Page 66 of Wagon Train Honor
“I’m enjoying this.” She continued to turn pages, pausing to read the brief notes Ruby had written concerning their travel. Succinct because that wasn’t her main concern. “Travel slow today” or “We escaped a prairie fire.” Very few details.
Ruby settled back on her heels, gritting her teeth as she waited for their reaction. It came all too soon.
“Ruby, this likeness is amazing.”
Ma needn’t sound so surprised. Nor did Angela have to give Ruby a knowing smile.
“I wanted to try my hand at drawing people,” she muttered. “Isn’t it time to pack up and leave?” She drained the last of the coffee from the pot and rinsed it clean.
“I suppose you’re right.” Ma set the sketchbook aside, and the men brought in the oxen.
Ruby stuffed the sketchbook into her pocket and then scurried from one thing to another, consumed with restless energy. She searched the horizon for hints of a rider so often even Bertie noticed and started standing beside her to look in the same direction.
With a weary, worry-laden sigh, she followed the others down the trail toward Fort Taylor. Perhaps Robert would rejoin them there if he was able.
Lord, hear my prayer. Keep him safe.
The words became her marching tune.
In order to avoid questions at the noon stop, she ate hurriedly. All she wanted was to hide. But Ma looked in her direction.
“Ruby, would you draw a picture of Petey for me?”
“You want me to—? But I don’t draw people.”
“You drew Robert.”
The faint accusation in her voice stung. “I can try.” She retrieved the sketchbook from her pocket and made a mark on the paper. Her hand stopped. “I can’t. I feel rushed. Maybe tonight when we have more time.”
She jammed the sketchbook into her pocket and went to the shade of the wagon, where she faked sleep. Angela might not have believed Ruby dozed, but she left her alone.
It was her turn to drive the wagon. Seeing as there was nothing better to do and her neck muscles protested how often she looked back as she walked, she climbed to the seat, smiling and nodding at whatever Angela said. Her words echoed inside Ruby’s head without making sense. Thankfully, Angela soon decided to walk, leaving Ruby to her thoughts.
She sank over her knees as they traveled. Her secret had been exposed. Robert had disappeared. All in all, it left her as hollowed out as an empty rain barrel. Just when she thought she might give in to a good, self-pitying cry, Joe waved them to stop for the day at a nearby grove. Mechanically, she drove her wagon into place. Her hands moved without her guidance , and she unhitched the oxen and led them to water. Wooden feet carried her back to the camp to help prepare food to feed her nonexistent appetite.
Ma waved her away when she made to wash dishes. “I’d like a drawing of Petey. Remember?”
“Of course.” Though she’d never felt less like attempting to create a likeness of a person. But if it would make Ma feel better, Petey was a good subject.
She reached into her pocket for the sketchbook. Stuffed her hand in further. Patted her skirt. It wasn’t there. She jabbed her fingers into the seams of her pocket. Surely, it was there. It had to be. But there was nothing but fabric and lint.
The bottom fell out of her stomach, leaving her dizzy.
Standing, she looked at the ground near where she’d sat. “My sketchbook is gone.” The words echoed down a long hollow tube. It must have fallen out while she slouched on the wagon seat. How distracted she must’ve been not to notice. Her feet raised puffs of dust as she rushed back to the wagon. A search of the seat and the floor underneath resulted in nothing.
Angela joined her. “If it fell out, it might have slid back into the wagon box. I’ll help you look.”
They searched every corner. Found nothing and proceeded to move every crate and trunk to look behind them. Under them. They moved everything again. Still nothing.
Ruby sat back and wailed. “It’s not here. Where can it be? How could I not notice it had fallen out?”
Irene joined them at the wagon. “We’ve looked everywhere and haven’t found it. When was the last time you had it?”
“At noon, when I started to draw Petey.”
Angela’s face crinkled. “Could it have fallen out when you climbed to the seat?”
“Maybe.” Ruby jumped to the ground and began to retrace the path they’d traveled.
