Looking for Home by Arleta Richardson

Author:Arleta Richardson
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: historical fiction for middle school;orphan train history;orphan train children;history books for children;historical fiction series
Publisher: David C. Cook
Published: 2016-01-02T20:26:49+00:00

Chapter Eleven

Eugenia Learns a Hard Lesson

On the spacious veranda of the summer house, Eugenia Quincy lay on a chaise lounge and looked out over the lake. On her first day of what was to be a change of scenery, she was tired. She watched Clara and the small boy who walked beside her along the water’s edge.

After thinking over the events of yesterday, Eugenia wondered uneasily if she had done the right thing. Very soon after they had reached the open road, Will had fallen asleep on Clara’s lap. Eugenia was pleased.

“He’s going to be very easy to take care of, Clara,” she’d said happily. “I guess children that age sleep a lot. Have you ever had charge of a baby like him?”

“No, mum,” the girl had replied. “I was the youngest in my family.” She hesitated and then inquired, “What do we feed him?”

Eugenia hadn’t considered that. “Why, I suppose whatever we eat. I’m sure Greta has put in enough for all of us. He can’t eat a whole lot.”

This, she soon discovered, was an understatement. Will wouldn’t eat anything. Shortly after their arrival at the lake, Will had awakened. Seeing only strange faces, he started to cry. “Allie. Will wants Allie,” he had sobbed.

“What’s Allie?” Eugenia asked anxiously. “Is it something to eat? Give him a cookie, Clara.”

The cookie was offered, but Will pushed it away. “Ethan? Allie?” He looked around frantically, and huge tears ran down his face.

“For goodness’ sake, Clara, give him whatever he wants. We can’t have that wailing all afternoon,” Eugenia had complained.

“I don’t know what he wants,” Clara replied, desperation creeping into her voice. “He probably misses his family. Oh, mum! We shouldn’t have taken him away from the Home.”

“Well, we did, so we’ll have to make the best of it. Find something to cheer him up. He’s making me nervous.”

Clara had done her best, Eugenia was forced to admit, but Will wasn’t happy. Throughout the afternoon he continued to cry, adding “Simon” to his list of grievances. When he had finally sobbed himself to sleep again, Eugenia was relieved.

“Well, that’s over. Do they all do that, Clara?”

“I don’t know. But they all need clean clothes, and we don’t have any of those.”

“Oh, dear.” Eugenia flopped down on the sofa and put her hand on her forehead. “I’m getting a terrible headache, Clara. You’ll have to take care of it. Go and get some.” Without opening her eyes, she waved her hand feebly at the girl. When Clara didn’t move, she sat up in surprise. “Well, what are you waiting for? You’d better go before he wakes up again. You certainly don’t expect me to do anything with him.”

“I never bought a little boy’s clothes before. And I got no way to get to the village. We can’t both go unless we take him with us.”

“Oh, bother,” Eugenia grumbled. “Why didn’t you think of that before we got here?”

Clara remained silent, as if knowing that whatever she answered, it was sure to be the wrong thing.

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