Spring 1881
A lump formed in Diana Brennan’s throat and tears pooled in her eyes. She missed her ma. She missed their tenement flat in Chicago. She missed Hugh. She missed her da, though she couldn’t remember much about him. Not even what he looked like. She wanted things to be like they used to be. She wanted to go home. She didn’t like it here.
Diana—at six years old the youngest of the children on the stage of the grange hall—sat in a chair, her feet dangling a good ten inches off the floor. The large room was full of adults, milling about and talking to one another. Fear made her cold. It didn’t matter that similar scenes had played out in recent days as the children from Dr. Cray’s Asylum for Little Wanderers traveled west, looking for people who were willing to take them in and give them new homes. She was still afraid.
Her older sister, Felicia, leaned toward Diana. “It’s okay, Di. I’m right here. Nothing bad’s gonna happen.”
Diana wanted to believe Felicia, but she couldn’t. Not anymore. Not since their big brother, Hugh, had been taken off the train without them. Deep down inside, she knew nobody was going to take two girls home with them. Little as she was, she knew it was true.
“Hello, there.” A man with a beard stopped in front of her chair and leaned down so he could look straight into her eyes. “What’s your name, child?”
She blinked back the tears.
“Her name’s Diana,” Felicia answered for her. “She’s six. I’m her sister, Felicia. I’m ten.”
“Hello, Diana.” The man had a nice smile. “A pleasure to meet you, Felicia. My name is Mr. Fisher.”
Diana nodded, still unable to make herself talk.
He motioned with his right hand, and a woman joined him. “This is my wife. Gloria, this is Diana. She’s six.”
Mrs. Fisher had a nice smile too. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Diana. My, but you have beautiful hair.”
“Thank you,” Diana whispered at last, remembering her manners. She wanted to add that her red hair was just like her ma’s, but the thought made her want to cry again.
“What do you think, my dear?” Mr. Fisher asked his wife.
“Yes, darling,” she answered. “Oh, yes.”