Billie was startled.
“You are leaving Three Towers?”
Edina nodded unhappily.
“Three Towers has no use for me. I ain’t ever been so unhappy in my life as I’ve been since I come—came—here. I never dreamed it would be like this.”
“What did you think it would be like?” asked Billie gently.
“I don’t know—exactly. But I thought people would be kind and I’d have a chance to git some book learnin’ like I never had in my life. And I always wanted it, ever since I was old enough to ride my own cow pony. And now I—I gotta go home.”
There was a choke in the quiet, sullen voice. Billie guessed what it would mean for Edina to return to the “cow country,” carrying wounds that would never heal.
She said quietly:
“I wouldn’t do that, if I were you, Edina. I wouldn’t run away.”
It was dark down there by the lake, but Billie could sense the quick motion of the girl’s head as it turned toward her.