Page 27 of Wagon Train Redemption
Ruby persisted in her questions. “Can’t you help lots more people as a Mountie?”
“In a sense, I could. But I don’t care for sleeping in barracks or eating in a mess hall. I mean, it’s all right for a time, but I want a home.”
“You haven’t said which one isn’t true.” Ruby prodded.
“My first patrol as a Mountie. I was eager and anxious to do it.”
The three of them fell into a thoughtful silence broken by Ruby’s sudden exclamation. “Angela didn’t do her truth or lie.”
A groan squeezed from Angela’s lips. “I hoped you would forget about that.”
“Nope. Tell us what’s the scariest thing you’ve ever done.”
She’d been thinking of how to answer. Some things weretoo obvious, like moving to a new family. Some were too revealing, like saying how scary it was to go into town with Father and hear what people said. And she’d already told Carson about being lost in the rain.
“Here goes. One, going to the church in Bruffin the first time. Two, putting everything I own into a covered wagon and leaving home. Three, learning to drive the oxen.”
“That’s not fair,” Ruby protested. “All of them were scary.”
Carson shifted so he could study Angela, the movement allowing a draft to pass between them. His eyes were dark and probing.
She widened her eyes, determined not to reveal anything.
“One of those wasn’t scary?”
She nodded.
“I’m going to guess heading out in a covered wagon.”
“Why would you say that?”
“Because everyone was going. You’d be with Ma, and you were coming to see me.” He gloated so obviously that both Ruby and Angela laughed. “Am I right?”
“Nope. It was going to church with Ma and Pa and everyone for the first time.” Thankfully, they didn’t ask for an explanation, but she’d dreamed of attending church, wished for it, longed for it for so many years. Mama had told her about going to church when she was younger. “Before bad things happened.” Which was the most she’d ever revealed to Angela. Bad things.
“I don’t understand.” Ruby sounded confused and perhaps a touch impatient that she didn’t know why it hadn’t been scary.
How much could Angela say without revealing too much?
Ruby reached for another biscuit, then held the tin out to Angela. “You want another?”
“Please.” But when she tried to take the biscuit, Rubydrew back. “I want an explanation. Carson had to give one, and so do you.”
“What’s to explain? I looked forward to going.”
Ruby tipped her head back and forth. “Are you saying you had never been in church before? ’Cause that’s how it sounds.”
“I’d never been in the church in Bruffin. I’d passed it as Pa took me home. The open door allowed me to see the stained-glass window at the front, the wooden pews marching down either side of the aisle, and—” She stopped, her throat tightening. Pa had said they’d go there come Sunday. And she’d be welcome. Exactly the word to explain how she felt. “It looked so warm and welcoming.”
Both the others studied her, but she took the biscuit from Ruby, focused on the crumbs that fell to the blanket, and pretended not to notice. No matter how long they stared or how many questions they asked, she was not telling them anything more about why church had beckoned like a candle in the dark.
Seven
If Carson was alone with Angela, he’d have probed deeper and sought an explanation for her confession. Her words echoed in his thoughts. Warmth. Welcome. It sounded like her previous experience at church had been cold and unwelcoming. Of course, there were churches like that, although he’d never encountered one. However, she wasn’t likely to say anything more now. Ruby had them playing a silly game that invited people to reveal things they didn’t mean to. For certain, he hadn’t meant to tell them about those murders. Yet he had.
No more of that game. Time to talk about something else. “Ruby, did Robert tell you how we met?”
She chuckled, the sound low in her throat as if she enjoyed a private joke. “We had other things to discuss.”
