CHAPTER 35

'Miss Swan, may I prevail upon you to grant me access to your fathers study, well, your study now. Last I was here I left some study notes amongst his books.'

'Of course Dr. Cullen, I'd like think us friends enough that you don't need permission to have access granted to different parts of Swanfield. She is at your disposal, Dr. Cullen.'

'Thank you Miss Swan, you are most kind indeed. Please excuse me now.'

'Of course.'

'Oh, one last thing before I forget. My family is due to arrive soon, so I will quit to Henders Hall tomorrow to organise the staff.'

'Oh, and when are your family to arrive?'

'I've not yet received word, so I am quite unsure.'

'Okay, if you find it too lonely there, then I hope you know you are most welcome here.'

'Thank you Miss Swan, I do appreciate the offer, but I… I'm not sure if we are pushing the envelope of propriety and I don't wish to tarnish your good name.'

'I have a good name? I had no idea,' she quips.

'Jest as you may Miss Swan, but I am just doing what is best.'

'I fail to see your point, so my offer stands. You may find yourself quite lonely if they aren't to return for a month!'

'I quite like my solace, Miss Swan.'

'As do I Dr. Cullen, but I didn't mention solace, I said lonely.'

'Yes, I recall you did. I will take my leave now.'

'I will see you at dinner then?'

'Yes Miss Swan, you will.'

But, she did not. She ate alone that night… quite a few nights afterward too. She awoke the following morning to a quiet and empty house, feeling rather bereft. Mr. Banner was the one who delivers the news. It is in the form of a letter and it reads as follows;

Dear Miss Swan,

Please forgive my abrupt departure, but I was quite unable to resolve myself. Unable to focus my mind on my work and quite unable to sleep, I decided to retire to Henders Hall in these early hours of todays morn. Undoubtedly, there is no such thing as too much preparation. I hope you don't mind, (and if I know you as well as i think, then you won't,) but I borrowed Fred and one of your carriages. Fear not, he should have returned hours before you woke for the day.

Without further word, I shall now leave you to your solace. Take care of your wound, and I shall see you in the not too distant future.

Dr. C. Cullen

She folds the letter and places it on her sideboard. He was to leave that day anyway, so it isn't anything she didn't expect… but having company felt… nice. She has always been a loner, but company of late has been most welcome.

'Well…' she says into the lonely room. 'I suppose… I suppose I could now look at mothers stuff.'

She walks to her chambers and sits on her floor in front of the piled boxes. She first opens the smaller of the two, the one with the items, not the journals. She pulls out the first thing her finger touches, which is a pale blue ribbon with lace trimming. She doesn't know the history of the fabric, but she imagines it weaved in and about her mothers hair, framing her face. She places it aside and grabs the next thing on top. It is a hat pin of very little significance or decoration. Paying it no heed, she places it on the floor beside her and gets the next. It is a golden pocket watch that has been handled quite extensively, which has caused it to fade to silver in places. She doesn't quite understand what that means the watch is made from, but it certainly isn't a solid gold watch. She opens the cover and reveals a small etching of a rounded woman with soft, smiling features. She flips the watch over and reads the engraving on the back. It reads; Dearest Eloise, I can't give you the world, but you have my heart, Robert. Her brows furrow, she has no recollection of any Eloise or Robert being in her family tree… ever. She puts it aside and inspects yet another watch. It is silver, and again engraved on the back, reading as follows: Charles, so you may never be late again, Jane. Frustrated, she rummages through the rest of it hastily, taking in all of the different initials and names.

'Ugh!' she cries in frustration. She throws the box to the side and yanks the second, larger box open. Inside, more evidence to fuel her anger; forty identical Bible's sit in perfect unison.

She walks out of her chambers and walks to her fathers study for lack of a better destination. Sitting in her fathers chair, she pens a letter, then rings the bell and summons a staff member. It is Seth who arrives first and he greets her with a smile.

'Seth, could you please organise Fred and the curricle, I need some stuff dropped off to Constable Fox.'

'Of course Ma'am, shall I retrieve it for you.'

'No, I had better, I left it a mess.'

'That won't be a problem Miss.'

'Seth, I am not a complete monster, I am capable of cleaning up after myself.'

'I meant no disrespect Ma'am, I only wish to help.'

'I know Seth, I'm sorry, just organise Fred please, then meet me in my chambers.'

'Yes Ma'am,' he bows and attends his duties.

She leaves her fathers study again and walks back to the scattered items. She knows Mr. and Mrs. Hunt are quite uncouth, but to stoop to such a level is well beyond any sort of desperation she has ever seen. Seth arrives shortly after she finished packing up the more-than-likely stolen goods and asks him to carry down the bibles. 'Careful with the box Seth, it is quite heavy.'

'Will do Ma'am.'

She carries the smaller one herself and loads it in the curricle beside the book box Seth placed in.

'Seth, if you like, you may accompany Fred, if only for some fresh air.'

'Thank you Ma'am, you are most kind.'

'Not at all, give Constable Fox this letter with the boxes please, it explains the situation.'

'Yes Ma'am.'