Delaware
The platform stretched out long and empty. Her fellow passengers had departed quickly, and the train left filled with new travelers. Selena Mills sighed heavily and lifted her carpetbag. In the past, her parents had greeted her at the station with warm, welcoming smiles. But things had changed practically overnight. She would never see her parents again, and Mills Haven, Delaware, would never seem like home again.
For six years, Selena attended the Pritchard Boarding School for Young Ladies in Baltimore, Maryland. Her father insisted his daughter required a proper education regardless of the cost. Although they had to scrimp and save, her parents kept her in school until her graduation year. Selena was sixteen, nearly seventeen.
Miss Pritchard had called her away from her classes two days previously. All eyes turned toward the opening door and watched Mabel-Grace Willows stride in, holding a folded blue note. Several girls exchanged glances, wondering who the headmistress wished to see. It usually meant one of the girls had broken a rule. Miss Perkins quickly accepted the note, glanced at it, and called Selena's name.
Selena's face grew pale. She knew she hadn't broken a rule. Shrugging her shoulders, she rose and followed Mabel-Grace into the corridor. Eleven pairs of eyes followed her exit. As the door swung closed, Selena heard a rush of questioning voices and the sound of Miss Perkins rapping her knuckles on her desk.
Miss Prichard stood at the open office door, waiting for Selena. Her expression matched her iron-gray hair, pulled into a bun tight enough to erase her facial wrinkles. The headmistress curtly dismissed Mabel-Grace, leaving Selena alone with The Iron Lady.
"Please, sit down," Miss Prichard said, pointing to one of two chairs facing her vast desk. She moved swiftly behind the desk but remained standing.
Selena sat and grasped her hands tightly in her lap. Multiple protests formed in her mind, but she knew better than to voice them. Miss Prichard did not tolerate outbursts from her students. However, when she spoke, her voice remained calm, almost soothing.
"I'm afraid I have rather bad news for you, Miss Mills," she stated, the fists of both hands resting on the desktop. "Your parents were killed last night. It was a motorcar accident."
"Motorcar?" Selena grasped the new word. Oh, but no, they can't. I mean, they couldn't. I…but they don't own a motorcar."
"It wasn't their motorcar," Miss Pritchard stated unemotionally. "Their buggy was run off the road by the motorcar. They both sustained broken necks, killing them instantly."
"Mr. Toad," Selena muttered—more to herself than to the headmistress.
"What did you say?" Miss Pritchard snapped. "I didn't hear you."
"Mr. Toad," the distraught girl repeated. "That's what we call him. I mean, Clarence Hawthorne. He's the only one with a motorcar. Mr. Toad because…"
"I get the idea," the headmistress interrupted, waving Selena to silence.
For months, Papa complained about Clarence Hawthorne's motorcar. Judge Hawthorne was the wealthiest man in Mills Haven. He gave his only son a motorcar on his twentieth birthday. Day and night, the car sped haphazardly along the county roads. Papa said he would eventually kill someone. Selena never imagined her mother and father would fall victim to Clarence's motorcar.
In her mind's eye, Selena saw the tragic event: her parents driving home from evening church services, Clarence racing along the darkened road. The horse spooked, and the carriage tilted as it bumped along behind the matched team. She covered her face with her hands and wept uncontrollably.
Miss Perkins appeared to assist her in getting to her room. The teacher stayed with her throughout the following day. They packed her belongings into her trunk, and Selena boarded the train for home the day after.
Selena sat in the deserted Mills Haven station. Only the ticket master remained, sitting straight backed behind his window. She sighed and nudged her carpetbag with her toe. Selena overlooked Clay until he tugged on her skirt.
"Oh, Clay," she muttered, staring at her younger brother with hazy eyes.
Clayton Mills wore too short dark trousers and a blue shirt with suspenders. A round-rim round-rim straw hat covered his wavy brown hair. The eight-year-old smiled slightly, then composed his features solemnly. Selena hugged him close, toppling his hat.
"Aunt Agnus sent me to fetch you," her little brother stated, glancing over his shoulder. "She said don't dawdle."
"All right." Selena sighed. "Go find the porter and my trunk."
The boy hastened away, and his sister followed sedately. Aunt Agnus sat in a rickety old buggy beside Uncle Horace. Her Uncle ogled her momentarily, then spat tobacco onto the sidewalk before her feet. Selena sidestepped the brown blotch. Behind her, Clay approached with the porter carrying her trunk.
"Don't tarry, girly," Uncle Horace called out. "Times-a wasting."
Selena stepped into the buggy. Perching on the edge of the worn backseat, she straightened her pelisse skirt. Clayton barely sat down before Uncle Horace whipped the horse, and it began to trot briskly. The motion threw Selena against the seat, and she grabbed the braces to steady herself.
"Must you whip the horse that way?" she protested without thinking.
Aunt Agnus glared at her. Selena bit down on her tongue, sorry she spoke. Clay edged closer to her side.
"Would you look at her, Horace?" her Aunt chortled. "All dressed up like she was somebody special. Who do you think you are, Missy?"
"Plain old Selena Mills," she responded curtly. "Who did you think?"
"Humph," Aunt Agnus snorted.
"When's the funeral?" Selena asked, grasping the seat and edging forward. "Graduation is next week. I'd like to get back to school in time."
"Ain't goin' back to school," the older woman stated abruptly.
"Indeed I am!" she practically shouted.
"Ain't." Her Aunt crossed her arms over her scant chest.
"Ain't," Uncle Horace echoed, spitting tobacco juice again.
The buggy pulled up in front of the white clapboard farmhouse. Although she grew up there, it suddenly looked different. The green shutters were the same, and the old swing remained on the front porch. Yet somehow, with the absence of her mother and father, it seemed different.
Clay leaped down and ambled across the yard. He sat on the swing hanging from the oak tree. Grasping the rope in his tiny hands, he spun it around in a slow circle. Selena stood in the yard watching him. Uncle Horace unstrapped her trunk and carried it inside, her Aunt following in his shadow.
"I'm going to graduate," Selena stated, entering the house. "Papa spent a lot of money on my education. He would want to know his investment was worthwhile."
"I will never understand your father's motivation," Aunt Agnus complained. Imagine sending you to that fancified school in Baltimore. It's a waste of time, in my opinion. You're just going to get married and become a drudge like the rest of us womenfolk."
"Surely not yet, Aunt Agnus," Selena declared hotly. "Why I'm going to become a telegrapher. Maimie Howard and I are going to New York City. We're getting jobs at the Waldorf-Astoria. It's all planned."
"You're staying here and getting married," Uncle Horace ordered, appearing behind his wife suddenly. "It's all arranged."
"How?" Selena's mouth gaped open. She could not believe her ears. "Who?"
"Who else?" A heavy-set youth entered from the kitchen. He opened his arms wide, inviting Selena to run into them.
"Cousin Orson?" Selena's heart sank. Stepping backward, she reached for the door handle. Instead, Clay slipped his hand into hers. The child pressed into her leg and buried his head in her skirt.
Cousin Orson advanced on her. His rosy cheeks ballooned outward, causing his beady eyes to shrink in his face. Puckering his liver-colored lips, he made loud kissing sounds. When he reached for her, Selena ducked. Dragging Clayton with her, she ran upstairs and rushed into her bedroom.
"What are we going to do, Selena?" Clay asked, tears welling in his soft brown eyes. "You're not going to marry Cousin Orson, are you?"
"Indeed I'm not," his sister cried hotly.
Selena looked out her bedroom window at the plowed fields below. Here and there, a tiny plant sprouted in the fertile soil. Mama and Papa had begun planting as soon as the season turned from winter to spring. They anticipated a bumper crop—a crop they would never harvest.
"Is Aunt Agnus really our guardian now?" Clayton asked tremulously.
"I suppose." Selena's shoulders sagged at the thought.
Trouble hovered over the horizon. Although Selena would reach her majority in just over a year, Clayton was still only eight. Years would pass before he could claim his inheritance. In the meantime, Uncle Horace would quickly gamble it away. He had already lost the farmland he inherited from his father.
Years ago, her Aunt and Uncle lived on the neighboring farm. Papa frequently voiced his concerns about his younger sister. He knew Horace Phelps was no good. When he gambled the farm in a card game, he lost. The family moved south, working as itinerant farmers in the tobacco fields. Selena hadn't missed them, and Clayton barely knew them.
Even at a young age, Selena hadn't liked Cousin Orson. She shivered to think of herself married to him. Clenching her fists, she brought them to her lips and bit her white knuckles. Life was quickly spiraling out of control.
"What are we going to do?" Clay's voice sounded dismal, as though he were about to cry.
Selena ran her hand through his wavy dark hair and pulled him close. His tiny hands barely encircled her waist. Clay pressed his face into her stomach and bawled.
"I'll think of something." Selena's voice hitched, too.
What could she do? she wondered. Selena felt as defenseless as Clayton. Yet, she was older and wiser—but unprepared for the circumstances.
"Dinner!" Aunt Agnus called up the stairs. She beat the bottom of a pan with a wooden spoon to gain their attention. Selena grimaced but took Clay's hand firmly. They marched downstairs.
"When is the funeral?" Selena asked, toying with her stew. "I asked before; you didn't answer."
"Tomorrow," Aunt Agnus snapped curtly.
"So soon?" Selena muttered, exchanging glances with her little brother.
"The sooner the better."
Selena sat in the darkened parlor following the evening meal. Twin coffins stood on trestles in the middle of the room. Entwining her hands, the mournful girl bowed her head. Tears trickled from her eyes as she prayed for their souls. The scent of lilies filled her nostrils. The townspeople had sent their regards and flowers.
People respected Papa. The Mills family wasn't rich in money. Instead, they were wealthy in their friends and had a good standing in the community. Great-grandfather Mills was the first settler in the area and founded the town. Selena expected a good turnout at the funeral.
"Your father never approved of my marriage," her Aunt stated from the doorway. "He refused to assist us when we were in hard times. Don't expect much sympathy from me now he's dead."
"I don't expect anything from you," Selena spoke harshly. "I don't know why you even came."
"I'm duty-bound to you two children."
Duty-bound, Selena whispered to herself after her Aunt stepped away. Her shoulders sank.
Rain dripped from the heavens on the funeral day. Hovering around the gravesite like black ravens, the mourners bowed their heads. The weather didn't keep them away. Selena and Clayton stood at the open graves, watching the coffins disappear into the earth. Behind them, in a semi-circle, Aunt Agnus, Uncle Horace, and Cousin Orson surrounded them. Her cousin cupped her behind, causing her to squeal audibly.
Later, Aunt Agnus served sandwiches in the farmhouse parlor. Selena mingled amongst the guests with a platter of refreshments. The gathering took her mind away from her sorrow. After the guests left, she threw herself across her bed and sobbed.
Selena discovered her Aunt at the breakfast table the following morning, scouring through the Sears Catalog. Aunt Agnus circled two wedding dresses in dark pencil. Her Aunt informed her that the marriage would occur soon after the chosen garment arrived.
"Horace says there's no point dawdling," Aunt Agnus stated.
Aghast, Selena shook her head 'no' and backed away. She met the kitchen counter with her back. She ran up the backstairs and plummeted across her bed. Her tears flowed hot and heavy. After a while, she composed herself. Approaching her desk, she drew out her stationery and a fountain pen.
Dear Maimie, she wrote.
Help me, please. Mama and Papa are dead. Mr. Toad killed them. Clayton and I are trapped here with our Aunt and Uncle. They insist I'm going to marry Cousin Orson. Remember I told you about old liver lips? I cannot bear the thought. Please do all you can to convince your brother, Jake, to come here immediately. Yes, I'm asking for a rescue.
Please!
Selena Mills
Drawing a long chain from her bodice, Selena pulled it over her head. The pearl promise ring felt small in her hand. Six months ago, it looked large and grand. Jake Howard had given it to her during the winter cotilion at Jonathan Tisdale's Academy for Young Men. She slipped the token in the envelope along with her letter.
Selena walked sedately downstairs and let herself out the front door. The town was a long walk away, but she was determined. As soon as Jake realized her distress, he would save her. She held her head high as she marched along the road.
"Where are you off to?" Cousin Orson asked, trotting beside her. He snatched her envelope, studied it, and then held it to the sun. "What have you got in there?"
"Something I borrowed from a friend," Selena remarked curtly. "I'm returning it."
"You sure? It feels like a ring." Her cousin ran his finger across the bulge.
"It is a ring," she stated, reaching for her letter. "I forgot I borrowed it. Since I'm not returning to school, I decided to return it to my friend."
"As long as that's all it is," Cousin Orson conceded. "I thought it might be a promise ring or something. You got a lover somewhere?" He eyed her suspiciously.
"Who me?" Selena feigned disdain. "Hardly." She plucked the letter from her cousin's fingers and strode forward.
After mailing her letter, Selena returned to the farmhouse, feeling relieved. When Maimie received it, she summoned Jake, who came for her instantly.
The excellent feeling remained with her for the rest of the day. Selena didn't allow her Uncle and Aunt to bother her. She ignored Cousin Orson's salacious looks. She focused on Maimie and Jake. For the first time since the accident, Selena slept well.
Nevertheless, a sudden sound awakened her. A hefty form stood above her bed. She bolted upright and drew the quilt up to her shoulders.
"What are you doing here?" she breathed, recognizing Cousin Orson.
"Why wait for the vows?" Orson exclaimed, lifting the quilt.
"Get out of here!" Selena screamed, leaping from the bed.
Her cousin grabbed her wrist and swung her into his arms. Cousin Orson pressed his liver lips against hers and, forcing them open, poked his tongue into her mouth. Selena bit down hard. Orson hollered, slapping his beefy hands over his mouth. She pushed him away and spun around. Before she flung open the door, it opened itself. Holding up a kerosene lantern, Aunt Agnus appeared in a ghostly form.
Selena rushed past her Aunt, her shoulder colliding with the upraised lamp. Aunt Angus lost her balance and sprawled at her feet. The lantern glass shattered, and flames grabbed the rag rug. Selena bolted though the door, throwing a look over her shoulder as she ran. Her Aunt began to rise up from the carpet. She finally gained her feet, but the fire caught her long flannel nightgown. Orson hurried toward her but also became engulfed quickly.
Racing downstairs, Selena exited the burning house. She stood in the dooryard, her heart pounding. When Clayton appeared in an upstairs window, its beat slackened. The life of her little brother lay in her hands. She'd already lost her mother and father; she couldn't lose him also.
Clay crawled onto the porch roof. Hovering beneath him, Selena opened her arms, calling for him to jump. The boy leaped and landed in her embrace. The force of motion drove them both to the ground. She sat up and hugged him tightly.
In the distance, fire bells clanged, and their neighbors staggered into the yard, carrying heavy water pails. It took most of the night to quell the flames. Both Aunt Agnus and Cousin Orson burned to death. The firemen discovered Uncle Horace's body in bed and assumed he never awoke during the fire.
Selena took Clayton's hand and walked away. The road stretched long before them, and the town seemed miles away. Dawn peeked over the horizon's edge as they walked along the deserted Main Street. Entering the train station, they sat together on a bench.
Judge Hawthorne strode toward the two orphaned children. Selena looked up at him, her face streaked with soot. Clay edged close, and she placed her arm across his shoulder.
"You two cannot stay here," the Judge said, clearing his throat noisily. Come with me."
"No, thank you," Selena tersely responded.
"Haven't you looked at yourselves?" Judge Hawthorne remarked. "You're still in your nightclothes. Come home with me, and we'll get you cleaned up."
"No, thank you," Selena repeated, turning her head away.
"I'm very sorry about what happened to your parents, Miss Mills," the older man continued. "It was that darn motorcar. I wished I'd never given it to Clarence. Boy's a fool."
"Mr. Toad," Clay muttered under his breath.
"Indeed." The Judge cleared his throat noisily. "I cannot bring your parents back, but I can help you now."
Selena began to say 'no thank you' again but changed her mind. Mr. Hawthorne treated them kindly. His wife fed them a hearty breakfast and provided clean clothes. The Mills children remained under their roof for several days. Selena avoided Clarence as much as possible until he, too, apologized for the accident.
"Selena," a familiar voice called out. When she looked around, Maimie Howard rushed toward her. She ran into her friend's arms. "What's happened? Are you all right?"
"I'm all right," Selena answered, grinning at her friend. "I just walked Clay to school. I'm on my way back to the Judge's house. Come with me."
"Certainly," Maimie answered, hooking her arm in her friend. "Jake's in the mercantile. He'll join us in a minute. So what happened?"
Selena filled her friend in as they walked toward the general store. Jake strode out the door, nearly colliding with them. Smiling brightly, Selena greeted her boyfriend.
"Selena just told me her aunt and uncle died in a fire," Maimie explained. "She and her brother are staying with the Judge's family."
"No rescue required?" Jake asked, frowning. His sense of adventure dissipated.
"I don't want to continue taking the Judge's charity," Selena stated, transferring her grip from Maimie to Jake. "I want to take Clay and leave here."
"We'll go to New York City like we planned," Maimie suggested, grinning. "We'll get those telegrapher jobs at the Waldorf-Astoria."
Selena agreed wholeheartedly. While Jake went to the station to purchase tickets, she returned to the school. She found Clay on the playground enjoying his recess. When she called him, he ran to her. She explained the situation and, grasping his hand, led him away.
The train picked up steam as it chugged away from the station. Selena watched the familiar buildings of Mills Haven slide past the window. A new world stretched ahead of her. She doubted she would ever return. Delaware, she thought as she headed toward New York City and a new beginning. The first state in the nation and the first state she called home.
Perhaps Clay would return when he grew up. He could restore the farm someday, or he could sell it. A long time lay between now and when he would have to decide. As for Selena, she couldn't see her future, and she didn't know how many states she would eventually live in. Jake smiled at her, and she smiled back. Despite her recent tragedies, life suddenly seemed very pleasant.
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