Chapter One
September 1869
A chilly gust of wind pushed through the open window and past the lace curtains, jerking the wrinkled, faded paper from Leann's hand, sending it to the floor. She shivered then rose to close the window.
Sue picked the paper up and examined it. "Are you still reading this letter from Sonny Wade, when you’re marrying his brother in two days? I thought you threw it away ages ago."
"Hand that to me." Leann had not heard her sister enter the room. She snatched the letter from Sue’s hand, tearing the fragile paper. "Really, Sue, my letter is none of your business. I should have thrown it away, but I felt sorry for Sonny, being in the war and a Union prison camp. And besides, I forgot about it."
"You were hiding that letter." Sue’s eyes narrowed when she looked directly into Leann’s.
"I didn’t hide it. You and the family read it."
"Several years ago. You’ve been hiding it ever since and probably secretly reading it."
"Don’t be silly."
"Have you seen Sonny since he got out of the army? Or do you just read his letter and dream about the handsome man?"
"No, to both questions. He works on a Mississippi River steamboat and has only been home a couple of times. Pa told me he saw Sonny in town last year. They talked for awhile, then Sonny headed for the saloon when Pa walked away."
"Well, you should have thrown it away. What if Ralph finds out you secretly kept his brother’s love letter?" Sue’s locks bobbed with her shaking head.
Leann tore the already ripped paper into tiny pieces and threw them into a small trash basket sitting beside the bedroom door. She could not explain to herself or to her sister, why the letter had remained in the drawer for years. "Are you happy now? It wasn’t a love letter. You read it. He only wrote about the war and being homesick. I didn’t answer, so he never wrote again."
Leann grabbed her younger sister by the arm, looking directly into the girl’s green eyes. Sue stared back with the same intensity. "And don’t you tell anyone about me keeping the letter. I forgot about it until I started packing. Do you want to cause trouble with Ralph or the family?"
"I won’t tell, if you will let me keep your pretty green parasol when you leave." Sue pushed Leann’s arm off her own.
"That’s my only good one. It matches my green voile dress. I won’t have anything to take to the socials."
"Make your husband buy you a new one." Sue was unrelenting.
"Okay. I will leave my green parasol with you. Just don’t tell I kept the letter. Sonny Wade means nothing to me."
"Well, he must mean something, or you would have thrown his letter away. He may not have put in writing that he loved you, but he came around here pretty often before he joined the army and gave Ralph room to move in."
"I was only thirteen when he left."
"I’m thirteen, and I love Johnny Townsend. I plan to be married when I’m eighteen, just like you. What if Sonny hadn’t gone to war? Would he have won your heart instead of Ralph?"
Would he have won her heart? Maybe. She had felt an attraction for him. He always seemed so adventurous and daring. She was shy and timid, so daring excited her. "No. I’ve always loved Ralph and always will."
"Well, let’s hope so. After all, you’re marrying him, not Sonny. Ma wants you to come help with breakfast. She said we have a lot to do today, with finishing your wedding dress so you can wed your beloved." Sue gave a small giggle, opened the door, and headed downstairs to the kitchen. Leann followed.
How could she have been so careless as to let Sue see Sonny’s letter? It should have been thrown away years ago. She forgot it lay hidden in the back corner of her undergarment drawer, until she began packing her things to take to her new home. She loved Ralph, and the excitement of becoming his wife filled her heart and soul. Hopefully, Sonny would stay away forever and she would never have to face him again.