Heavy Baggage

The whistle of the steam locomotive was softened from inside the passenger car. Departure was imminent, and this evening was already shaping up to be a tense one. The steward had a bit too much to drink, again, and was sleeping it off in the baggage car. Molly was assigned to temporarily take over his position, solely because she was the first maid the conductor had seen after that reprimand. Molly pushed the steward’s tea trolley to the few cabins that held passengers, knocking neatly on their door if the blinds were still up to offer an evening cup before sleeping. Most passengers had already turned in for the long ride from London to Edinburgh. She could see the mild surprise on the faces of the passengers who opened their door for her. A small mousey maid was very different from the tall gentleman they were usually serviced by. If they noticed how terribly she shook the teacups when she passed them over, no one commented while she was present. As long as she kept smiling she would be fine, right? Unless god forbid, she spilled tea on someone. Lord, what if she broke a teacup?! She’d be sent packing for sure.

As Molly continued the tense round of tea service for the evening, she spotted a lady hustling awkwardly across the platform towards the conductor. She carried a large cabin trunk suitcase in her hands which rolled from her hip to her front and staggered her hurried stride. But the conductor accepted the ticket she breathlessly handed him. Molly could see her struggle to lift the baggage up the car step. When Duncan, the porter, came to carry her bag, the lady gave an overly cheery “No thank you, I can manage!” and continued to take uneven steps down the corridor, twisting the wide suitcase unintentionally with her trudging.

Molly could see she would be in the way of this lady and her heavy suitcase. Pulling the trolley back, she opened the door to the first empty cabin. Duncan kept anxiously trying to convince this guest to let him help, but she continued with her fervid brushings aside, insisting that it would be fine in the car with her and he needn’t trouble himself. As she slowly moved, the train gave a great hiss of steam and a distant bell rang. The familiar screeching of metal and chuffing of steam signaled the start of their long journey. Wobbling, the lady bumped into the walls, being careful with her baggage. She smiled brightly at Molly when she reached the cabin, thanking her for simply opening the door. They all heaved a sigh of relief when she finally set her bag down on the bench seat and settled in beside it. Her hand stayed on top of the large suitcase as she thanked them both again. Duncan, seeing the dismissal for what it was, gave a stilted nod, and left. Molly however could not escape their peculiar passenger so easily. She had tea she must offer, though she wondered if this was something the lady would refuse as well.

“Any tea for you Ma’am?”

“Oh! Yes. Yes please, that’s just what I need.” Molly returned an artificial smile at her enthusiasm. It seemed like they were both having a weary evening. The train had picked up speed and rhythm, chugging away from the London station and filling the empty space that Molly knew shouldn’t be filled with her chatter. This would be her last passenger, and then she could put this infernal cart away.

As she handed the cup over, the train gave a rickety lurch. Hot tea spilled onto the lady’s dress, darkening the wool of her skirt. Molly only barely kept the cup from shattering to the ground, but the damage was already done.

“I am so sorry Ma’am,” Molly frantically began dabbing at the hot tea with a cloth napkin. “I swear I didn’t mean to! I can pay for any dry cleaning, honest. Please don’t tell -”

“Don’t fret, it is truly alright.” Sucking in her quivering lip to keep from crying, Molly stared up at the kind face before her. The lady was actually smiling down at her. How could she be okay with this? She should be shouting, or at least be terse, even bargaining for extra biscuits would make more sense.

“I know how to get out a tough stain,” she says. “I won’t tell a soul, promise.”

Molly wiped at her eyes. She blubbered out a thank you, and quickly poured another cup. It wouldn’t do to squander the generosity this lady was giving her. This cup was carefully handed over. The kind lady gave her another warm smile, her hand idly rubbing against the leather of the case beside her. With a sheepish thank you, Molly closed the door, and felt her legs almost give out. That was too close, too lucky. Lord what a narrow escape that was.

After she returned the cart to its spot, and gave it a deserved glare, Molly continued filling in for the steward, who had yet to awaken. The cleaning she was used to, walking the corridor and taking trash. Not many people asked questions, she still looked like just a maid after all. But an hour later, the train made an unexpected stop, and this did not pass by unremarked. Passengers woke up, sticking their heads out and demanding an explanation. The conductor thankfully gave her the answer to repeat to them.

“Just an unexpected water stop. We will be resuming our travels shortly once we refill.” That put a stop to their sleepy grumbling.

Molly moved through third class up to first, and saw the kind lady standing in the doorway of her cabin peeking down the corridor. The heavy case was in her hands again, and it looked like she was getting ready to leave.

“Oh Ma’am, this is just a brief stop. You can return to your cabin-”

“No, no, I need to get off this train.”

“Ma’am, I assure you -”

“No you don’t understand!” she cried. Her volume startles Molly. The lady looks quickly back down the empty corridors, and leans in closer to whisper “I need to get off this train now. It’s not safe.”

“Are you alright? Is there something amiss?”

“I…” She seems to wince in pain, voice cracking and eyes darting between decisions Molly can’t see. She regards Molly for a moment. “Please, you can help me get off this train unseen, yes? I can’t be found, someone’s after me.”

Molly hesitated. If this is what the steward had to deal with, no wonder he drank. Should she call the conductor? Or maybe a constable?

“Mama, is it time to run?”

Molly’s thoughts crash to a stop at the sound of a small voice coming from the bag. Both women freeze. The lady meets Molly’s gaze with wide fearful eyes while her own thoughts pick up speed again. Was there a child in that bag? Stuffed into a suitcase like a pair of socks?!

Molly takes a step back. Calling a constable seemed like the right idea now.

“No please! You don’t understand!” the lady whispered with insistence. Very quickly she places the case on the ground, and opens it to reveal a young boy, no more than five with a shock of blond hair, curled up and hugging his knees tightly. The child reaches for the lady, who pulls him out and into her arms.

“He’s my son! Someone vile is after us, and we’ve got to get away. If he’s stopped the train, if he’s found us already…” She stutters into silence. Molly was sure she would find her own jaw on the floor if she could stand to look away from the pair. How true could this be? What mother stuffs her child into a suitcase?

“Mama, will this lady help us?” the boy loudly whispered into his mother’s hair. As the boy turned, his collar slid away from his neck. And Molly saw small red marks near his neck. Cigar burns.

Molly rubbed her arm, the phantom pain of small burn scars prickling under her sleeve.

“Please.” The lady pleaded to Molly, tears apparent in her eyes.

“Ma’am, this is a regular stop for a refill. No one’s getting on or off the train.”

Down the corridor, a cabin door opens, and the lady shrinks back, hiding her son from view in her private compartment. Another passenger bellows from their cabin about the holdup.

“I have to go. Please don’t leave. It’s going to be alright.”

---

It was a bright morning, and Detective Inspector Wayne was prepared to keep the train and all of its passengers waiting at the London station. He insisted on getting statements from all of the staff that could have encountered Ms. Abberley, as it was believed she was the one to kidnap young Nathaniel from his home and family. Lord Stratford had stated she was a maid from his house who had gone mad and taken his son out of jealousy and unreturned affection from him.

Wayne had questioned the staff at the station, but no one seemed to see a woman with a child on the train from a few days prior, and the ticket records were still being combed, but they had a likely departure to check at least. In fact, no one seemed to see any young boy hair that matched Lord Stratford's own bright blond locks.

At last, the conductor had assembled the staff that serviced the train that night. The conductor brought forth a maid saying she had served tea and witnessed everyone passenger. Wayne looked at her expectantly.

“Did you see any woman with a child matching this description?”

“No sir.”

“Are you absolutely sure now? Think hard.”

“I assure you sir. I saw everyone that night. I served tea, I alerted the passengers, and I let them know everything was alright. That is all.”