Page 67 of Wagon Train Redemption
“Yes.”
He laughed. “Both it is.”
He told of the small fort, the drills, the marching the Mounties did, and the meals in the mess hall. “Can’t wait to sit at my own table and share meals with you.”
The eagerness in his voice soothed away her troubling thoughts. He seemed as anxious to share their lives as she was. They wanted the same things. A marriage of convenience. Apartnership. The security of such was exactly what she desired. And nothing more.
The next morning,she was up before anyone else stirred. She tried to slip away without disturbing Ruby, but Ruby whispered, “What are you doing?”
“Carson says today we will get a glimpse of the fort.”
Ruby bolted from the covers. “Glimpse? What does that mean?” She hugged herself. “I’ll get to see Robert again. Finally.”
“Carson said it would take most of the day to reach the fort.”
Ruby’s breath rushed out. “I hope I survive that long.”
“I’m sure you will.”
“Huh. That’s easy for you to say. Your fiancé is right here. You spend most of every day with him.” Her tone changed. “Not that I resent it, but I miss Robert so much I feel ill at times.”
“Your waiting is almost over.”
Ruby leaned close. “When are you and Carson getting married?”
“We haven’t set a date.” Angela wanted to ask him when he wished for them to marry. But every time she tried to, the words stuck in her throat, and she couldn’t get them out. She kept hoping he’d bring up the subject. Not until they had signed legal papers making them husband and wife would she truly believe he wasn’t going to change his mind.
The murmur of Ma’s and Gabe’s voices came, and Ruby and Angela dressed and hurried to join them.
Angela set the coffee to boil. That should bring Carson.
Yup. There he was, his hair damp and combed back, his face shining from a recent scrubbing in cold water, and his smile wide.
She let herself believe the smile was for her even as he called, “Good morning, Ma.”
It was all right to believe such for his gaze never left her face.
Her mouth dried at the way he looked at her. Not that she could describe it. Nor could she be certain she wasn’t letting those impossible thoughts that she’d chased away yesterday rush to the front again.
Words her father had said many times superimposed themselves over her foolish yearnings—“You can’t change who you are nor how that makes people look at you. The best you can do is stay away from people. Protect yourself.”
The first time she’d ignored that warning had such hurtful consequences she never tried again until Father died and she was sent to the Woodses. There Ma and Pa had offered her a chance to start afresh without her past staining every attempt to belong.
The coffee sputtered, and she grabbed a towel and lifted the pot from the fire. Her limbs trembled, but she hoped no one would notice as she filled Carson’s cup.
Ruby flitted from one thing to another throughout breakfast. Angela wondered if she ate anything. The others had barely cleaned their plates when she snatched them away.
“Guess we need to get going,” Joe said with a touch of amusement.
“Yes, let’s.” Ruby scrubbed the dishes with such haste they probably only survived because they were made of tin.
Smirking, Angela helped clean up the campsite before she scurried after Ruby to get Sid and Sal.
Boss watched the rush with cocked ears. But he stayed out of the way. Wise dog.
Angela’s gaze found Carson’s as he helped dowse the fire. His grin and a tip of his head in his sister’s direction informed her he’d noticed Ruby’s eagerness to get moving. Then theyheaded out, and Angela drove the wagon while Ruby ran ahead.
Carson, on horseback, stopped to talk. “I figure she’d run all the way to the fort if she could.”
