Angie's Hope (Valentine Mail Order Bride 7)

by Lorena Dove

  The weight of Henry’s words crashed over her. No wonder he had been such a nervous wreck about this recent setback. Henry was carrying a larger burden then even she had known.

  “I can protect you from him,” Henry was saying. “But if we don’t agree—if I don’t get his assurances for cash flow—then everything we have here, and everything in New York, is in jeopardy. A total loss.”

  Nancy returned and poured tea. The three of them sat in silence.

  “I’ll do it,” Nancy said. “I’ll marry Mr. Adams.”

  “No, you will not,” Angie spoke. “I’m the oldest daughter, and it’s my duty to marry. If Henry needs to save the family, and I can save Henry, then that is what I must do.”

  Henry and Nancy just stared at her. A minute before she had been crying and shaking. Now Angie rose from the couch and wiped her eyes one last time.

  “I have loved, in my lifetime,” Angie said. “I have been loved in return.” She turned and left them staring after her from the parlor.

  Chapter Ten

  Cal arrived at the mining camp and knocked on Joe’s door. It was after dark, but a lamp was still illuminating the window.

  Ella answered and threw her arms around his neck. “Cal! What a surprise! I didn’t think you’d be back. Come in, Joe is right here.”

  Cal came in and greeted his friend with a warm handshake. “Joe, Ella. I’m here with news that affects you drastically. It will affect everyone soon, but you still have time to get out.”

  “Get out? You mean leave the mines? Cal, we’ve already talked about this,” Joe said. “We’ve had our adventures, and the gold fields left us high and dry. At least here, I have work, I can eat, and provide a couple of clean rooms for Ella. And for our baby.”

  Ella smiled and patted her stomach.

  “A baby? Congratulations!” Cal said. “But that makes my news even more urgent. There’s a strike brewing, and the mines will be shut down soon. They may never re-open.”

  “Strike? What do you mean? I haven’t heard any of the men call for a strike. We’re all in this, and we all need to eat,” Joe said.

  “It’s not the men who will call for it. It’s the mine owners themselves,” Cal said. “It’s their only chance to force the railroad companies to pay enough for coal to keep the mines open. Unless someone can convince them to pay more out of the goodness of their hearts.”

  “Well, we both know that won’t happen,” Joe said. He sat quietly and looked at Ella.

  “You men talk it over,” Ella said. “I’ve got to get some sleep. This little one is already exhausting me.”

  “I can’t leave here, Cal,” Joe said after Ella closed the bedroom door. “I’m not like you. I can’t learn new things. I don’t have a bunch of skills to fall back on. Ella likes it here. She has friends. We make do.”

  Cal looked at Joe. He had come in with fire, and was even more determined to save them from losing what little they had after seeing Ella. But, he knew that Joe was right. Cal didn’t have the connections or backing to help him out. He nodded his head.

  “I see, Joe,” Cal said. “I’m sorry I came busting in like this.”

  The two men sat up talking until Joe went to bed. Cal made a pallet in front of the coal stove, and lay down. He thought about Angie, and about the carpentry work waiting for him in Kansas City. IN a few months, he would have enough saved to get a small place for them. He meant to properly court her, and ask her to marry him. His last thought before he fell asleep was that he was in love with Angela Simmons.

  Cal left first thing in the morning. Before leaving the camp, he stopped at the camp store. He thought he was going to cash in his store credits, even though he would get just pennies on the dollar. Instead, he asked the clerk to transfer his credits to Joe’s account.

  Having settled the account, Cal got back on his horse and headed towards Kansas City. His heart was heavy thinking about what might happen to Joe and Ella if he lost his job. But his mind was on Angie and getting back to work.

  Soon his horse began to slow down, and it dawned on Cal that he was going lame. He got off and looked at each shoe in turn, seeing one loose that was causing the problem. His only choice was to turn around and slowly walk back to the last town he had passed to get it fixed.

  Suddenly from around a tight bend in the road, a carriage nearly ran into him. Cal’s horse reared up and became tangled in the reins of the other horse. Both horses fell down hard, and Cal’s hand, caught in the braces, pulled him down with them. The carriage tipped crazily on its side as the driver quickly jumped off.

  Cal untangled his arm and slipped himself apart from the horses before they thrashed and crushed him.

  The driver of the carriage grabbed his own horse, and together they got the reins untangled and each horse on its feet.

  “That was close!” cried the carriage driver. “But my wheels are bent and I can’t continue.”

  “I’m walking back to the smithy myself,” Cal said. “I’ll send a repair wagon out to you. Let’s push the carriage further out of the road and make way so someone else doesn’t’ get hurt.

  Cal made it back to town, turned his horse in at the smithy and let them know about the broken-down carriage. He had no choice but to wait in the saloon for his horse’s shoe to be fixed.

  It was a typical saloon in a crossroads town. Only just noon, he found two drunken customers already sitting at the counter, buying shots of whiskey and talking loudly.

  Cal ordered some water and a bowl of the tavern soup. He couldn’t help overhearing the men.

  “And then he says to me, get back to Colorado as fast as possible,” the skinny man was saying to the larger man.

  “Can you believe it?” The larger man said and the two began laughing.

  “Says he’s got a hot one, and we gotta move fast. Fresh from New York City!”

  Now Cal perked up his ears.

  “Excuse me; can I buy you two gentlemen a drink?” Cal said.

  “We ain’t no gentlemen, but a free drink is always welcome. Name’s Slim,” said the skinny one. He jerked his thumb toward the other man. “And this here’s Dave.” With that, they both broke up into gales of laughter.

  “Nice to meet you,” Cal said as he signaled to the bartender to pour. “I’ve been to Colorado myself.”

  “Then you must be a prospector,” Slim said. “Dime a dozen around here.”

  “I’m not a prospector,” Cal said truthfully.

  “Well get this,” Slim said. “Dave’s brother has a real live wire on his hands in Kansas City. But he’s keeping us hopping doing the actual work of the operation,” Slim said.

  “Sherman’s got the brains; I got the brawn,” Dave said with a shrug.

  “Anyway,” Slim continued. “Sherman has the mining clerk in his pocket out there. First he convinced him to falsify the records to show the land was owned by a large mining stake,” Slim’s shoulders shook as he laughed. “And now, he wants us to go back out there and get the records tore up before the mining company finds out what they don’t own!”

  Cal gripped the edge of the bar. He knew it. His claims had been correct all along—and so had Henry Simmons’s.

  “Best part is,” Slim stopped as he motioned at his empty glass. Cal nodded at the bartender, who poured another round. Slim took it in one gulp. “Best part is, all that while some dummies have been out there proving up the claim! So there’s gold, all right, and it will soon be split fair and square with my ol’ pale Dave Adams. And of course, Dave will split with me.”

  With that, Cal could keep himself quiet no longer. “Now that is an interesting story, boys,” he said slowly, standing up and pushing his hat back on his head. He pulled a small rope out of his pocket and walked around behind them. He grabbed one arm of each, slipped the rope between them and their chairs, and tied them up before they could drop their glasses.

  “Yessir, it’s an interesting story I’m sure the Sheriff will be more than happy to hear all about it.”
He tossed a gold coin to the bartender. “Pay for my drinks, and stay with them until the Sheriff gets here,” he said.

  Cal nearly ran to the smithies and got his horse. He jumped on its back, and raced on toward Kansas City. He would meet Henry Simmons now, and he would get that Sherman Adams if it was the last thing he did.

  If only it wasn’t too late.

  Chapter Eleven

  Nancy had been right. Mrs. Simmons poured out her anguish about Angie’s broken engagement in a letter she received the next day. Nancy was worried about her, but more importantly, she had to think what to do about Angie. After her announcement that she would marry Sherman Adams, she wouldn’t come out of her room, or let Nancy in.

  Angie was too number for tears. And worse than that, she was too guilty. It was her fault, believing a deception could solve her problems, that these troubles had befallen her family. She felt now that God’s punishment was upon her. She wasn’t angry it God—it was her sin that caused the natural consequence of her brother’s hardship. If she had stayed in New York and waited for a man to come to her—waited for years if necessary, maybe God would have seen a way to help Henry before it had come to this.

  She kneeled in prayer all night begging for forgiveness and for the strength to drink the bitter cup that had been placed before her. She knew she could never love Sherman Adams, nor grow to love him. She could never even like a man who would blackmail a woman into marrying him.

  Yet she had to save her brother, and more importantly her father. She thought of the sweet man who had never spoken a harsh word in his life, who had listened without complaint to his wife insulting his position throughout their marriage. Yet he loved June, and he carried on in his work. Angie could see a life of dignity bearing this marriage to Sherman. Respectfulness and dignity, maybe. But not love.

  Sherman Adams was a man who did not waste time. When he had returned at sundown to learn of her answer, he declared they would be married at three o’clock today. Her heart sunk at every thought of Cal and what might have been. But she had been a fool to think she could find love through an advertisement.

  Nancy was beside herself. She had been to the café already that morning, and asked the owner to give a message to Cal should he arrive. She stood in the street and looked up at her bedroom window. Angie had been too distracted to take down the blue cloth. Good. That meant if Cal returned, he might still be in time. She meant to watch on the street every minute in case he passed by looking for the signal that Elmer’s letter had arrived. She didn’t know what he could do, but she had nowhere else to turn.

  Henry couldn’t speak at breakfast. The thought of Angie marrying Sherman Adams horrified him. But she had made the decision herself, and he was grateful. With the weight of money problems behind him, he could get back to running his business properly. She would be safe with Sherman. He was a respectable businessman and would provide for her.

  He rose in sadness and walked up the stairs to knock on Angie’s door. “It’s time.”

  The doorknob turned and Angie stood before him wearing black. Her black dress flowed to the floor and her beautiful eyes were covered by a black veil.

  “Angie…” Henry said.

  “I’m ready.”

  Henry, Angie and Nancy drove to St. Paul’s church in silence.

  ~*~*~*~

  Cal pushed the horse as fast as he could to cover the miles to Kansas City. He went straight to Henry’s house, dismounted, and tied up his horse at the post. He stopped to look up to the second-floor window, and for the first time since he had left Angie, his heart skipped a beat. The blue cloth hung in the window.

  He took the stairs two at a time and knocked on the door. When he heard no steps, he pounded and listened again. Nothing. The house was still.

  Cal turned around and surveyed the street. He could see no sign of Henry’s carriage. It seemed too much to stand there in the open and wait. Henry had worried and suffered over the loss of his gold claims as long as Cal had. He would be happy to find out whenever he returned, even in a couple of hours.

  Cal unhitched the horse and walked it slowly to the park. He was drawn to the place he loved so well, now. The small café where he learned a woman in this world held her heart in her hands. Where he studied her face and last pressed her skin to his lips. He longed to see Angie, and hoped once his claims were restored, to immediately make her his wife.

  The café owner stirred in agitation when he saw Cal enter the room. “Mr. Jones, Mr. Cal Jones?” he said.

  “Yes, I’m Cal Jones.”

  “A young lady came this morning and left this letter for you. She seemed mighty distraught. Yes sir, she was shaking when she handed it to me.”

  “What did she look like? Brown hair and eyes?” Cal asked.

  “No sir. It was the other girl. The blonde.” The man smiled. He had noticed their short but intense courtship as Angie and Cal had let the world spin around them during their time at the café.

  “Thank you.” Cal didn’t sit down but opened the letter. It was similar handwriting to the letter Angie wrote him, but not the same.

  Dear Cal,

  I pray this letter finds you in time. Oh Cal! Something awful has happened! Angie has been promised to Mr. Sherman Adams in exchange for his help to my brother’s business. Angie wouldn’t have him, but he threatened my parents’ livelihood as well! She had no choice, Cal! The marriage is to take place today at 3:00 at St. Paul’s Church. Please, if you love her, know that her heart belongs to you!

  Your friend in desperate need,

  Nancy Simmons

  The letter dropped to the floor as Cal raced to his poor, tired horse, jumped on its back, and galloped like a man possessed toward St. Paul’s.

  ~*~*~*~

  Cal jumped off the horse in mid-stride as it approached the church and ran up the steps. A group of people were leaving and got in his way.

  “Such a lovely service,” one said.

  “Couldn’t have been a more beautiful bride,” said the other.

  “Out of my way!” Cal shouted. He couldn’t believe it. He had to stop Angie from marrying Sherman Adams.

  He raced into the darkened sanctuary and saw a couple standing near the altar with the minister. Running down the aisle, Cal shouted, “No!” and turned the woman to face him.

  Her intended stepped between them and Cal saw the shocked look on the strange woman’s face.

  “Now, just a minute, bub!” The man shouted.

  “Sorry! I’m sorry, excuse me. I must find Miss Angie Simmons.” He turned to the minister in desperation. “Have you seen her? Am I too late?”

  “Cal!” A voice called from the back of the church. He had rushed right past Henry, Nancy and Angie sitting together in the last pew. Sherman Adams stood guard on them at the end of the aisle.

  Cal whirled toward the sound of Angie’s voice, and strode towards the group. Henry stood up protectively. Was this crazed man about to assault his sister?

  “Cal!” Angie called again and he ran to her. He slid into the row in front of her and reached for her. Her arms stretched out to him and they embraced.

  “Hey you!” Sherman Adams called and spun Cal around to face him. Fist raised, he was ready to swing.

  Cal ducked. As the fat man’s fist whiffed past his face, he charged. Running Sherman out of the pew, he landed on top of him in the middle of the aisle. The hard landing knocked the wind out of him, and Cal laid one hard punch on his nose to finish the job.

  He stood up over the unconscious Sherman. Nancy jumped up and down clapping her hands. Angie looked as if she would faint, and Henry didn’t know whether to fight this stranger or shake his hand.

  “Henry Simmons?” Cal said, breathing heavily.

  “What is the meaning of this, sir?” Henry blurted out. “Do I know you?”

  “No, sir,” Cal said. “But I know you, and I know your sisters. We have a lot to talk about.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Angie and Nancy hugged ea
ch other with joy as Cal and Henry went to a different part of the church to talk. The next wedding was set to begin, and it would have been rude to discuss business in the sanctuary.

  “So you’re telling me, the claims are not worthless?” Henry asked in astonishment.

  “That’s right. From what I understand, Sherman had planned this for quite a long time. Neither of us knew it, but he took us both for suckers. You for putting up money to stake the claims, and me for actually proving them up when I found the gold.”

  “I knew I couldn’t have been so wrong about Colorado,” Henry said. “I wasn’t hasty in my investment, especially after I asked my father to join in. I pulled what I could out and started on the coal mine, but even that is about to go belly up.”

  “You’ll have time now to see that through until Elmer Farley can get the railroads to agree,” Cal said.

  “Wait a second, how do you know so much about my business? And what was Angie doing screaming your name in the church?”

  “I think I should answer to that,” Angie said. She and Nancy had stayed with a very groggy Sherman Adams until the Sheriff’s deputies came to take him away. It took three of them to get him up off the floor, and two to walk him out the door.

  She walked into the room and put her arm through Cal’s. He felt a warm glow start where she touched him and spread throughout his body. “I came to Kansas City to see you, Henry, but also to meet Cal. God put me in the right place to see his ad, and I answered it before I ever came out here.” She smiled at him.

  “Angie, how could you be so reckless? Excuse me, Cal, but don’t you think that was a bit forward of her?”

  “Are you going to tell me you begrudge her happiness after what she was willing to sacrifice for you—for all of us?” Nancy said. “I, for one, am not. Angie—Cal—I’ve chaperone your every visit except the first, and I can tell you, Henry, Cal is the perfect gentleman.”