LIKE A GREEK TRAGEDY

Part 35 by Annie Brighton

Albert true to his promise to Patricia, had called a very famous private detective from Chicago, asking him to find Patricia's family as quickly as possible. Patricia's family…he thought of Candy all of a sudden. Of course he was her adoptive father and she was his adopted daughter…she was Candice White Andrew and it would be like that for ever, thanks to God. Nevertheless he knew Candy had always wondered long time who her birth mother and father were. Of course it was almost impossible to find the parents of an orphan. He figured since he was going to pursue Patricia's case, he might as well see if he could turn anything up on Candy's origins. If there were no results, he would simply tell nothing to her. And if something was discovered, Candy would continue to be his adopted daughter anyway. Because it was legal of course: she had been abandoned in front of Pony's Home orphanage. But that was not the real reason for his adoption, of course, the real reason ,of was because he liked her as much as she liked him and she always reminded him of his dear Rosemary…no matter what, Candy was as much his true family as he was hers.

Albert called another private detective whose reputation was excellent and who was known to be very discreet and very effective. He didn't want to put the same detective in charge of the two affairs. The two cases were different. Moreover the probability was that Candy's parents would probably never be found. But he was glad to have had this idea and the thought to pursue it. One never knew…Candy would be happy to know them if they were found…it could become a nice surprise for her. Yes, why not? He wondered why he hadn't thought of it sooner. In fact the portrait Patricia had showed them had launched
everything.

Within a few days of launching both searches, his personal phone rang in his study in the residence. He picked up the receiver. It was the detective in charge of Candy's affair.

"Mr. Andrew? Sherlock Watson speaking. I have important news about Miss Andrew's origins. But I believe some more checks might be necessary in order to confirm my findings…"

"Have you really learnt something?" Albert asked, surprised, since this was the last thing he had expected to hear. "What have you discovered??"

"I made investigations everywhere, and especially in hospitals, clinics and so on…"

"And???"

"It seems that your sister and her husband had had a baby when your nephew Anthony was very young, a baby himself….They had been told that this new baby had not survived the delivery and had died. They had believed it of course, and had kept that secret from the family…"

"What?" Albert could barely process this twist in his sister's untimely story "But why?? And how did they manage to hide Rosemary's pregnancy?"

"Your sister was so sad at this terrible loss, she and her husband had decided not to tell anyone. He wanted to help her to forget this painful chapter in their lives by doing so. At the time this new baby was conceived, Rosemary was living alone in the Lakewood residence. They were your nephews of course, but they were too young either to realize what was happening to remember. You were with Mrs. Elroy Scotland at the time, she had taken you to visit the ancestral home. The Cornwells were abroad. Rosemary was bringing up their young sons with Anthony. As to the Leegans, they were on a second long honeymoon with their children, a whim of your sister Sarah. Your brother- in- law was here for some weeks while on leave from the shipping company…the baby was conceived then….alas, he could not get another leave in time for the baby's arrival…he arrived after the tragedy occurred and the only thing he could do was console Rosemary…"

Albert was stunned…the timeline was frighteningly perfect and he now realized how this could have happened with nobody else in family knowing what had gone on.

Sherlock Watson went on with his report. "But of course I didn't stop there. The facts were too important and as you know I am very thorough with my investigation work…"

"Of course…" Albert managed to answer "And???"

"The next part is awful, Mr Andrew. I pursued the inquiry and I learnt for sure that the baby was not born dead in fact, it was born alive…"

Albert's silence was palpable.

"The mid wife was a woman who had been in love with your brother- in -law before his marriage with your sister…they had been of the same social circle and she always harbored an unrequited crush on him…when she got the valour to admit this to him, he had rejected her at the time, because he didn't love her; he told her loved your sister with whom he had just asked for her hand in marriage…apparently Rosemary never knew anything about this. This woman in turn, decided to dedicate herself to mid wifery, because for her, there was no other man she wanted other than Mr. Brown…in time, she ended being a reputable mid wife who was in high demand and was very well respected, hospital for not only was she good at what she did, but also because her family, who very wealthy.

"When she was called to help Rosemary deliver at Lakewood, she was stunned to realize who the woman giving birth was…and she confirmed this when she saw the pictures of Mr. Brown next to Rosemary's bed. She then she took charge of the delivery and used ether to sedate your sister, which as you know is a common practice…when your sister awoke she told her that the baby, a little girl, had been stillborn. Luckily, I was able locate a woman who had been a friend and colleague of this mid-wife, apparently when she died, fraught with guilt and the impending diving judgement she knew she would face m she wrote down her role in this story. Her instructions to her were to burn this sordid tale, but thankfully this woman kept the note, after all these years. When I met this woman and saw that I was looking for clues, she produced the confession. In it, the midwife said that she had acted under the influence of jealousy. And then when she had realized what she had done she had been afraid of the consequences for her. But it was too late…"

Albert was wild with anger and rage; but couldn't manage to speak.

"She took the baby away in the darkness, while your sister grieved alone in the Lakewood house. It was in winter, at night. It was cold and snow was falling. Despite her evil determination, she could not bring herself to physically harm the child…"

Albert was so horrified that he still couldn't pronounce a word. He was listening, his hand clenching the receiver.

"Therefore she abandoned the baby in the snow and the darkness in the forest nearby…she was sure the baby would die soon…she left
satisfied; she had her revenge on the man who spurned her…"

"I continued investigating: the baby might have been saved after all…in my line of work, everything is possible??"

"And ???"

"A miracle took place, Mr. Andrew. After thorough investigations I have discovered that a poor woman passed by that night. She saw the baby and brought it to the nearest orphanage. She couldn't keep this baby because she had nothing to offer, she was so poor that she had already been obliged to leave her own baby in front of this orphanage, called Pony's Home, in the past. However, she was ashamed to do so. Hence she just left it before the door. She noticed that another baby had already been left there and that a very young child had heard them cry. So she was reassured for the babies and she ran away before being seen by anyone…"

Albert had thanked Sherlock Watson for his findings and asked him that if he found anything else, to let him know. He wasn't knowing how he had finally been able to react. And now he kept hearing his last statement inside his head:

The orphanage was Pony's Home

Therefore…was it possible?

He went upstairs and opened a door he hadn't opened for years and years, perhaps even more.

The bedroom had not changed at all…when Rosemary had passed away, he had ordered that everything remain as she had left it. He saw himself as a child, so young, with her. He would never forget his dear sister. Rosemary's room was exactly the same as it was in his memory. Bright and white, gentle and pure, and so comforting. It made his heart ache to be there, but it was necessary.

"Help me, Rosemary" he said, imploring her as if she were there. "Help me to be sure…and help her.." his thoughts briefly flew to New York.

Then he opened the drawer of the dressing table. Yes, the diary was there. He had never read it…it was hers, and even in death, he respected her privacy.

"Forgive me, Rosemary…" he said. "You know I must do it. You know I must be sure. For you and for Candy. I know you would agree…"

He opened the diary with the key. She was always putting it down inside her locket, which was in her jewellery box ,as it was in the past. He felt overwhemed with grief and pain. She died so young!! How he wished she could be there! She would smile gently to him; if only she simply would be alive and present…

He didn't want to read more than necessary; he just leafed through the diary, looking up the date Sherlock Watson had mentioned, as the possible date of the "loss"

I have been told our poor little baby was stillborn…I didn't even get to see her little body to at least kiss her goodbye…for sanitary reasons, I was told…

Albert felt Rosemary's pain in these simple words she had written in
despair.

Even before the baby was born, I knew it would be a girl…I had a dream where I saw myself holding a piece of angel, with skin so white, as if I had captured a sliver of heavenly light and made her flesh…so I knew I would call her Candice, which means "light"…Candy…I knew I would call her that…she would be light of our lives…

I had sewn a doll by hand for little Candice. I had written her name on the doll: Candy. My little Candice is sleeping for ever…I asked the midwife to place my darling baby in the Moses Basket I had prepared for for her; to put down the doll in it so that it will always be with her. Her dear doll will never leave her.

He looked at the photos Rosemary had taken of these sweet things she had prepared for her baby, and his riveted to the image of the doll…of the doll which Miss Pony and Sister Lane had found that day in the snow with her…and which Candy still carried with her to this day…yes, it was exactly the same one! This doll sewn by hand with such love and affection, was unique. As unique as their dear Candy was.

Albert was weeping silently. With pain of course for his dear sister, but at the same time with joy. Candy wasn't only his adoptive daughter; she was the daughter of Rosemary and her husband and the sister of Anthony…Candy was his niece of the blood.

Albert finally closed again the diary and put it back down in the dressing table. He replaced carefully the key into Rosemary's locket.

Then he went downstairs, entered his study and locked the door, just in case. It was a shame that Captain Brown had passed away a couple of years before, he would have been overjoyed to know that Candy was his daughter. Now, Candy must know it first, he thought. Only then he would tell the others.

He picked up the receiver and dialed the number of the Dakota apartment…he hoped she would be home from the hospital. He heard the phone pick up on the other side.

"Hello,Candy?" Albert spoke.

"Hello, Albert! How is it going at the residence with Stair?? And how is Flammy?" Candy greeted happily. She was glad for the call, since she wasn't going to see Terry that evening as a result of the that day's events.

"Stair is well...But listen, Candy, I have something to tell you, it is very important and you must know about it first…"

"What is it Albert…Is something wrong???" She wondered if something happened with Flammy…maybe they were going to postpone the wedding?

Albert felt her anxiety. "Nothing's wrong…Don't worry Candy, It is a great news for us all. You are…"

Candy felt intense emotion in his voice, and some how she knew it didn't have to do with the upcoming wedding. She waited a moment.

He finally managed to finish. "…You are my niece Candy; you are the beloved daughter of my dearest sister and of her husband, the late Captain Brown…"

Candy was crying silently on the phone, crying of joy and also with pain. She had a family and her dear Albert was her real uncle, he really was. But she thought of Anthony…In a way she knew Rosemary, her mother, thanks to him…Rosemary, her mother. And she had managed to briefly meet her father, when they thought Stair had died. Anthony…her brother…Anthony she had loved till death parted them, Anthony and the tender love she would never forget. Anthony was her brother; he would always hold a dear place in her heart…

"Candy?" Albert was anxious. He heard her crying and felt her emotions through the receiver.

"Albert…I am so happy, you know, really happy…but…."

"But you thought of Anthony??"

"I wish he could be there Albert…You know I…" her voice broke, weighed by the memory of the boy who was now her blood brother.

"I know Candy…" He would have wanted to be with her at this momentous time in both of their lives…But Stair's state and his now impending marriage made his presence in Chicago necessary.

"I am here Candy, cry as much as you will be able to…" he consoled, knowing these were happy tears.

"Thanks Albert…you know" she added sincerely, "I am really happy to really be a member of your family…of course you have been my family for years, my real family…but now…now I know it is for real…Yes, Albert, you are right…this is great news and I…" she could no longer speak from the emotions overwhelming her.

"Yes,it is…" Albert replied, feeling the same way she did.

He then explained everything to her, the investigation, his sister's diary, everything. He finally told her that he was going to announce the news to the rest of the family tonight, at the same time he was going to announce the wedding to Flammy. He had already put George in charge of asking the whole family to be present, without letting them know the reasons of this official meeting.

"Everyone will be very surprised…" she smiled, happy tears still streaming from her face. She wanted to tell him what was happening in New York, but she decided to wait…this call was already too emotionally charged.

"And how…I will let you know how it went…"

"Please too…and Albert…I will be there for the wedding…" she announced.

He smiled, anticipating when he could embrace her. "Bye, Candy. See you soon…and take care…"

"Bye, Albert.You too."

NOTE: I would like to thank Sophie because without something she has written I would never have had the idea of inventing a scenario in which Candy and Anthony would be sister and brother. And, of course, if I hadn't had this idea I couldn't have participated even if I would have liked to be able to. Whereas, thanks to this idea, I can participate and I am happy to write something in this story.