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Chapter 8
I am Emma Swan
For generations, the Spencers were a wealthy and well-known banking family. Their fortune originated from Bank DeVil, founded in 1802 by best friends Carlos DeVil and George Spencer. George & Carlos first accumulated enormous wealth through mercantile and trade-controlling large sectors of the US economy including the railroad and steel.
Throughout the years the Spencers who were known for being fair and kind to their fellow man in the beginning slowly became hungry for power when branching out to politics. With members of the family frequently occupying public positions and taking from those less fortunate instead of giving them a helping hand as their founder, George did.
The DeVils and the Spencers turned against one another in the late 1890's when William DeVil-Cassidy fell in love with a young woman named Milah Hart who was at the time, promised to Arthur Spencer. The vicious family feud lasted years, with the Spencer family walking away the victor, the Bank DeVil crumbling after the marriage of Milah and Arthur leaving the DeVil-Cassidy clan almost penniless and the Spencers richer.
Two generations later, the last of the DeVil-Cassidy clan made their way to Maine to get their revenge on the Spencer clan and to get back what they thought was rightfully theirs.
Regina changed into a grey business suit and dusted off an old briefcase she found in the closet to make herself look like a professional…what? She had no idea yet, but she needed to think of something. She never thought she would be doing something she only ever wrote about. She was excited but wary because she didn't know who these people were and what they were doing to Judith.
She was so grateful for Judith when they became good friends and best friend to Henry. He is an old soul and always preferred to talk with adults then play with kids his own age. She tried to have him engage more with kids trying different interests, sports, music, dance, swimming. He just wouldn't make any friends with children, but he would with the instructors.
So, when she met Judith their first summer on the island the three hit it off quickly. Judith wasn't an outgoing person, but she loved spending time with Henry. She told Regina one time that Henry brought back the child in her. That she was brought up with tutors and nannies in Boston and here in Storybrooke. Like Henry, she didn't make friends easily. And as she grew older, she didn't really trust anyone to confide in but her parents and secretly her butler, Henry due to her family wealth most only wanted to be her friend because of her last name not because of her.
When they arrived last summer, Judith's parents had just died a couple of weeks before while they were on their way back from a trip. Judith was gutted, she really didn't have anyone but her parents and makeshift family of Marco, Henry, and Ms. Ratchet who was her maid and cook.
Even though Judith was a recluse she was a very smart businesswoman. She may not be able to travel and go to business meetings, but she knew her stuff and was highly revered in the company. Regina had only met the Spencers a couple of times as they were always away on trips or spent time in their homes in Boston, New York, and Paris.
Regina knew that after the Spencers death, Judith took time off from the company to grieve and to let others take some pressure off her shoulders. She wondered that since Judith was the last of her family if she looked to find someone to marry, have children to carry on the Spencer legacy.
Regina was shaken from her thoughts when Henry knocked on her door, "Mom what are you doing in there?"
"I'm almost ready, Henry I'll be out in a minute." Regina replied and she fluffed her hair a bit and checked her lipstick in the mirror. Giving herself a once over she picked up her briefcase and walked out of her bedroom.
"It's about time!"
"Henry."
"So, what are you going to say when you get there?"
"I'm a real estate agent. I am going to tell them that Judith had contacted me about selling her parents' home in Paris."
"That…sounds… good! They'll buy that. Good idea Mom, let's get going."
"I'll get going, you are going to stay here Mister. I don't want them seeing us together."
"Yeah, but I could…"
"Stay home."
"I could stay home. I mean I am staying home and will wait for you here."
"Promise?" Regina asked holding out her hand with her little finger sticking up.
"Promise." Henry replied holding out his pinky and sighed knowing he wouldn't win when it came to this, "I pinkie promise."
"Good boy, now you stay here, and I'll be back as soon as I can."
"Good luck."
Emma was standing in the library waiting for Mary Margaret. They were going on another walk around the grounds. She was glad to be getting out of the house and she was able to walk around the house but only if she was accompanied by either Mary Margaret or Eugenia, the latter would always point out who was who in the portraits hanging on the walls. Aside from those occasional outings she was still locked in her bedroom.
Eugenia reminded her that she was adopted by the Spencer family when she was a very small child after the tragic death of their own little girl, Abigail. So worried that something would happen to Judith they kept her close and homeschooled her bringing in tutors and instructors. It was why she didn't have any friends her own age.
Supposedly she can play the piano and sing like an angel, but neither is something Emma remembered or felt the need to do. The day before she sat at the piano and played a few keys, but nothing came to her. She quickly stepped away from it in case someone asked her to play.
She wandered around the library touching the spines of the books as she went. She tried to pick out some books, but nothing interested her. She preferred mystery and quirky romance books not boring business, biographies, and memoirs.
She continued to walk around the room coming to a beautifully carved desk. It must have belonged to her father. It saddened her that she couldn't remember them, they seemed to be a happy couple in the few pictures she'd been shown. She sat down in the large chair and closed her eyes trying to remember coming in here as a child, possibly sitting on her father's lap but nothing came to her.
Mary Margaret walked in looking for her, "Here we go, Judith, I apologize for the delay, but the delivery man arrived, and I had to put away the perishables the rest can wait when we've finished our walk."
"No worries, Mary Margaret I was just looking around and admiring this room."
"Did you find any books that you might like to read?"
"Not really, I was looking for a good mystery or sappy romance."
"And there aren't any here?"
"None that I noticed…"
"Oh, you know who I love? Regina Mills, her mystery books are fantastic! And they say she writes them somewhere here in Maine."
"Regina Mills? That seems familiar to me maybe I like her writing too. I'll have a look later."
"Of course, now let's get going, it's a beautiful day out there. Nothing can make a person feel good like the sun, sun, sun!" Mary Margaret said in a sing-song voice.
Emma chuckled at her maid; she was such a happy go lucky person all the time. She wasn't sure how one could be like that 24-7, 365 days a year.
They walked around the grounds, the gardens then to the back of the estate above the cliffs.
"Ooo look there's a small beach, I wonder if it's safe to go down there. I will inquire with Mr. Cassidy when he gets back." Mary Margaret told her.
The doorbell rang at the Spencer Estate and Eugenia reluctantly opened the door, "Hello may I help you?"
"Hello, I'm here to see Judith Spencer, is she in?"
"She's not available, may I tell her who stopped by?" Eugenia asked.
"Of course, I'm Lana Azzara, I'm her real estate agent."
Eugenia was caught off guard and frowned. "Real estate agent? I'm afraid you must be mistaken, when did she contact you?"
"Oh my, it's been months, but I've been away. I handle international sales, and Judith contacted me about her parents' home in Paris and their villa in Italy."
"Did she now? Well Ms…" Eugenia paused.
"Azzara, Lana Azzara. Will Judith be available soon? She seemed eager and wanted me to contact her as soon as I got back to the US. I had a look at both properties, and I must say they should go quickly."
"I'll let Judith know you dropped by, I'm sure she'll give you a call next week or so."
"Is she away? When we met, she didn't seem like the person who traveled, it was this reason why she wanted to sell the international properties. We were corresponding often but then I haven't heard from her in quite some time."
"Yes, I'm afraid she hasn't been well and is away, a sabbatical of sorts." Eugenia told her.
"I hope it isn't serious. Has she been ill for long?"
"A few months but she is doing better."
"Good, good. May I ask your name? I haven't seen you here before."
"I'm Judith's mother-in-law, Eugenia Cassidy."
"Well, that's news, no wonder I haven't heard from her. Congratulations to you and your son, Judith is a wonderful person. Please send her my congratulations and my well wishes."
"Thank you dear, I will. It was nice to meet you."
"And it was nice to meet you as well Eugenia. Take care now." Regina said as she turned and walked towards her car, "Sabbatical my ass," she mumbled to herself.
Driving down the driveway, Regina checked her rear-view mirror and saw a blonde woman staring after her. She slowed down but when she looked back the woman was gone.
"Judith, is everything all right?"
"Uh yeah, I just thought I saw someone I recognized." Emma frowned thinking the dark-haired beauty was familiar.
"In that car? I didn't see who it was." Mary Margaret told her.
"That's because you were giving David moon eyes." Emma deadpanned and walked towards the front door.
"Judith! I was not!"
"Whatever you say, Mary Margaret now let's go see if we can find a good mystery for me to read and a steamy romance for you! Maybe we have a gardener gets it on with the maid story in here."
"Judith!" Mary Margaret scoffed as she followed her into the house.
After receiving a call, Neal left the estate and drove down to the village diner. He ordered a coffee and cherry pastry then sat at an outside table already occupied by a gentleman reading a newspaper.
Taking a sip of his coffee, Neal looked around checking to see if anyone was paying attention to them.
"I have a new job for you."
"Oh? Am I to stop with the other?"
"No, did you find him?"
"Yes and no," The gentleman replied not taking down his paper. "My man caught up to him in Arizona but lost him. I did however find out what he was looking for."
"And? What was he looking for?"
"A woman but I don't know the name yet."
"A woman? Who?"
The man folded the paper neatly and laid it down on the table, "I just told you that I don't know the name yet."
"He must be on a job or something, he spoke with Judith just before he left, but it's doubtful he's looking for this woman for Judith."
"When he left town, he began traveling all over the U.S. he checks in with his old law firm though, so my man is going back to Boston hopefully to pick up his trail." The man explained then asked, "What do you want me to do once we find him again, keep him away from Storybrooke or…?"
"Get rid of him as soon as you find him and make it look like an accident." Neal told him.
"It'll cost you more for that." The man said.
"I really don't care, he was supposed to be the last link but now I have another problem, a kid named Henry."
