Chapter 7: The Secret Written Beneath My Name
We returned to the Whitmore estate just before midnight.
Daniel drove ahead. Charlotte sat beside me in Secret Written Beneath My Name
We returned to the Whitmore estate just before midnight.
Daniel drove ahead. Charlotte sat beside me in my rental car, clutching her coat around herself while the headlights illuminated the wet road.
Neither of us spoke for my rental car, clutching her coat around herself while the headlights illuminated the wet road.
Neither of us spoke for several miles.
Finally, I turned toward her.
"How long have you known about Abigail?""
Charlotte stared through the windshield.
"Three months.""
"And several miles.
Finally, I turned toward her.
"How long have you known about Abigail?""
Charlotte stared through the windshield.
"Three months.""
"And you didn't tell me?""
"I was trying to find out whether she was alive.""
"That sounds familiar.""
She flinched.
"I deserved you didn't tell me?""
"I was trying to find out whether she was alive.""
"That sounds familiar.""
She flinched.
"I deserved that.""
"No that.""
"No, Charlotte. You deserved the chance to tell me the truth eleven years ago. I deserved the chance to hear it.""
She pressed her fingers against her eyes.
"I know.""
The admission surprised me.
For years, I had imagined confronting my, Charlotte. You deserved the chance to tell me the truth eleven years ago. I deserved the chance to hear it.""
She pressed her fingers against her eyes.
"I know.""
The admission surprised me.
For years, I had imagined confronting my sister and watching her defend herself. I had rehearsed the arguments, the sister and watching her defend herself. I had rehearsed the arguments, the accusations, the devastating final words I would deliver before walking away.
But sitting beside her now, I felt something more complicated than anger.
accusations, the devastating final words I would deliver before walking away.
But sitting beside her now, I felt something more complicated than anger.
We had both been children in a house where the adults controlled the truth.
The difference was that Charlotte had stayed.
I had escaped.
Neither of us hadWe had both been children in a house where the adults controlled the truth.
The difference was that Charlotte had stayed.
I had escaped.
Neither of us had understood what that had cost the other.
"Why did Mom make you wear my engagement ring?"" I asked.
Charlotte looked down at her bare hand.
"Because she understood what that had cost the other.
"Why did Mom make you wear my engagement ring?"" I asked.
Charlotte looked down at her bare hand.
"Because she knew you would leave if you believed Daniel had betrayed you.""
"Why was it so important that I leave?""
"Because you had knew you would leave if you believed Daniel had betrayed you.""
"Why was it so important that I leave?""
"Because you had started asking questions about the company.""
I turned toward her.
"What questions?""
"You found a bank statement in Dad's study. You noticed money started asking questions about the company.""
I turned toward her.
"What questions?""
"You found a bank statement in Dad's study. You noticed money moving between accounts that didn't belong to the company. You asked Mom about it.""
I remembered the statement.
I had been fourteen moving between accounts that didn't belong to the company. You asked Mom about it.""
I remembered the statement.
I had been fourteen, helping my father sort papers after he returned from a business trip. I had noticed a series of payments to unfamiliar names and asked whether the, helping my father sort papers after he returned from a business trip. I had noticed a series of payments to unfamiliar names and asked whether the company was in trouble.
My mother had taken the papers from me.
She had smiled.
Then she had told me never to discuss business matters with strangers.
"I was company was in trouble.
My mother had taken the papers from me.
She had smiled.
Then she had told me never to discuss business matters with strangers.
"I was fourteen," I whispered.
"Yes.""
"And she was afraid of me?""
"She was afraid of what you might discover.""
The gates of fourteen," I whispered.
"Yes.""
"And she was afraid of me?""
"She was afraid of what you might discover.""
The gates of the estate appeared ahead.
Two security guards stood beneath the stone archway. One recognized Charlotte and opened the gates without asking questions.
As the estate appeared ahead.
Two security guards stood beneath the stone archway. One recognized Charlotte and opened the gates without asking questions.
As we drove up the hill, I noticed that several windows were illuminated.
Someone was waiting.
Inside, Mrs. Price met us in the foyer.
"Miss Charlotte, we drove up the hill, I noticed that several windows were illuminated.
Someone was waiting.
Inside, Mrs. Price met us in the foyer.
"Miss Charlotte, the police have been calling.""
Charlotte removed her coat.
"Tell them I'll speak to them in the morning.""
"They said it was urgent.""
"Everything is urgent tonight.""
Mrs. Price the police have been calling.""
Charlotte removed her coat.
"Tell them I'll speak to them in the morning.""
"They said it was urgent.""
"Everything is urgent tonight.""
Mrs. Price looked at me.
Her expression softened.
"Miss Eleanor, there's something you should see.""
She led us upstairs to the east staircase room.
The desk had been looked at me.
Her expression softened.
"Miss Eleanor, there's something you should see.""
She led us upstairs to the east staircase room.
The desk had been moved away from the wall. Several floorboards had been lifted, exposing a narrow compartment beneath them.
Inside lay a black ledger, a bundle of letters moved away from the wall. Several floorboards had been lifted, exposing a narrow compartment beneath them.
Inside lay a black ledger, a bundle of letters, and a sealed envelope bearing my name.
I picked up the envelope.
The handwriting was my mother's.
My fingers trembled as I opened it.
*My de, and a sealed envelope bearing my name.
I picked up the envelope.
The handwriting was my mother's.
My fingers trembled as I opened it.
My dearest Eleanor,
If you're reading this, then I have failed to keep the past from finding you.
I stopped.
Charlottearest Eleanor,*
If you're reading this, then I have failed to keep the past from finding you.
I stopped.
Charlotte stood beside me, reading over my shoulder.
The letter continued.
*I told myself I was protecting you. I told myself that if you believed your stood beside me, reading over my shoulder.
The letter continued.
I told myself I was protecting you. I told myself that if you believed your sister had betrayed you, you would leave this house and build a life beyond the reach of Robert Ashford.
I was wrong about many things sister had betrayed you, you would leave this house and build a life beyond the reach of Robert Ashford.
*I was wrong about many things. I was wrong to believe that silence could erase what I had done. I was wrong to let you think your father had died. And I was wrong.
I was wrong to believe that silence could erase what I had done. I was wrong to let you think your father had died. And I was wrong to let you believe you had caused the fire.*
I gripped the paper.
My mother had known.
She had known what I believed.
She had known how it to let you believe you had caused the fire.*
I gripped the paper.
My mother had known.
She had known what I believed.
She had known how it hurt me.
And she had allowed me to carry the guilt.
You did not start the fire, Eleanor.
I stopped breathing.
*You dropped the matches, but hurt me.
And she had allowed me to carry the guilt.
You did not start the fire, Eleanor.
I stopped breathing.
*You dropped the matches, but the fire had already begun. Robert had poured lamp oil across the floor before you arrived. He intended to destroy the documents in the room and make the the fire had already begun.
Robert had poured lamp oil across the floor before you arrived. He intended to destroy the documents in the room and make the fire look accidental.*
I read the sentence again.
Then again.
I had spent eleven years believing that I had caused the fire.
But fire look accidental.*
I read the sentence again.
Then again.
I had spent eleven years believing that I had caused the fire.
But my mother had known I hadn't.
She had watched me suffer anyway.
The letter continued.
*Your father tried to save Robert. I tried my mother had known I hadn't.
She had watched me suffer anyway.
The letter continued.
Your father tried to save Robert. I tried to save your father. Neither of us could save the man we thought had died.
The body recovered from the garden house belonged to Peter Lawson. He had been helping to save your father. Neither of us could save the man we thought had died.
The body recovered from the garden house belonged to Peter Lawson. He had been helping Robert conceal the adoption records. When he threatened to expose the operation, Robert killed him.
I lowered the letter.
Charlotte covered her mouth.
"Mom knew Robert conceal the adoption records. When he threatened to expose the operation, Robert killed him.*
I lowered the letter.
Charlotte covered her mouth.
"Mom knew," she whispered.
"She knew everything.""
I continued reading.
*After the fire, Robert escaped through the cellar. Your," she whispered.
"She knew everything.""
I continued reading.
After the fire, Robert escaped through the cellar. Your father helped me conceal Peter's body because he believed you would be blamed for the murder. We told ourselves that if we protected you father helped me conceal Peter's body because he believed you would be blamed for the murder. We told ourselves that if we protected you long enough, you would forget.
We never considered that forgetting would become another kind of prison.
My hands shook so badly that the page rust long enough, you would forget.*
We never considered that forgetting would become another kind of prison.
My hands shook so badly that the page rustled.
At the bottom of the letter, my mother had written another paragraph.
*There is one more truth you must understand. Abigail was not the only child Robert fatherled.
At the bottom of the letter, my mother had written another paragraph.
*There is one more truth you must understand. Abigail was not the only child Robert fathered. Before you were born, he had a daughter with a woman named Catherine Bennett. That child was placeded.
Before you were born, he had a daughter with a woman named Catherine Bennett. That child was placed with another family. Her name is Abigail Bennett.*
I looked at Charlotte.
"The woman I met?""
She nodded slowly.
I turned the page with another family. Her name is Abigail Bennett.*
I looked at Charlotte.
"The woman I met?""
She nodded slowly.
I turned the page.
*And there was another child. A boy. He was born eleven years ago, shortly before the fire.
His mother died during childbirth. Robert arranged.
*And there was another child. A boy. He was born eleven years ago, shortly before the fire.
His mother died during childbirth. Robert arranged for him to be raised under a false identity.*
I felt the room tilt.
"Another child?""
Charlotte leaned closer.
The for him to be raised under a false identity.*
I felt the room tilt.
"Another child?""
Charlotte leaned closer.
The final paragraph contained a name.
*Daniel Ashford was not the only person Robert claimed as his son. The boy who was born that winter final paragraph contained a name.
Daniel Ashford was not the only person Robert claimed as his son. The boy who was born that winter is the person who knows where the original adoption records are hidden.
I looked at Charlotte.
"Who is he?""
She shook her is the person who knows where the original adoption records are hidden.*
I looked at Charlotte.
"Who is he?""
She shook her head.
"I don't know.""
Mrs. Price had gone pale.
"There was a baby," she whispered.
I turned toward her.
"What?""
"Ele head.
"I don't know.""
Mrs. Price had gone pale.
"There was a baby," she whispered.
I turned toward her.
"What?""
"Eleven years ago. Your mother received a telephone call from the hospital. She left the house in the middle of the night and returned carryingven years ago.
Your mother received a telephone call from the hospital. She left the house in the middle of the night and returned carrying a blanket.""
"What happened to the baby?""
Mrs. Price looked toward the window.
"I was told he had died.""
I closed my eyes.
Another a blanket.""
"What happened to the baby?""
Mrs. Price looked toward the window.
"I was told he had died.""
I closed my eyes.
Another child.
Another death that might not have happened.
Another secret hidden beneath the name Whitmore.
Then I noticed a small note child.
Another death that might not have happened.
Another secret hidden beneath the name Whitmore.
Then I noticed a small note tucked into the envelope.
It contained an address in Boston.
My address tucked into the envelope.
It contained an address in Boston.
My address.
And a date.
Three days earlier.
The day the invitation had arrived.
Beneath the date was a sentence.
*The.
And a date.
Three days earlier.
The day the invitation had arrived.
Beneath the date was a sentence.
The boy is closer than you think.
I stared at the words.
Charlotte read them over my shoulder.
Then she whispered, "Eleanor, someone has been watching you.""
My phone buzzed.
An boy is closer than you think.*
I stared at the words.
Charlotte read them over my shoulder.
Then she whispered, "Eleanor, someone has been watching you.""
My phone buzzed.
An unknown number.
The message contained a photograph of my apartment building.
The hallway outside my door.
The cream-colored invitation lying on the floor.
And a final message unknown number.
The message contained a photograph of my apartment building.
The hallway outside my door.
The cream-colored invitation lying on the floor.
May you like
And a final message.
You have the letter. Now find the boy.
