Hearts Persuaded by Joanne Sundell

Author:Joanne Sundell
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Gale, Cengage Learning
Published: 2010-04-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER ELEVEN

“Levi, it's my letter and my private business,” Lucretia huffed, quickly turning and walking out of the mercantile in Waterford, her letter safe in hand. The post had been getting through, hit and miss. Ever since Private Caleb Ryan had left town and gone off to fight, Lucretia made sure to write him every week and hoped her letters made it to his unit. This was the first letter she'd received from him. Anxious to read it, she didn't care if Levi found out.

Levi followed his sister outside. He didn't want to pry. Curious as he was about who was writing to her, he'd leave it be. “Lucretia!” he called after her.

She finally stopped walking and let him catch up to her. “I said it's my—”

“I know. It's thy letter,” he quickly reassured her. “I just wanted to say . . . I wanted to ask thee to come over sometime. Thee doesn't visit us much and I . . . well. . . .” Embarrassed by what he'd just said, he stared down at the ground rather than at his sister.

“Yes, Levi, of course I'll come over,” Lucretia was quick to answer. Too quick, perhaps. She really didn't care for Comfort, even with the news that Comfort was going to have a baby. Comfort seemed cold to her. It wasn't right for her brother to have such a cold wife. But Lucretia didn't realize until just now that she'd been hurting her brother by staying away. The family still grieved over Benjamin's death, Levi especially. She wasn't being a good sister by leaving him alone.

“Well, good, then.” Levi brightened, tossing Lucretia a smile. “Maybe Grace will come, too.”

“Of course, Levi. Grace will come, too,” Lucretia promised, knowing she'd have to talk her little sister into it. Accustomed to Levi visiting them, and coming alone, Lucretia and Grace hadn't seen the need to visit their brother at his house. Really, they were avoiding Comfort. It would hurt Levi if he knew. Lucretia felt guilty for yelling at Levi earlier about her letter and for having neglected to visit him at his house. “We'll be along this evening before candle-lighting. Does that suit, Levi?”

“Come for supper,” he offered right away. He had no idea what they were going to eat tonight. The meat was gone; chickens, too. There were some vegetables. Comfort could make a nice soup for them all. She'd been in such a mood of late; he hoped she wouldn't mind company. Her mood must be because of the baby and not feeling well. She complained all the time of being tired. Heck, he'd make the soup. Biscuits, too. There was a little flour left, a very little. It didn't matter. His mood improved at the idea that his sisters would join them for supper.

Lucretia gave Levi a hug, and then hurried off.

He knew why. She wanted to read that letter of hers.

Dearest Lucretia, her letter from Private Ryan began:

I can't tell you where I am, but to say I'm still in Virginia with my company.

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