Alice by Margaret Tanner
Author:Margaret Tanner [Tanner, Margaret]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-12-01T06:00:00+00:00
Chapter Eleven
They left the ranch after an early breakfast. It was hard leaving the only home she had ever known. Hugging everyone goodbye brought tears to her eyes. Pa pressed a few dollars in her hand. âThereâs still time to change your mind.â
âNo, I have to go.â She disentangled herself from her parentsâ arms and walked purposefully to the buckboard where Sam sat in the driverâs seat.
âLook after yourself, and be careful,â Ma called out. âYou too, Sam.â
They drove off and Alice waved until the three figures disappeared behind the tree line.
âIt was good of you to offer to drive me, Sam. They would never have let me go otherwise. Well, I would have gone anyway. I have no choice.â
âI think youâre wise to go away, at least for a while.â He stared straight ahead.
As they drove under the wooden archway with the word âInvernessâ burned into it, she wondered how long it would be before she saw this place again.
âYou rarely agree with anything I do these days, so Iâm surprised you think my leaving is a good idea.â
âWell, I didnât tell Pa, or he would have rushed into town and torn their heads off.â
âWhat are you talking about?â
âThe other day when I was in Trails End, I overheard Donnie Evans and a cowboy from the Triple J discussing you.â
âDiscussing me? I donât know any cowboys from the Triple J. I hardly even know Donnie.â
âI was in the livery talking with Will and I heard one of them mention your name.â
âWhat?â Alice got a sickly feeling in the pit of her stomach. âWhat were they saying?â
âThey were discussing whether you would give them what you gave Devlin.â
âI didnât give Devlin anything.â
âI know, but with Minnie Evans spreading all those lies about youâ¦â
âSheâs evil, and to think some people believe her. Thatâs what hurts the most.â She hunched her shoulders. âA silly little indiscretion at a church dance has been blown out of all proportion by a lying witch like Minnie. That horrible creature has likely ruined my life.â
âI know and itâs so unjust, thatâs what burns me up. I was going to confront Donnie at the livery only Will stopped me. Said it would only make things worse.â
âProbably, although Iâve kept a dignified silence and it hasnât done much good. Maybe I should have screamed and hollered a denial.â
They lapsed into silence.
After a time, Sam said. âWe could stay the night at the hotel in Golden Square or make camp at a river a few miles out. Pa and I have done that on a couple of occasions. Good water for the horses.
âLetâs do it. Pa gave me a few dollars, which Iâd rather keep than waste on a hotel room.â
âYeah, thatâs what I thought. You could change into your dress there, too. It wouldnât make a good first impression with your boss if you turned up wearing menâs clothing.â
âTrue. I had planned on changing before I got to Lead. Iâm starting to feel nervous about it now.â
âYouâll be all right.
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