Moment in Time, A (Lone Star Brides Book #2) by Peterson Tracie

Author:Peterson, Tracie [Peterson, Tracie]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Tags: Single women—Fiction, Frontier and pioneer life—Fiction, FIC042030, Family secrets—Fiction, FIC042040, FIC042000, Man-woman relationships—Fiction
ISBN: 9781441264039
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 2014-06-02T16:00:00+00:00

Alice looked over the words she’d just written, spending some time on the chilly February morning in her room. She’d thought long about what she would say to her mother, and even then the letter had been hard to write.

What will you think when you get this? How can we possibly put aside all the years lost and all the pain?

She held up the sheet of writing paper and began to read aloud.

“Dear Mama,

“I can’t believe you are still alive. When Mrs. Ingram told me the truth, I didn’t know quite what to think. About a year after you’d gone away, Father told me you and Simon had died. It’s been over a year since you wrote to Mrs. Ingram, but I decided to try this address and let you know that I am alive and well.

“I moved recently to Texas with a dear woman named Martha Wythe—Marty. We are staying with her brother-in-law and sister, Mr. and Mrs. William Barnett. They own a large ranch not far from Dallas, near a town called Cedar Springs. I find it peaceful. Having never been outside of Denver, I also find the warmer climate quite agreeable.”

Alice paused and drew a deep breath before continuing.

“I don’t know how to say the things that are on my heart. I was so hurt when you left, and I’ve never known what to do with that pain. How does a mother leave her child without any warning, without any word? How you must have hated me. The very thought of that causes me to want to forget about sending this letter, but Marty tells me I must.”

That sounds so harsh. Perhaps I should rewrite it.

She looked at several wadded-up pieces of paper and knew she shouldn’t waste yet another piece of Hannah’s good writing paper. Maybe letting her mother see the pain was a good thing.

“I won’t lie and pretend the past doesn’t matter. I won’t try to sugar this up so that it goes down easier. Nobody did that for me.”

Alice’s anger stirred and she fought to push it back down.

“If you desire to correspond with me, you may feel free to do so at the address you’ll find at the bottom of this letter. I would particularly like to know why you left and whether my brother Simon is still alive.

“Yours truly,

“Alice”

Taking up the pen, she wrote the mailing instructions and set the letter aside to let the ink dry. A part of her felt good for what she’d accomplished, while another part felt sick. Marty had been after her to write ever since they’d learned the truth in Denver, and Alice knew she would never stop hounding her about it.

She knew Marty was right. It needed to be done. Whether her mother had a proper explanation or even cared, Alice knew she had to have at least this small contact. She could only pray that her mother was still alive and residing at the same place.

Her thoughts quickly passed from the letter to Robert’s promise of riding lessons that afternoon.

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