"Ah, Ms. Reilly. Please do come in and take a set. Tea? I'm about to
have some," Mr. Forth asked. "I was not expecting you until Wednesday.
Is everything alright?"
Henry Forth, a man in his mid-fifties, had the kindest eyes. And he always worried about his clients. Genuine worry, which is rare in his line of work.
"Of course not, Mr. Forth, but how can you expect me to wait until Wednesday! I have to know," Catherine responded excitedly. She had her hands on her lap, but her fingers kept tapping her thigh.
"Now now Ms. Reilly, patience is a virtue. But I see you are very anxious to know what I have found so far. Here is the folder. But you must realize I've not completed my research yet. There are some things that I still need to find out. I have my people on it as we speak and they should get back to me within a weeks' time," he told her as she passed her the folder.
She held the folder for some time not knowing what she might find in it. "Thank you, Mr. Forth. I will take this with me and look through it." She got up and went to the door. "Mr. Forth, when you get word, please let me know as soon as possible. Thank you again."
Having said that, she walked out of the office with the folder. Her face had no sign of emotion. She just ambled around for a while until she found herself in Hyde Park. There she found a secluded bench and sat there scared of opening the folder. What might she find? But she had to know. So she took a deep breath and started reading. As she kept reading, her eyes began to open wide with shock! Disbelief was painted on her face. If anyone had paid her any mind, they would have seen a look of wonder and thrill.
"Good morning, Aunt. How did you sleep last night?" Catherine asked.
"I tossed and turned a bit, but eventually sleep found me," she responded. "Have breakfast, dear, you're looking a little pale."
"I will, I will. I asked Kyle to prepare Risha for me so I will accompany you riding this morning, if you don't mind of course."
"Oh that would be splendid! We haven't gone riding in some time. I'll have Mildred fix us a basket and we can have lunch at the lake like we used to do," Elizabeth said. "And we can talk about what is bothering you," she added in her mind.
It was mid morning when Catherine had finished getting ready for riding. She had on a pair of black pants, black riding boots, and a white shirt. She walked into the library to get "the book". It was a brown leather-bound book. It looked worn, but not because she had read it a hundred times. She looked at it again and ran her hand down the back of it.
"Cat, are you ready?" her aunt called to her.
"Yes, Aunt, I'm coming." She grabbed the book and walked out of the library.
"Its so relaxing here at the lake. And beautiful. Mother always loved it here," Catherine said as she took another breath. It smelled of grass with a mix of gardenias. She closed her eyes and she could see her mother and father holding hands and walking near the lake. "I miss her so much."
"Yes dear, I know. I miss her too. She was always smiling and so vibrant. She saw the beauty in people. I shall always miss her. Did I ever tell you of how she met your father?" she stopped as the thought of some lost memory escaping its prison. "All it took was a look she always said."
"Mother would tell me all the time. It was so romantic. She was walking along and her hat flew off because it was so windy. At that exact time the most handsome man picked it up for her. It was only a touch. Magic," she whispers. "If I ever have kids, Aunt Elizabeth, I will never tire of telling that story. But speaking of grandchildren and grandparents…"
"Oh dear, are you trying to tell me…I knew you had been acting strangely for a couple of weeks. I just couldn't pin point what was causing…"
"No! No, Aunt, I'm not pregnant."
Elizabeth took a deep breath and released it. "Thank God. I thought for a moment I'd have to tell… I'm sorry dear. Please forgive me for jumping to conclusions."
"That is alright. But whom would you tell? Why would it matter to anyone?" Catherine asked just a little surprised.
"No, no one. I was just mumbling. I apologize, love," she said as she looked across the rolling green hills. "Thank God! Or else, how would I tell them?!" she thought.
Catherine looking at her aunt asked, "Aunt, no, don't worry about it. But I have been meaning to ask you something. Tell me about your grandmother. Marguerite."
Henry Forth, a man in his mid-fifties, had the kindest eyes. And he always worried about his clients. Genuine worry, which is rare in his line of work.
"Of course not, Mr. Forth, but how can you expect me to wait until Wednesday! I have to know," Catherine responded excitedly. She had her hands on her lap, but her fingers kept tapping her thigh.
"Now now Ms. Reilly, patience is a virtue. But I see you are very anxious to know what I have found so far. Here is the folder. But you must realize I've not completed my research yet. There are some things that I still need to find out. I have my people on it as we speak and they should get back to me within a weeks' time," he told her as she passed her the folder.
She held the folder for some time not knowing what she might find in it. "Thank you, Mr. Forth. I will take this with me and look through it." She got up and went to the door. "Mr. Forth, when you get word, please let me know as soon as possible. Thank you again."
Having said that, she walked out of the office with the folder. Her face had no sign of emotion. She just ambled around for a while until she found herself in Hyde Park. There she found a secluded bench and sat there scared of opening the folder. What might she find? But she had to know. So she took a deep breath and started reading. As she kept reading, her eyes began to open wide with shock! Disbelief was painted on her face. If anyone had paid her any mind, they would have seen a look of wonder and thrill.
"Good morning, Aunt. How did you sleep last night?" Catherine asked.
"I tossed and turned a bit, but eventually sleep found me," she responded. "Have breakfast, dear, you're looking a little pale."
"I will, I will. I asked Kyle to prepare Risha for me so I will accompany you riding this morning, if you don't mind of course."
"Oh that would be splendid! We haven't gone riding in some time. I'll have Mildred fix us a basket and we can have lunch at the lake like we used to do," Elizabeth said. "And we can talk about what is bothering you," she added in her mind.
It was mid morning when Catherine had finished getting ready for riding. She had on a pair of black pants, black riding boots, and a white shirt. She walked into the library to get "the book". It was a brown leather-bound book. It looked worn, but not because she had read it a hundred times. She looked at it again and ran her hand down the back of it.
"Cat, are you ready?" her aunt called to her.
"Yes, Aunt, I'm coming." She grabbed the book and walked out of the library.
"Its so relaxing here at the lake. And beautiful. Mother always loved it here," Catherine said as she took another breath. It smelled of grass with a mix of gardenias. She closed her eyes and she could see her mother and father holding hands and walking near the lake. "I miss her so much."
"Yes dear, I know. I miss her too. She was always smiling and so vibrant. She saw the beauty in people. I shall always miss her. Did I ever tell you of how she met your father?" she stopped as the thought of some lost memory escaping its prison. "All it took was a look she always said."
"Mother would tell me all the time. It was so romantic. She was walking along and her hat flew off because it was so windy. At that exact time the most handsome man picked it up for her. It was only a touch. Magic," she whispers. "If I ever have kids, Aunt Elizabeth, I will never tire of telling that story. But speaking of grandchildren and grandparents…"
"Oh dear, are you trying to tell me…I knew you had been acting strangely for a couple of weeks. I just couldn't pin point what was causing…"
"No! No, Aunt, I'm not pregnant."
Elizabeth took a deep breath and released it. "Thank God. I thought for a moment I'd have to tell… I'm sorry dear. Please forgive me for jumping to conclusions."
"That is alright. But whom would you tell? Why would it matter to anyone?" Catherine asked just a little surprised.
"No, no one. I was just mumbling. I apologize, love," she said as she looked across the rolling green hills. "Thank God! Or else, how would I tell them?!" she thought.
Catherine looking at her aunt asked, "Aunt, no, don't worry about it. But I have been meaning to ask you something. Tell me about your grandmother. Marguerite."