire need of a solution. Miss Emmett,” he said, pointing his hand with the hammer still in it directly at her. “This certainly concerns you.”

She swallowed, her breath becoming more shallow as she stared ahead, obviously ready for his attack on her skills. She wanted to defend herself but responded with a nod of her head. “Yes, sir,” she told him. “I’m dutifully aware that perhaps I’ve made a few small errors while employed here-”

He barely let her finish her sentence when he held up his hand. “Although the years here have benefited you while an orphan in our care, being one has protected you from the harsh reality of the modern world. The orphanage has spent a large sum of donations caring for you. But, once you became an employee of this facility, things have now changed. Do you understand that you broke many rules here, Miss Emmett, that we can no longer tolerate?”

She nodded until Miss Periwinkle nudged her with her elbow. “Yes, sir. I do understand and I’d like to solve these issues with an idea that will not only save you a lot of money but give me a chance to redeem myself in your eyes.”

He stared at Madeline like a snake getting ready to strike its victim. He sure had beady eyes that were not friendly at all, she thought to herself. Perhaps she would imagine him with a pointy head. Closing her eyes, she quickly produced a vision of a balding head with a large point on the top. Her chest began to shake a bit when she added the ears that were sticking out as well.

“Miss Emmett!”

Miss Periwinkle nudged her again. “The director would like to know what your idea is.”

Madeline’s eyes flew open and she took a few steps forward, then gave him a smile, hoping to break the tenseness of the moment. Everyone sat quietly, ears perked up, waiting for her to speak. “Sir, as you know, the orphanage, under the care of Miss Periwinkle, has worked extremely hard to get approval from not only the board of managers and trustees, but the Children’s Aid Society as well to allow the Home for Friendless Children to be a part of the orphan train social experiment.”

He coughed, then nodded. “Go on. We already discussed this experiment and approved it, if we can arrange enough funds within the next two weeks when the train is ready to leave.”

“That’s where I come in, sir. You see, instead of hiring escorts, I will give up my salary and escort the children for free.”

The others in the room muttered. How could anyone refuse her offer? Although she knew how tight things could be at the orphanage, she had another idea as well. “If I may continue,” she told him, waiting for his nod, “I’d like to suggest we can pack sandwiches in boxes for starters. At each stop, we can purchase fresh fruits and vegetables and perhaps milk from the farmers to feed the children. There won’t be any large bills feeding them at restaurants along the way.”

The facial expression of Mr. Willmayor changed. His hard face was actually softening. Madeline knew he was taking her suggestions seriously. Would he agree?

“Miss Emmett, can you tell me why you are offering to take the children for free? I can’t imagine anyone working for no payment.”

She smiled again. “Sir, I would like to show you and the rest of the board that I am worthy of employment here at the Home for Friendless Children. Please give me a chance to show that I can indeed be of use in this world.” Madeline sighed. She was finished with begging for now.

Madeline did not like to beg, however, the orphan train may be the only chance for the children to have a better life. She had gotten lucky with her own life. Many of the children, like Elijah, would have to live out their young lives in the orphanage without ever knowing a loving home.

She had read stories to them about the green pastures out west, the farms and families and wide open spaces, and of course, outlaws and Indians and so much that she had fabricated many of them as well. She had no idea if that’s how it really was, but she wanted to make sure they each had a chance to at least find out.

Going with them without pay would assure her that they got to their destination. And maybe a little selfish part of her wanted to know as well if those stories were true.

“Miss Emmett. Would you step outside please, while we discuss your proposal.”

Madeline stood frozen for a moment. Without being in the room, they could decide against the orphan train as well as her offer. She looked around the table at each person’s face. There was no telling which way they decide upon.

“Go on,” Miss Periwinkle told her. “I’ll come get you when the decision is made.”

She backed out of the room. For the first time she felt a slight bit of panic when realizing she stood alone in the hallway. As she stared at the heavy wooden door, Madeline knew her whole future was at stake. Not only hers, but the children’s as well.