Dawn's Prelude Read Free

her. She lifted her chin and spoke loudly enough for him to hear her. “I would be very glad for you to accompany me. What time shall I expect you?”
    “I will arrive for you at nine-thirty. The reading is set for ten.”
    Lydia nodded. “Very well. I shall await your arrival.”
    As soon as Robinson had departed, Lydia hurried upstairs before Marston could stop her. She nearly ran for the sanctuary of her bedroom and locked the door behind her before allowing herself another glance at her father’s letter.
    If he had provided enough money, then Lydia knew exactly what she wanted to do. Her only living relative, Aunt Zerelda, lived in far-off Alaska in a tiny island town called Sitka. It had long been Lydia’s desire to join her there.
    Perhaps now I can do exactly that. After all, it would resolve all of her problems. Moving to such a remote place would put her well beyond the reach of her vindictive stepchildren. It would also allow her a fresh new start.
    She went to her desk and took out pen and paper. It would take considerable time for a letter to reach her aunt. It would be best to get started and allow Zerelda knowledge of what had happened. She didn’t yet know of her brother’s death.
    For the first time in years, Lydia felt a spark of hope. She glanced across the room to where her violin awaited her. Forgoing the letter momentarily, Lydia crossed to the instrument and lovingly took it in hand. She tested the strings and tuned it before drawing the bow.
    Music filled the air and sent soothing waves across the stormy seas of Lydia’s heart. Throughout her life, she had known no comfort like that of her music. For a moment she lost herself in the haunting melody of Bach’s Mass in B Minor.
    She had once thought of having this music played at her funeral. Now, however, her death seemed far away. A new future awaited her.

Chapter 2
    L ydia sat uncomfortably between her twin stepsons. They seemed unhappy that she had been asked to be in attendance by both her father’s lawyer, Mr. Robinson, and their family lawyer, Nash Sterling. Truth be told, Lydia wasn’t at all excited about the humiliation of hearing her dead husband’s will read.
    At least Father considered my needs. For all the wrong he did me in forcing me to marry, he at least considered my situation. She held her gloved hands together so tightly that they immediately began to ache. Lydia wanted to relax her grip, but if she did, the entire family would see how hard she was shaking.
    Mr. Sterling stood. “We have agreed to meet here today for the reading of two wills. That of Mr. Zachary Rockford, father of Lydia Rockford Gray, and of Mr. Floyd Gray, husband of the same Mrs. Lydia Rockford Gray, and father to Mr. Mitchell Gray, Mr. Marston Gray, Mrs. Jeannette Gray Stone, and Mrs. Genevieve Gray Gadston.” He looked up as if to take a silent roll call, then nodded at Mr. Robinson.
    Lydia drew a deep breath as her father’s lawyer began to read the content of Zachary Rockford’s will. Marston and Mitchell were not going to like hearing that her father had left her a trust. They had taken such satisfaction in knowing she would be left without any provision whatsoever, and this would surely steal some of that joy.
    “ ‘In agreement with the contract signed on March 10, 1859, at the marriage of my daughter Lydia Rockford to Floyd Gray, I do hereby leave all my worldly goods to Floyd Gray upon my death.’ ”
    Mitchell and Marston both turned a smug face to Lydia, but she neither acknowledged their stare nor the words spoken by Mr. Robinson. She had known of the agreement. Her marriage had been a business arrangement. The wholesale purchase of a sixteen-year-old bride by an older man whose wife had committed the unspeakable act of suicide.
    “However, there is also another point of reference written here,” Mr. Robinson continued. “ ‘Should Floyd Gray precede me in death, then all of my properties, including stocks, business interests, and