by Clara Cody
She reached for the fire poker that sat in an iron cylinder to the side of the stove. Gripping the handle she shifted through the ashes, letting them fall from side to side. Small bits of wood and debris moved aside as she searched through the pile. Pieces of aged, yellowed paper fell away from the ashes. Stephanie picked them out and looked them over but they were merely edges with nothing distinguishing about them. Disappointed, she discarded them to the side of the stove and continued carefully through the pile of ashes, so as not to miss anything.
As the poker scraped against the bottom of the stove, it hit something metallic. It was small and unfixed to the bottom as it moved with a gentle push, dinging softly. Stephanie tapped it again. A small, curved edge popped out from amongst the ash.
Reaching her arm in, she carefully took the edge and extracted the small metal object. Gray ash dusted her fingertips, between which she held a small golden ring. She blew and wiped the dust from the ring and held it up in front of her. Squinting, she brought the ring closer to her face.
The band was formed by intricate twisting of golden vines. The ring dropped from her fingers, landing with a dull tinging sound, perfectly on its side. Her heart pounded as she looked down at the still ring. She'd recognize it anywhere. She remembered the shame in her father's eyes when he took his own ring to pawn when he couldn't afford to pay rent to the landlord. Stephanie bent down and hooked her little finger through her mother's ring. She took off her locket and added the ring to the chain. Thank you, Mother.
She closed the stove and hurriedly fixed the bed, eager to get as far from the lake house as possible. She pulled the door shut and locked it again. Holding her skirts, she ran down the path as quickly as possible, not noticing the stone that stuck up from the path. Her foot caught and she flew forward, landing with a hard thud on her hands, in the middle of poison ivy.
Chapter 29
Eloise
"DID YOU FOLLOW HER as I asked?" Eloise asked, not bothering to look up from her book.
"Yes, ma'am," Maggie replied from across the room. She stood before the door, her hands clasped in front of her.
Eloise stabbed a period onto the end of her sentence and finally looked up, her eyes landing suspiciously on Maggie. She cocked her head to the side, sitting back in her chair. There was something different about Maggie; she hadn't quite been able to put her finger on it. "And?"
"She followed the path to the lake. Like you told her."
"How was she behaving?" Eloise asked, clasping her hands together, pressing her extended index fingers against her lips. The purpose of the question wasn't so much to learn of Stephanie's behavior as to read Maggie's.
"Behaving, ma'am?" she asked.
"Yes. Was she acting strange?"
"No, ma'am."
Eloise turned her head to the other side.
Maggie looked to the floor. "At least not that I saw."
"Hm. Very well. What happened then?"
Maggie opened her mouth to say something but stopped, slapping her mouth shut again. "Nothing, ma'am. She walked along the shore a moment and turned back."
"She didn't wander about?"
Maggie shook her head.
"Very well," Eloise said, pushing herself to her feet. She let her face relax into a soft smile as she crossed the room. "Thank you, Maggie. You've done well." She stopped in front of her and placed a gentle hand on Maggie's shoulder. "You may go now."
Maggie breathed a sigh of relief and nodded. As the door closed behind Maggie, Eloise's face fell back into a scowl. She'd realized what it was about Maggie that seemed off. It seemed she was acting more and more like Stephanie every day.
Stephanie
STEPHANIE RIPPED A piece of paper from the stack Charles had given her. She scratched out her message and dashed from her bedroom.
As quickly as she'd entered the house, she left, this time through the front door. She folded the note to form a small pouch and dropped the key inside. Half walking and half running, she made her way down the path towards the tree. The note contained specific instructions for Theodore. She'd given herself no time to think about what she was doing. There would be more than enough time to contemplate the repercussions of her request while she waited for night to fall and for Theodore to collect her. Not that she had any intention of changing her mind.
That night, Stephanie waited by the tree she and Theodore had been corresponding through. Night blanketed the world around her. She couldn't risk bringing a lantern and being seen as she snuck out. The cold autumn wind made her regret not at least bringing it. She didn't even know if Theodore would be able to come. He might not have seen it yet.
She wrapped her arms around herself, leaning against the tree. The wind rustled the scarce leaves in the tree overhead. A few loosely attached leaves were shaken free of what held. The wind died down, letting them fall to her feet. She rubbed her ankle with her other foot, her skin itching and burning under her stockings. She sighed. The wind picked up again, carrying the leaves at her feet away, across the grass. She shivered at the renewed force of the wind.
Out of the darkness emerged a lone horse galloping down the road. Stephanie jumped behind the tree. The man atop the horse pulled the reins up, halting the horse before the path, looking from side to side. "Stephanie?" he whispered.
Stephanie sighed, crawling out from behind the tree. "I'm here."
His head whipped around and he leaned forwards. "What are you doing hiding behind the tree?"
"I-I didn't hear you coming. I just saw you and..." She walked up to him. "...hid."
"Yes," he said, looking down at her. "The wind is blowing quite strong. Natural that you wouldn't hear me." Throwing his legs over the saddle, he jumped down from the horse. "We need to talk before we go."
She looked behind her to the dark house, wringing her hands. "Can't we speak on the way?"
He looked down the road, back to her and nodded, as though against his will. He pulled himself back up the horse and held his hand out towards her. "Don't be afraid."
She nodded, chewing her lip. She met his eyes as she slipped her hand into his.
With surprising strength, he hauled her up behind him on the horse saddle. Her balance on the saddle was unsure and she gripped his abdomen tightly to maintain her position.
He grunted and chuckled as he directed the horse to the side. It turned and started back in the direction in which he'd come. "What's all this about anyway? You weren't very clear in your letter."
She took a deep breath. "I need answers. She's the only one that can give me them."
"How do you know she'll help you?"
Stephanie sighed. "I don't. But I have to try."
"And what brought on this sudden desire to see your sister again?"
"Don't call her that. She's not my sister."
"Very well. All the same, what instigated this sudden urge to speak with her? I was under the impression that you never wanted to see her again."
"I didn't. I still don't." Stephanie gave him the short version of the events as they jostled along the road, leaving out the fact that the ring she'd found belonged to her mother.
"So you took it upon yourself to investigate the house?"
She sniffed. "Indeed."
"Well, I don't see much reason for me to do it over again." He reached into his jacket pocket and handed the pouch back to her.
She placed it within her pocket.
"Ahem," he said, clearing his throat. "May I have the note back, please?"
"Oh, you want to keep the note?"
"Yes, for...um...evidence."
"Of course." She pulled the key out with her two fingers and passed the note back up to Theodore. "Where is she?"
"Mrs. Burbank?"
"Mm hmm."
"The next village over, it seems. It's quite the stroke of luck. I'd expected her to have returned home by now."
"For any other person, I'd agree. I don't expect she's too eager to get home. Rebecca never was one for family."<
br />
"So I've heard," Theodore said quietly under his breath.
They rode on in silence, neither having anything else to say. A comfortable quiet surrounded them, disturbed only by the sound of trotting hooves and the occasional snort from the horse.
Stephanie couldn't help but doze against Theodore's shoulder. Her heavy eyes succumbed to her exhausted brain. A familiar, heavy weight pressed down around her throat. She tried to cry out, feeling that somehow, safety was near. The vague weight became hands circling her neck. Fingertips dug into her flesh, long hard fingers crushed her throat.
"Stephanie!" a voice called in the distance.
A soft, gagging sound slipped passed the crushing hands and from her throat. The sound was so pitiful she could barely believe it was her. Her head felt like it was about to explode as her heart beat furiously in her ears. The pressure in her chest was excruciating.
"Stephanie, wake up!" A hard slap stung her face, snapping her out of her dream.
She rolled over, gasping and coughing for air. She looked up and met Theodore's terrified face. The moonlight shimmered off his watery eyes.
"Are you all right?" he whispered.
She nodded, holding her tender throat.
"What happened to you?"
"I...a dream."
He shook his head. "That was no dream."
She opened her mouth to argue but stopped. "No, I suppose not." She grimaced; it hurt to speak.
"Does that happen every time you sleep?"
Stephanie rolled over onto her knees. "We really should go if we're going to..." she started, as she rose to her feet. She stopped as she looked around.
"We're there," he said, gesturing to the road before them, lined with closely placed buildings and houses.
Stephanie nodded and started towards the village. "Where is Rebecca staying?"
"There." Together they walked up to the motel and stopped in front of the doors. "Are you sure about this?" he asked with genuine concern in his voice.
"I don't have another choice."
He took her hand. "I could go. I'll ask her whatever you want me to."
She shook her head, pulling her hand away. "She'd never answer you. Besides, this is something I need to hear. I need to get the answers for myself. I'm not afraid of her anymore."
"You should be," he said, looking up at the hotel. "But I can't stop you." He sighed. "Do you want me to come with you, at least?"
"No, I need to do this alone. She might be tight-lipped in front of...witnesses."
"All right. Let's go."
They stepped into the hotel and walked to the counter at the front. A sleepy looking young man stood to greet them. A look of recognition passed over his face as he and Theodore nodded at each other.
Theodore pulled his wallet from his pocket and removed a bill Stephanie couldn't see. The young man nodded, making it disappear into his hand then pocket. "Second floor, third room."
"Thank you, Tommy," Theodore said. Putting a hand on Stephanie's shoulder, he turned her towards the stairs and gestured with his other hand. "I'll wait outside."
Stephanie nodded and began walking toward the staircase. The stairs grew darker as she ascended, moving away from the light of the foyer.
Chapter 30
Stephanie
STEPHANIE STOOD IN front of the third room on the second floor. She'd been standing there for some time now, trying to work her nerve up. She had the advantage; Rebecca would be sleeping now, disoriented when she opened the door. Stephanie just had to knock.
She took a deep breath and rapped on the door. A soft groan and the creaking of bedsprings on the other side of the door sounded but soon returned to quiet. Stephanie knocked again, careful not to be loud enough to wake the other guests. There was a louder groan and more movement on the bed. Footsteps dragged across the floor.
Stephanie looked down the hall. Her heart beat fiercely, telling her to run, it wasn't too late. She stood still though, listening as the footsteps approached. Rebecca was scoffing loudly as she walked.
The door opened a crack. "What is it?" Rebecca hissed.
Stephanie cleared her throat.
The door opened the rest of the way, exposing Rebecca's stunned face. "What are you doing here?"
"I need to speak to you."
Rebecca glared at her, sneering but stepped aside to let her pass. Stephanie stepped into the room and Rebecca went to light the candle lamp next to her bed. She sat on the edge of her bed and watched Stephanie expectantly. She gestured to a chair sitting by the door.
Stephanie shook her head. "I'd rather stand."
Rebecca rolled her eyes. "Have it your way. Now, what do you want? Don't tell me you're in trouble, again." She smirked at Stephanie like a snake.
Stephanie's breath caught in her throat as she recalled the two times she'd been forced to go to her sister for help. Stephanie's face went red, remembering the shame of having to beg her own sister for a job and then...she shook her head, shaking the memory away.
"I need answers. I would have gone to anyone else in the world but you're the only one who can give them to me. The last thing I want is to be indebted to a woman such as yourself."
"You mean further indebted," she laughed. "If I hadn't hired you, father would have died in the streets. I'm the only reason he lived as long as he did."
"Don't pretend to care for our father. He might still be alive today if you'd just given us the money he needed."
"Oh yes and that would have been quite simple to explain to my husband. Giving away hundreds of dollars of his money every month to some poor pathetic family I didn't know."
"That's an excuse, Rebecca. The truth is, you enjoyed having me under your feet, at your beck and call."
Rebecca jumped to her feet, her eyes wide and furious. "I did you a favor, you ungrateful little mouse. And how did you repay me?"
Stephanie stepped back as though slapped. Humiliation burned her cheeks. "I didn't...that wasn't..."
"You needn't bother, Stephanie. Richard told me all about it."
Stephanie's face fell. "He told you?" Angry tears stung at her eyes. She pursed her lips together to hide their trembling.
"Oh yes. He told me how you seduced him, and I still saved you. And once again, you would have been in the streets, a penniless whore if not for my intervention."
"Seduced?" The word was like bile on her tongue. "There is nothing on Earth or in heaven that would make me want to be near an animal like your husband."
Rebecca laughed spitefully. "You're only fooling yourself, Stephanie. And even after I fixed that problem for you, saving you once again from ruin, you still stole from me. How's that for gratitude?"
Stephanie clenched her hands at her sides, willing herself not to grasp the locket around her neck. It wouldn't do, she thought. Fighting would get them no where. "I didn't come here to rehash our history."
Rebecca clenched her jaw. "Oh yes, you wanted answers?"
Stephanie took a deep breath and nodded. "You're the only one left that remembers before mother died."
Rebecca's eyes flew to Stephanie's face, her nostrils flaring widely.
"I need to know what happened to her. What really happened."
Rebecca managed to control her heavy breathing. She looked away. "And why should I tell you anything?"
"For the same reason you left Ripewood Manor. If you don't, I'll tell everyone who you really are."
Rebecca grinned, leaning back on her hands. "You already played that card, my dear. If you think you can go on blackmailing me with the truth of my parentage, think again. I allowed it once. I won't be so forgiving again."
Stephanie sucked in her bottom lip, searching her mind. "I don't have anything else to offer you." Again, she fought the urge not to touch her locket.
"We both know that isn't true," she said, gently shaking her head as though talking to a child. "I want the locket. For good."
Stephanie inhaled sharply, closing her eyes. She'd been expecting
it. She'd considered leaving it at the manor, by her bed, but she knew, eventually, it would come down to a question of how much Stephanie wanted the information. She opened her eyes to face Rebecca again.
"If I give you the locket, I want to know everything. If I think, for a moment, that there's something you're not telling me, I'll leave with it."
Rebecca pursed her lips, smugly, her eyes grinning. "Fine. Give me the locket first."
"No. First, answer my questions."
"Silly Stephanie," she said, crossing her arms. "If you think I'm going to trust you not to steal the locket for a second time, you're fooling yourself."
Stephanie felt the tears warm her eyes. She reached behind her neck to dig the chain out from under her clothes. The last time she'd sacrificed the locket, she'd thought of it only as a memento, a relic from a mother she'd never really known. But in that moment, as she spun the chain, feeling for the clasp, she knew it was so much more. She'd felt her mother's presence as she'd worn it. A rush of strength and love had surged through her body each time she'd gripped the pendant. And now, she was giving all that up for scraps of knowledge of the woman who once owned the locket.
Stephanie unfastened the chain and pulled it out from beneath her dress. Holding it out before her, she lowered it, letting the chain snake around the pendent, into her hand. Closing her hand over it, she felt one last push, one last surge of energy from it. For once, the locket was warm, seemingly radiating heat.
"Stop dawdling, Stephanie. I'd like to get some rest before tomorrow."
Stephanie nodded and set it on the nightstand beside Rebecca's bed.
Rebecca looked at it and back to Stephanie. A cold stare had taken the place of her smug satisfaction.
