Maggie's Journey (McKenna's Daughters) by Lena Dooley Nelson Page A

the tracks toward Puget Sound. The weather was just right for traveling. No rain today. Just warm autumn sunshine and a welcome wind blowing across the Sound keeping the air from feeling oppressive. She wondered how long the warm weather would linger. She hoped they would return before winter had an icy grip on Seattle and on the mountains they’d have to cross in the train.
    “Are you excited our day of departure is finally here?” Charles stood much closer behind her than she had been aware.
    If she turned too quickly, she might bump right into him. She took a deep breath, stepped away, then pivoted. “Yes. Are you?”
    One of his sculptured eyebrows lifted. “Certainly, I’m glad to be going.” His gaze slid to her aunt, and he broke away to greet her.
    Maggie watched them talk, saw her aunt laugh in response to some comment he made, saw him smile. Does that man know how devastating his smile is? She certainly hoped he didn’t. He could be a danger to every unattached woman in sight. She pulled her gaze from Charles and stared across the water.
    In the distance, a mournful whistle broke the silence around them. Soon the clackety-clacks of the huge engine pulling the railcars joined with the wail. The train came into sight around a bend as it exited the forest surrounding Seattle, and Maggie’s sense of expectancy grew. Within literal minutes they’d be heading south. The railroad would take them into Oregon before they headed east. And if she remembered correctly, it would take them all the way across the state of Missouri, where they’d change trains and head southwest into Arkansas.
    She had heard stories, though not from her parents, about the months it took to come from Independence, Missouri, to Oregon. Those travelers probably marveled that people could now make that journey in less than two weeks. Modern travel was a wonder.
    Maggie had never been on the platform when a train came in. As the iron monster approached, the wooden structure vibrated, and she widened her stance to help maintain her balance. Up close, the engine was enormous. Almost scary. What if it jumped the tracks? She stepped back as she watched it pull into the station, accompanied by metal screeching against metal and hissing puffs of steam.
    As soon as the train came to a complete stop, the conductor hopped down from the steps on the middle passenger car. “You folks takin’ this train?” He removed his uniform hat and tucked it under his arm.
    Father stepped forward. “My daughter, my sister-in-law, and my business partner are.” He indicated each one when he mentioned them. “I’d appreciate it if you’d take good care of them.”
    “Sure thing.” The conductor slapped his hat back on his head. “This here’s one of them Pullman cars. They’ll be comfortable in it.”
    Father nodded, then he and Charles accompanied the conductor to the end of the train where freight cars were hooked up right in front of the caboose. The three men loaded the two trunks and portmanteau onto one of the baggage cars.
    Mother clasped Maggie into a tight embrace. “I’ll miss you, Margaret. I’ve seen you every single day since you were born. You be careful while you’re gone.”
    Tears trickled down Maggie’s cheeks. How could her mother have seen her since the day she was born? Did she and her father get her the actual day of her birth? So many questions without answers, but Maggie wasn’t going to ask them until she got back from Arkansas. Maybe by then she’d have the courage to tell them what she had found in the white box nestled in the very bottom of her trunk. Maybe then she could ask all the questions rattling around in her brain.
    Still clinging to her, Mother pressed a soft kiss to one of Maggie’s cheeks. How long had it been since she’d felt this connected to her mother?
    “Good-bye, Mother.”
    Daddy and Charles returned. Daddy wrapped his arms around Maggie and cradled her against his chest. Tears pooled in her eyes,