Read Online Ruby by Lauraine Snelling, Alexandra O'Karm - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Lauraine Snelling, Alexandra O'Karm
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words were barely discernable, as if he’d used his last ounce of will. He mumbled something that she leaned closer to hear. “ Buksbom . See . . . the . . . buksbom treasures.”
“Yes, I forgive you.” But she wasn’t sure if he heard her or not, for a slight snore puffed his lips. And had she heard right? Buksbom. What did that mean? She thought hard for a moment. Oh, that was the word for box. Box? What box, and what treasures?
She sat in the chair she brought over from the desk and watched them both sleep, fighting the weariness that descended upon her, weighting her down in the chair as if her bones had turned to mush. As she felt her eyes close, she heard the tapping of high-heeled shoes in the hall, and Belle entered the room.
“How is he?”
“Sleeping again.” She watched as Belle laid the back of her hand along his cheek, then adjusted the sheet, smoothing it across the once broad chest. “Did he talk with you?”
“Yes, although strained.”
“Good. He wanted to.” Belle turned. “If you bring your sister, I will show you to your room. Do you have any more baggage than that?”
“A trunk and boxes down at the train stop.” Ruby pushed herself to her feet, not sure for a moment if she would make it.
“I’ll send Charlie down for them first thing in the morning.” Belle picked up the two valises. “Come along.”
Guiding Opal with one hand and carrying the remainder of their things with the other, Ruby followed Belle down a hall that seemed to lengthen as they walked. Would they never reach the end?
“Here, this one is yours. You better not go wandering around in the night. There’s a pot under the bed.”
“Where is the bathroom?”
Belle snorted. “The outhouse is out back. We haul in a tub for bathing. Anything else?”
Pot? Outhouse? Ruby’s mind refused to function. “You will call me if my father needs me?”
Belle planted her hands on well padded hips. “Look, I been taking care of him for months now. I can make do another night.”
“Oh. Of course.” Ruby rubbed her forehead with weak fingers, too tired to argue. “Thank you, then, and good night.”
Belle left with a nod that seemed curt rather than courteous.
Ruby turned to find Opal flopped on the bed. She pulled a nightdress out of the valise and, after undressing her sister, settled the garment over her head. Folding back the cover, she rolled Opal over to the side and tucked her in.
Once in her own nightclothes Ruby belted her wrapper and crossed to the draped window. While this room was sparsely furnished compared to her father’s, the drapes kept out the cold. She parted them to look outside into total blackness. It was never this dark in New York City, where gaslights lined the streets, and even with a foot of snow on the ground, the streets of New York were never this silent. The only sound she heard came from the saloon downstairs, and even that was muted. Dark, quiet, what else had she to learn of Dakota Territory? She cupped her hand around the glass chimney on the lamp and blew out the flame. The acrid smell of smoke followed her as she climbed into bed and snuggled under the quilt. Sleep overtook her before she had time to adjust the pillow or say her nightly prayers.
Something pulled her awake from a deep sleep. Had someone called her name? It seemed so. But Opal breathed the gentle sleep of a child. She had not called.
A cry rent the night air. Ruby threw back the covers, snatched her wrapper, and headed for the door, stumbling in the blackness.
CHAPTER SEVEN
“My father! Is it my father?” Ruby met a strange young woman in the hall.
“I’m ’feared so. ’Twas Belle what cried out.” The two rushed on down the hall, and Ruby entered the room first.
Belle knelt beside the bed, her head resting on Per’s hand as it lay at his side. He looked only as if he’d fallen asleep and was resting peacefully.
Belle’s sobs rocked her entire body. She reached with one hand to caress his
“Yes, I forgive you.” But she wasn’t sure if he heard her or not, for a slight snore puffed his lips. And had she heard right? Buksbom. What did that mean? She thought hard for a moment. Oh, that was the word for box. Box? What box, and what treasures?
She sat in the chair she brought over from the desk and watched them both sleep, fighting the weariness that descended upon her, weighting her down in the chair as if her bones had turned to mush. As she felt her eyes close, she heard the tapping of high-heeled shoes in the hall, and Belle entered the room.
“How is he?”
“Sleeping again.” She watched as Belle laid the back of her hand along his cheek, then adjusted the sheet, smoothing it across the once broad chest. “Did he talk with you?”
“Yes, although strained.”
“Good. He wanted to.” Belle turned. “If you bring your sister, I will show you to your room. Do you have any more baggage than that?”
“A trunk and boxes down at the train stop.” Ruby pushed herself to her feet, not sure for a moment if she would make it.
“I’ll send Charlie down for them first thing in the morning.” Belle picked up the two valises. “Come along.”
Guiding Opal with one hand and carrying the remainder of their things with the other, Ruby followed Belle down a hall that seemed to lengthen as they walked. Would they never reach the end?
“Here, this one is yours. You better not go wandering around in the night. There’s a pot under the bed.”
“Where is the bathroom?”
Belle snorted. “The outhouse is out back. We haul in a tub for bathing. Anything else?”
Pot? Outhouse? Ruby’s mind refused to function. “You will call me if my father needs me?”
Belle planted her hands on well padded hips. “Look, I been taking care of him for months now. I can make do another night.”
“Oh. Of course.” Ruby rubbed her forehead with weak fingers, too tired to argue. “Thank you, then, and good night.”
Belle left with a nod that seemed curt rather than courteous.
Ruby turned to find Opal flopped on the bed. She pulled a nightdress out of the valise and, after undressing her sister, settled the garment over her head. Folding back the cover, she rolled Opal over to the side and tucked her in.
Once in her own nightclothes Ruby belted her wrapper and crossed to the draped window. While this room was sparsely furnished compared to her father’s, the drapes kept out the cold. She parted them to look outside into total blackness. It was never this dark in New York City, where gaslights lined the streets, and even with a foot of snow on the ground, the streets of New York were never this silent. The only sound she heard came from the saloon downstairs, and even that was muted. Dark, quiet, what else had she to learn of Dakota Territory? She cupped her hand around the glass chimney on the lamp and blew out the flame. The acrid smell of smoke followed her as she climbed into bed and snuggled under the quilt. Sleep overtook her before she had time to adjust the pillow or say her nightly prayers.
Something pulled her awake from a deep sleep. Had someone called her name? It seemed so. But Opal breathed the gentle sleep of a child. She had not called.
A cry rent the night air. Ruby threw back the covers, snatched her wrapper, and headed for the door, stumbling in the blackness.
CHAPTER SEVEN
“My father! Is it my father?” Ruby met a strange young woman in the hall.
“I’m ’feared so. ’Twas Belle what cried out.” The two rushed on down the hall, and Ruby entered the room first.
Belle knelt beside the bed, her head resting on Per’s hand as it lay at his side. He looked only as if he’d fallen asleep and was resting peacefully.
Belle’s sobs rocked her entire body. She reached with one hand to caress his
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