September 1860 Spring Hill, Nebraska Territory
“They aren’t here yet?” Cecilia Holbrook turned from scanning the horizon at the sound of her sister’s voice. She moved over so Cat could join her under the shelter of the hotel roof, both of them shivering when several errant drops of rain hit their heads. Cat dabbed her damp face with a handkerchief. “Those poor children will get soaked if they don’t make it soon.”
Cecilia’s eyes swept the rolling hills past the edge of town again. “I expect them to arrive any minute.”
Cat bounced on her toes as if it would bring their visitors faster. “Is everything ready? With all you had to do these last few weeks, I can’t imagine any item could remain undone.”
Stifling the urge to roll her eyes, Cecilia brushed a stray lock of hair from her face. “Yes, everything is ready. The hotel rooms are paid for and waiting. The donated clothes are all clean and placed on their beds. The food Aunt Lily sent over for supper is in their rooms.” Cecilia could have listed what felt like a hundred other details, all things the town expected her to handle. As the schoolteacher, they expected her to be in charge of everything that happened in town regarding children. Even if they were capable of doing it themselves.
Cecilia took a calming breath of cool, damp air. She had to remember that all this work hadn’t been for the benefit of the old biddies in the Ladies’ Aid Society. It was for the children who were set to arrive from the orphan train. Finding good families for each of them was worth being treated as a workhorse for a bit.
Smoothing her already perfect hair, Cat let out a sigh. “The excitement in town these last few days has been so invigorating. I’ll be sad to see it end.”
Raising her eyebrows at her sister, Cecilia waited for Cat to realize what she’d said. The woman never bothered to think before speaking. Sure enough, Cat gasped a second later. “Oh, that didn’t sound right. Of course, I want all the children to find good homes. But it’s thrilling that we would get children from the orphan train coming to Spring Hill, with no railroads in the territory. It feels like a surprise party for the whole town.”
Glancing down the street again, Cecilia nodded. “I know what you mean. People have been quite excited about our little guests. It’s hard to believe they made all those stops and there are still children who haven’t found homes.”
Shifting from one foot to the other, Cat arched one eyebrow. “Well, I hope that doesn’t mean even more work for you. You’ve been running around preparing for their arrival for days.”
Cecilia was saved the trouble of coming up with a kind answer when the rumble of wagon wheels and thump of hooves on packed dirt drew the sisters’ attention back to the street. There it was. Cecilia’s first glimpse of the wagon showed two placing agents on the seat and a cluster of small heads peeking up in the back. Cecilia’s heart pounded as she prepared herself to face the load of strangers. New situations always made her a little clumsy and she hoped that, this time, she wouldn’t make a fool of herself.
A few more drops of rain splattered on the boardwalk as the vehicle drew to a stop in front of them and Cecilia’s mind formed a quick prayer that the rain would hold. Next to her, Cat craned her neck as the male placing agent jumped down from the seat and went around the wagon to help the female agent climb out. His face remained obstructed by the brim of his hat, but the woman turned to look right at them. And her pinched expression didn’t look pleasant at all.
Once the woman was steady on the ground, the male agent turned to greet them. Cecilia started to step forward when a gust of wind whipped around them and caught the brim of the man’s hat, sending it hurtling toward her. She jumped in shock as the solid material hit her square in the face. Heat flooded her cheeks as she fumbled to grab the hat. Just as she’d feared, this was not an auspicious start.
Holding the hat out for the man to take, Cecilia found herself looking almost straight into the palest of blue eyes. They would have been beautiful if his expression had been less icy. He reached out one hand and yanked the hat from her grip. “Are you hurt?”
She almost missed his words while trying to determine if his dark hair was brown or black. “What? Oh, no, I’m fine. It was only a hat.”
His face hardened and she couldn’t believe she’d already managed to get on his bad side. Standing in front of her with a serious expression as he settled the hat back on his head, he didn’t look like a man who smiled often, but she thought he might look even more handsome if he did.
Turning to the female placing agent, Cecilia offered a smile that went unreturned. The woman was older than Cecilia had expected, for someone who spent her time trekking across the prairie with groups of children. Her cold eyes swept the main street of Spring Hill with obvious disapproval. Her graying hair was pulled back into a bun so tight it made Cecilia’s head ache just looking at it. Those poor orphans must have had a joyless trip with these two in charge.
Stepping forward, Cecilia extended her hand to the man. “I’m Cecilia Holbrook, Spring Hill’s schoolteacher. It’s a pleasure to have you here.”
He took her hand in his large, rough one. “Simon McKay. Nice to meet you, Miss Holbrook.”
“Please, call me Cecilia. Some things tend to be rather informal out here on the frontier.”
Turning to the woman and trying to smile again, Cecilia wasn’t at all surprised by the look of disdain on the agent’s face as they shook hands. “And I’m Effie Wright. Miss Wright, if you please.”
All too aware of Cat’s muttered grumbles behind her about Miss Wright’s aloofness, Cecilia pulled her sister forward. “This is my sister, Cat. We’re very glad you made it before the rain started.”
Simon greeted Cat in much the same way he had her, but Cecilia couldn’t miss the way his eyes lingered on her