A Place to Belong (18 page)

The prayers seemed to last a very long time. Finally Murphy said, “With this ring I thee wed,” and Danny snapped to attention. He was supposed to be a witness to this wedding, and he’d been letting his mind wander.

“Whom God has joined together, let no man put asunder,” Danny heard the priest say.

The people in the church began murmuring and smiling at each other and at Ma, whose face shone so brightly with happiness that Danny had a fleeting moment of guilt for ever wanting to keep her and Mr. Murphy apart.

Katherine stepped up to hug Ma. Andrew was right behind her. They looked as radiantly happy as the just-married couple.

The Kellys gathered around to kiss their mother and shake hands with Mr. Murphy, wishing them well. Then, as one, they drifted to the side of the church, away from the happy group with Ma in the center.

“What about us?” Frances said. She reached out and grasped Megan’s hand. “The states will be involved in war soon. There’s no doubt about it. I wonder if—
when
—we’ll see each other again. I wonder what our destiny will be.”

Megan put an arm around her sister’s shoulders. “I can promise you we’ll be together again,” she said firmly. “Our destiny is going to be whatever we make it.”

“And no matter where it takes us,” Mike said, that faraway look in his eyes again.

“I agree with Megan,” Danny said. “Things always work out the way they should.” He paused and added, “That is, if you have a plan.”

As Grandma closed the journal, Jennifer gave a disappointed sigh. “So that’s the all of it,” she said.

“Oh, no,” Grandma answered smiling. “The stories I’ve told you are really just the beginning. War was declared, and of course it affected all of their lives.”

Jeff asked, “Did Mike join the army as a drummer boy and go into battle, Grandma?”

Jennifer turned to him and answered first. “Don’t you remember Jeff? Mike told his sisters that Captain Taylor didn’t want him to.”

“I think we’ve had enough today,” said Grandma. “I’m not going to tell you what Mike did just yet.”

Jennifer and Jeff stared at her. “I bet Mike ran away to join the army,” Jeff said. “Did he? Why won’t you tell us? Please.”

Grandma smiled. “It’s a long story. What Mike did and what the other Kellys did belong in other stories for other days.”

“Are those stories in the journal?” Jennifer asked.

“Oh, my, yes,” Grandma explained, “You certainly wouldn’t want me to spoil things by telling you in advance what happened to Mike or to his friend Jim, who got mixed up with a riverboat gambler on his way to find Mike. Or to Peg, who was trapped inside a cave with an outlaw; or to Frances and her friend Carrie when they found themselves in the path of General Sterling Price and his Raiders.”

Jeff groaned, “Grandma, don’t do that to us!”

Grandma laughed. “You’re right. I shouldn’t tease you. To make amends I suppose I’d better tell you another story.”

“Great!” Jennifer said. “When?”

The twinkle in Grandma’s eyes was unmistakably mischievous. “Not now, of course,” she said and put the journal safely away. “Tomorrow.”

DON’T MISS THE LATEST THRILLING ORPHAN TRAIN ADVENTURE …

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The Civil War has officially ended, and Frances Mary Kelly accepts an offer to go to New York City and return west with a group of orphans seeking new homes. The journey is more challenging than Frances could have anticipated. Will she be able to complete her mission and return home?

Now Available from Delacorte Press