Letter Perfect ( Book #1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

all means, as soon as they are old enough or have proved themselves capable of being trusted with mischief-making tools .
    “They could let me have a workshop with mischief-making tools as well,” Ruth muttered and flipped several pages. She found a lovely pattern for quilting, a new style of mantilla complete with hood, and an advertisement for Douglas and Sherwood’s celebrated tournure corset . Closing the pages, Ruth sighed. “I don’t want a celebrated corset. I want to go home.”
    But she had no home. She might never have a home again. It was always possible her father would reject her and send her from his sight. He might believe Ruth to be too unmanageable—too unpredictable. He might have an entirely different family. Ruth had read of men leaving families in the East to hide in the western territories where they began life anew with a new wife. It was also possible her father had done this.
    I might have brothers and sisters . The thought was neither alarming nor comforting. It was simply one more possibility in a vast sea of options. Ruth sighed and stared out the window. I just know I won’t meet anyone’s expectations. I’m going to be quite disappointing to whomever’s there to meet me. Father will remember Mother in her elegance and grace and believe me to be the same. But I won’t be anything like her. I’m just plain old Ruth .
    She pictured herself stepping from the stage with wild hair, smudged gloves, and rumpled clothes. Oh, she was going to make a bad first impression on everyone living in California. Much as she’d love to just be herself and not fret over such outward appearances, it wasn’t to be. All of her life Mama and teachers had drilled manners and comportment so she would be a woman of consequence.
    Unfortunately, the only consequences had been disasters. The moment Ruth went out in public, she invariably stepped into the limelight. Once there, she said or did the wrong thing. Her bold conduct, forthright speech, undisciplined thoughts, and strong sense of justice managed to raise brows. If she failed to conduct herself respectably in the city where she was reared, how would she ever manage to present herself passably in a place where she couldn’t begin to know the rules?
    But this might be different . Hope began to surge anew. This is the West. They probably don’t follow even half of those elaborate social conventions. This is a chance for me. I could start out new, fresh! Finally, I might fit in .
    Ruth pulled her Bible out of her tapestry valise, seeking comfort and encouragement from one of her favorite passages. The stage jounced so badly, she couldn’t follow each line, so she closed God’s written word and recited it by memory.
    “‘Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”’ She smiled. “I’m a new creature and the old things are passed away.” But just as quickly as this confidence came, Ruth felt a hint of despair. “At least I hope the old things are in the past.”
    She tucked away her Bible, then whispered a quick prayer for self-control as they pulled into Folsom.
    Built on the side of one of the mountainous foothills, Folsom slanted more than any of the towns back home or in the middle of the flat plains she’d crossed. Clean, bright-looking businesses lined the street, giving it a welcoming air. A flare of excitement rushed through her. She’d finally arrived!
    The stage started to slow as it went past a tall, muscular cowboy who stuck a hat atop wavy black hair and shoved a bandana in his rear pocket. It reminded her she ought to tidy up a bit, too.
    Ruth made one last desperate attempt to put her hair in order. She dabbed at her forehead to make sure she wouldn’t look over- heated and tucked the hankie back into her sleeve, then tugged her cuffs in place so she wouldn’t look too disheveled.
    Time to face her new life.

    The stage pulled in and stopped. Joshua