Ruelle dragged her trunk to the carriage stop and waited for the local carriage to arrive. And while she sat on the wooden bench, she came to the conclusion that Sexton was the only place left to go.
The road was quiet at this hour, save for the occasional passerby who glanced at her sitting alone with her belongings. No one asked her questions as if the villagers had already decided she was not their concern. It was only when her stomach grumbled that she remembered that she hadn't eaten anything since last night.
So easily her family had cast her aside, the thought ran again and again, refusing to leave her in peace. All those years beneath one roof, every small hope she had foolishly nurtured had been swept away in a single moment.
After some more minutes, the local carriage appeared, its wheels rattling on the ground. Ruelle rose to her feet, brushing dust from her skirt.
"Is this carriage bound for Sexton?" she asked, forcing a polite smile.
