To Love and to Cherish Read Online Free PDF Page A

Cassie looking down at her, her beautiful young face a mask of concern.
    â€œFrom her reaction, I’d guess he left everything to you.”
    â€œThe contents of the will are no concern of yours.”
    â€œI expect everybody in town will know before nightfall.” Cassie helped Laurie sit up. “How are you feeling?”
    â€œA little dizzy. What happened? Why am I on the floor?”
    â€œMr. Spencer said something to make you faint.”
    â€œI did no such thing,” Norman protested.
    â€œHelp me up. I can’t stay sitting on the floor.”
    Norman tried to help her up, but he was so tentative he was more of a hindrance. Once in the chair, Laurie smoothed her hair and straightened her skirt. “Thank you, Cassie. I’d have been in a sad way without your help. Now Norman has to tell me why I fainted.”
    â€œAre you sure you’re strong enough?”
    â€œYes.” What choice did she have?
    â€œI think you ought to see the doctor when you leave. A healthy young woman like you ought not to faint.”
    â€œI’ll be all right. I’m sure it was the stress of Noah’s death and the funeral.”
    â€œIf you faint again, I’m calling the doctor myself.”
    After the door closed behind Cassie, Laurie turned to Norman. Her strength was returning. Along with it came seething anger. “Now I remember. Why would Noah leave everything to you? Did you force him to do it?”
    Norman was incensed. “I have never forced my brother to do anything. It is a perfectly ordinary thing to do. No woman is capable of handling an estate on her own.”
    â€œI’ve worked in the store, so I know how it’s run. I don’t see any reason why I can’t have my money.”
    â€œYou do have your money. It’s just that I’ve been left to manage it for you.”
    â€œHow do you intend to manage it?”
    â€œAs I said, he left you the house and its contents.”
    â€œCan I sell it?”
    â€œNo. Why would you want to?”
    â€œThen I don’t have a house any more than I have any money.” Noah was controlling her from the grave.
    â€œYou have a house and you have money. I’ll make you a suitable allowance each month.”
    â€œHow much?”
    â€œI’ll decide that once I’ve had a chance to go over Noah’s household accounts.”
    â€œI can tell you how much I need.”
    Norman took on the appearance of a prune. “Noah’s will directed me to make all decisions about your money.”
    â€œI would like a hundred dollars immediately. I need to buy new clothes and some new furnishings for the house.” She might as well have told Norman she wanted to throw everything in her house into the street. He puffed up like a hot pastry.
    â€œWhat’s wrong with the house?”
    â€œNothing. I just want to replace some furnishings I don’t care for.”
    â€œNoah chose everything in that house.”
    â€œThat’s why I want to buy some new ones. He chose them, not me.”
    â€œDo you intend to purchase more clothes like the ones you have on?”
    â€œThere’s nothing wrong with my clothes. I already said I’d talk to Naomi or Sibyl before I buy anything more.”
    â€œI believe it would be better if I went along to approve your purchases.”
    â€œYou don’t trust my cousins? Not even your own wife?”
    â€œThere are a lot of single men who come through our town. They are not the kind of men who are likely to think well of a woman dressed as you are.”
    Laurie didn’t need Norman to say anything further for her to know he intended to use her money to control her as tightly as her husband had done. She had been given freedom just long enough to taste it before it was snatched away. She had to do something to keep this from happening, but she didn’t know what it would be. In the meantime, she was so angry she’d say