When the party dies down a little, while we are still gathered together, I decide to tackle the elephant in the room. “Of course, this all begs the question of why Klempner said what he did to Charlotte….”
Her champagne bubbles burst, and her face turns serious. “I felt as soon as he spoke, that he had some kind of grudge against me. He said it was because of Jenkins getting killed, that he held me to blame for that. But it didn’t feel right. I’m sure he was lying about that. If his grudge was actually with my mother, or my mother and father…”
Beth sits, hands neatly folded as she listens. And Richard is intent as Michael interrupts her. “I should mention, Charlotte, that this isn’t the only information that Will is trying to find. When these came to light, I also asked him, and he agreed, to try to have any other family connections checked. None came to light….”
Richard raises a forefinger. “However,” he says, “now that we know there is a family connection, and we have a starting point, we can start a proper search on your behalf.”
Beth is nodding enthusiastically. “I was always a little surprised, Beth” I comment, “that with such a similarity between the two of you, that you didn’t ask your family if there might be a connection?”
She looks a little sheepish, her cheeks colouring up. “Actually, I did. They were a bit close-mouthed, but eventually, I got it that my grandfather’s brother, George, had a bit of a reputation for, er….”
“Climbing back-yard fences and bedroom windows?” suggests Michael. Her blush deepens at his little-boy-wicked smile. Richard looks amused at his wife’s discomfiture
“Er, yes,” she admits. “Something like that. No-one really wanted to talk about it very much. There was a bit of a conspiracy of silence.”
Michael bursts out laughing, along with me and Richard. Charlotte looks peeved, heat in her eyes. “So, you thought I might be your er.…”
I run a quick family tree through my head…. “Second cousin…” I offer.
She nods me an acknowledgement but still looks annoyed. “Yes.… illegitimate second cousin? And you didn’t say anything?”
Beth rocks her head back and forth. “Well, I had no proof except that everyone says we look alike. Having those papers changes everything. I can ask my family properly now.”
*****
Six Years Ago
into the fire. Although the May days are warm and full of promise, the mornings are still cold, and Chad lit the fire for her,
close to the hearth,
rap at the door,
dart to the door. She doesn’t want to answer, doesn’t want to see anyone.
if she doesn’t speak, but after a long moment, the door creaks open. Mrs Collier eases in
is her young fosterling, now a young woman, her back turned as she watches
young couple,” she says in a cheerful voice, bustling in to place the tray on the table. “Didn’t want you having to
you,” whispers Jenny,
fool could hear in that voice that something is wrong.
Are you alright?” She
went out.” Jenny has trouble forming the
“Jenny, what’s wrong?”
response. “Jenny, look at
the room to take the other chair by the hearth and to see Jenny’s
red and swollen eyes, swimming with tears; a face blotched and puffy, and misery
another chair, sitting
then simply bends into herself, hugging
was it?” Then, with a sigh, “Ah, Sweets. It was your first time after all
up, doesn’t speak, looks away
there we all were, assuming you and Chad had been.... You know I stopped calling the pair of you down from the haybarn months ago because I thought you wanted some
the words. “We were just