Angel shook her head in disgust and knelt next to the driver, who moaned. She helped him to sit.
“And what good were you?” The large man shouted at the driver. “You’re supposed to protect us from these things. I’m going to write to the company, and file a complaint.”
“Oh, hush.” Angel glared at him. “Help me stand him up.”
Between the two of them, they got the driver to his feet. He’d been bashed on the head, but assured them he was fit enough to continue the trip. He ordered the passengers to pack up their stuff.
As each trunk was closed as best as it could, the driver tossed it on the top of the coach and strapped it down. About an hour after the outlaw’s departure, with the driver pale and shaking, they continued on their journey. The doctor remained unconscious, not realizing his pocket watch, money clip, and a ring were gone.
Chapter 3
“Papa, I don’t understand why we have to wash and put on fancy clothes to meet our new mama.” Luke wiggled as the wet cloth in Nate’s hand swirled over his face.
“Do you want your new mama to think we’re all a bunch of hooligans?”
“What’s a hooligan?”
“Someone who’s dirty and smelly, and a no-account.”
“What’s a no-account?”
“Someone who looks ragged and grubby.” He quickly dried the boy’s face. “Now stop all the questions, and get dressed.” As the boy took off, he added, “Send John down here so I can wash him up.”
Nate glanced for the tenth time at the gingerbread shelf clock near the cook stove. What was he thinking to send for a mail order bride? As the time grew near for his new wife to arrive, doubts assailed him. He took a calming breath. His life was chaos, he needed-heck, the whole family needed-a woman who could take over. The only women in town willing to take on five kids had expectations. He’d seen the way they looked at him, what they wanted from him. They would expect courting, love, things he had no time or inclination for.
Through their letters, Nate had learned Angel was twenty-two years old, and had lived in New York City all her life. She wanted change, and longed for the adventure of the west. She never once mentioned expectations of love, or tender feelings of any kind.
According to her letters, she could cook, clean, and run an efficient house. She adored children, and would love to be a mother to his. Sounded like a true spinster, but right now he would take old Mrs. Darby to wife if she would straighten up his life. In fact, the more unattractive she was, the better. The last thing he wanted was the temptation of a pretty bride. His brood was large enough, thank you.
Nate conducted a final inspection. All the boys lined up at the door with clean faces and hair slicked down. Julia-Rose wore a new dress and bonnet Mrs. Darby had made for the occasion. He took a deep breath.
Time to go.
As the boys solemnly walked out the door, Nate frowned. “John, go put on shoes.”
“Next stop, Oregon City.”
This was it. A jolt of panic hit Angel smack in her middle, and raced through her veins. Her heart sped up, threatened to jump out of her throat. Her stomach rolled over and played dead, and all the moisture in her mouth evaporated. With shaky hands, she tried to smooth the wrinkles out of her torn dress. Her hat had been smashed under the fat man’s bottom when they returned to the coach after the hold up. She tried her best to set the once-fashionable bonnet to right, but without a mirror there was no way to tell.
A hole in her stocking near her ankle gaped at her as she shook out her dress. She’d fallen getting out of the coach at the last station. Her face and neck were coated with sweaty dirt. If she tried to clean up with a handkerchief, she’d do nothing more than create mud to smear around.
The coach slowed as it took a turn onto a main street. Her nausea got stronger. She looked out the window. Muddy streets, crowded, weather-beaten buildings. No elegant stores or restaurants. Nothing similar to what she’d left behind. Well, certainly better than the miles of prairie she’d crossed. But surely Oregon City would be more of a city?
Was this even part of the United States? Had she left the States complete
ly behind? Of course she had. Hadn’t she? Maybe she should stop the coach and hurry into the sheriff’s office they just passed and peruse a map.
I’m becoming hysterical.
She inhaled a deep breath to calm herself. However, with the restriction of her corset, all she managed to do was make herself dizzy.
Why, oh why did Sylvia do this to her? She should’ve refused, fled to one of her friends’ houses. Anything but face a strange man who expected to be her husband in a very short while.
Angel allowed the knitter and the large man to precede her out of the coach. The doctor had departed a while back, never noticing his missing possessions. No one felt the need to enlighten him. She reached for the driver’s hand to step out of the coach.
Good heavens—I smell!
No blinding sun here, the cloud cover gave everything a dull, lifeless appearance. She looked around, and aside from a crowd standing in front of the post office, she didn’t see a man who should have been here to meet her. Maybe Mr. Hale had changed his mind, and she was stuck here with no money, job, or a place to stay.