by Gail Cleare
Nell got up and went into the hallway. “I’m going to get dressed and go over there to ask Jake. Anybody else coming?”
Jake made no effort to hide the truth. When he started talking, his face relaxed into an easy smile, and he spoke in a calm, natural tone. He seemed relieved that the story was finally coming to light.
“A few weeks after we got married, Ginnie developed an enormous fibroid tumor and ended up having a hysterectomy. When Ellie told me of her plan to have the baby adopted, I knew Virginia and I would never have children. It seemed best for everyone if we took the baby. Ginnie was thrilled, and Ellie could check in on Adam, be a part of his life. It was a wonderful gift for all of us.”
Nell sat next to Adam, her arm around his shoulders. He was calm, perhaps too calm. The news had to be even harder for him to process than for her, and at the moment, she felt confused as hell.
“I’m sorry if it hurts you to find this out now, son,” said Jake, his eyes worried. “We all wanted what was best for you.”
Adam leaned forward and clasped Jake’s hand in both of his. “I got to have all three of you as parents. I’ve always felt very loved.”
“As you were, son.”
“What about our father?” Bridget asked. “Did he know about this?”
Jake shook his head. “Not a word. Ellie wanted it that way. She lived up to her promises, that woman, and she knew how much Thomas needed her. I was even stupider in those days, and I forgot to tell her how much I loved her. Then I got shipped out, we lost touch for a while, and then it was too late. But when she gave Adam to me and Ginnie, she changed our lives forever, and we could never do enough to pay her back.”
There was a pause while they all absorbed what had been said. The kettle whistled, and Bridget got up to make tea. She opened cupboards and assembled mugs and spoons with the confidence of someone who knew her way around the space.
“So… now my dream girls turn out to be two annoying kid sisters?” Adam said it with mock dismay, winking when he looked at Nell and Bridget. They returned his grin.
“I always figured it wasn’t my secret to tell,” Jake said. “Maybe I was wrong, but that’s why I never said anything. It was up to Ellie.”
Bridget spoke up. “Explain about you and Mom. How did you know each other?”
So Jake told them the story of war and terror, blood and death. He told them about the moments of peace he had shared with Mary. She’d worn a diamond engagement ring during the war and was determined to honor it afterward, so he hadn’t pressed the matter. He knew a nice girl who loved him, so he settled down with her. He never expected to see Mary again.
When they all finished talking, it was getting dark outside. Then, like every other family in Hartland, they turned on the lights in the kitchen and started to cook dinner.
Later that night, Nell sat alone in her mother’s living room and thought about the events of the day. Amazing, yet not so surprising. The truth had been coming together since she’d first discovered the cottage—a trail of secrets, leading to the biggest secret of all.
And there she was in Mom’s hideaway, sitting next to a box of her mother’s most important mementos. It had been Nell’s destiny to stumble across them.
A ripple in time had curled up and then shaken itself out like a rumpled blanket, and a clean smooth future lay ahead. No longer wrapped in layers of faded memories and tucked away on the deepest shelves of the past where they might never be found, Mary Reilly’s secrets had been released.
Nell put her mother’s keepsakes back into the white box, replaced the lid, and slid it onto the bottom shelf of the corner cupboard. She closed the cabinet door firmly and heard it click.
Chapter 39
Bridget ~ 2015
Bridget lived quietly in her mother’s cottage for the next year, overseeing a few renovations and updating the décor but keeping it essentially a rustic country home. The Fall Festival weekend came again, and the town green filled up with striped tents, scarecrows, and the scent of fresh-baked pumpkin pie.
On Friday afternoon, before Nell and her family were due in town, Jake offered her another sailing lesson. Thrilled to control the big boat, Bridget loved to fly across the water, whipped by the wind and spray.
“Heading out onto the lake,” he said casually, looking away even though he knew she was eager for another lesson. He was blatantly teasing. “Want to come?”
“If you’ll let me skipper.”
He snorted. “That will be the day.” It was gruff, but a little smile emerged from under his shaggy moustache, and they drove to the town beach in Jake’s old King Cab pickup with the windows all rolled down and the hot afternoon sun bouncing up off the black pavement. It shimmered ahead of them in the road like a ghost.
Jake parked in the lot next to the docks. He grabbed a cap and sweatshirt for each of them out of the backseat, then Bridget stood still and let him patiently dress her, his shirt absurdly too big. The adjustable cap was a better fit. She turned it around with the bill in the back and put on her big Dolce & Gabbana sunglasses, striking a model’s pose to make him laugh.
Jake instructed Bridget as she stood at the tiller while he cast off from the dock, and they motored the old wooden sailboat slowly away from the pier. He came to stand beside her as they chugged past a few moored boats and out into the lake.
The crisp, cool breeze was in her face, and she breathed in the aromatic scent of the pines, her spirits lifting as they always did out on the water. When they were clear of the harbor and other traffic, Jake shut off the motor and raised both sails, and soon they were racing along the eastern side with the wind whipping the cap right off Bridget’s head. She laughed as it flew up and away behind them, and her long hair streamed out like Botticelli’s Venus gone mad.
Energized and free, with the spray-filled air rushing by, Bridge was transfixed by sensations. The boat made it nearly all the way to the far end of the lake in one long port tack, and then Jake watched while she carefully turned the wheel and came about with the wind on her right for the starboard tack.
Looking at him pointedly, Bridget yelled, “Coming about” just before she turned. The heavy boom swung across the deck as the mainsail shifted from one side to the other. Jake had taught her to do this just as she would yell, “Fore” at the golf course before hitting the ball.
Bridget looked down into the dark water and thought of Ginnie, floating like a naiad with her white eyes glowing and pale limbs splayed. Finding a person in that deep water would be impossible—somebody drifting, unconscious, down toward the faraway bottom with its thick, confusing grasses, the air bubbling out of her lungs, the life spark quenched. It’s a miracle they weren’t all three drowned. If there was one thing she understood, it was guilt. But maybe the days of remorse were over both for her and for Jake.
Life was coming about onto a new tack.
Living without a man in her bed at the moment was actually okay. Sex was great, but love was better, and Bridget had decided to wait for the real thing. She liked having her own space, and time to think about where her life would go next. She and the Bascombs went back and forth between the two houses and shared a lot of meals.
She wondered what Jake saw when he looked at her so lovingly. Was it just a memory of a younger version of her mother? He already knew Bridget better than most other people on Earth and seemed to still be fond of her despite it, unlike her ex-husband Eric, who had used her private confessions as a weapon and mocked her. He had signed the divorce papers without a fuss, though, and it was all over fast.
And the next day, she would meet her daughter for the first time since Cole’s parents took her away. Bridget’s new life was sailing along at a very nice clip.
Early on Saturday morning, Bridget slipped out the back door of Jake’s farmhouse, where she had just dropped off a homemade cinnamon c
offee cake for the volunteers who were meeting there before the charity auction. She walked home on the path through the woods, picking her way through the speckled morning light. The air felt fresh and smelled like new-mown grass. Falling leaves zigzagged lazily under the trees.
She wrapped her cardigan sweater tighter around her waist, took a deep breath, and tasted the air. She came through the arbor into the garden and quietly let herself into the fragrant kitchen, where a pot already steamed in the coffeemaker. A second coffee cake waited on the wooden cutting board.
Bridget rummaged in the fridge, which was packed full of leftovers from recent family meals. She managed not to think about meeting her daughter that day for a good thirty seconds while she looked for eggs.
Quiet in the house was a precious thing these days, so she tried not to wake everyone up. She made breakfast, chewed calmly, washed the frying pan and utensils, rinsed her dishes, and put them in the new dishwasher.
Then before she could start getting nervous again, she went upstairs to look for Nell.
Chapter 40
Nell ~ 2015
The scent of fresh coffee trickled into Nell’s dream, and she opened her eyes just as David was putting a warm mug into her hand.
“Oh. Mmmm… yes,” she mumbled, sitting up and sipping. The sheet slipped off her bare shoulders and fell to her waist. She saw him watching with obvious interest and let him have a nice long look then pulled the covers back up. “Oops.” She flirted, smiling, and carefully lifted the full mug to her lips again.
In the broad light of day, she was a tiny bit embarrassed by the memory of things they had done the previous night in Mom’s old bedroom. It seemed kind of weird with most of Mom’s clothes still hanging in the closet. But it had been exciting too. They were getting along so much better.
Because something amazing had happened. On New Year’s Eve, lying in bed together and watching Times Square on television as the ball dropped at midnight, David had made a shocking confession.
“I love you, Nell, but… I want to make a change in our marriage.”
“What?” She couldn’t believe her ears. Immediately assuming he meant a divorce, her stunned mind went totally blank, and she stopped breathing.
Her mouth fell open with surprise, and he hurried to add, “I feel so isolated from the family, Nell. My job is incredibly stressful, and it’s wearing me down. At this rate, I’ll soon be an old man. Don’t want these years with the kids to pass me by. Soon enough, they’ll be off to college.” He blinked, his face innocent and excited, gazing at her like a puppy hoping for a reward.
Nell inhaled, closed her mouth, and slowly gathered her wits. Not what she had thought. Not a disaster. Breathe, just breathe. How dare he scare her like that? She glared, not sure whether to kiss him or kick him. “What are you talking about?”
He sat up in bed and talked, waving his hands and turning all the way around to face her. “I want to divide up our responsibilities differently, to share the parenting. My New Year’s resolution is to find a new job. Maybe telecommuting or consulting work. Might go back to teaching. You know, something less intense.”
Nell thought about David being at home all day, telling her what to do, leaving her no time to herself, and a surge of anxiety welled up inside her. “But… I need a change too, David. I need to stop spending all my energy helping everyone else, and—”
“This way, you would have much less responsibility for the family and more free time for yourself. I know you gave up a lot to stay home with the kids, Nell. It’s not too late to get it back. We’ve saved enough to earn less if we move someplace that isn’t so expensive. Maybe up to New England, in the country. What do you think?”
Nell thought this all sounded fabulous. She had somehow managed to get what she wanted without even having to ask for it. David seemed totally sincere and was more like the man she’d married than the irritable corporate clone she’d been living with for the past ten years. She felt a fragile tendril of hope start to grow inside her, and it had strengthened every day since.
They put their house on the market and almost immediately got a good cash offer. David gave his notice at work, and suddenly, they were a team, working together side by side to find a new home for their family. The dynamic between them changed. David volunteered to do things that Nell dreaded, like cleaning the pool and weeding the flowerbeds. They talked a lot more, discussing the future.
“We need to spend more time together, Nell.” David held her hand across the table at the restaurant where they’d been going for date night lately. “I want our relationship to be like it used to be.”
“I do too, sort of.”
“What does that mean?” His brow furrowed, and his eyes widened.
“There are things I want to change too. I’ve been thinking about it. Now is the perfect time since all our routines are shifting.”
And so she told him about her fantasy of having time alone with just her thoughts for company and maybe trying to write. It all came out, and to her surprise, he was not upset. Nor did he try to manage a solution for her. Instead, he gazed at her with love and kissed her hand.
“I support you, Nell. Whatever you decide to do. You’re the greatest.”
“Really?” That was the best reaction he could possibly have given her. Why hadn’t she said all that before? Maybe things would have changed sooner. Or maybe not. He would have had to be ready too.
“Absolutely.” He smiled warmly. “I’m grateful that you stuck with me on my fifteen-year paid vacation in Hell, but now I’ve realized my mistake, and it’s your turn. Go for it!”
Since then, David had found a job teaching business management at Northeastern University in Boston. He would only have classes three days a week and got the whole summer off. They moved to Sherborn, Massachusetts. It was quiet, rural, small-town America with top-rated public schools.
Nell had written a poem nearly every day since then, sent off a few submissions, and signed up to attend a writer’s conference. She couldn’t decide whether to apply to graduate school or look for a job. What she really wanted to do was write. One of her poems had been published in a small journal. When her copy of the magazine arrived in the mail, it was like seeing her babies for the first time. A piece of her mind had gone out into the world, and now it had a life of its own.
Nell’s family was back in Hartland for the Fall Festival and to enjoy the lake one last time before cold weather set in. David and the kids were heading back to Sherborn afterwards, but Nell wanted to stay on for a while. Bridget had promised not to interrupt when she was writing.
David watched her sip the coffee he’d brought then sat on the edge of the queen-sized bed that now occupied the spot by the garden window. “What’s your plan for today?” He stroked her arm, leaning over to kiss her.
“I’m going to bring Lauren and Bridget over to the festival.”
“See you at the town green, then. Ben and I are helping Adam bring some furniture to the auction. We’re going to hang with him and Jake, do man stuff for a while.” He was wearing a plaid flannel shirt and jeans and had made himself at home in the mellow country atmosphere.
“Cool. I’m glad you’re friends with my brother.” Nell smiled, remembering how different from each other she used to think the two men were.
David stood to leave but paused. “He’s really a great guy, Nell. I like him a lot.”
“Not much like your old competitive corporate buddies, is he?” Nell laughed and tried not to spill her coffee.
“Yeah, but even though he’s a country boy, he’s not a hick. He’s a successful entrepreneur.” David kept his eye on the sheet tucked under her arms, which was slipping again. “Hey, I’m not afraid to get my hands dirty, either. By the way, the guys are talking about going camping together sometime soon. Adam’s going to help me and Ben get geared up.”
“Great, we can have a girls’ gathering here with Bridget.”
“Perfect.” He leaned over to kiss her again then turned to go. “Love you,” he said from the doorway and smiled. Nell thought she hadn’t seen him so happy in years. She heard him clatter down the stairs and collect Ben from the den, where he’d slept on the couch.
It’s this place. Something about the air and the pure light and the brilliant colors. The wild got into a person, and a new spirit emerged. First Mom, then Nell and Bridget, and now David.
The back door slammed, and soon the smell of toasted bread wafted up the stairs. Bridget was home.
Nell put her coffee on the bedside table and stretched. She lay and daydreamed, reveling in her newfound sense of infinite possibilities. She heard the door to the front bedroom open, just as Bridget reached the second-floor landing. Eavesdropping was impossible to avoid.
“Good morning, missy.”
“Don’t call me that.” Lauren sounded grouchy.
“Good morning, beautiful princess. Is that better?”
“Yes. Morning, Auntie B.”
“Come in here,” Nell called. “Both of you.” She put on her robe and tied the belt.
Lauren and Bridget appeared in the doorway, looking sheepish.
“Good morning, Mommy,” they said in chorus. Bridget grinned.
“Get over here right now. You are both in such big trouble.” Nell frowned and pointed down at the bed.
Giggling madly, Lauren and Bridget raced across the room and leapt onto the bed. A pillow fight erupted then a tickle attack, then all three of them lay piled together looking out the bedside window into the back garden.
Sheer lace curtains fluttered, and lemony morning sunlight dappled the white sheets. Bridget pulled the top one over their heads like a tent. They peered out through the opening made by her hands. Lauren’s orange-and-white tiger cat, Pumpkin, was chasing butterflies in the flowerbed. Nell pointed then made the shush sign with a finger to her lips.
