Redeeming-Love-By-Francine-Rivers

F R A N C I N E R I V E R S
“Hello, darling,” she said huskily, kissing the child on both cheeks and
her nose. “Have you been a good girl since I saw you last?”
“Yes!” Ruth said, squeezing Angel around the neck again as though she
had no intention of ever letting go. “Why did you run away? You were gone
so long. Paul said you always run away and Michael just keeps going and
finding you and getting you back again. He said Michael’s a fool because you
like your old life better than being a farmer’s wife. What’s your old life,
Mandy? I don’t want you to go back to it. I want you to stay here.”
Angel set her down very slowly. Her stomach had dropped as soon as
Ruth began parroting what she had obviously overheard. We didn’t tell
Ruthie. She couldn’t look at Miriam when she came up to them.
“What’s the matter?” Miriam asked. When Angel didn’t speak, she looked
at her baby sister. “What have you been saying?”
Angel touched Ruthie’s dark head tenderly. “I love being a farmer’s wife,”
she said very quietly, “and I don’t want to go back to my old life.”
Miriam’s mouth fell open, and her face went dark red.
Ruthie nodded and hugged her around the legs. Angel looked at Miriam
coldly.
“What’s she been saying to you?” Miriam asked.
“Just what she’s heard.”
“Ruthie. Just what did you hear?”
“You and Paul,” she said, muffled against Angel’s skirt.
“Never mind,” Angel said bleakly. “Just leave her alone, Miriam.”
“I will not! You were eavesdropping, weren’t you?” Miriam said, arms
akimbo as she stared down at her little sister.
Ruthie peered at her. “Mama sent me.” Her lower lip protruded. “She
wanted me to fetch you.”
“When was this?”
“When Paul was over. She said you were gone too long and she wanted
you to come into the cabin.”
Miriam blushed furiously. “And?”
“He was talking, and you were mad. I could tell ’cause you got all red in
the face like it is now. You told him to take his stories home with him, and
he said—”
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