Read Online Love Everlasting by Tracie Peterson - Free Book Online Page B

wouldn’t go so far as to end his life over her. Perhaps she should consult her aunts on the matter.
    â€œMrs. Madison sent me away,” Flora said, as if Abrianna hadasked about her sudden appearance. “She was annoyed with me, I think. I kept telling her about the way we did things in Montana. I don’t think she much cared about that.”
    Abrianna motioned the younger woman to sit. “No. She is very fixed in how she believes things should go. You will do better to keep that in mind. I know from personal experience that even information obtained by books and magazines is of little interest to my aunts. They all have their opinions of how certain things should be managed, and that is that. I remember once when Godey’s , no, it was Peterson’s Ladies National Magazine gave a recipe on making mutton pie. It did not meet my aunts’ standards. It had something to do with an inordinate amount of rosemary in the recipe. But from that point on they avoided Peterson’s all together.”
    â€œI hope I didn’t ruin my chances here.” Flora seemed quite contrite, and Abrianna felt sorry for her. “Even my roommate Elizabeth seems to despise my enthusiasm.”
    â€œMy aunts may be fixed in their ways, but they are also most generous with their forgiveness when it comes to students. As for Elizabeth, perhaps she just doesn’t appreciate your fire for living. If you like, I will have my aunt move you to share my room. I’d rather like having a roommate like you.”
    â€œOh, that would be so grand,” Flora said, holding her hands to her breast. “I cannot imagine anything that would make me happier. How can I repay you?”
    â€œI would love to hear something of Montana. Tell me about your life there. I heard you say you grew up on a ranch.”
    â€œYes,” she replied, nodding with great enthusiasm. “My mother and father owned the ranch, and my older brother Dusty”—she leaned forward as if to share a great secret—“his real name is Zedekiah, but he won’t let anyone use it.”
    â€œHow odd. It’s a perfectly good Bible name,” Abrianna countered.
    She nodded. “He wouldn’t even go by Zed. Mama told me that when Dusty was six years old, he came home from school with a blackened eye and bruised face. He declared then and there that he would no longer be Zedekiah Ledbetter, but Dusty Ledbetter.”
    â€œThat is most peculiar. Where do you suppose he got a name like that?”
    â€œMama thought it was something he dreamed up after riding herd with Papa. No matter the origin, he refused to answer to anything else.”
    â€œWhere is he now?”
    â€œHe has the ranch. When Papa died, Dusty was grown and took over the place. Mama was very grieved over losing Papa, and she stayed mostly to herself for a long time. In the meantime, I busied myself by going to school and doing some of the cooking chores. Dusty was gone a lot and I gave it no mind, but then one day he shows up with a bride—Mrs. Lorelei Ledbetter, formerly Miss Lorelei Vandercamp. She was a most tedious woman who resented having to live with her mother-in-law. I suppose she resented me as well, but her worst attitude was directed at Mama.”
    â€œGoodness, that hardly seems right.”
    â€œIt was truly a nightmare. Lorelei didn’t like Mama and me. She used to nag Dusty something fierce to send us elsewhere. Why she figured she had the right to throw us out of our own home, I’ll never know. Just meanspirited, I guess.”
    â€œIt would appear so,” Abrianna replied, getting caught up in the story. “Do you suppose she was lacking in spiritual qualities? Or perhaps she had suffered an injury as a child and was unable to think clearly?”
    â€œI don’t know what she suffered, but she sure made the rest of us suffer.” Flora shook her head. “Made Mama downright sick. She would