Read Online Ruby by Lauraine Snelling, Alexandra O'Karm - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lauraine Snelling, Alexandra O'Karm
Ads: Link
cheek, then glanced up when she sensed Ruby beside her. “I . . . I didn’t get to tell him g-good-bye.” Black trails of kohl streaked her cheeks, and her hair hung in loops. The combs that had been holding it piled high on her head now dragged and drooped. She’d changed from her fancy dress to a wrapper, belted loosely over her corset and camisole.
Ruby ordered her attention away from the sobbing woman and onto her father. She didn’t need to listen for his breathing. She could tell he was gone by the immobile way he lay. Even when sleeping, he had been moving, an eye twitch, a hand restless on the quilt.
Ruby closed her eyes and thought back. One of the things that stood out in her memories of her father was his energy, a force of life that picked up those around him and swirled them along with him. Even as ill as he’d been earlier this evening, that force had caught her, both her and Opal, and had made her love him all over again.
And now he was gone. Lord, will I see him again in heaven? The thought snagged at her breath. Surely her father knew the Savior. Hadn’t he gone to church with them, nay, taken wife and daughter to worship on Sundays?
But if he believed, how could he have deserted us like he did? She caught the change in her thinking. Rarely had she used the word deserted, instead she had made herself think of him as leaving them, but only for a time. She had told herself that any day he would come striding and laughing back into their lives. She’d hoped he’d come and make Opal love him as she once had, by tossing the little girl in the air, telling her stories about a tiny girl named Opal who could live in his pocket. A tiny playmate who loved secrets and giggles and who would sneak over into her pocket if she wanted.
Ruby almost checked her own pocket to see if that tiny Ruby of long ago still lived there.
Tears rained unchecked as she thought back, wishing for what might have been but now had no chance of becoming. Their tie with him had made her hope grow again.
But now all was lost.
She laid a hand on Belle’s shoulder. While she didn’t like her much, Ruby recognized grief and realized that Belle had loved Per.
How fortunate you were, Far, to be loved by three women, your two wives and me. Opal, too, would have loved you had she known you .
Ruby turned to see two women, also in wrappers, and a man who looked to have risen from bed as a result of the crying. Perhaps he was the man she’d seen behind the counter in the saloon downstairs. Her quick glance at the premises when she followed Belle up the stairs seemed burned on the back of her mind. Had one of these women been playing the piano?
If the amount of tears was any indicator of the esteem these people had held for her father, he was deeply loved. But who would be in charge now? Was it her duty to take responsibility for getting her father buried? Surely, as his wife, that duty belonged to Belle. But grief affected some people so as to make them ineffective, like Per when his wife died. Was Belle like that? Somehow it didn’t seem to fit the picture she’d formed of Belle.
She glanced back to find the others staring at her, not at Belle, but at her. She wiped her eyes with the pads of her fingers and took in a deep breath.
Letting it out, she straightened neck and shoulders and began. “It seems to me that, since there is nothing to be done here tonight, we should all return to bed and see to things in the morning. I . . . I . . .” She rolled her eyes upward to stem a new onslaught of tears. “I thank you all on my father’s behalf for . . . for your friendship and . . .” Did you all work for my father or were you his friends? Who could she ask the many questions bubbling just below the surface of her mind?
The older of the two women came and put an arm around Belle’s shoulders. “You come and spend the night in my room, honey.”
Belle melted into her arms, and between the two of them, the women got her on her
Ruby ordered her attention away from the sobbing woman and onto her father. She didn’t need to listen for his breathing. She could tell he was gone by the immobile way he lay. Even when sleeping, he had been moving, an eye twitch, a hand restless on the quilt.
Ruby closed her eyes and thought back. One of the things that stood out in her memories of her father was his energy, a force of life that picked up those around him and swirled them along with him. Even as ill as he’d been earlier this evening, that force had caught her, both her and Opal, and had made her love him all over again.
And now he was gone. Lord, will I see him again in heaven? The thought snagged at her breath. Surely her father knew the Savior. Hadn’t he gone to church with them, nay, taken wife and daughter to worship on Sundays?
But if he believed, how could he have deserted us like he did? She caught the change in her thinking. Rarely had she used the word deserted, instead she had made herself think of him as leaving them, but only for a time. She had told herself that any day he would come striding and laughing back into their lives. She’d hoped he’d come and make Opal love him as she once had, by tossing the little girl in the air, telling her stories about a tiny girl named Opal who could live in his pocket. A tiny playmate who loved secrets and giggles and who would sneak over into her pocket if she wanted.
Ruby almost checked her own pocket to see if that tiny Ruby of long ago still lived there.
Tears rained unchecked as she thought back, wishing for what might have been but now had no chance of becoming. Their tie with him had made her hope grow again.
But now all was lost.
She laid a hand on Belle’s shoulder. While she didn’t like her much, Ruby recognized grief and realized that Belle had loved Per.
How fortunate you were, Far, to be loved by three women, your two wives and me. Opal, too, would have loved you had she known you .
Ruby turned to see two women, also in wrappers, and a man who looked to have risen from bed as a result of the crying. Perhaps he was the man she’d seen behind the counter in the saloon downstairs. Her quick glance at the premises when she followed Belle up the stairs seemed burned on the back of her mind. Had one of these women been playing the piano?
If the amount of tears was any indicator of the esteem these people had held for her father, he was deeply loved. But who would be in charge now? Was it her duty to take responsibility for getting her father buried? Surely, as his wife, that duty belonged to Belle. But grief affected some people so as to make them ineffective, like Per when his wife died. Was Belle like that? Somehow it didn’t seem to fit the picture she’d formed of Belle.
She glanced back to find the others staring at her, not at Belle, but at her. She wiped her eyes with the pads of her fingers and took in a deep breath.
Letting it out, she straightened neck and shoulders and began. “It seems to me that, since there is nothing to be done here tonight, we should all return to bed and see to things in the morning. I . . . I . . .” She rolled her eyes upward to stem a new onslaught of tears. “I thank you all on my father’s behalf for . . . for your friendship and . . .” Did you all work for my father or were you his friends? Who could she ask the many questions bubbling just below the surface of her mind?
The older of the two women came and put an arm around Belle’s shoulders. “You come and spend the night in my room, honey.”
Belle melted into her arms, and between the two of them, the women got her on her
Similar Books
