seven

Eldora throttled the handle of her valise as if trying to squeeze the life out of it, numb to the continual rocking and swaying, the clacking and clatter of the train. The falling dusk through the windows revealed the same sodden, flat landscape they had seen for miles.

Tick still slept on the settee beside her as he had all day, rousing every once in a while to drink some broth and give her a smile that was a mere shadow of its usual self. Celeste turned the pages of a Harper’s Magazine Sam had dug up somewhere for her, and Phin sprawled in a chair, flipping a poker chip he always had on him, making it walk across the backs of his fingers and appear and disappear. Had to keep his fingers nimble, he claimed.

“Salina! Next stop!” The conductor’s voice came through the door, still with a cranky edge.

She supposed she couldn’t blame him, being subjected to life with Phin, but the boy hadn’t budged from the railcar all day. By now the conductor should be over such things.

“Salina!”

Salina, Kansas. Sam had announced after breakfast they would be stopping over there. “I pressed the conductor pretty hard, and he finally said the best doctor between Topeka and Denver was in Salina. Tick should be under a doctor’s care. We’ll stop there, and you can get him looked at.”

His grave expression pressed Eldora’s heart until guilt seeped into every corner. Defensive words flew out. “I’m doing the best I can. I know he needs a doctor, but I can’t afford one. I have no money for doctors or medicines or staying over in a strange town. I have to get the children to Denver. Maybe they’ll have a doctor there who can treat him.”

“Tick never should’ve left St. Louis, as delicate as he is. Didn’t the orphanage have a doctor?”

Phin sat up. “No doctors. Sometimes we’d get a dose of castor oil or the like, but I never saw no doctor there. Wouldn’t surprise me a bit if old Korbin wasn’t skimming the donations and pocketing the cash himself. Be easy enough to do, if nobody was checking up on him.”

Eldora shook her head and frowned. “Phin, that’s a thoroughly scurrilous remark. You have no proof Mr. Korbin was embezzling funds.”

Phin cocked his head to the side and appraised her. “You always talk like you swallowed a dictionary whenever you’re mad at me. Why don’t you just say things plain?”

“Fine. I’ll give it to you plain. Stop talking about things you know nothing about. Keep your mouth shut, and do as you’re told.” Eldora regretted her sharp tone the instant the words flew out of her mouth. Here she was, scared to death to be dumped in a strange town with no money or means, and she was taking it out on Phin, who was probably not so far off the mark with his assessment of Mr. Korbin’s financial finagling.

Sam rose and shrugged into his coat. “I’ll be back in a bit.” He shot one warning glance at Phin and slipped out the door.

Eldora fretted the entire time he was gone. The little bit of money Mr. Korbin had given her wouldn’t last a day, much less cover an expensive doctor’s visit. She had nothing of value to sell to gain the funds. Her only recourse lay in spending the coins to send a wire to the orphanage asking for more money. And what would she do if they denied her request? The train would be gone, she would have no money, and they would have to wait two days for the next train before continuing their journey. At least their tickets to Denver would still be good, but how would she feed the children in the meantime, and what about Tick? Sam was right when he said Tick needed a doctor, but right or not, Sam’s words wounded Eldora. She was doing the best she could. She’d like to see him do better in her place.

Sam breezed through the door, shaking droplets of water off his coat and hat. “Salina coming up. Are you all packed?”

She couldn’t really blame him for wanting to be rid of them. In only twenty-four hours she and the children had erupted into his life like a firework. He’d been involved in several unpleasant scenes and been forced to share his private car. His quiet return home had turned into a traveling circus. “I’ve got everything.” And precious little it was, too. Skimpy, well-worn night clothes for each of them, and an extra pair of stockings for her and Celeste. At least she could clothe Tick in two nightshirts, since Phin scorned nightwear, preferring to sleep in his pants and shirt. They would be indescribably filthy by the time they reached Denver, if they ever did. Eldora was beginning to despair of arriving there with all three children.

The train jerked to a stop in the rail yard.

“I want to thank you for taking care of the children and me. I know we’ve put you to considerable trouble.” She rose. “You’ve been most kind. I hope you have more pleasant travels on the remainder of your journey.” Though she kept her voice calm, panic thrust against her windpipe and accelerated her heart. Cold rain splattered the windows. How was she going to get Tick off the train? Celeste would have to carry the valise, and she and Phin could trade off carrying the boy. Though she hated to ask for anything more, she forced herself, for Tick’s sake, to say the words. “Would it be too much to ask if we could take one of the blankets with us? Tick’s coat is less than adequate, and I need to keep him warm and dry.” Not to mention if they had to spend the night holed up somewhere in a barn or alley, they could all huddle under it.

Sam’s eyebrows rose, and he used his thumb to push back his hat. Water droplets dotted the shoulders of his sheepskin-lined jacket and glistened on his ruddy cheeks. “A blanket? Of course he can keep the blanket. What are you talking about? You don’t think I’m just going to toss you off at the depot and go on ahead without you?” His raised eyebrows darted down, and his expression darkened. “What kind of man do you take me for? Leaving a penniless girl and three kids to fend for themselves.” He stuck his hands on his waist and glared at her. “Give Phin that bag, and take Celeste’s hand. I’ll carry the boy. We’re all heading into town. I’ve arranged for the railcar to be put into a siding.”

“But, Mr. Mackenzie, I can’t—”

“Don’t you think we’ve gotten beyond formal names? I answer to Sam.” He stooped and lifted Tick into his arms. “Make sure he’s well covered.”

Eldora adjusted the blankets, buffaloed by his commanding manner. She should protest that they couldn’t take advantage of his generosity any more, that he’d done enough already, but his set jaw and forbidding stare kept her quiet. She took up the valise and Celeste’s hand and nodded to Phin to follow Sam out onto the platform.

“You don’t have to do what he says, you know. I can take care of us without him.” Phin’s dark eyes narrowed, the black lashes almost touching.

Eldora shook her head. “We have to think of what’s best for Tick. He needs a doctor. We should be thanking Mr. Mackenzie, not resenting his provision.”

“You can thank him all you want, but you wait and see. He’ll get tired of playing ‘pat-the-head-of-the-poor-orphan’ and he’ll scamper. Then it will be just us again.”

Though she didn’t want to agree, she knew from experience that people often tired of good works long before the need for them ended. Benefactors started out on fire, well-intentioned and full of enthusiasm, volunteering and donating. But as soon as anyone started counting on them, they tired of their charitable works and moved on, leaving in their wake needy hearts that grew wary of trusting.

Her thoughts pushed at her like the stiff wind as they left the depot and walked up the street. Phin took the valise and tugged his cloth cap down tight. Celeste anchored her scarf over her face and leaned into the gale. Rain gusted and pelted them, first from one direction and then another. Sam kept his head bent, checking over his shoulder every few moments.

At last they reached the front porch of a brick building. A sign instructed them to enter and walk upstairs to the doctor’s office. The quiet calm of the entryway made Eldora’s ears ring. She let go of Celeste’s hand, and with chilled fingers, she swiped at the raindrops on her cheeks.

“This way. Hope the doc’s in.” Sam’s boots thumped on the treads, and they all followed him. Tick didn’t stir, his face tucked into Sam’s shoulder. At the top of the stairs, Sam stepped back to allow Eldora to precede him into the office.

The smell of carbolic and licorice wrapped around them, along with the starchy smell of cotton and the tang of vinegar. Eldora guided Celeste to the settee. “Phin, you can set the bag here by this table. Stay with Celeste while we’re with the doctor.”

He shrugged and nodded, shoulders slouched.

Sam knocked on the connecting door.

A shadow moved behind the rippled, frosted glass, and the door opened. A young man about Sam’s height wiped his hands on a cloth and smiled. “Hello, I’m Dr. O’Kelly. You just caught me. I was about to head for home. What can I do for you?” He noted Tick in Sam’s arms and stepped back to allow them to enter. “You and your wife can both come in. How old is your son, and what seems to be his trouble?”

Surprise shot through Eldora, followed by red-hot embarrassment. Her tongue refused to say anything, and she stood there, feeling stupid.

Sam, easing Tick onto the examining table, jerked upright and spun around. “We’re not married.”

At the doctor’s raised eyebrows, Eldora found her voice. “What he means to say is Tick isn’t his son. He’s not my son either. Tick’s an orphan.”

“Tick?”

“His given name is Michael, but everyone calls him Tick. I’m taking him from an orphanage in St. Louis to one in Denver, and Mr. Mackenzie has been kind enough to help.”

“I see.” The doctor peeled back the blankets, and Tick opened his eyes, giving a wispy smile. Then came what seemed hundreds of questions from the physician as he poked and prodded.

Some she could answer; some Tick supplied. Sam remained silent, arms crossed, leaning against a bookcase crammed with books and bottles and jars.

When Dr. O’Kelly listened to Tick’s heart, first with his ear against the boy’s chest and then with an instrument, his face grew grave.

The clock ticked on the wall and then chimed six times. Eldora’s stomach rumbled, reminding her she’d been too anxious to eat anything at lunchtime.

The doctor ignored everything, closing his eyes. Furrows creased his forehead.

Tick’s eyes rounded and locked onto Eldora’s, and his narrow, bare chest rose and fell like a scared rabbit’s. A faint bruise hovered over his breastbone where Phin had hit him that morning. His vulnerability made Eldora want to snatch him up and hold him tight.

Finally, the examination was over. Dr. O’Kelly patted Tick on the head and dug in a jar on his desk, producing a peppermint stick. “Here you go, young fellow. Why don’t you climb down and go eat this in the waiting room? I’d like to talk to your”—he stopped and tilted his head toward Sam and Eldora—“to your friends here.”

Tick nodded, his hair falling across his brow.

When the door closed behind him, the doctor stuffed the listening tool into his pocket and sat in the chair behind the desk. “Please, sit down.”

Eldora’s knees felt like putty, but she managed to get to a chair. O’Kelly’s grave expression struck fear deep in her heart for the little boy.

“I won’t beat around the bush. You’ve got a walking miracle there. I am surprised that he’s gotten to the age of seven without treatment. Tick’s got cardiac arrhythmia. Dizziness, weakness, tiredness, the fainting, they all point to it, and from what you say, his heart has stopped twice. That someone has been able to revive him with a heart punch even once is amazing.”

“What is cardiac arrhythmia?” Eldora bit her bottom lip.

“In layman’s terms, it’s an irregular heartbeat. In Tick’s case, his heart beats unusually fast, and from what I can tell, not effectively. His heart is beating so rapidly the blood hasn’t time to be properly oxygenated before it is pushed through his system. He is often short of breath, and when he gets excited this is exacerbated.”

Sam leaned forward with his forearms on his thighs. “What can we do for him?”

“He needs medication. I’m going to prescribe digitalis.” He frowned. “The medicine should slow his heart rate and strengthen the heartbeats. Once he goes on the medication, he will need to stay on it. He’s had this heart condition for as long as he can remember, so it isn’t likely to just go away as he grows. Digitalis is what he needs.”

She rolled the strange word around in her head. Though relieved there was some treatment to help Tick, her mind staggered. How would she afford the medication? Would the orphanage be willing to pay for it? And how would Tick ever be adopted? Who would take on a child who needed medication for the rest of his life?

“I’ve never given digitalis to so young a patient before, so I’d like to observe him for one night, possibly two, depending on the results. I can either watch him at your place of residence or admit him to the hospital.”

Nodding, Sam said, “We’re fresh off the train, Doc. Haven’t even taken time to get rooms at a hotel. Maybe the hospital would be the best place.” He looked at Eldora for her opinion.

Her throat closed, and her eyes burned. Hospitals were worse than orphanages. The thought of Tick lying in some high, white bed, all alone in a vast room of sick people, made her chest cave in. But what else could they do? She nodded.

Emerging from the examination room, her steps were wooden. Tick had broken the candy stick into three pieces. Her heart warmed at his generosity. Celeste hastened to jerk her scarf back over her face, but Eldora’s quick glance at the doctor showed he had seen her deformity. Phin shoved the last bit of his candy into his mouth and crunched it, releasing a minty aroma into the air.

Sam put his big hand on Tick’s shoulder. “Hey, kid. The doctor says he’s got just what you need, some medicine to help your heart. Trick is he has to watch the dosage pretty close to get it just right, so he wants you to spend the night in the hospital so he can keep an eye on you. I told him you were a brave kid, and a night or two in the hospital wouldn’t bother you a bit.”

Even though Sam was talking to Tick, he was looking at Eldora, sending her the message that she needed to be brave, too. His strength and surety that they were doing the right thing strengthened Eldora’s resolve. She squatted beside Tick and smiled. “Just think, when you have the right medicine you won’t be keeling over. Phin won’t have to sock you in the chest anymore.”

Phin studied the doctor, shoving his hands in his pockets and staring under his hat brim. “Only a night or two?”

“That’s right. I just want to keep an eye on him. You’re Phin, right?” The doctor held out his hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, young man. Your quick thinking saved Tick’s life, and from what I hear, on more than one occasion. You’re to be commended. Perhaps someday you’ll be a physician yourself. You’ve got the instincts.”

Phin shook the man’s hand, his cheeks flushing. He toed the carpet and shrugged. Eldora hid a smile at his embarrassment. Few people praised Phin.

“Now, I’ll take Tick with me. The hospital is just down the street here on Santa Fe. There’s a hotel next door, good clean rooms and a restaurant.” Dr. O’Kelly shrugged into his coat and put his hat on.

Eldora tried not to feel as if she were abandoning her responsibilities as they parted ways at the hospital door. The look Tick gave her over his shoulder formed a lump in her throat. She stuck her hand into her pocket and gripped the two silver dollars there, the only money she had.

❧

Sam took Eldora’s elbow and Celeste’s hand and escorted them across the muddy side street to the hotel porch. Phin trotted beside him, the valise bumping his legs. For the tenth time that day Sam asked himself how he got saddled with a woman and three kids. And yet, he couldn’t say he really minded. There was something about Eldora that intrigued him, brought out all his protectiveness. Those expressive eyes, her bird-delicate features, the way she handled the children, with affection but authority, too. So different from Yvette. Yvette took everything he gave her as her due, as his homage to her beauty. Eldora asked for nothing, was even surprised when he provided for her and the children. Her lack of acquisitiveness appealed to him.

And who could help falling for Celeste with her ravaged little face? The world had been unkind to her because of her deformity, but she retained a sweet nature that sought only to be invisible. Not to mention Tick, brave, weak as water, flying to the defense of anyone he thought needed help.

They reached the porch, and Phin thumped the valise down on the boards. The blanket from the train dangled over his shoulder, and he hitched it higher. He appraised the restaurant through the window before him, his eyes sparkling with a lean, hungry look. Sam appreciated his spunk. The boy was extremely loyal to those he considered his family.

They each had their challenges, but each had strengths, too. How did Korbin sleep at night knowing he’d all but cast them out on the street?

“Let’s go.” Sam set Celeste down and opened the door. Warmth and light and the smell of roasting meat greeted them. His mouth watered, and he sniffed the air. He passed the dining room door and stopped at the desk. With little trouble, Sam procured two rooms and had the bag sent up. He handed Eldora a key.

Lamplight played across her face, revealing her pale skin and the shadows under her eyes. She moistened her lips, and a little sigh escaped her. “I’m not sure the orphanage will reimburse you. We weren’t supposed to be stopping at all. Mr. Korbin surely won’t pay you back for the hotel.” She took the key, but the worry lines on her face only deepened. “And there’s the hospital and Tick’s medicine. . .”

He wanted to comfort her somehow, to wipe the worry from her face. Though he could do nothing about her concern over Korbin’s reaction, nor totally erase anxiety over Tick, at least he could ease her mind about her immediate future. “We’ll talk about that later. Right now you need some food and some sleep, and so do the kids. Let’s go on up. Phin and I can eat in the dining room, and I’ll have a tray sent up for you and Celeste so you can eat in private, all right?” He winked at the little girl and cupped the back of her head to direct her to the stairs.

Her eyes crinkled above her scarf, rewarding him for remembering she didn’t like to eat in public.

The hotel rooms were nothing to speak of, but at least they were clean. “Phin and I are next door. I’ll have that food sent up as soon as I can.”

She looked worn out, and who could blame her after the day they’d had? When he left, she was helping Celeste out of her shabby coat and yawning.

Sam and Phin entered the dining room and found a table near the front window. Consulting the menu, he ordered a tray sent up for the girls and the special of the day for himself and Phin.

Conversation flowed around them in the crowded room. China and glass clinked.

Phin’s eyes never quit moving, taking in the patrons, the décor, the table service. He picked up his spoon and looked at his reflection in the back of it. “Steel. Guess you’re used to silver, eh?”

Sam took a drink of water, noting the accusatory set of Phin’s jaw. The boy was spoiling for a fight, as usual. “My family owns a silver mine. We do have silverware, but when I’m working up at the mine, I have a tin plate and a steel fork like everybody else.”

A man at a nearby table dropped his wallet, and several coins rolled onto the carpet.

“Bet there are some good pickings in this lot.” Phin took out his poker chip and walked it through his fingers, tilting his head at the customers. “I bet I could live for a couple months on the loose change alone.”

“Who taught you to steal?” Sam leaned back as the waiter set a basket of bread on the table. Then he lifted it toward Phin to help himself first.

Phin’s lips curved. “My Uncle Myatt. He said I was the best natural-born thief he’d ever seen. Didn’t take me but a couple of days to master the seven bells. I was only six at the time.”

“Seven bells?”

“Yep, Uncle Myatt tied seven little bells all over a coat and hung it on a tree. If I could get the wallet out of any of the pockets without ringing a single bell, then he knew I was ready to take to the train station or the fair or the market.”

What kind of man taught his nephew to steal? Not only taught him but also boasted about the boy’s ability? “You do know that stealing is wrong, even if you are good at it?” Sam tore open a roll and spread it with butter.

Phin scoffed. “So’s beating orphans and giving them skimpy rations and not letting them see a doctor when they’re sick. It’s wrong to throw kids out just because their hearts don’t work right or they were born with twisted lips. It was wrong for that rich lady to throw Eldora out on the street just because she wouldn’t let the son of the house put his filthy paws on her. There’s plenty of wrong in the world. I don’t steal stuff to get rich. I steal to survive, to get food for the kids, or to make things easier for them.” He crammed the bread into his mouth and reached for another. “You’re sure,” he spoke with his mouth full, “that Tick’s gonna get fed in that hospital?” His eyebrows took a guilty tilt.

If Sam hadn’t been watching closely, he never would’ve seen Phin slip a dinner roll into his pocket. “Tick’s being fed, and so are the girls.” He pursed his lips. “Go back to what you said about Eldora. She got thrown out?”

Phin shrugged. “Sure, more than once. The oldest orphans are farmed out to work wherever they can. Korbin placed her as a maid in three different houses, and every time something happened that got her sent back. The last place, one of the gents that lived there wanted to get fresh with her, and she slugged him for it.” Phin shook his head. “There’s those in this world that believe they can treat poor people any way they want to, and the poor people just have to take it, but that’s wrong. Eldora has the right not to be bothered by the likes of him. Wish I’d have been there. I’d have done more than slap his face, I can tell you.” His hands fisted on the edge of the table. “Eldora’s tough, but she deserves to be protected.” Phin directed his glittery black glare at Sam. “Don’t you get any funny ideas about her either, or you’ll have to deal with me.”

Sam blinked, both amused and irritated at the boy’s declaration. “I have no notion of getting embroiled with another female. I just slipped my neck out of that noose. My motives in helping you all are pure. As a favor to my aunt, who is a new board member at the orphanage, I’m just looking out for you on the trip, that’s all.” And based upon the information he’d gathered from the kids so far, he had a long letter to write to Aunt Tabitha about what happened at the orphanage. She couldn’t possibly be aware of the plight of the children, or she would do something about it and Mr. Korbin. “Eldora said she was almost twenty. Sometimes she doesn’t seem much older than you.”

“By rights she shouldn’t have come back to the orphanage at all when she got fired, since she’s too old now, but she didn’t have any place else to go. I guess Korbin figured he’d get rid of her and us three all at the same time.”

The waiter brought their food, and Phin ate as if it might be his last meal.

Sam toyed with his fork. How many times had the boy missed a meal or gone without so Tick and Celeste could have more? How often had he wondered where his next meal would come from?

“What did the doc say was wrong with Tick, and how long does he have to stay in the hospital?” Phin managed the questions between huge bites of potatoes and peas.

Sam, eating more slowly, explained what he understood about the diagnosis. “Doctor says he needs some medicine called digitalis, and that he’ll need watching to make sure the dose is right. Might take a couple of days.”

“Will the medicine cure him?”

“I don’t know that there is a cure, but the medicine will help him out. It’s something he’s going to need for the rest of his life, I gather.”

An arrow formed between Phin’s black brows, and his chewing slowed. “Is it expensive?”

“I don’t know. Some medicine can be very costly. I didn’t ask about the stuff Tick needs.”

When Phin couldn’t possibly eat another bite, Sam sent him upstairs. “I’m going to check on Tick, and I’ll be back soon.” He lowered his head to stare Phin right in the eye. “Don’t get into any trouble while I’m gone.”

The hospital windows were mostly dark when Sam arrived. Only a faint glow showed here and there. A nurse led Sam up the stairs to the ward.

Tick lay in a high cot, half in shadow with the lamp turned down low beside him. Rain pattered on the windows, and the strong smells of carbolic and vinegar hung in the air. Tick opened his eyes when Sam drew near.

“Hey there, Tick. How’re you feeling? Did they feed you?” Sam eased onto the chair. Tick’s bed was so high they were almost eye-to-eye. “No, don’t try to sit up. Lie still.”

“They fed me oatmeal.” Tick made a face. His freckles stood out in his thin face like flecks of black pepper. But he had a little color to his cheeks, and his eyes were brighter. Perhaps the medicine was working already.

“You don’t like oatmeal?”

He shook his head on the pillow. “You wouldn’t either if you got it twice a day, every day.”

“Twice a day?”

“Yep. Morning and noon. And salt-pork for supper.” He stuck out his tongue. “The candy from the doctor was nice today. I like Dr. O’Kelly. But I don’t like the medicine much. It doesn’t taste so good.”

“I don’t imagine it does, but it appears to be helping you.”

“It is.” The doctor’s voice surprised them both, and Sam turned in his chair. Dr. O’Kelly, wearing a white coat, stepped out of the shadows by the door. “I’ve come to check on you again, young man. Then you need to get to sleep.”

Sam rose and backed up to give the doctor room.

After listening to the boy’s heart for what seemed a very long time, the doctor straightened and smiled, rubbing Tick’s head. “Better. Much better. Now, you snuggle down and sleep.” He held the blanket up for Tick to wriggle farther under and tucked it in beneath his chin. “If you need anything, the nurse’s desk is just outside the door.”

“See you in the morning, Tick.” Sam followed the doctor out the door and down to the first floor. “Doc, is he really better?”

“Yes, his heart rate has slowed, and his pulse is stronger. I’m going to increase the dosage in the morning by a few grains and see what effect that has. I’m very pleased with his reaction to the medicine so far. I’d like to see him get some meat on his bones though. Wherever you’re headed, make sure he stays under a doctor’s care. The dosage will have to be regulated as he grows and his activity levels change.”

How likely was it that Tick would be under a doctor’s care at an orphanage in Denver? The muscles in the back of Sam’s neck tightened, but he nodded that he understood. “There’s something else I wanted to ask you about.” A nurse bustled by with an armload of linens. “In private.”

Dr. O’Kelly’s eyebrows rose, and he motioned for Sam to step into a side room. “This is one of the exam rooms. No one will bother us in here tonight.” He took the chair from the corner and offered it to Sam, then leaned against the counter and crossed his arms. “What can I do for you?”

“It isn’t about me. It’s about the little girl who was with us today in your office.”

O’Kelly nodded. “Remarkable blue eyes.”

“She’s real pretty and well-mannered, too. It’s just such a shame about her lip. I was wondering if there wasn’t something that could be done about it.”

“She’d need a thorough examination to determine the extent of the deformity, but doctors have been operating on cleft lips for decades. Has she ever seen a surgeon about it?” He frowned and put his index finger along his upper lip. “No, I imagine she hasn’t, not if she lived in the same orphanage as the little boy upstairs. Their neglect is criminal. Someone should report them to the proper authorities.”

A spark of hope for Celeste burned in Sam’s chest. How different would her life be without that gaping hole where her lip should be? “Don’t you worry about that. I intend to see that the city of St. Louis knows what kind of treatment the orphans are receiving. Do you think you could take a look at Celeste in the morning? And how long would it take for the surgery and for her to recover?”

The doctor held up his hands. “Wait. I didn’t say I could do the surgery. You need a surgeon who specializes in children’s operations. I have a friend who would be just the man to treat Celeste. We went to medical school together. The trouble is he lives in Chicago now.”

“Chicago, huh? Know anybody in Denver?”

“I can make inquiries. Bring the little girl to this room tomorrow morning at eight, and I’ll take a look at her. Then I can write up some case notes to send with you.” He frowned. “I was under the impression you were merely helping to get these children from one place to another. From your questions, it almost sounds as if you’re considering taking on more than that.”

It did sound that way. Sam studied his hands and pursed his lips, then shrugged. “I’m not committing to anything. I just wondered if there was anything you could do for the kid.” He chuckled. “She hasn’t said a single word to me. Quiet as can be. Just looks over that scarf at me with those big, blue eyes.” He stood and started for the door.

The doctor followed him out into the hall toward the street entrance.

Sam held out his hand. “Thanks for everything you’re doing, Doc. I’ll see that the girl is here tomorrow morning for you to examine. Then, if you could give the case notes to Miss Carter, that would be fine. She’s the one in charge of the kids. I’m just sort of helping her along a little. They’re not really my concern.”

The front door flung open, crashing into Sam’s shoulder and sending him reeling backward into the wall. Dr. O’Kelly’s eyes widened and he stepped back.

Eldora stood in the doorway, water streaming down her face and dripping off her clothes. She gasped, her chest heaving.

“What’s wrong?” Sam asked.

She hadn’t even taken the time to put on her shawl. Her dress clung to her, saturated with rain. “Sam, hurry. It’s Phin.” Her teeth chattered, whether from cold or from upset he couldn’t tell.

“Is he hurt?” Sam slipped out of his coat and wrapped it around her shoulders, trying to ignore the pain screaming through his upper arm from the abrupt contact with the door.

She appeared not to notice when the heavy material closed around her, swallowing up her slight frame. Her icy hands gripped his, and she clung to him. “No, he’s not hurt.” She shook her head, sending droplets flying from the rats’ tails of wet hair around her face. “At least I don’t think so.” Her teeth chattered.

“Then what?”

“He’s been arrested.”

eight

“I can’t turn my back on you for two minutes. What were you thinking?” Eldora threw her hands up and paced the narrow space before the cell.

Phin sat on the edge of the wooden bunk, staring at the floor. His stony silence pushed Eldora closer to the brink of tears.

Weak morning sunlight, cold and clear after last night’s rain, came through the window. She could see her breath and Phin’s in the frosty air. The smells of damp wood, mud, and unwashed humanity assaulted her nose. How had Phin endured a night in this unheated cell with only a single, thin blanket for cover?

“This entire trip is like a raveled sweater. Every time I pull on a string, more comes undone.” She blinked hard. “Tick in the hospital, Celeste’s tantrum about seeing Dr. O’Kelly this morning—I had no idea such a well-behaved child could throw such a spectacular fit—and now you in jail for stealing.” Hot tears pricked her eyes, but she quelled them. Tears were useless. Life just rolled right over her, in spite of tears.

Phin rose and crossed the narrow area between the bars and the far wall. “What did the sheriff say?”

“He said if I paid your fine he would release you.”

“You are going to pay it, right?”

“With what? Air? The fine is ten whole dollars. I have exactly two. Two dollars to get four people to Denver. You tell me where I’m supposed to get ten dollars to pay a fine you never should’ve incurred in the first place.”

“So what happens if you don’t pay the fine? How long do I have to stay in here?”

She searched his countenance for a single shred of repentance or fear or even chagrin but read only defiance and stubbornness, and if she wasn’t mistaken, a glint of pride.

“Sam’s talking to the police officer now to find that out. Phin, why? And don’t tell me it was for food. Sam said you ate enough for two grown men at supper, and the police found three dinner rolls stuffed in your pocket.”

“I wasn’t stealing food. Not that time.”

“A wallet? A purse? You do know that stealing is wrong.”

Phin stared at the wall behind her shoulder.

“Why, Phin? Why do you do it?”

“You’re so smart, why don’t you tell me?” He glared at her. “Always trying to boss me around, thinking you know what’s going on in my head. You tell me why you think I steal stuff.”

She’d had it with him. His stealing, his unreliability, his making her job harder at every turn. Leaving him here to learn a lesson appealed to her like it hadn’t before. “I’ll tell you why I think you steal. I think you’re trying to get even with people for what your uncle did to you. I think you take your anger out on those around you, blaming them because you’re an orphan.”

“Don’t talk about my uncle. He’s going to come for me someday. I’m not an orphan like everyone else. I have family. And I don’t plan to stay in Colorado. I only came along to get away from Korbin. If he thinks I’m in Denver, he won’t be looking for me when I get back to St. Louis. I’ll find somewhere in the city to hide and wait until my uncle comes back for me.” He stopped pacing and tossed his hair off his forehead. A defiant gleam lit his eyes. “Then we’ll be a family again.”

Eldora prayed for patience and then promptly let fly. “Phineas Bartholomew, when are you going to get it through your thick head that your uncle isn’t coming back? He dumped you in the orphanage to be rid of you the same way Celeste’s family and Tick’s family did. Too much time has passed for you to still cling to this stubborn hope that he’s somehow going to waltz in and rescue you. The sooner you get over this notion, the better, because I’m sick of hearing it. You’re an orphan like the rest of us, no better.”

Red suffused his cheeks, and his fingers balled into fists. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Tremors shook his rigid frame. “You’re just jealous that I have family that’s still alive and yours is dead. Uncle Myatt promised me he’d come back. He gave me his word.”

“The word of a thief—someone who trains children to steal—isn’t exactly gospel, you know. He lied to you so you wouldn’t put up a fight when he left you, so you wouldn’t try to follow him wherever he was going.” She hated battering him this way, but someone had to make him see how things really were. His delusions were harming himself and those around him, and they had to stop. “Phin, I’m sorry, I really am. I wish your uncle had come back. I wish Tick’s and Celeste’s families had wanted them and loved them like they deserve. I wish I wasn’t standing in a freezing jail worrying about all of you and trying to think of a way out of this mess. Mostly I wish you’d stop stealing and help me instead of making my job harder.”

Inhaling sharply, his nostrils thinned, and he glared at her. “I was trying to help you.”

“By breaking into a store? How would that help me?”

“I did it for Tick. Sam told me what kind of medicine he needed. I broke into the drugstore to get some.”

Shock trickled through Eldora like little spiders. “But Phin, the doctor was going to provide us with enough medicine to get to Denver. You didn’t need to steal any.”

“Just like a girl. You never think ahead. So we have enough to reach Denver. Then what? Sam says Tick will need the medicine for the rest of his life. Where do you think that’s going to come from? The orphanage?” He spit out the word. “Nope, the minute we walk through those doors, Tick’s medical treatment will quit. We’ll be on our own again. Sam won’t be there to pay for things and make people take care of us.”

He wasn’t saying anything Eldora hadn’t feared, but hearing the words made the fear real. But what could she do? She could only cling to the truth she knew in her heart. “God will provide a way for us. He’ll light the way for us, and His way won’t involve breaking a commandment.”

Phin snorted. “I can’t see that God has bothered too much with us to this point. We’re as alone now as we’ve ever been.”

“You’re wrong. He’s with us. He brought Sam to us. Where would we have been without Sam? You got to ride in a private car, got served nice food off fine china, and Tick’s being looked after properly at last. You would’ve had a nice warm bed last night, too, if you hadn’t been so stupid.”

“You’re addle-brained if you think Sam is going to hang around after we get to Denver. For all the time you’ve spent telling me to quit holding onto a dream, you’re spinning a few yourself. I see the way you look at him, like he was the president or a prince or something.”

His words stung. She’d tried hard not to spin romantic notions about Sam, bracing herself for when he walked away, but he’d been so kind, it was hard. Shaking her head, she rallied. “I do nothing of the sort. Stop lashing out at me because you’re mad. I told you a few truths you needed to hear. You need to get a grip on your temper and your bitterness before both land you in real trouble. You’re in enough of a jam as it is. What Mr. Korbin will say, I don’t know.”

She rubbed her cold hands together. She had a fair idea. If Mr. Korbin were here right now, he’d say she was an incompetent fool and that Phin was getting exactly what he deserved.

“Who cares what that skunk would say? I’m better off in jail than anywhere near him. At least no one here has belted me.” He sank onto the bunk and lay down, putting one knee up and throwing his arm over his eyes. “I still think you’re an addle-headed girl.”

“At least I’m not in jail.”

❧

Sam clenched and unclenched his hands, trying not to imagine them around that little scamp’s throat. How could he upset Ellie like this? At least in jail Phin couldn’t do anything else stupid to upset her.

Sam glanced at the door to the cells, wondering what she was saying to him. Probably coddling him, telling him everything would be all right, that she was sure he didn’t mean to steal. Eldora Carter had a tender heart, and Phin took advantage of it at every turn.

Well, no more. The image of her soaking wet, cold right through, and desperately clinging to him out of fear for Phin rose in Sam’s mind. The kid needed to learn that his misdeeds had consequences. She might coddle him, but that didn’t mean Sam would.

“Ten dollars or ten days.” The policeman crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. “That’s the standard fine for petty theft around here. Since he’s a kid, and just passing through, we won’t bother with a trial, not for something so small. He didn’t even break a window to get in. Picked the lock as pretty as you please.”

Sam didn’t miss the admiration in the officer’s voice, though he didn’t share it. “I need to be on the train in three days if I’m going to make it home for Christmas. I could just pay the fine, but I’m not inclined to do that. What kind of lesson will he learn if I bail him out?”

The lawman pursed his lips and rubbed his moustache. “Christmas. That’s rough.” He leaned forward and shuffled the papers on his desk. “Tell you what. He can work it off. If he works today and tomorrow for the city, I’ll release him to get on the train Sunday morning. Can’t do better than that.”

They shook hands on the deal, and Sam followed the officer into the next room.

“Well?” Phin bounded up, grabbed the bars, and thrust his thin face forward. “When can I get out of here? Did you pay the fine?”

Sam studied Eldora. Her cheeks were flushed, but she didn’t look like she’d been crying. Her delicate throat worked and she exhaled, her breath showing in a puff of crystals. That thin shawl couldn’t be keeping her very warm, and he was conscious of the weight and warmth of his own heavy coat. His jaw set. “No.”

She turned those big eyes on him, and he felt like a worm. Her eyebrows arched, and she blinked. “No?” Her lips remained parted.

Sam shoved his hands in his pockets. “The officer and I feel it would be best for Phin to work off his fine.”

It was Phin’s turn to gape. “Work it off? How?”

Keys jangling, the policeman stepped forward. “You’ll be sweeping sidewalks, cleaning the streets, and emptying the spittoons in the public buildings.” He inserted one of the keys and cranked it over, opening the door. Withdrawing a pair of shackles from his belt, he slipped one on Phin’s thin wrist and let out a piercing whistle.

Eldora jumped a foot, and Sam put his hand on her arm to steady her.

A burly constable shouldered his way into the cell area. “You want something, boss?”

“I do. Take this young man out to do some service for the community. Start with the courthouse. He can sweep the floors and empty the spittoons.”

“Sir,” Eldora asked, “are the shackles necessary?”

“They are. If he’s out of the cell and not actually working, he’ll be cuffed to the constable here.” With a snap, the cuff closed around the young officer’s wrist.

Phin scowled at Sam. “This is the best you could do? I thought you’d pay the fine.”

“You thought wrong. You know, you’re a rotten thief. I’ve only known you a few days, and you’ve been caught stealing three times.”

Phin’s mutinous glare turned into a smirk as the constable headed him out the door. “You don’t know how many times I don’t get caught.”

Sam didn’t know whether to laugh or yell, so he gritted his teeth. Phin was the epitome of unrepentant arrogance. A little time cleaning spittoons and sweeping up the dung on the streets would do him a world of good. In the meantime, Sam didn’t intend to go another hour without taking care of another problem that needed tending to.

“Let’s go check on Tick. The nurse said Celeste could sit with Tick for a while, but I’m sure she’s getting restless.” He put his hand under Eldora’s elbow and steered her out. “I never would’ve suspected Celeste could be so. . .”

“Strong-willed?”

“Yes. I never thought she’d break down like that. Poor kid. How did you convince her finally to let the doctor at least look at her lip?”

“I had to promise to hold her hand through everything, and I had to promise that he wouldn’t laugh or make fun of her or hurt her in any way. Dr. O’Kelly was so kind and matter of fact. He didn’t recoil or even talk about her lip the whole time he examined her. He talked about his new puppy. It seems he got a new spaniel pup a couple of weeks ago, and he told her all about the dog’s antics and made up a few adventures about him, too. In the end, she forgot to be afraid or self-conscious, though she refused to answer any of his questions. He promised to bring the puppy to the hospital for her and Tick to see this afternoon.”

They crossed the street and walked up the two blocks to the hospital. The wind whipped her skirts and tugged her hair from its braid. She clutched her shawl under her chin and leaned into the breeze. He held her elbow with one hand and anchored his hat with the other. When they reached the calm of the hospital foyer, she blew on her hands and shivered, then tried to tuck wisps of wayward hair behind her ears.

“Run up and get Celeste, and then we have an errand or two to see to.” He waited at the bottom of the stairs, eager to get going now that he’d made up his mind what he wanted to do.

When the girls reached the bottom of the stairs, he took Celeste’s hand and Eldora’s elbow and led them back out into the wind. Good thing the Emporium was only in the next block.

The bell overhead jangled when he opened it, and they stepped inside.

Celeste gave a gasp, and her blue eyes widened. Eldora wasn’t much different, trying to see everything in the packed store at once. The little girl dropped his hand and took Eldora’s, pointing to a glass case full of jars of candy.

Eldora seemed to remember her manners and turned to him. “Was there something you needed to pick up?”

“I need quite a few things, actually. Hopefully you can help me.”

“Of course.” She let her fingers drift across the polished wood on the edge of the counter. “I don’t have much experience shopping, but anything I can do to help I will.”

“I haven’t the slightest doubt that you’ll be more than up to the task.” He nodded to the sales clerk headed their way.

“How can I help you?” The woman tucked a pencil behind her ear and brushed the front of her white apron. “My, what a pretty young’un you have.” She tilted her head to one side. “I’m trying to decide who she favors. Must be you, sir, with the blue eyes.”

Sam didn’t bother to correct her, giving the girls a wink when the clerk turned her back to straighten some boxes on the shelf behind her. “You seem to have a nice selection of ready-made clothing available. I’m looking for new clothes.”

Eldora’s eyebrows rose and bunched, but she still didn’t ask her questions aloud. The saleswoman nodded and pulled a tablet toward her. “What size?” She flicked a glance at him, appraising his build.

“Several sizes. The clothing isn’t for me. It’s for Miss Carter and Celeste here. Also for two boys, one about seven and one around thirteen.” Sam held his hand level with his waist and then raised it to mid-chest. “About so high for each of them.”

“Sam,” Eldora breathed, “you don’t—”

“Don’t argue.” He took her hand and tugged her away a few steps. “Celeste, you stay right there.” When they were at the far end of the store, standing among the garden tools and hardware, he stared straight into her eyes. “You all need new clothes, warmer clothes. I feel like a cad in my heavy coat when you’re getting by with nothing but a shawl.” He gestured to the frayed edge.

Pink flooded her cheeks, and her lips flattened. “I’m sorry if we shame you.”

Guilt stabbed him. He’d said the wrong thing. “No, no. I’m not in the least ashamed of you.” He squeezed her chilly hands. “You’ve done more with less better than any person I’ve ever met. It’s just that I have so much, and you have so little. Please, let me do this for you and the kids. It won’t do Tick much good to come out of the hospital and get a chill because his coat is too small and worn out to keep him warm. And Celeste’s wrists stick out of her dress. They’ll be better off with clothes and shoes that fit and function.” He tilted his head to the side and entreated her.

“You know the orphanage won’t authorize the expense. They won’t reimburse you.”

“I’m not worried about that.”

She stared at their joined hands for a long time without speaking.

“Is it such a difficult decision?”

“If it was only for myself I would refuse, but you are right. The children need warmer clothes.”

“So do you.”

“No.” She shook her head. “The children’s needs are one thing. I can’t let you buy anything for me. It wouldn’t be proper.” She bit on her lower lip. “I wouldn’t feel right knowing I could never repay you.”

He released her hands and shook his head. Rubbing his palm on the back of his neck, he contemplated her. Yvette had taken with both hands, though she had no real need of the baubles and fripperies he’d bought for her, and here stood Ellie in threadbare clothing and worn-out boots, refusing necessities for fear of owing a debt she couldn’t pay.

“I tell you what. You can consider it an early Christmas gift. It’s rude to refuse a gift, and if you don’t pick out the stuff yourself, I’ll have to do it. Now, stop arguing with me and start shopping.” He stepped aside for her to walk up the packed aisle, hoping she’d acquiesce to his authority.

Another thought occurred to him, something Phin had shared at dinner the night before. He reached for her hand once more. “I assure you I’m not looking to be repaid for anything, not with money and not any other way.” He waited until understanding dawned in her brown eyes.

Again pink raced up her cheeks, and she nodded.