of the town.
“I’ll go get the wagon and one of the deputies to help me.” He turned to Alice, who was standing there hugging herself. “You all right, Miss Alice?”
“I am now thanks to Angeline.” Her voice, normally snide and sometimes spiteful, was soft and defeated.
“Why don’t you girls go on inside and lock up. I’ll take care of this fella for you.”
Angeline took Alice’s arm and led her up the steps, lockingthe door behind them. Her hunger forgotten, she walked up the stairs with the older girl still at her side. When they reached the three identical bedrooms where Angeline, Lettie, and Alice slept, she let go of the girl’s arm.
“Alice, are you all right?”
It took a few moments, but she finally responded. “No, I’m not. I w-was really afraid down there for the first time. I flirt a lot with men and I let them kiss me, sometimes more. I know it’s dangerous, but with my parents gone in the fire, I don’t have anyone else. The men make me feel good, special.”
Angeline’s heart pinched at the idea that this beautiful young woman was lonely enough to look for affection from strangers. “You are special, but sometimes you keep other people away, people who do care about you. If you’d spend time with us, perhaps you wouldn’t need to feel good with these men.”
Alice nodded. “I was just lonely.”
Regardless of whether or not the girl pushed her away, An-geline pulled her into a quick hug. Alice was like a limp rag in her arms.
“Me too.”
“You too? Even with Lettie and that Sam fawning all over you?”
Angeline shook her head. “I’ve been lonely most of my life. I have Lettie, but she keeps to herself with me as much as she does with all of you. I don’t have anyone besides myself. My sister lives far away; in fact, I don’t know where she lives.”
“I didn’t know that. I thought you were so happy and had so many folks fawning on you.” Alice cleared her throat. “I was jealous.”
Angeline sighed. “You’ve nothing to be jealous about. I found Sam because I wasn’t looking for him. If you spend more time taking care of yourself, being with your familyhere at the Blue Plate, maybe you’ll find what makes you happy.”
Alice cocked her head to the right. “You know, that sounds like a fine idea.”
“Good, now let’s go to bed before Pieter and Marta find out what we did.” Angeline leaned down and quickly hugged Alice again. This time she received a hug in return. “Good night.”
“Good night, Angeline, and thank you. For everything.” Alice’s voice was thick with emotion. For the first time since they’d met, Angeline was seeing the true person that lurked beneath the persona Alice showed the world.
“You’re welcome.” Angeline went back into her room, completely exhausted, and climbed into bed. This time she fell right to sleep, content with the help she’d given Alice. It wasn’t often that Angeline was able to be the one doing the rescuing. Truthfully, it felt nice—no, it felt wonderful. She’d done something good.
Chapter Six
S am stood in the kitchen, rubbing his gritty eyes and waiting for the coffee to boil. He yawned so hard, his jaw cracked loudly in the quiet kitchen. It had been a long night, full of dreams and dark figures. He couldn’t quite remember exactly what he dreamed of, but he knew it was different from his normal dreams.
Most days his subconscious returned to the war, to the painful memories he tried so hard to forget. The repetitive nature of his dreams meant he could not escape them.
However, since he’d met Angeline, his dreams had slowly started to change. Instead of dreams of blood and pain, they were full of unknown threats and fear.
He didn’t know what to make of them and that bothered him more than not sleeping. Sam was off center and out of control with his obsession over Angeline. What he needed to do was marry her; then she’d be the first thing he saw every day and the last thing he saw
“I’ll go get the wagon and one of the deputies to help me.” He turned to Alice, who was standing there hugging herself. “You all right, Miss Alice?”
“I am now thanks to Angeline.” Her voice, normally snide and sometimes spiteful, was soft and defeated.
“Why don’t you girls go on inside and lock up. I’ll take care of this fella for you.”
Angeline took Alice’s arm and led her up the steps, lockingthe door behind them. Her hunger forgotten, she walked up the stairs with the older girl still at her side. When they reached the three identical bedrooms where Angeline, Lettie, and Alice slept, she let go of the girl’s arm.
“Alice, are you all right?”
It took a few moments, but she finally responded. “No, I’m not. I w-was really afraid down there for the first time. I flirt a lot with men and I let them kiss me, sometimes more. I know it’s dangerous, but with my parents gone in the fire, I don’t have anyone else. The men make me feel good, special.”
Angeline’s heart pinched at the idea that this beautiful young woman was lonely enough to look for affection from strangers. “You are special, but sometimes you keep other people away, people who do care about you. If you’d spend time with us, perhaps you wouldn’t need to feel good with these men.”
Alice nodded. “I was just lonely.”
Regardless of whether or not the girl pushed her away, An-geline pulled her into a quick hug. Alice was like a limp rag in her arms.
“Me too.”
“You too? Even with Lettie and that Sam fawning all over you?”
Angeline shook her head. “I’ve been lonely most of my life. I have Lettie, but she keeps to herself with me as much as she does with all of you. I don’t have anyone besides myself. My sister lives far away; in fact, I don’t know where she lives.”
“I didn’t know that. I thought you were so happy and had so many folks fawning on you.” Alice cleared her throat. “I was jealous.”
Angeline sighed. “You’ve nothing to be jealous about. I found Sam because I wasn’t looking for him. If you spend more time taking care of yourself, being with your familyhere at the Blue Plate, maybe you’ll find what makes you happy.”
Alice cocked her head to the right. “You know, that sounds like a fine idea.”
“Good, now let’s go to bed before Pieter and Marta find out what we did.” Angeline leaned down and quickly hugged Alice again. This time she received a hug in return. “Good night.”
“Good night, Angeline, and thank you. For everything.” Alice’s voice was thick with emotion. For the first time since they’d met, Angeline was seeing the true person that lurked beneath the persona Alice showed the world.
“You’re welcome.” Angeline went back into her room, completely exhausted, and climbed into bed. This time she fell right to sleep, content with the help she’d given Alice. It wasn’t often that Angeline was able to be the one doing the rescuing. Truthfully, it felt nice—no, it felt wonderful. She’d done something good.
Chapter Six
S am stood in the kitchen, rubbing his gritty eyes and waiting for the coffee to boil. He yawned so hard, his jaw cracked loudly in the quiet kitchen. It had been a long night, full of dreams and dark figures. He couldn’t quite remember exactly what he dreamed of, but he knew it was different from his normal dreams.
Most days his subconscious returned to the war, to the painful memories he tried so hard to forget. The repetitive nature of his dreams meant he could not escape them.
However, since he’d met Angeline, his dreams had slowly started to change. Instead of dreams of blood and pain, they were full of unknown threats and fear.
He didn’t know what to make of them and that bothered him more than not sleeping. Sam was off center and out of control with his obsession over Angeline. What he needed to do was marry her; then she’d be the first thing he saw every day and the last thing he saw
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