“Ruby? Are you home?”
Ruby woke up to these calls. She frantically sat up, only to yelp from pain again. She had triggered another trap. “Ruby? Was that you?”
“In here Charlie!”Ruby called. “The servant’s cottage!” Ruby poked her head out of the window right above her bed. “Hi.”
“Where have you been Ruby?” Charlie asked a look of surprise on his face.
“Here,” Ruby said. Then, she looked towards the mansion and whispered, “You have to go Charlie. Now.”
His brown eyes turned confused. “Why?”
“You just have to go! Before my stepparents see you!”
“No I’m not leaving until you explain to me why you weren’t in school today. And if you don’t let me in, I’m going to force my way in.”
“I can’t”
“Why not?”
Ruby shrugged, and Charlie said, “Fine. I’m coming.” He moved towards the door and tried to open it. Finding it locked, he called back and said, “Ruby, unlock the door!”
“I can’t!”
Charlie returned to the window and was astonished to see tears fill her eyes. “Why not? Ruby have you locked yourself in?”
Ruby nodded, not wanting to tell him the truth. He went back to study the door, and see if he can force the door open. Charlie came back quickly, waving a paper in the air. “Ruby! Look what I found!”
Ruby reached out to grab the paper and stopped short when Charlie gasped. He was staring at her injured finger, which still had the clothespin on it. “What happened?”
“I’ll tell you in one minute. Just give me the paper.”
“Not until you explain to me what is happening.” Charlie crossed his arms, and stared at her stubbornly. Ruby saw his confusion in his brown eyes, and the frustration in the redness of his cheeks. Ruby sighed and then said, “I promise I will explain to you what happened to my finger after you give me the paper. Don’t give me that look. Oh no! Don’t even think about it Charlie! Please don’t open the letter! I don’t even know who it’s from! Please Charlie?”
“Ugh I hate that face you give me! Fine Ruby.” Charlie tossed her the letter and turned around, ready to leave.
Ruby began to panic; she couldn’t imagine what she would do if Charlie was mad at her. “Wait!”
YOU ARE READING
Untying the Knot
FantasyRuby Henderson has lived her whole life working as a slave, but no one knew this. not even her best friend Charlie Baker. When things started to go bad, Ruby decided she had to put a stop to this. After revealing her secret to Charlie, Charlie joins...
