The Escort - By Gina Robinson Page 0,23

on Salvo enough times. It's good enough that your train arrived on the date it was scheduled. I half expected Sal to return empty handed. With the bad snows this winter, the trains have been off-schedule by days. The weather has only just cleared."

Maria scurried off to her kitchen before Angelina could offer her help. Dinner was served minutes later. Tonio shot Angelina a look warning her not to wrinkle her nose at Maria's mediocre cooking, all the while praising the woman too profusely. The three old friends talked and caught up as they ate. The conversation was lively. Angelina felt as if she were an invisible intruder attending their meal. As soon as it was over, the two men excused themselves and were off out the door, leaving the women alone with the dishes.

Maria seemed to have expected their departure. She immediately busied herself with the dishes. "So how long have you known Tonio?" Maria asked as soon as the door had closed behind the men. She seemed as curious as her husband had been.

"A little over a week." Angelina explained the situation. "Tonio was heading back and offered to escort me."

"He offered?" Maria asked, an amused tone to her voice. "He must have been quite smitten with you. Tonio travels alone."

"Smitten? I'm a married woman."

"Bah! No matter. You are mail-order. Nothing is final until the bride and groom have met. You don't know; your groom could send you back. I don't suspect a man would reject a woman with your looks, but one never knows."

Angelina wondered at the woman's dismissive attitude. Angelina seemed to be the only person who held her vows in any regard. "He was persuaded by a mutual friend," Angelina continued.

"Nonna? She's the only person in New York that I know of capable of persuading Tonio to do anything. Someday I'd like to meet that woman. She must be quite remarkable. Both Salvo and Tonio have a deep affection for her."

Maria set the last dish in the drainer and wiped the table. "I'd like to learn her secret. How does she convince two such proud, stubborn men to do the things she wants them to do? If I knew how to move Salvo, my life would be easy!" She gestured with her hands for emphasis. "Her, and that May woman from Idaho that Tonio is always talking about. How is it that some women have such pull over men?"

May? A warning shock pulsed through Angelina. Tonio had never mentioned her.

"How did you come? Through the port at Naples?"

Angelina hadn't been listening. Her mind had been occupied with the idea of May. Angelina didn't like her already. She was brought back to reality by Maria's question. But she found herself at a disadvantage. In her musings, she'd missed a vital part of what Maria had been saying. Maria moved to the living area. Angelina followed. Maria sat on a small couch and motioned Angelina into the worn chair across from her.

"Would you like something to drink? Some tea? Coffee perhaps?" Maria offered.

"No, thank you."

"I was asking about your trip to the States."

Angelina was grateful for the change of topic. She was certain that Maria had noticed her preoccupation after she'd mentioned May. "I came through Naples. I'm from a small village about fifty miles away—Santa Croce del Sannio."

"It's good to talk to someone from home, a fellow Neapolitan. I'm from Campo Basso. I, too, came through the port as a young bride."

"We're practically neighbors then. Campo Basso is just to the north of us. I don't think I'd know your people but Papa might. He travels, farming the large estates in the area."

Maria shook her head. "I have no people left there." She didn't explain further.

"How long have you and Salvo been here?"

"Sal, ten years. Me, eight."

"You didn't come together?"

"No. Salvo was supposed to work in the United States just long enough to earn enough money to support us in Italy and then come home for good. We dreamed of buying enough land to farm and support ourselves. We kept hoping that the years of famine and oppression would end, and that Salvo would strike it rich. But neither one came to pass. After two years, I could take it no more. I begged Sal to send for me.

"So you came? Through Naples?"

Maria looked at her solemnly, as if weighing a decision to speak further. "Things at the Naples port have not changed much in eight years. This I know from neighbors here that have come