The Paper Daughters of Chinatown - Heather B. Moore Page 0,112

still others being deported.

Girls moving on, girls arriving, babies being born, and still . . . Mei Lien waiting for Huan Sun to return. Her baby boy was now a few months old, and he was a delightful child. Just thinking about him brought a smile to Dolly’s face.

And Tien . . . Dolly already missed the young woman who had grown from a defiant child to a clever woman. Dolly depended on her more and more, and Tien was up to the task, acting as a staunch defender of victims and a willing aide to Dolly. Tien now went on all the rescues, and it was because of her skills that Dolly felt she could take a sabbatical.

Dolly was thirty-five years old now and had been at the mission home for nine years. She had never taken more than a short vacation. Her work was her life, and she loved it, but exhaustion had set in of late. She couldn’t forget how Miss Culbertson had never taken a break and had quite literally died days after a forced retirement. With the board’s permission and encouragement, Dolly was on furlough to travel to the East, then to visit Scotland and see her sister she had never met. Her parents had left her oldest sister in Scotland to offer their grandmother some comfort when they moved the rest of the family to New Zealand.

After seeing her sister, Dolly would finally travel to China for the first time. She had been assured that the mission home would be in good hands under the direction of Wilmina Wheeler as temporary director, housekeeper Frances Thompson, and of course their young and fierce interpreter Tien.

This journey back east was sorely needed. Not only did Dolly need the break, but she knew that she had to see Charles and decide on their future once and for all. Yet her heart was now divided between relief from setting aside the demands of the mission home and loneliness from missing her daughters.

She had visited one of her Chinese daughters in Minnesota, followed by a visit with a friend to the mission cause who convinced Dolly to stay several extra days at her lodge on Lake Minnetonka. It was a lovely and peaceful time, and she felt more than prepared to finally see Charles again.

The Philadelphia train platform was busy with people coming and going, finding their luggage, calling out to friends and family, and sorting out their transportation.

Dolly didn’t know where to look first, so she headed for the porter to retrieve her modest trunk. Once she had it in hand, she hefted it toward the ticket office. She should have been more specific as to where to meet Charles. He could be only feet away from her, but it was hard to pick out anyone in such a thick crowd.

“Donaldina Cameron!” a voice called.

His voice seemed to lift her feet from the ground with elation. She turned and searched for any sight of him. At first, she didn’t see him, but then a tall, blond man came into view as a family shuffled past with a crying baby.

Charles was the same, yet different, too. Even though he had a hat on, she could see that his hair was much shorter. Gone were the waves. Had he grown taller, too? Or had she forgotten what it was like to look up into his deep green eyes?

His smile was broad, and warmth swelled her heart. She laughed as he drew her into a tight hug in front of everyone on the platform. It had been so long since she’d felt his arms about her that she was sure she was dreaming. The best dream imaginable.

She closed her eyes, the echo of her heartbeat the only thing she could hear now as she breathed in everything that was Charles. He smelled of sunshine and musk and leather.

When he drew away, an inexplicable sense of sadness descended upon her. That didn’t make sense. She had been waiting forever for this day, and she should feel only joy. Yet, it was as if a fierce battle was going on inside her heart as pure happiness warred with piercing sorrow.

Dolly pushed back her confusing emotions and smiled at Charles. “You found me.”

His grin nearly split his face. “I found you.” As his eyes scanned her features, she felt self-conscious. It had been nearly four years. Of course, she had changed. The silver through her hair had multiplied, and the fine lines about her