Angel's Song

Chapter Four

A/N: Here's Chapter Four! Enjoy!

Chapter Four

"Have you got everything?"

Nellie's voice made Angel turn sharply. The brunette scanned the room hastily, going over a mental list of the items she needed. "I think so. It's only Monday to Friday, so I decided to leave some things here."

Nellie nodded. 

Just then, footsteps came running up the stairs and Maggie raced into the room. "Auntie Angel!" She ran up to the young woman. "Mama says you're going away."

Angel scooped her up, glancing over the four-year-old's head at Hope, who entered the room just behind her daughter. "Just for a little while, honey. I'll be back on weekends, promise."

Nellie, who had been standing by the window, turned to them just then. "Mr O'Connor's here with his wagon. You'd better get going."

Angel gave Hope a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you at the weekend. Say goodbye to Calvin and Luc for me." Planting another kiss on Maggie's forehead, she picked up her bags and descended the stairs.

At the front door, she stopped and turned to Nellie. "Well, this is it."

"Sure gonna miss ya." There was a tell-tale sheen in the older woman's eyes, and Angel reached out and hugged her tightly.

"I'll miss you too."

She opened the door. Aidan O'Connor stood there, a battered hat perched on his head, hands in pockets. "Mornin'," he said. "Those your bags?"

Angel nodded.

Without a word he took them from her and placed them in the back of the wagon, before giving Angel a hand up onto the seat. There was one last wave from Nellie and Hope, and then the wagon started moving, pulling away from Sweetwater and everything Angel was familiar with.

The ride was a quiet one. Aidan didn't seem overly disposed to talking, and Angel was unsure of what to say, so she kept quiet, watching the passing scenery. After about nearly ten minutes, she spoke up. "How far away is the house from Sweetwater?"

"'Bout eight miles. You can borrow the wagon anytime you need to go shoppin' or things like that, if ya need it."

"Thank you." Angel bit her lip and relapsed into silence.

Five minutes more and they had reached the house. Jesse and Lina, Aidan's nephew and niece, were playing half-heartedly in the yard when the wagon pulled up, and as Angel got down from the wagon, both parties gave each other a studied appraisal.

Lina looked about eight or nine, a small, thin girl with limp blonde hair and shy grey eyes. Her brother Jesse seemed to be about eleven or so. His small face was covered in freckles and thick, untrimmed dark hair poked out from underneath the worn cowboy hat he wore. Hostile blue eyes the same colour as Aidan's sized Angel up warily from under thick brows.

"Hello," Angel finally said. "I'm Angel Donovan."

Lina moved a little closer to her brother. Jesse scuffed his feet in the dirt.

Crash! The awkward silence was broken and Angel jumped. A horse's loud whinny sounded from behind the house and Aidan muttered something under his breath. 

"That stallion's been kickin' up a real storm ever since you left," Jesse said. "Pretty near kicked the fence down."

Aidan nodded. "You kids take Miss Donovan inside, okay? Show her where her room is. I'll take care of this." He headed off around the back of the house and Angel and the children were left alone.