They were 20 minutes from the train station and gathering their things together. They no longer needed the coats they had started out wearing and had stripped off the gloves and bonnets, as well. It was cool but not nearly enough for the extra clothing. The sun was dropping behind the horizon when they stepped off the train.
They were not given time to separate.
They were the only ones departing the train at that station, and a man was standing there waiting for Angela. He was the only one there and watched them both get off the train, talking in low tones.
They stopped and stared at him.
He blinked and then approached, removing the cowboy hat from his head.
“Angela?”
He looked from one to the other.
“Uh…” Lilly looked at Angelica. “This is Angela,” she said instinctively.
Angelica nodded. “Hello, yes, I am Angela.”
Lilly just realized how thick her Italian accent was. They both stared at Adam, and he stared back at them, his eyes moving from one to the other. The first thing he noticed was that they were both beautiful women. The second was that there were two of them and the one saying she was Angela was definitely not an American.
“I’m sorry. I don’t understand what’s going on,” Adam stated in a low voice.
Lilly looked at Angelica with worried eyes. She didn’t want to speak up when it was Angelica who was supposed to be the one here for him. She tried to send telepathic messages to her friend by thinking very hard, talk to him, talk to him!
“I…” Angelica started. She reached down and picked up her two bags, which surprised both Lilly and Adam. Adam took a step back, and Angelica took a step forward. “I am ready. I do say sorry for confusing you. I travel with Lilly very often. She is my friend and companion. I do hope you do not mind.”
Adam wasn’t sure. He didn’t exactly mind one way or the other. But he’d been expecting one woman, not two. He couldn’t possibly marry two women. He looked at Lilly. Which one of these women was he supposed to be with? It was obvious Lilly had written the response letter for Angela.
“I sent for one woman to marry. What is your intention here?”
Lilly followed Angelica’s lead and picked up her bags. “As Angeli… Angela says, I have been her traveling companion for some time. I would like to stay nearby, perhaps in a boarding house and continue my friendship with her. Also, I have been helping her learn English. As you can see, she is still working on it.”
Adam shook his head. “I have rooms at my farm. You may use one of them. But I am unhappy that I was not told of this from the beginning.”
Lilly felt regret wash through her. “I am sorry, sir. It was not my intention to anger you. I was just trying to do something for my friend.”
“By deceiving others. This is not what God has in mind.”
“I am sorry.” Lilly’s face dropped at his mention of God. She didn’t want to anger God, either. “I did pray about this and it just…I just thought I should…”
“Come with me,” Adam said abruptly, cutting her off. “We will go back to the farm and discuss this.”
Chapter Four
The uncomfortable silence on the ride to Adam’s farm made Angelica feel a little sick to her stomach. She had been working hard to learn the language and act like an American. She was naturally shy and didn’t try to draw attention to herself. Her first impression of the man they had met was a good one. She liked his dark eyes and dark wavy hair. He was built strong and solid and had nice hands.
She could see that he was unhappy and perhaps a little angry at the deception. She didn’t hold Lilly at fault, though. Her friend had been looking out for her since they met in New York, where they had met at a boarding house they were both working for. Lilly had never been dishonest with her and had never tried to hurt her.
She felt as though God was making something good from the deception. He must have a plan, or they wouldn’t be there, riding in the wagon going toward a new home and a new life.
Angelica took Lilly’s hand and squeezed it. Lilly looked worried and afraid. It seemed strange that she was feeling so confident when Lilly was usually the one in that position. Lilly looked at her. A feeling of peace filled her when she looked in her friend’s eyes.
Perhaps things would be all right once they reached the farm.
Adam was staring straight forward, stewing in his mind. He hadn’t asked for an additional burden. What was God doing? He instinctively shook his head at his own thoughts. Two foreign women had deceived him and now he felt obligated and responsible for them. He didn’t see how this could turn out well. He didn’t like the feeling of uncertainty he had.