Chapter 6: The Daughter My Mother## Chapter 6: The Daughter My Mother Tried to Erase
"You Tried to Erase
"You were the one who handed her the matches.""
My father's words remained were the one who handed her the matches.""
My father's words remained suspended between us.
Outside, the Vermont woods had disappeared beneath a curtain of suspended between us.
Outside, the Vermont woods had disappeared beneath a curtain of rain. Inside the little house, the clock above the refrigerator ticked steadily, indifferent rain. Inside the little house, the clock above the refrigerator ticked steadily, indifferent to the fact that everything I had believed about my childhood had just collapsed.
I stared at Thomas Whitmore.
"Tell me you didn't to the fact that everything I had believed about my childhood had just collapsed.
I stared at Thomas Whitmore.
"Tell me you didn't mean that.""
He lowered his head.
"Eleanor—"
"Tell me I didn't mean that.""
He lowered his head.
"Eleanor—"
"Tell me I didn't start that fire.""
"You were fourteen. You didn't understand what you were doing.""
"That's not an answer!""
My voice cracked against the kitchen walls.
He reached for me, but start that fire.""
"You were fourteen. You didn't understand what you were doing.""
"That's not an answer!""
My voice cracked against the kitchen walls.
He reached for me, but I stepped away.
For eleven years, I had believed my father had died in a car accident. For eleven years, I had imagined him watching over me from somewhere beyond the I stepped away.
For eleven years, I had believed my father had died in a car accident. For eleven years, I had imagined him watching over me from somewhere beyond the world, forgiving me for missing the warning signs of my mother's illness, forgiving me for not answering her final telephone call.
Now he stood before me, alive, telling me that I had played a world, forgiving me for missing the warning signs of my mother's illness, forgiving me for not answering her final telephone call.
Now he stood before me, alive, telling me that I had played a part in the night that destroyed our family.
"Sit down," he whispered.
"No.""
"Please.""
Something part in the night that destroyed our family.
"Sit down," he whispered.
"No.""
"Please.""
Something in his voice stopped me.
It wasn't authority. It wasn't the confident tone he had used when I was a child.
It was fear.
My father looked frightened of what he in his voice stopped me.
It wasn't authority. It wasn't the confident tone he had used when I was a child.
It was fear.
My father looked frightened of what he was about to tell me.
I sat.
He remained standing beside the window, watching the rain slide down the glass.
"Your mother and Robert Ashford had been arguing for months," he began.
"Robert had was about to tell me.
I sat.
He remained standing beside the window, watching the rain slide down the glass.
"Your mother and Robert Ashford had been arguing for months," he began.
"Robert had discovered a way to move money through our company without leaving an obvious trail. Margaret found out, and she threatened to expose him.""
"Why would she care? You discovered a way to move money through our company without leaving an obvious trail. Margaret found out, and she threatened to expose him.""
"Why would she care? You said they were lovers.""
"They were more than that. They were partners in a business arrangement said they were lovers.""
"They were more than that. They were partners in a business arrangement neither of us fully understood.""
"What arrangement?""
He rubbed his face.
"Robert was arranging private adoptions. Children from complicated situations neither of us fully understood.""
"What arrangement?""
He rubbed his face.
"Robert was arranging private adoptions. Children from complicated situations were placed with wealthy families. Some of those adoptions were legal.
Others were not. Your mother helped him conceal the money and alter records.""
I stared at him.
"You were placed with wealthy families. Some of those adoptions were legal. Others were not. Your mother helped him conceal the money and alter records.""
I stared at him.
"You expect me to believe my mother was involved in selling children?""
"I wish I could tell you otherwise.""
"Then why did she do it?""
"Because she believed she could control expect me to believe my mother was involved in selling children?""
"I wish I could tell you otherwise.""
"Then why did she do it?""
"Because she believed she could control the consequences.""
He gave a humorless laugh.
"Your mother always believed she could control everything the consequences.""
He gave a humorless laugh.
"Your mother always believed she could control everything.""
I thought of the locked room above the east staircase. The carefully arranged desk. The letters that had survived years of dust.
"What does that have to do with me?""
"Robert.""
I thought of the locked room above the east staircase. The carefully arranged desk. The letters that had survived years of dust.
"What does that have to do with me?""
"Robert threatened to reveal what she had done. Margaret decided to confront him at the garden house. I went with her.""
"And I followed you.""
He threatened to reveal what she had done. Margaret decided to confront him at the garden house. I went with her.""
"And I followed you.""
He nodded.
"You woke up and found us gone. You were fourteen, Eleanor. You were stubborn, frightened, nodded.
"You woke up and found us gone. You were fourteen, Eleanor. You were stubborn, frightened, and convinced that if something happened to your family, you could fix it.""
I remembered the dark hallway.
My and convinced that if something happened to your family, you could fix it.""
I remembered the dark hallway.
My bare feet against the cold floor.
The sound of my mother's voice coming from the garden.
A box of matches sitting beside the fireplace.
"I took the matches," I whispered bare feet against the cold floor.
The sound of my mother's voice coming from the garden.
A box of matches sitting beside the fireplace.
"I took the matches," I whispered.
"You did.""
"What happened next?""
"Robert grabbed your mother. They struggled. You.
"You did.""
"What happened next?""
"Robert grabbed your mother. They struggled. You came through the door and saw him strike her.""
A flash of memory pierced came through the door and saw him strike her.""
A flash of memory pierced my mind.
A man's hand.
My mother's scream.
A glass breaking against the wall.
"You shouted at him to stop," Thomas my mind.
A man's hand.
My mother's scream.
A glass breaking against the wall.
"You shouted at him to stop," Thomas continued.
"Then you dropped the matches beside a bottle of lamp oil. The papers caught fire first. Within seconds, the curtains were burning.""
I pressed both continued.
"Then you dropped the matches beside a bottle of lamp oil. The papers caught fire first. Within seconds, the curtains were burning.""
I pressed both hands against my mouth.
"Was Robert inside?""
"He was near the back door when I last saw him.""
"Did he die?""
My father looked at me.
"We hands against my mouth.
"Was Robert inside?""
"He was near the back door when I last saw him.""
"Did he die?""
My father looked at me.
"We believed he had.""
"That isn't what I asked.""
He closed his eyes.
"No. I never believed he had.""
"That isn't what I asked.""
He closed his eyes.
"No. I never saw his body.""
The rain intensified.
I rose and walked to the window, needing distance from him.
"Then why did you disappear?""
"Because Robert came saw his body.""
The rain intensified.
I rose and walked to the window, needing distance from him.
"Then why did you disappear?""
"Because Robert came back.""
I turned.
"What?""
"Three days after the fire, while you were still recovering in the hospital, Robert contacted your mother. He told her he had survived. He said he would destroy back.""
I turned.
"What?""
"Three days after the fire, while you were still recovering in the hospital, Robert contacted your mother. He told her he had survived. He said he would destroy us if we revealed what happened in the garden house.""
"And you let him threaten you?""
"I had no choice.""
"Everyone us if we revealed what happened in the garden house.""
"And you let him threaten you?""
"I had no choice.""
"Everyone has a choice.""
He looked at me with exhausted eyes.
"Sometimes every choice hurts someone you love.""
I thought of Daniel's engagement to Charlotte. Of my mother's has a choice.""
He looked at me with exhausted eyes.
"Sometimes every choice hurts someone you love.""
I thought of Daniel's engagement to Charlotte. Of my mother's final note. Of the years I had spent believing my sister had stolen my future.
"Where is Robert now?""
"I don't know.""
"You're lying.""
"I'm not.""
He final note. Of the years I had spent believing my sister had stolen my future.
"Where is Robert now?""
"I don't know.""
"You're lying.""
"I'm not.""
He crossed to the kitchen drawer and removed a small leather pouch.
Inside lay a silver watch with a cracked face.
I recognized it immediately.
I had seen the same crossed to the kitchen drawer and removed a small leather pouch.
Inside lay a silver watch with a cracked face.
I recognized it immediately.
I had seen the same watch in the photograph from the cellar.
"Robert's watch," I whispered.
Thomas nodded.
"Your mother found it in watch in the photograph from the cellar.
"Robert's watch," I whispered.
Thomas nodded.
"Your mother found it in the garden house after the fire. She kept it because it was the only thing that proved he'd been there.""
"Why would she keep evidence against herself?""
"Because the garden house after the fire. She kept it because it was the only thing that proved he'd been there.""
"Why would she keep evidence against herself?""
"Because she believed one day she might need it.""
He handed me the watch.
Something small rattled inside its broken casing.
I turned it over.
The back had been opened and she believed one day she might need it.""
He handed me the watch.
Something small rattled inside its broken casing.
I turned it over.
The back had been opened and carefully resealed. Beneath the metal cover was a folded strip of paper.
I unfolded it.
Three words were written in my mother's handwriting.
*Ask about Abigail carefully resealed. Beneath the metal cover was a folded strip of paper.
I unfolded it.
Three words were written in my mother's handwriting.
Ask about Abigail.
I looked at my father.
"Who is Abigail?""
His face drained of color.
Before he could answer, headlights swept across the kitchen window.
A car door.*
I looked at my father.
"Who is Abigail?""
His face drained of color.
Before he could answer, headlights swept across the kitchen window.
A car door slammed outside.
My father grabbed my arm.
"Get away from the window.""
I pulled free.
"Who is it?""
He didn't answer.
Three hard knocks struck the front door.
Then slammed outside.
My father grabbed my arm.
"Get away from the window.""
I pulled free.
"Who is it?""
He didn't answer.
Three hard knocks struck the front door.
Then a woman's voice called through the wood.
"Thomas, open the door.""
Charlotte.
I hurried toward the entrance, but my father blocked my path.
"Don't.""
a woman's voice called through the wood.
"Thomas, open the door.""
Charlotte.
I hurried toward the entrance, but my father blocked my path.
"Don't.""
"She's my sister.""
"Not everything is what you think it is.""
I stared at him.
"That sentence has ruined"She's my sister.""
"Not everything is what you think it is.""
I stared at him.
"That sentence has ruined my life.""
Another knock.
"Thomas!"" Charlotte shouted.
"I know Eleanor is inside.""
I opened the door.
My sister stood on the porch, my life.""
Another knock.
"Thomas!"" Charlotte shouted.
"I know Eleanor is inside.""
I opened the door.
My sister stood on the porch, soaked to the skin. Behind her, Daniel leaned against a black sedan, watching us with the detached expression of a man waiting for a delayed flight.
Charlotte's eyes found mine.
For soaked to the skin. Behind her, Daniel leaned against a black sedan, watching us with the detached expression of a man waiting for a delayed flight.
Charlotte's eyes found mine.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then she looked past me at our father.
"Did you tell her?""
"Tell me what?"" I demanded.
Charlotte's lips a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then she looked past me at our father.
"Did you tell her?""
"Tell me what?"" I demanded.
Charlotte's lips trembled.
She reached into her coat and removed a photograph.
It showed my mother standing outside the garden house, holding a newborn baby wrapped in a white blanket.
The photograph had been taken trembled.
She reached into her coat and removed a photograph.
It showed my mother standing outside the garden house, holding a newborn baby wrapped in a white blanket.
The photograph had been taken three days after the fire.
On the back were four words.
The child is Abigail.
Charlotte placed it in my hand.
Then she whispered, " three days after the fire.
On the back were four words.
The child is Abigail.
Charlotte placed it in my hand.
Then she whispered, "Eleanor, the baby our mother gave away wasn't the only child she tried to erase.""
She looked at Thomas.
"Grace is RobertEleanor, the baby our mother gave away wasn't the only child she tried to erase.""
She looked at Thomas.
"Grace is Robert's granddaughter. But Abigail is his daughter.""
I stared at the photograph.
Then Charlotte spoke the words that made my knees's granddaughter. But Abigail is his daughter.""
I stared at the photograph.
May you like
Then Charlotte spoke the words that made my knees weaken.
"And Abigail is not the only child Margaret hid from us.""
