Excerpt from RIDING FREEDOM
by Pam Munoz Ryan
Illustrated by Brian Selznick
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Chapter Two
Charlotte watched from the stable as Mr. Millshark walked up and down in front of the line of boys, beaming. The prospective parents followed him. Now and then they stopped to say a few words to one of the boys, but usually just to the younger ones.
Charlotte had stopped lining up a long time ago. She was never considered for adoption anyway. People wanted boys to help with their farms, or a son to carry on the family name, or they wanted someone young and cute.
Once, when Charlotte had been as-cute-as-they-come, a couple came through the kitchen with Mr. Millshark. The wife saw Charlotte standing on a stool, washing dishes.
"Oh! I had been hoping for a girl, but they said there were only boys here," said the women. She smiled at Charlotte with warm, come-home-with-me-eyes.
With as much politeness as Charlotte could muster, she said, "Yes, ma’am, it’s boys, ’cept me," and she smiled back at the women.
The women walked over to her and took her soapy little hand. For an instant, Charlotte hoped beyond hope.
But Mrs. Boyle marched over and scooped Charlotte into her arms.
"This here’s my niece just helpin’ out in the kitchen. She ain’t for adoptin’. C’mon, Charlotte."
Before Charlotte could say a word, Mrs. Boyle carried her out the backdoor and took her to the garden to pick beans.
After that, Mrs. Boyle hid her in the potato bin each time people came through, for fear of losing her kitchen maid. Charlotte remembered the dark, crowded bin lying on the lumpy potatoes. She would hear Mr. Millshark saying, "And this is the kitchen where Mrs. Boyle prepares our meals."
She remembered peering through the cracks in the wooden slats at the people who came through. Sometimes Charlotte wanted to push open the lid and jump out and yell, "I’m here! I would like a home! Me! Take me!" But more often than not, Mrs. Boyle sat on top of the bin so Charlotte couldn’t budge, and Charlotte knew better than to make a peep until the people had gone.
Charlotte went back to the horses. What would be the point of lining up with the boys anyway? Even though Mrs. Boyle couldn’t hide her in the potato bin anymore, nobody wanted an almost-grown girl.
From Riding Freedom. Copyright © Pam Munoz Ryan.
Illustrations © by Brian Selznick.
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