Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 95326 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 477(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95326 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 477(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)
His da looked perplexed. “What was that?”
“Take what you can, no matter the cost or who you hurt.”
It took several weeks for Wadely to gain his strength back, having turned ill with a cough and nearly dying, so Elsie was glad to see him finally getting about, slowly but improving just like her da, who was up and about himself.
“It is good to see you doing well, Wadely,” Elsie said.
“Aye, I can thank May and Ann for that. They took good care of me, and Ann kept me entertained with stories of her youth with her sister. Having come so close to death, I gave thought to something and made a decision. I need to talk with you, Mistress Elsie, and I think your husband and Ann should hear it as well.”
It did not take long to gather everyone in Cavell’s solar, Elsie curious as to what Wadely had to say and Ann just as curious and a bit uncomfortable as if she should not be included among them.
“Are you sure you want me here, Wadely,” Ann whispered to him.
“Aye, I am sure,” he said with a gentle smile.
Have your say, Wadely,” Cavell said, standing beside his wife where she sat, his hand resting on her shoulder.
“Eudora asked me to keep a secret.”
“More secrets,” Cavell said, shaking his head annoyed, secrets having caused far too many problems already.
“A secret I believe that will prove helpful.”
“Then tells us,” Cavell commanded.
He tilted his head back and looked up. “Forgive me, Eudora, but it is the wise thing to do.” He looked at Elsie. “Eudora is your mum. She had you when the trouble was nothing but rumors. She feared more might come of it and what would happen to you if she was discovered. She decided to find a good home for you. It broke her heart to give you away, but she did it to keep you safe. It took years for her to trust and confide in me and ask a favor. She told me where you were and that she had named you Elsie and had asked that your name be kept, but she did not know if the couple had done so. She wanted me to stop here and find out what I could and tell me how you were doing.” Tears clouded his eyes.
“She was thrilled when she found out the couple had kept your name and that you were doing well. I continued to stop here and report back to her through the years. She wanted to see you so badly, but she feared bringing you harm. And she was right in doing so. She heard stirrings of someone searching for a bairn given away around the time she had helped women give their bairns away out of fear of what might be done to them.”
“Did she confide in you who Leora and Sky’s parents are and what of my da?” Elsie asked.
“Your da was a man she knew briefly and never saw again. She remembered the two bairns she placed here with Norris and Terena. She knew who the parents were but would not tell me, fearing what harm it might bring me.”
“You must look like your da, for I do not see my sister in you,” Ann said, tears rolling down her cheeks.
“I told Eudora the same, that I did not see her in her daughter, but when I told her about your soft blue eyes, she smiled and told me that you had your da’s eyes. The lovely color of his eyes had been what had drawn her to him. You also got his skill of numbers, so I discovered when I told her about it.”
“This goes no further than this room,” Cavell ordered, fearing what might happen to his wife if it was discovered she was Eudora’s daughter.
“You have my word,” Wadely said.
“And mine as well,” Ann said. “I will not see my niece harmed.” She smiled. “I am so pleased that I will spend the rest of my days with true family.”
“You will tell me about my mum?” Elsie asked, eager to know all she could about the woman who gave her life and unselfishly sent her away to protect her.
“I will tell you everything about her,” Ann said, her tears continuing to fall.
The door flew open, and Leora stood staring at them. “What goes on here and why was I not included?
“When that door is closed, you will knock,” Cavell ordered.
“I doubt that, now tell me what goes on here,” Leora demanded.
Elsie laid her hand on her husband’s where it rested on her shoulder, feeling him tense, her gentle touch eased him and she eased as well, glad she had averted a fight between her sister and husband, which they had been having quite a few of lately. Then her husband spoke.