live at Darkwood. Jared turned out to be as cruel as his father and had no love for Samuel, so Jared was disowned from an early age.’ Again my aunt stopped, obviously reliving the past which Lizzie’s letter had brought to her mind.
‘And where is Jared now?’ My voice was strong once more, ‘He needs to be told the truth of his parentage,’ I insisted.
‘We’ve not seen Jared since your banns of marriage were called on Sunday.’ Uncle William spoke for the first time. I had quite forgotten he was there opposite me.
‘And will you tell him, Aunt Rachel, when he reappears?’ I asked quietly.
‘Yes, I will, for as I say he needs to know the truth for many reasons,’ she agreed.
‘And my grandmother’s portrait? Do you know who disfigured the likeness of her lovely face with such hatred?’ I asked, keen to have all the mysteries surrounding Lizzie solved.
‘I can answer that,’ offered Uncle William. ‘Your aunt does not know this for I spared her any more unhappiness. It was Samuel, I saw him as I walked along the corridor repeatedly slash at her face with inane fury. It was I who took the portrait down and with Douglas’ help placed it in the attic so Rachel would not see it.’
Uncle William paused and then continued, ‘Samuel then had his portrait painted in defiance of Lizzie’s death, by a tree in Darklady’s Wood, and he hung it deliberately at the top of the stairs where his wife’s portrait had been.’
‘Is there anything else you have to tell us?’ Gareth spoke quietly looking from his father to his mother as he spoke.
‘For my part at least,’ said Uncle William leaning forward in his seat, ‘The only thing I know is that Samuel instructed that the walls of the drawing-room and dining-room be painted the colour of the bluebells so no-one would forget what Lizzie did to him. His anger was so fierce he never forgave her.’
‘And you, Mother? Have you any further revelations we should know about?’ As Gareth spoke my aunt looked at both of us deliberating whether she should tell us more.’
‘Estelle.’ She spoke the name and it had hung in the air between us, almost tangible, and the sound of her name being spoken conjured up to me the sound of Estelle’s beautiful melodic voice and laugh which I’d heard and loathed on the evening of my arrival at Darkwood.
‘What of Estelle, for I already know that she is unsound of mind,’ said Gareth as if breaking a spell which had been cast on us all.
‘She is Samuel’s illegitimate child too,’ said Aunt Rachel, wiping a tear from her eye with the back of her hand. ‘Such a beautiful child but her mother was deranged and died not long ago in a mental institution. I very much fear that Estelle will follow in her footsteps.’
At this point Aunt Rachel did cry. What secrets she had carried these past years and how difficult it must have been for her, and I knew now why she strived so hard to keep Estelle apart from Jared and Gareth, for she was Jared’s half-sister and Gareth’s aunt.
Gareth and I left my aunt and uncle to spend much needed moments together. As we were leaving the room, Aunt Rachel looked up and said, ‘I will show you both Lizzie’s grave tomorrow.’ We both nodded in agreement.
Gareth walked me back to my room dropping a kiss on my brow as he left me saying he would join me for breakfast. ‘Sleep well dear heart,’ he said.
As I climbed wearily into bed that night thoughts of Lizzie whirled in my head, but I was thankful the mystery was solved. Uppermost in my mind was the thought that I needed to tell Gareth the secret of my heart which was that I loved him so very much. With that thought, I drifted into a restless sleep, my dreams were of beautiful Estelle and I knew she would forever haunt me.
10
‘You look so dark under the eyes, Miss,’ said Pru the next day, ‘And your eyelids are all puffed up.’
‘Do I really look that bad?’ I questioned with some dismay going across to
‘And where is Jared now?’ My voice was strong once more, ‘He needs to be told the truth of his parentage,’ I insisted.
‘We’ve not seen Jared since your banns of marriage were called on Sunday.’ Uncle William spoke for the first time. I had quite forgotten he was there opposite me.
‘And will you tell him, Aunt Rachel, when he reappears?’ I asked quietly.
‘Yes, I will, for as I say he needs to know the truth for many reasons,’ she agreed.
‘And my grandmother’s portrait? Do you know who disfigured the likeness of her lovely face with such hatred?’ I asked, keen to have all the mysteries surrounding Lizzie solved.
‘I can answer that,’ offered Uncle William. ‘Your aunt does not know this for I spared her any more unhappiness. It was Samuel, I saw him as I walked along the corridor repeatedly slash at her face with inane fury. It was I who took the portrait down and with Douglas’ help placed it in the attic so Rachel would not see it.’
Uncle William paused and then continued, ‘Samuel then had his portrait painted in defiance of Lizzie’s death, by a tree in Darklady’s Wood, and he hung it deliberately at the top of the stairs where his wife’s portrait had been.’
‘Is there anything else you have to tell us?’ Gareth spoke quietly looking from his father to his mother as he spoke.
‘For my part at least,’ said Uncle William leaning forward in his seat, ‘The only thing I know is that Samuel instructed that the walls of the drawing-room and dining-room be painted the colour of the bluebells so no-one would forget what Lizzie did to him. His anger was so fierce he never forgave her.’
‘And you, Mother? Have you any further revelations we should know about?’ As Gareth spoke my aunt looked at both of us deliberating whether she should tell us more.’
‘Estelle.’ She spoke the name and it had hung in the air between us, almost tangible, and the sound of her name being spoken conjured up to me the sound of Estelle’s beautiful melodic voice and laugh which I’d heard and loathed on the evening of my arrival at Darkwood.
‘What of Estelle, for I already know that she is unsound of mind,’ said Gareth as if breaking a spell which had been cast on us all.
‘She is Samuel’s illegitimate child too,’ said Aunt Rachel, wiping a tear from her eye with the back of her hand. ‘Such a beautiful child but her mother was deranged and died not long ago in a mental institution. I very much fear that Estelle will follow in her footsteps.’
At this point Aunt Rachel did cry. What secrets she had carried these past years and how difficult it must have been for her, and I knew now why she strived so hard to keep Estelle apart from Jared and Gareth, for she was Jared’s half-sister and Gareth’s aunt.
Gareth and I left my aunt and uncle to spend much needed moments together. As we were leaving the room, Aunt Rachel looked up and said, ‘I will show you both Lizzie’s grave tomorrow.’ We both nodded in agreement.
Gareth walked me back to my room dropping a kiss on my brow as he left me saying he would join me for breakfast. ‘Sleep well dear heart,’ he said.
As I climbed wearily into bed that night thoughts of Lizzie whirled in my head, but I was thankful the mystery was solved. Uppermost in my mind was the thought that I needed to tell Gareth the secret of my heart which was that I loved him so very much. With that thought, I drifted into a restless sleep, my dreams were of beautiful Estelle and I knew she would forever haunt me.
10
‘You look so dark under the eyes, Miss,’ said Pru the next day, ‘And your eyelids are all puffed up.’
‘Do I really look that bad?’ I questioned with some dismay going across to
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