Angie's Hope (Valentine Mail Order Bride 7) by Lorena Dove

Author:Lorena Dove [Dove, Lorena]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Sweet & Clean, Mail-Order Bride, Historical, Frontier, Western, Romance, Valentine's, Holiday, Cupid, Hearts, Flowers, YWCA, Bible Study Group, Christian, Inspirational, Religious, Short Story, Fiction, Forever Love, Faith, Spirituality, Bachelor, Single Woman, Seven Friends, Marriage Of Convenience, Childhood Friends, Sham Engagement, Charade, Jack-of-All-Trades, Coal Mines, Kansas, Railroad, Kansas City, Brother
Publisher: Sweet Clean Book Club
Published: 2016-02-06T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seven

The next morning, Angie had only a few minutes alone with Elmer before Henry took him to the station.

“Please do your best for Henry,” Angie pleaded. “If you love me even a little, try,” she said.

“Angie, I do have love for you. You’ve been such a good friend, and now you are as dear as a sister to me. I feel I owe a family debt to help Henry as if he were my own brother. You’ve been amazing going along with our engagement. From the connections I’ve made through Mr. Adams, and now with this deal to be made with the railroad bosses in New York, I’ll be established in my business much sooner than I thought.”

“Then you will be able to freely marry,” Angie said. Not wanting him to think it saddened her, she added, “I don’t know when we’ll see each other again, but I’m sure you and Maribelle will be very happy.”

“I hope you don’t mind, but as soon as I get to New York, I’ll post a letter to you breaking our engagement. I can’t have your mother making arrangements and planning for us to marry as soon as you return. Don’t worry, it will be seen as 100 percent my fault. I’ll be the cad, and you’ll be the virtuous maiden free to entertain new suitors.”

“If only it were that simple, Elmer,” Angie said. She sighed and held his hands tightly. Now that the scheme would be coming to an end, she feared she would take the brunt of the consequences in the short term, and possibly forever. No man in New York would want to be seen as courting an unwanted woman whose engagement had been broken. They would question what was wrong with her. She had seen it her whole life. It had happened to her mother.

“I’ll defend you to everyone,” Elmer said, “and sing your praises to the heavens. Everything will be fine, Angie. Good-bye, and thank you for believing in love.” He kissed her cheek. They shared one last long glance, and he was gone.

Angie watched him drive off and slumped against the door. The pressure of carrying on the ruse of her engagement had worn her out more than she realized. Now able to act freely, she suddenly felt exhausted beyond belief. She climbed the stairs slowly and entered the room she shared with Nancy.

“Has he gone, then?” Nancy asked. “Oh sister, I’m so sorry you have to be parted from Elmer.”

“It’s all right, Nancy,” Angie replied. She slowly began taking off her day dress and hung it on a hook in the small closet. “If you don’t mind, I think I’ll just rest a bit more. I’m not ready to face the day.”

“Of course I don’t mind,” Nancy said. “I’d be distraught without my fiancé nearby, too. You just rest, and in a little while, I’ll check on you and see if you feel up to having some tea.”

“You’re a dear,” Angie said. She was grateful that Nancy so innocently thought Angie was sad to say good-bye to Elmer.

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