Page 20 of Wagon Train Redemption
“I didn’t know it was a secret.” Ruby grunted softly. Had Angela jabbed Ruby in the ribs? “You should have seen her the first day.”
“Ruby. Please.”
Another grunt. “Just for that, I’m going to tell him.”
“You might find yourself sleeping on the wet ground tonight.”
Carson laughed at the threat in Angela’s words. “Tell me about that first day.”
“Go ahead, Angela.”
Carson shifted so he could look over his shoulder, a movement that allowed cold rain to trickle down his neck. As the two girls glared at each other, he snorted a laugh, drawing their attention to him.
Angela sat up straight and clasped her hands together while Ruby nodded and smiled.
Then Angela huffed. “The teacher had to see where I fit. Ma must have told her I hadn’t attended classes, so she put me with the beginners.” The way she wrinkled her nose said how she’d felt about that. “So I grabbed Ruby’s book and read a page. Didn’t even stumble on the hard words. Miss Shortquickly understood I was able to read anything she handed me.”
Ruby leaned forward, a teasing grin on her face. “Miss Short thought she’d catch Angela on her sums.”
“Hah. Father taught me sums and subtraction and multiplication at an early age. It was necessary, you see, to figure out how much each bundle of produce was worth and what was left after purchasing supplies. That was my job.” She lifted her chin. If he hadn’t been watching her, he wouldn’t have seen that it wasn’t pride in her expression. He would describe it as disappointment. Or even fear? Surely, he must be wrong on that guess.
“Why doesn’t that make you happy?”
She shook her head, twisted her clasped hands, and didn’t answer.
Perhaps it had something to do with her not attending school. He asked why she hadn’t.
Her shoulders sank. Her hands tightened until her knuckles whitened.
“Yeah, Angela. I never thought of it, but why didn’t you go to school?” Ruby asked.
“My parents didn’t want me to.” Misery as cold and unwelcome as the slashing rain drenched every word.
Ruby and Carson looked at each other. The curiosity in her gaze echoed his own.
Ruby’s voice softened. “Was it against their beliefs?”
Angela’s head rocked back and forth. But she didn’t look up, and she didn’t answer.
Carson turned his attention back to the oxen who needed encouragement to plod across the wet ground.
What reason could there be for not letting Angela attend school at least for a spell? Not that her education had been neglected. Normally, he would assume they chose to educate her themselves, but that wouldn’t explain how she’dwithdrawn into a miserable lump. Something else must’ve been going on.
Would she tell him if they were alone? Would she trust him with the information?
When they could walk together again, he’d do his best to gain her confidence.
Angela wantedto pull the wet blanket over her head and disappear into the soggy depths. She’d revealed too much. Not that he heard anything the others didn’t know. She hadn’t attended school. That, in itself, was not unusual. But she hadn’t hidden her misery at the reason.
Something he must never know.
Like Pa had said when he was taking her home—her new home. There was no need for anyone to know the truth about her. This was her chance to put the past behind and start fresh. She’d clung to that promise from that day forward. And would continue to do so.
Ruby cleared her throat. “Miss Short soon changed her opinion about Ang and started singing her praises. Turns out Angela was a star student.”
Angela squared her shoulders and sat up. Like Father said over and over—there was no need to be ignorant and uninformed. A person could learn everything they needed both by living life and by reading. Although Father wasn’t highly educated, he was smart. Smarter than lots of people she’d encountered.
But time to change the topic.
