The Present by Johanna Lindsey Read Free Book Online Page A

from our mistakes.
     
    Anastasia Malory

    Amy was beaming widely as she held the journal to her chest. She'd been right! And she wanted to start reading this unexpected gift from her great-grandparents immediately, but the others were still discussing the letter . . .

    'Anastasia?" Anthony was saying. "Can't say I've ever heard my grandmother called that before."

    "It's not exactly an English name, is it, whereas Anna is," James pointed out. "An obvious effort to conceal the truth, if you ask me."

    "But what truth?" Derek asked. "Anastasia could be a Spanish name."

    "Or not," Travis put in.

    Marshall said, "No need to speculate at this point, when we'll be reading the truth for ourselves. So who gets to read it first?"

    "Amy does, of course," Derek suggested. "It might have shown up before she made that bet with Jeremy, but it's related as far as I'm concerned, though I'd still like to know who found it and wrapped it up for a Christmas gift, rather than just give it to m'father."

    "It's likely been in this house all these years, with no one aware of it," Reggie speculated.

    "I'll buy that," Derek said. "Hell, this house is so big, there's places in it even I haven't looked into, and I was raised here."

    "Lot of us were born and raised here, dear boy," Anthony mentioned. "But you're right, not every little thing gets investigated when you're young. Depends what you find interesting, I suppose."

    Amy couldn't stand the suspense anymore and offered at that point, "I'm willing to read it aloud, if some of you want to stay to hear it."

    "I'm game for a chapter or two at least," Marshall said, and found himself a seat to get comfortable in.

    "As thick as that journal is, it may take right up to Christmas day to get it all read," Warren noted as he sat on one of the couches and patted the spot next to him for Amy to settle into.

    "Lucky then we opened it ahead of time, eh?" Jeremy grinned.

    "Can't very well get to sleep now, not after that 'Judge us not, but perhaps learn from our mistakes,' " James said. "Too bloody intriguing, that."

    "Think we should wake the elders first, though," Anthony replied.

    James nodded. "I agree. You wake them while I find us another bottle of brandy. I get the feeling it's going to be a long bloody night."

    There were four large wagons in the caravan. Three of them were nearly little houses on wheels, made entirely of wood, including the slightly curved roof, and replete with a door and windows covered in bright curtains. Some were ancient, a testimony to the superior quality of craftsmanship that made them. Even the fourth wagon showed this quality, though it was merely a typical supply wagon. When the caravan would move off to the side of a road at night to make camp, tents would be removed from the fourth wagon, along with large kettles and the iron rods that formed triangles over campfires to hold them, and the food to throw into them. Within minutes of the caravan halting, the area would take on the atmosphere of a small,
    cheerful village. Pleasant aromas would drift off into the surrounding woods, as well as the gay sound of music and laughter.

    The largest of the four wagons belonged to the baros-san, the leader, Ivan Lautaru. Surrounding his wagon were the tents of his family, his wife's sisters, her mother, his sisters, and his unmarried daughters.

    The second largest wagon belonged to Ivan's son, Nicolai, built in preparation for him to take a wife. It had been built six years ago. He had yet to take that wife. The omens were not right for it, according to Maria Stephanoff, the old woman who lived in the third wagon. First she claimed the wedding must take place on a certain day of the year to be fruitful, then she claimed each year that the omens weren't right for it on the appointed day, much to Nicolai's fury.

    There were a total of six families in the small caravan, with forty-six people among them, including the children. They intermarried as they were able, yet