Chapter 8: The Wedding That Was Never Meant to Happen
By Saturday morning, the Whitmore estate had become a crime scene.
Police officers moved through the foyer carrying evidence bags. Two detectives interviewed Mrs. Price in the library. A uniformed officer stood outside the east staircase room, guarding become a crime scene.
Police officers moved through the foyer carrying evidence bags. Two detectives interviewed Mrs. Price in the library. A uniformed officer stood outside the east staircase room, guarding the hidden ledger.
Robert Ashford remained in custody, but his lawyers had already begun arguing that he was too ill to be questioned.
Daniel had the hidden ledger.
Robert Ashford remained in custody, but his lawyers had already begun arguing that he was too ill to be questioned.
Daniel had disappeared.
And Charlotte had canceled the wedding.
She stood in the bridal suite wearing a white silk robe, staring at the dress hanging from the wardrobe door.
"I spent eleven disappeared.
And Charlotte had canceled the wedding.
She stood in the bridal suite wearing a white silk robe, staring at the dress hanging from the wardrobe door.
"I spent eleven years waiting for this day," she said.
I sat on the edge of the bed.
"Did you ever love him?""
She considered the question.
"I loved the boy he was years waiting for this day," she said.
I sat on the edge of the bed.
"Did you ever love him?""
She considered the question.
"I loved the boy he was when we were children. I loved the man who sat beside me in the hospital after I lost my baby. I loved the person I hoped he might when we were children.
I loved the man who sat beside me in the hospital after I lost my baby. I loved the person I hoped he might become.""
She touched the wedding dress.
"But I don't love the man who agreed to marry me because my mother asked him become.""
She touched the wedding dress.
"But I don't love the man who agreed to marry me because my mother asked him to.""
I watched her carefully.
"Then why did you keep going?""
"Because I thought if I to.""
I watched her carefully.
"Then why did you keep going?""
"Because I thought if I married him, I could finally stop being afraid.""
She turned toward me.
"Isn't that what you've done, Eleanor? Built a life where nobody can hurt you because you never married him, I could finally stop being afraid.""
She turned toward me.
"Isn't that what you've done, Eleanor? Built a life where nobody can hurt you because you never let anyone close enough to try?""
The words struck harder than I wanted to admit.
I had let anyone close enough to try?""
The words struck harder than I wanted to admit.
I had spent eleven years making a career out of other people's broken relationships. I had learned to spot betrayal before it happened, to recognize the first signs of spent eleven years making a career out of other people's broken relationships. I had learned to spot betrayal before it happened, to recognize the first signs of dishonesty, to leave before someone else could abandon me.
I had called it independence.
Perhaps it had been fear.
Charlotte dishonesty, to leave before someone else could abandon me.
I had called it independence.
Perhaps it had been fear.
Charlotte sat beside me.
"I'm sorry.""
I looked at her.
"For what?""
"For letting you believe I stole Daniel. sat beside me.
"I'm sorry.""
I looked at her.
"For what?""
"For letting you believe I stole Daniel. For letting you think Mom chose me over you. For not telling you about the baby.""
I swallowed.
"I don't know how to forgive you.""
"I know For letting you think Mom chose me over you. For not telling you about the baby.""
I swallowed.
"I don't know how to forgive you.""
"I know.""
"But I don't want to hate you anymore.""
Charlotte's face crumpled.
She leaned forward, and for the first time in eleven.""
"But I don't want to hate you anymore.""
Charlotte's face crumpled.
She leaned forward, and for the first time in eleven years, we held each other without either of us trying to explain the past.
We sat that way until Mrs. Price knocked.
"Miss years, we held each other without either of us trying to explain the past.
We sat that way until Mrs. Price knocked.
"Miss Eleanor, the detectives have found something.""
She handed me a small evidence envelope.
Inside was a photograph of a newborn Eleanor, the detectives have found something.""
She handed me a small evidence envelope.
Inside was a photograph of a newborn baby.
The infant lay in a hospital bassinet, wearing a white identification bracelet.
On the back, someone had written a name.
**Elli baby.
The infant lay in a hospital bassinet, wearing a white identification bracelet.
On the back, someone had written a name.
*Elliot Whitmore.*
I stared at it.
"Who is Elliot?""
Mrs. Price looked toward the hallway.
"The boy your mother said had died.""
I turned the photograph over.
Theot Whitmore.**
I stared at it.
"Who is Elliot?""
Mrs. Price looked toward the hallway.
"The boy your mother said had died.""
I turned the photograph over.
The date matched the day the invitation had arrived.
Beneath the name was another inscription.
Delivered to Eleanor Whitmore, Boston.
My hands went cold.
The date matched the day the invitation had arrived.
Beneath the name was another inscription.
Delivered to Eleanor Whitmore, Boston.
My hands went cold.
The invitation.
The photograph.
The words You deserve the truth.
Someone had been trying to reach me.
Not to bring me to the wedding.
To bring me back to invitation.
The photograph.
The words You deserve the truth.
Someone had been trying to reach me.
Not to bring me to the wedding.
To bring me back to the family.
"Where is he now?"" I asked.
Mrs. Price shook her head.
"I don't know. But your mother left another note.""
She handed me a folded piece the family.
"Where is he now?"" I asked.
Mrs. Price shook her head.
"I don't know. But your mother left another note.""
She handed me a folded piece of paper.
It contained a telephone number and a sentence.
If Eleanor comes home, tell her the boy has been waiting.
I called the number.
It rang once.
of paper.
It contained a telephone number and a sentence.
If Eleanor comes home, tell her the boy has been waiting.
I called the number.
It rang once.
Twice.
Then a man answered.
"Hello?""
I couldn't speak.
The voice sounded strangely familiar.
"Who is this?"" he asked.
"My name is Eleanor Whitmore.""
SilTwice.
Then a man answered.
"Hello?""
I couldn't speak.
The voice sounded strangely familiar.
"Who is this?"" he asked.
"My name is Eleanor Whitmore.""
Silence.
Then he whispered, "I know.""
"Are you Elliot?""
A long pause.
"Yes.""
I gripped the phone.
"Where are you?""
"Not far from you.""
"Whyence.
Then he whispered, "I know.""
"Are you Elliot?""
A long pause.
"Yes.""
I gripped the phone.
"Where are you?""
"Not far from you.""
"Why have you been trying to contact me?""
He laughed softly.
"Because you're my sister.""
The have you been trying to contact me?""
He laughed softly.
"Because you're my sister.""
The words seemed to stop time.
I looked at Charlotte.
She was staring at me, her face pale.
"Elliot," I whispered, "who is your mother?""
He hesitated.
Then he answered.
"Margaret Whitmore.""
words seemed to stop time.
I looked at Charlotte.
She was staring at me, her face pale.
"Elliot," I whispered, "who is your mother?""
He hesitated.
Then he answered.
"Margaret Whitmore.""
I closed my eyes.
Another child.
Another secret.
Another life my mother had tried to erase.
"Why did she tell everyone you died?""
"Because she wanted me to disappear.""
"I closed my eyes.
Another child.
Another secret.
Another life my mother had tried to erase.
"Why did she tell everyone you died?""
"Because she wanted me to disappear.""
"Why?""
His voice hardened.
"Because I was the only person who knew what happened to Peter Lawson.""
I looked at Charlotte.
She had stopped breathing.
"What do youWhy?""
His voice hardened.
"Because I was the only person who knew what happened to Peter Lawson.""
I looked at Charlotte.
She had stopped breathing.
"What do you know?"" I asked.
"I know my mother killed him.""
I closed my eyes.
The truth had become a chain of doors, each one opening onto something worse.
" know?"" I asked.
"I know my mother killed him.""
I closed my eyes.
The truth had become a chain of doors, each one opening onto something worse.
"Where can I meet you?""
"At the old chapel beside the estate.""
"When?""
"Tonight.""
"Why not now?""
"Where can I meet you?""
"At the old chapel beside the estate.""
"When?""
"Tonight.""
"Why not now?""
"Because someone is watching the house.""
I looked toward the window.
A black sedan sat near the front gates.
Daniel's car.
"Elliot, is DanielBecause someone is watching the house.""
I looked toward the window.
A black sedan sat near the front gates.
Daniel's car.
"Elliot, is Daniel with you?""
"No.""
"Then who is watching us?""
He lowered his voice.
"Someone who believes the wedding is still happening.""
The line went dead.
I stood.
Charlotte grabbed my with you?""
"No.""
"Then who is watching us?""
He lowered his voice.
"Someone who believes the wedding is still happening.""
The line went dead.
I stood.
Charlotte grabbed my arm.
"You're not going alone.""
"I have to.""
"No, Eleanor. You don't.""
For the first time, I saw my arm.
"You're not going alone.""
"I have to.""
"No, Eleanor. You don't.""
For the first time, I saw my sister not as the girl who had worn my engagement ring, but as the woman who had survived the same family that had broken me.
She took my hand.
"We sister not as the girl who had worn my engagement ring, but as the woman who had survived the same family that had broken me.
She took my hand.
"We've spent our lives being told what we can and cannot know. I'm not letting you walk've spent our lives being told what we can and cannot know. I'm not letting you walk into another trap by yourself.""
I nodded.
Together, we left the house.
The chapel stood at the edge of the estate, half hidden behind old trees. Its stone into another trap by yourself.""
I nodded.
Together, we left the house.
The chapel stood at the edge of the estate, half hidden behind old trees. Its stone walls were covered in ivy, and the wooden door hung slightly crooked on its hinges.
Inside, a single candle burned near the altar.
A walls were covered in ivy, and the wooden door hung slightly crooked on its hinges.
Inside, a single candle burned near the altar.
A young man stood beside it.
He looked to be in his late twenties, with dark hair, gray eyes, and a scar above young man stood beside it.
He looked to be in his late twenties, with dark hair, gray eyes, and a scar above his left eyebrow.
My father's scar.
I stopped.
"Elliot?""
He turned.
For a moment, neither of us moved.
Then he smiled sadly.
"You look like her.""
"Like his left eyebrow.
My father's scar.
I stopped.
"Elliot?""
He turned.
For a moment, neither of us moved.
Then he smiled sadly.
"You look like her.""
"Like Mom?""
He nodded.
"But you have Dad's eyes.""
I stepped closer.
"Why did you pretend to be dead?""
"I didn't Mom?""
He nodded.
"But you have Dad's eyes.""
I stepped closer.
"Why did you pretend to be dead?""
"I didn't. Mom told everyone I was.""
He reached into his coat and removed a sealed envelope.
"She gave me this before she died. She told me to keep. Mom told everyone I was.""
He reached into his coat and removed a sealed envelope.
"She gave me this before she died. She told me to keep it until you came home.""
I took it.
Inside was a single photograph.
My mother stood in the garden house, holding a baby.
But the baby wasn't Elliot.
It was me.
I was perhaps it until you came home.""
I took it.
Inside was a single photograph.
My mother stood in the garden house, holding a baby.
But the baby wasn't Elliot.
It was me.
I was perhaps a year old, wrapped in a white blanket.
Beside my mother stood Peter Lawson.
And behind them, barely visible through the open doorway, was a man holding a box a year old, wrapped in a white blanket.
May you like
Beside my mother stood Peter Lawson.
And behind them, barely visible through the open doorway, was a man holding a box
