Glorious Angel by Johanna Lindsey Read Free Book Online Page A

now, completely alone. What was she going to do? She had asked herself that question so many times already, but she had no answers.
    She could always marry Clinton Pratt, she supposed. He had asked her many times this last year and she was sure he would ask her again. Clinton was a nice young man who worked a small farm farther up the river. He came often to visit and talk with her. She enjoyed his company, but she didn’t want to marry him. She didn’t love him.
    A new flood of tears began. Oh, Pa, why did you have to leave me? I don’t want to be alone, Pa! I don’t like being alone!
    She really wanted to stay right where she was. This was her home. She had old Sarah. She could work the farm by herself, she was sure she could. But of course, that wasn’t up to her, it was up to Jacob Maitland. He might not let her stay on the farm, thinking she couldn’t work it by herself.
    But she would probably know today one way or the other, for Jacob Maitland had been at the funeral this morning to pay his respects, and he told her he would be out to see her later. She would have to convince him that she could make a go of it on her own. She would have to!

     
    Jacob Maitland drew up in the handsomest carriage Angela had ever seen. It was new, with rich green velvet seats and shiny new black paint.
    It was said that Jacob Maitland was so rich that the war hadn’t even dented his fortune. He had never needed to depend on his plantation to support him. In fact, his land was hardly worked at all during the war. It made people wonder why he came to the South in the first place, and why he stayed at Golden Oaks during the war, instead of going to Europe, where most of his business interests were.
    He had frequently come to their farm when she was a child, always bringing her candy, sometimes a little toy. Angela imagined the reason he came was to look after his interests. Then eight years ago, her father and Jacob had had heated words. Angela thought surely they would be evicted after that, but they weren’t. But Jacob Maitland stopped coming to the farm then. She never discovered what they had argued about. And she missed his visits.
    He was a good landlord, there was no denying that. Even when their crop wasn’t a good one, he never complained. And during the war, he insisted on taking a lesser share. It had made Angela feel twice as guilty about taking the food Hannah stole from him.
    But now Angela couldn’t help but be afraid.

    “Angela, my dear, you have my deepest sympathies for the loss of your father,” Jacob Maitland began. “You must be feeling a great emptiness now.”
    “Yes, I am,” Angela replied in a weak whisper, her eyes downcast.
    “I knew your father for almost eighteen years,” Jacob continued in a soft voice. “He was working this farm before I even came to Alabama.”
    “Then you knew my ma too?” Angela asked curiously, her eyes lighting up.
    “Yes, yes, I did,” Jacob returned, a faraway look in his eyes. “She should never have gone West by herself all those years ago. She—”
    “West?” Angela broke in excitedly. “Is that where she went? Pa never told me.”
    “Yes, that’s where she went,” Jacob answered sadly. “Did you know that you are the exact image of your mother?”
    “Pa always said I had her eyes and hair,” Angela answered easily, relaxing now.
    “It’s much more than that, my dear. Your mother was the loveliest woman I ever knew. She had a grace about her, a fragility, and a most exquisite beauty. You are just like her.”
    “You’re funnin’ me, Mr. Maitland. I ain’t graceful, and I sure ain’t fragile.”
    “You could be, with the proper training,” Jacob replied with a tender smile.
    “Trainin’? Oh, you mean like schoolin’?” sheasked. “I ain’t never had time for that. Pa needed me here to help work the farm.”
    “Yes. About this farm, Angela. Now that your father is—ah, no longer with us, I want—”
    “Please, Mr. Maitland,” Angela