Belle Read Online Free PDF Page B

cracked, “Gonna have to put up with all that giggling sooner or later. May as well be sooner.”
    Trudy’s fist went to her hip in mock outrage. “Papa!”
    He just smiled.
    Grinning, Daniel said, “Then they’re all yours. I’ll let my folks know you’ll be seeing her home.”
    Jojo beamed. “Thanks, Dani.”
    Daniel then added, “Oh, Mr. Carr. This is our cousin, Belle.”
    “Pleased to meet you, Belle.”
    “Pleased to meet you, too, sir.”
    Jojo climbed onto the Carr’s wagon. “Bye, Belle.”
    “Bye, Jojo. I’ll see you later. You and Trudy have fun.”
    “Enjoy yourself, pests,” Daniel said.
    The girls answered in unison, “We will.”
    With a wave, Jojo and the Carrs were off.
    In the silence that followed, Daniel said, “Well.”
    Belle felt shyer and more unsure than ever. “Well.”
    “Guess we should get going.”
    Belle nodded.
    He then asked, “You sure you’re warm enough? I know it’s warmer where you’re from.”
    Belle nodded, again too overcome by being alone with him to form words. He probably thinks you’re a simpleton, she scolded herself. “How far is the station?”
    “Another few miles.”
    Back home, because there’d been no call for Belle to travel, or to be anywhere but sewing for Mrs. Grayson, she’d never seen a train except in pictures. “I’ve never seen a train station,” she said without thought, then immediately wanted to take the words back.
    A simpleton and ignorant!
    Daniel sensed her discomfort, so he said gently, “That’s nothing to be ashamed of. Lots of things will be new here. Think of yourself as a traveler in a strange land, and whenever you need help or have a question, remember we’re all here.”
    Belle hadn’t thought about being up North in those terms, but realized Daniel was correct; she was a traveler in a strange land.
    “So will you let me know if you need anything?”
    Belle looked him straight in the face. “I will.”
    “Promise?”
    Holding his eyes, she said, “I promise.”
    “Good, now let’s take you to see the station.”
    Belle wondered if she’d ever breathe again.
     
     
    When Daniel stopped to park the wagon near the depot, Belle’s limited knowledge of train stations made it impossible for her to judge whether this station was big or small. There were certainly many people milling about, though: folks of all races. Some were hauling trunks; other stood near the tracks waiting, she assumed, to either board the train or meet someone scheduled to arrive. There was so much to see: buildings, people, faces.
    Belle had no idea she was standing up in the wagon until she turned to find Daniel watching her. Embarrassed, she said, “I must be staring like a field hand in the big house. I’m sorry.”
    “Nothing to apologize for. You’re a traveler, remember.”
    Belle knew he probably extended this kindness to all the runaways he encountered, but it warmed her heart anyway.
    Suddenly the air exploded with the loudest sound she’d ever heard in her life. Covering her ears, she stared trans-fixed at the sight of the big black train barreling down the track, with cinders, sparks and embers pouring from its stack. It looked almost alive! The sight filled her with such exhilaration, she forgot about being sixteen and grinned like she was six. Turning to Daniel she saw him grinning, too.
    He asked, “Like it?”
    The train slowed, then stopped father down the track. “I never knew they were so big or so noisy. My Lord.”
    Daniel laughed.
    “Is this station a big one?”
    People were now stepping down from the train onto the platform.
    “No, it’s very small. The one in Philadelphia has more tracks than you can count.”
    Belle found that amazing.
    “Do you want to see it up close?”
    Belle nodded excitedly.
    So with Daniel Best by her side, Belle Palmer got her first real look at a steam engine. It proved to be even noisier up close: noisy, smoky and quite dangerous, too, she realized watching a man snatch his