The Orphan Train Sagas: Irish Twins Sent To A Farm Family In Oklahoma

By Beth Overton

Two Irish twins are taken on an Orphan Train through to Oklahoma where a loving farm family fosters them. They haven’t had much in their lives but their new surrogate parents are a loving couple and the pair thrive. It’s only after they’ve lived there for a few months that an act of Mother Nature tests them to the limit.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Beth Overton
• Release date: Feb 6, 2016
• ISBN: 9781311933263

Beth Overton

Beth Overton lives in Northern California with her husband and three cats. Besides writing romances, she loves to read everything she can get her hands on, as well as cooking up gourmet delights for her entire family.

Book preview

The Orphan Train Sagas: Irish Twins Sent To A Farm Family In Oklahoma

By

Beth Overton

Copyright 2016 Quietly Blessed & Loved Press

Prologue

Part I: The Train

Part II: Eagle Lake Ranch

Part III: Home on the Range

Synopsis: Two Irish twins are taken on an Orphan Train through to Oklahoma where a loving farm family fosters them. They haven’t had much in their lives but their new surrogate parents are a loving couple and the pair thrive. It’s only after they’ve lived there for a few months that an act of Mother Nature tests them to the limit.

Prologue

Tessie and George clasped hands tightly as the pinch-faced woman looked them over. She had spent the last few minutes chatting with Miss Furlong about the twins as though they weren’t there. She suddenly grabbed Tessie’s free hand and inspected the girl’s palms.

Seeming to like what she saw, the pinch-faced woman nodded.

Yes, the girl looks like a nice, hard worker. You said she can sew and cook? At the question, Miss Furlong smiled solicitously and nodded, her double chin wagging under her face.

Oh, yes, madam. She’s a fast learner, too, as long as you show her how to do it. She came in here never having ironed in her life. Now she presses half the orphanage’s laundry by herself every week!

Oh, excellent! I’ll take her, then. I don’t really have a use for the boy. The woman began to tug on Tessie’s arm, but she remained rooted in place. Her hand had gripped George’s as though they had become fused together. Miss Furlong puffed through her nose and immediately began trying to pry them apart. The pinch-faced woman kept pulling on Tessie’s arm, and she started to cry.

Oh, not this again! cried Miss Furlong. You two really must stop it! This nice lady is going to take care of you from now on, Tessie! Don’t you want a warm home with a mother and father?

N-not without George! Tessie managed to choke out through her sobbing throat. The woman yanked her forward, jerking both of the children along with her. Scared and digging her heels into the splintered wood floor, Tessie screamed at the woman, I’m not leaving without my brother! The woman dropped the girl’s hand in shock, but swiftly turned on Miss Furlong.

You told me this girl was quiet and obedient! She swiftly looked over the sobbing girl before her. I bet this girl has never ironed so much as a sock! You know, there are other orphanages in this city; ones that don’t lie about their wards.

Miss Furlong immediately paled and dropped the children’s clasped hands.

Oh, no, madam, she’s usually very obedient, but...well, she and her brother are twins. They’ve been together since the very beginning of life and they are rather loath to leave one another.

She glanced their way with a weary sigh. They are fine if they are kept together, though. Are you certain that you wouldn’t consider taking the boy, too? George is—

The woman was already shaking her head. No, no! I already have a house full of boys. I need a girl to help me with the housekeeping. Just never mind. There are plenty of girls who will work for their keep. The woman turned around and began sweeping out. Miss Furlong glared at George and Tessie before hurrying out after her.

Tessie wiped her face messily onto her sleeve, still gasping and sobbing. George hugged her enthusiastically, giggling. We did it! We’re staying together, he whispered to her. Tessie scowled and pushed him away. She stomped over to her cot and sank down on it, staring at the floor.

George cocked his head to the side and put his hands on his hips. What? What’s the matter, Tess? I know you didn’t want to go with that mean lady.

Tess shook her head and pulled a handkerchief out from beneath her pillow. She meticulously wiped off her face and blew her nose before answering him.

You don’t need to act like we outsmarted ‘em. If we keep up like this, Miss Furlong’ll throw us out in the streets. She looked up from the floor, but now it was her brother’s turn to stare at the well-worn wood, crimson-faced.

Then we’d just go find Pa, he muttered. His foot scuffed against the floorboard as he looked up at Tessie with defiance glowing in his face. Tessie had already returned to her usual placid and solemn expression. She shook her head slowly, her bright red curls bouncing with the movement.

No, we couldn’t, George. Pa’d just haul us right back over here. Tessie watched as her brother seemed to deflate. He sat next to her on the cot and began fiddling with the brass buttons on his sheepskin-lined coat. It was really far too hot to wear such a heavy piece of clothing, but it was the nicest thing he owned.

Six months ago, when their father dropped them off at Miss Furlong’s, he had impulsively draped his coat over George’s tiny ten-year-old shoulders. A tear shivered on the tip of the man’s drink-reddened nose as he promised in his broad Norfolk accent that George would grow into it. For now, though, the coat enveloped George like a tent.

He unbuttoned it and laid it carefully on the bed. Silently, they both buried their fingers into the thick wool that covered the inside of the coat. Unlike all of George’s other clothes, this jacket didn’t have a single patch on it and the few places where a seam had ripped had been carefully stitched back together by Tessie’s deft hands. They stayed like that for a while before George spoke.

Yeah, I guess Pa’s good and done with us. His eyes became suddenly red and bright, but he sniffed