Orphan Train Tragedy Read online

  Orphan Train Tragedy

  Rachel Wesson

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  Chapter 48

  Chapter 49

  Chapter 50

  Chapter 51

  Chapter 52

  Chapter 53

  Chapter 54

  Chapter 55

  Chapter 56

  Chapter 57

  Chapter 58

  Chapter 59

  Chapter 60

  Chapter 61

  Chapter 62

  Chapter 63

  Chapter 64

  Chapter 65

  Chapter 66

  Chapter 67

  Chapter 68

  Chapter 69

  Chapter 70

  Chapter 71

  Chapter 72

  Chapter 73

  Chapter 74

  Chapter 75

  Chapter 76

  Chapter 77

  Chapter 78

  Chapter 79

  Chapter 80

  Chapter 81

  Epilogue

  Historical note:

  Also by Rachel Wesson

  Chapter 1

  New York, April 1904

  Kathleen Green looked furtively around her as she walked down the street, toward the tenement building. The biting wind chilled her to the bone as she drew her coat closed. She passed dirty children dressed in threadbare clothes. Dressed being an overstatement as in some cases, the children wore little more than a rag to cover their dignity. She didn’t fear these children, they were too young. She wanted to stop and share the contents of her basket, but there were too many. If she gave food to one, she would be overwhelmed and could cause a riot.

  The older ones, the ones who had fallen into gangs were another story. They would knock her down and steal her basket without a second’s thought. She didn’t blame them either. She knew what it was like to go to bed hungry, to endure belly aches so severe they would make a grown man cry. Closing her eyes, she could picture her sisters, Maura and Bridget trying to keep a fire going with newspapers. They didn’t have the money for coal and newspapers were often discarded. They didn’t produce a long-lasting heat as they flared up and out the chimney.

  She kept a firm grip on her basket picking her way through the discarded litter. The early frost was gone leaving a pile of slush in its wake. Children passed her staring at the ground. She assumes they are collecting cigarette ends probably in the hope of harvesting the remaining tobacco and selling it to those who rolled their own cigarettes. The more enterprising would buy a packet of cigarette papers and roll them to sell on as individual cigarettes. Those in more desperate need of money would find other things to sell. She shut her mind off to the route her thoughts were taking.

  If Lily knew she was visiting this place without Mini Mike or Tommy to look out for her, she would have a fit. But Kathleen didn’t want anyone questioning why she was visiting Granny Belbin, or worse offering to accompany her.

  As she walked, her mind drifted back to the days when she’d lived here. If it hadn’t been for her sister, Bridget, and Lily, where would she be now?

  Kathleen Green, you need to get a grip on yourself. She should be counting her blessings, not looking for trouble. Maybe she should go back to the sanctuary. What she was doing was silly.

  “Morning, Kathleen, you look grand.”

  Kathleen started. She hadn’t seen Colm Fleming coming toward her. He was married now with his own family.

  “Morning, Colm, how’s your family? And your dad?”

  “Dad and the family are grand. Mary is expecting again. I told her no more, but she sure loves having a baby in the house.”

  Kathleen steeled her expression, not wanting her old friend to get a hint of her distress at the mention of babies. He looked uncomfortable.

  “Where are you off to? You shouldn’t be wandering these streets on your own. Why didn’t Tommy or Mike come with you?”

  “They were busy, Colm. Don’t worry, I won’t be stopping long. I have a letter for Granny Belbin from Kenny.”

  “By the smell coming from that basket, you seem to have brought her some treats too.”

  Kathleen caught the glimpse of hunger in his eyes.

  “Cook just gets better at baking. Want to try some.”

  “No, I couldn’t,” Colm said. “You keep it for Granny.”

  “Colm, you know she won’t eat it all but will give it to her birds and whatever other animals she is tending this week. Take a small bit. Hold the basket for me, please.”

  Kathleen took two cookies and put them in a napkin. She gave the parcel to Colm and took back her basket.

  “Thanks Kathleen. I will have a grand breakfast. I best get on my way. I’m on afternoon shift. Be careful, mind how you go.”

  “You too, Colm. And good luck with the new baby.”

  Kathleen continued walking, wondering how her old friend would feed his growing family. She would speak to Lily about getting a parcel of clothes and other goodies sent over to his wife. What Colm needed was someone like his mother. When Mrs. Fleming had been alive, she had helped save many in the tenements including Kathleen and her family.

  She strode through a small alley before coming to Granny’s front door. Taking a deep breath, she knocked. Granny Belbin took her time to answer. She was getting less steady on her feet but refused to admit she was too old to live alone. She opened the door a fraction, then, seeing Kathleen, she opened it wider to let her enter greeting her with a moan.

  “Tis yourself. I wondered if you had forgotten about me.”

  Kathleen ignored the cranky tone.

  “I brought you some cookies. I thought you might like company.”

  Granny Belbin raked Kathleen from head to foot. “You got something on your mind. You’re here for more than just a visit. Out with it. Is it Kenny?”

  Kathleen forced the smile on her face, not wanting to show how nervous she was. Granny could tell what she was thinking. No, that was silly, nobody could read someone’s mind. Not even when they had the gift of reading tea leaves. A large fire roared in the chimney, a sign Mini Mike and Tommy were keeping Granny in comfort. Kathleen shivered despite the warmth of the room. She shouldn’t be thinking of messing with things she didn’t understand.

  She didn’t realize she’d stayed silent so long until Granny spoke again.

  “Are you going to stand there like a mute or start talking?”

  “Granny, Kenny is fine. In fact, he wrote to you again. I brought his letter. I would love
to hear how he is.” Kathleen knew Granny Belbin couldn’t read anymore. Nobody knew if she ever could but now, she blamed her eyesight. But God help anyone who mentioned her lack of ability. The woman was likely to show the person the door in due speed.

  “Suit yerself. I suppose you want a cup of tea too.”

  Kathleen nodded her head, took off her coat and hung it on the peg on the back of the door.

  “Make yerself at home, why don’t ya?” Granny muttered.

  Kathleen sighed. She was regretting the visit already.

  Chapter 2

  When Kathleen had first come to visit the old woman, she wondered how Lily had the patience to deal with the grumpy old lady. But after all these years, she understood it was anxiety that made Granny the way she was. Life around her was changing. In the old days, she could put the fear of God into the local kids. She’d saved Mini Mike and Tommy from the streets and quite a few others. But now with the likes of Monk Eastman and the other gangs in the area, she didn’t feel as protected. Mini Mike and Tommy had put the word out that she was untouchable, but still the old lady fretted. Kathleen wished she would come live at the sanctuary but when Lily offered the invitation, Granny told Lily to leave and take her workhouse with her. Kathleen smiled at the memory of Lily’s face when she’d told Kathleen what the woman had said. Lily was so affronted; she didn’t care Granny had banned her from visiting. Lily swore she wouldn’t come to see the old woman again until her temper settled. But being kind hearted, Lily always made sure Tommy or Mike took a basket of goodies to Granny and checked up on the old woman regularly.

  “Will ya start on the letter or is it Christmas you is waiting for?” Granny asked, pulling Kathleen out of her thoughts.

  “Sorry.” Kathleen opened the envelope in front of Granny to prove she hadn’t read it before her visit. She coughed to clear her voice and then started to read.

  “Dear Granny, myself and Jack Jr. are doing fine now. Junior was sad for a while after Jack died, but now he is back to normal. I told him Jack was old and in pain. Ten years is a good age for a dog, don’t you think?”

  Kathleen exchanged a smile with Granny before continuing the letter.

  “I hate my new school, but Ma won’t listen. I want to be back with Mrs. Collins, but she says I am too old. She says the new master will teach me, as he knows more than she does. I don’t think she’s right. The new master doesn’t seem to know much. He never heard of Hell’s Kitchen or Monk Eastman or nothing like that.”

  “Why would anyone need to know about Eastman?” Granny asked, but Kathleen assumed the question was rhetorical. She continued to read.

  “How are you? I hope you are eating properly. Would you come and visit me? Ma says there is plenty of room at our new home. We will take in children from New York. Maybe you could help Ma with them?”

  Granny cackled, interrupting Kathleen. She glanced at the old woman, afraid she was going to choke, but Granny continued to laugh. “Can you imagine me running around a crowd of children? Those days be long gone. Still, what’s your sister getting involved with more kids for? I thought she had a weak heart.”

  Kathleen bristled as she always did when someone spoke disparagingly about her family.

  “Her heart is doing much better. Bridget feels the need to care for children and what better way than to take some orphans to live with her?”

  Granny didn’t react well to her tone.

  “There're better ways. Keep them with their families for a start.”

  “Granny, don’t start that again,” Kathleen warned. “We don’t steal children. We only send real orphans with no family or children whose parents can’t keep them.”

  “Shush. You need not lecture me. I heard it all before. What else does the lad say?”

  Kathleen looked back at the letter and continued to read. Kenny sounded like he was having a lot of fun and enjoying Riverside springs. Then she came to the last paragraph.

  “Granny, I got a favor to ask ye. Would you put a flower on Mary’s grave for her birthday next week? She always liked flowers. I best go as Ma is calling for me. Love you, Kenny. PS I am coming back to New York in about two years’ time. I want to join the Navy and see the world. Ma isn’t too happy, but Dad told her she has to let me grow up and make my own decisions. She didn’t like that much. She gave him a dirty look, and he told me he was in the doghouse.”

  Granny sighed, looking out toward the window. Not that she could see anything through the dirt and grime on the glass.

  “Young Kenny always had a wanderlust in him. I remember his sister Mary traveling the streets looking for that lad. Always getting in the middle of things. But the Navy? What does he want to go to sea for? He’ll get seasick, maybe even drown.”

  Kathleen didn’t want to think about Kenny drowning. She was fond of the boy her sister had adopted.

  “Did you make the tea, or would you like me to do it?” Kathleen asked, attempting to distract the woman.

  “Keen on having your tea today aren’t ya? Do you want me to read the leaves?”

  Chapter 3

  Embarrassed, Kathleen wasn’t sure what to say. She didn’t believe in the whole reading tea leaves thing. The church frowned on such practices. But what if it could tell her? Nothing else seemed to work. She’d tried touching a rabbit’s foot and goodness knew what else. Granny moved restlessly in her seat.

  “Do ya or don’t ya. I ain't got all day.”

  Tempted to ask what else was the old woman going to do, Kathleen bit her tongue. There was no point in antagonizing her.

  “Sure, go on then. Just this once—only don’t tell Father Nelson.”

  Granny stood up, swaying. Kathleen wanted to help, but she knew she would only be rebuffed. Granny glanced at her.

  “Why would I be telling a priest anything?”

  “Granny you can pretend with the others, but I know you like Father Nelson. You two have great chats, he told me how interesting your life was.”

  Granny’s forehead creased. Kathleen immediately regretted saying anything, but it was too late.

  “He told you about what we talked about?”

  “No, Granny, not at all. That’s private. He just said he looks forward to seeing you and chatting with you.”

  Granny bustled about getting cups and saucers and the tea. Then she set it on the table.

  “Hmph, he has little to amuse him. Now, come over here and sit down. It’s easier for me. Clear that stuff out of your way.”

  Kathleen did as she was bid. Granny sat down opposite her, stirring the pot before pouring.

  “Right, well drink up that cup of tea and let’s see what the leaves say.”

  Kathleen drank the tea, trying not to grimace at the state of the cup. Then she handed it back to Granny who placed it on the table and appeared to study it. She was quiet for so long, Kathleen couldn’t bear it.

  “What does it say?”

  “Kathleen, you can’t interrupt and rush things, it takes time. Are ya sure you want to know?”

  “Of course,” Kathleen replied, hoping she sounded more confident than she felt. Her stomach was churning and the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. A picture of her mother suddenly darted into her head. She would have given her more than a touch of the wooden spoon for mixing with stuff like this. Filled with doubts, Kathleen stood up.

  “Granny I best be going. I forgot...”

  “You sit back down and listen to the leaves. You can’t just walk out now. Upset the forces, that would.”

  Kathleen shivered, looking around the room despite herself. This was plain silly. She was a grown woman not a child scared of some bogey man. Granny continued to speak but her voice didn’t sound like it was coming from her. It sounded like a young male with a strong New York accent.

  “You have a long way to travel. Or maybe someone near to you is going on a trip.”

  Well, that cleared everything up. Kathleen fumed. She was surrounded by children who went on orphan trains. It wasn�
�t hard to imagine someone leaving.

  “You won’t have a child of your own if you stay in your marriage. The fault isn’t with you.”

  Kathleen stared at Granny but the woman had her eyes closed. She pinched herself. Was it Richard who couldn’t father a child? How could Granny know that? She was about to ask but Granny opened her eyes and started talking again.

  “I see a fire. A young girl, helpless and alone. She needs a home.”

  Kathleen sat forward. “What girl? Where is she? Where are her parents?”

  But her questions went unanswered. Granny continued staring at the cup and speaking in the male voice.

  “There is a woman with a black cat. She doesn’t like you or your orphans. She means you harm.”

  Kathleen bit her lip in an effort not to laugh. Granny was really trying to wind her up with her talk of women with black cats. Why didn’t she say a witch was going to fly over on her broomstick? Disgusted with herself for even thinking of asking Granny to read the leaves, Kathleen gathered her things together. She was about to stand up when Granny spoke again.