Authors: Adelle Laudan
An air of melancholy settled in the room, prompting her to take a break. She stood and stretched her stiff body before gathering the letters and returning to her bedroom where she changed into pajamas. She reached for the phone to call the kitchen and stopped, the clock on her bedside table reminding her how late it was.
Jenna dashed downstairs in her bare feet. She’d forgotten how cold the floors got at night. The warmth from the kitchen welcomed her as she swung open the door.
A very startled cook looked up from what she was reading. “Oh, Ms Jenna. What are you doing down here this time of night?” Grace stood and strode across the room to wrap her arms around here. “It’s so nice to see you, even in your bare feet.” She clicked her tongue like she’d always done when scolding.
“I missed you, Grace.” She stepped out of her arms and sat at the breakfast bar. “I couldn’t go to bed before I had a cup of tea and your famous shortbread.”
The dear woman chuckled, setting her tired eyes to sparkle with pleasure. “Now, that sure brings back some fond memories. I’ll be right back.”
Grace ducked into the pantry and closed the door behind her as she always did when fetching her shortbread. She had a secret hiding place, and to this day Jenna didn’t know where it was. Not for lack of trying, having climbed the shelves many times in search of the treasure.
She scampered over to the stove and turned on the kettle to boil. “Would you like a cuppa tea?” Jenna called out.
Grace stepped out of the pantry with a stack of shortbread in hand. “What do you think you’re doing? That’s my job.”
“That
was
your job. I’m not a little girl anymore.” She opened the cupboard door. “Did you want some or not?”
The cook sighed wearily. “Oh, not this late for me or I’ll be up half the night peeing.” She giggled behind her hand.
After a brief battle over who would carry the bedtime snack upstairs, Jenna was off with her goodies in hand. She’d just set the steaming mug down when there was a light rap on the door, and Edna appeared in her housecoat and hair wrapped for the night.
“What are you doing up at this hour?”
Edna waddled across the carpet and fussed with her blankets, folding them down for her to get in. “I could ask you the same thing. I ran into Grace on my way to my room…”
She laughed and held up her hand. “Don’t worry, she already scolded me enough for both of you.”
“I’m sorry, but...”
Jenna quickly kissed her cheek and climbed under the blanket. “No need for apologies, I’m quite capable of making myself a cup of tea.”
Edna sniffled, shaking her head. “You’ve changed some since you’ve been gone.”
“I hope that’s a good thing.” She sat up against her headboard and reached for her tea.
“You’ve grown into a lovely young woman. Your mother would be very proud.”
Tears stung her eyes at the mention of her mother. “If I never thanked you for being there for me after she passed...”
“You were so young and heartbroken.” Edna shook her head as she scurried to the door. “Good night, Ms. Jenna.”
Jenna recognized the quiver in her voice. Her rush from the room undoubtedly preceded having a good cry. “Good night, Edna.”
She got comfy and reached for the hatbox on the other side of the bed. The next letter she took out wasn’t addressed to her grandmother, but to her mother’s sister Rose, who passed away many years ago.
Dear Sister,
Kenneth has offered to pay for her to stay at one of the best facilities who cater to people like her. She’ll have everything she’d ever want or need. All of the things I could never afford to give her. He’ll pay for it all, even her clothes. How can I say no?
All he asks is to keep Angelina a secret between us. No one can know she exists. Kenneth says it’s because his family will never approve of our marriage if they knew I had a child out of wedlock.
Jenna dropped the letter to her lap and stared off into space.
A child? Out of wedlock?
“I have a sister?” Her mouth grew dry and her heartbeat quickened. “I have a sister!” She reread the last two paragraphs to be sure she’d understood correctly. Her heart ached for her mother.
How did she endure all those years without being able to talk about her own child...my sister?
The term, “people like her” left her unsettled, not knowing what it could possibly mean.
Jenna tossed the blanket aside and shifted to sit in the middle of her bed, her bum resting against her heels as she read the last page for the third time.
Somebody has to know something. Did Father continue to pay her expenses after Mom died?
One thing was certain: she had far more questions than answers.
“Where could she be?” She owed it to the memory of her mother to find her and make sure Angelina was still being cared for. Surely, once Jack learned of this unexpected revelation he’d understand why she needed to stay a little longer.
Jenna hugged her pillow and closed her eyes. “Don’t worry, Mama, I’ll make sure Angelina is okay.” She flopped back on her bed. “Wow, I have a sister.” Tears of happiness filled her eyes.
I wonder if she looks like me.
Does she even know I exist?
A jumble of possible scenarios scrambled in her mind, least of which, her father might have deleted her from the Will, and she wouldn’t have the resources to find her sister. She didn’t want or need the money for herself; Jack provided her with everything she could possibly need.
Outside of her father’s den, she came to a full stop to steady herself. “I really wish I knew what to expect.”
Charles shrugged. “I wouldn’t put it past your father to leave everything to a stranger just to piss us off.”
Jenna smiled despite thinking it was a definite possibility.
He winked at her before opening the doors.
Mr. Bond sat behind her father’s impressive desk—hand-carved out of the finest mahogany money could buy. Without fully standing, he nodded toward two empty chairs across from him. “Good day, Mr. Wylder, Ms. Blackburn. Please be seated.”
Jenna raised a brow at being seated in her own home, and Mr. Bond cleared his throat and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his narrow nose.
The next half-hour passed like a dream.
“So, as you can see, Ms. Blackburn, you are the sole benefactor and executor of this estate and its considerable holdings. That is, excluding the antique cars, which your father left to Mr. Wylder.”
Jenna sat utterly dumbfounded
. I’m not surprised my sister wasn’t mentioned, but it makes no sense he’d leave me his vast fortune
. Maybe he didn’t intentionally do so.
His last words echoed in her mind.
You are dead to me.
I can’t imagine he made this decision in the recent months.
“Mr. Bond? Can you please tell me when my father wrote this will?”
The lawyer flipped through the file. “He had this drawn approximately one year before your mother passed away. If she were still alive today, she would’ve been the sole benefactor. The provision in the event of her death being all holdings go to any children they had together.”
“Wow.” She crinkled her brow. “I find it hard to believe he never made any changes over the years. He didn’t even know Charles back then?”
“A codicil to his will with respect to Mr. Wylder was made last summer when he bought the Rolls Royce.”
Jenna summoned the courage to bring up the topic of her sister. Bracing herself for whatever may come, she straightened in her chair and took a deep breath.
“If you could indulge me for a minute, I’d like to share something I discovered last night while going through some of my mother’s old journals and letters.”
Mr. Bond glanced at his watch and folded his hands on the desktop. “Yes, I have a little time. I must say you’ve piqued my curiosity.”
Charles furrowed his brow. “Is everything okay, Jenna?”
“I think so. I’m a little confused, though. You see, while reading through a letter addressed to my grandmother, my mother talked about a daughter she had before meeting my father.” She scrutinized both of them in turn to gage any reaction. “It seems my father agreed to pay for ‘Angelina’s’ care as long as Mother agreed to never speak of having a child out of wedlock. I think my sister may have some kind of special needs. Which is why my mother agreed, so her daughter got the care she could never afford to give her.”
Charles sat with his mouth slightly agape. His genuine surprise at the news reflected in his eyes. “I’m not sure what to say. I had no knowledge of this. Your mother never breathed a word of having another child…at least not that I’m aware of.”
Jenna faced Mr. Bond; his stone-face was void of expression.
“You’ve been my father’s lawyer long before he married my mother. Did he ever ask you to draw up a letter for him? Knowing my father, I would think he’d have something in writing so my sister didn’t get a piece of the inheritance.”
“I can assure you I’m just as surprised as you by this revelation. Your father never spoke a word of this girl… Angelina, did you say?”
“Yes, Angelina. I find it hard to believe Mother never visited or spoke about her to anyone in the fifteen years married to my father. She wasn’t that type of person to just drop her own child off someplace, never to be seen or heard from again.”
Mr. Bond pushed away from her father’s desk, gathered his papers and put them in his briefcase. “I agree. Your mother had a heart of gold. I wish I could be of more help. Like I said, I’m just as surprised as you.”
“Do you have any suggestion as to how I go about looking for Angelina? If my father never made provisions with you, I need to find her and make sure her expenses continue to be paid for her care.”
He shook his head. “I’m hardly in a position to play detective. When you learn of her whereabouts, I’d be happy to prepare the appropriate documents you might need.”
Charles walked over to the door and opened it. “Thank you for coming out today. We’ll be in touch.”
Mr. Bond paused briefly. “My condolences to you both.” He nodded curtly in her direction before taking his leave. The front door banged shut seconds later.
“Well, kiddo, it looks like you’ll never have to worry about money for the rest of your life.”
Jenna sunk in to her father’s chair. “This is all too weird. You were there and heard my father’s last words to me.”
He dropped to one knee in front of her and held her hands. “Now, you listen to me. You deserve every penny of that money. It’s your birthright.”
She searched his eyes for answers. “I can’t do all this alone. How do you feel about staying on here? You can take care of the staff and the estate while I’m with Jack. I’ll even double your wages. I’d like you to continue with the charity work my father was involved in. Maybe you can…”
Charles rose, shaking his head. “Whoa, slow down, kiddo. Are you telling me you intend to go back and live in that cabin with Jack?”
She laughed. “Seriously, can you see Jack being happy in a place like this?”
The corner of his mouth twitched. “You have a point. Why don’t we discuss all of this after the funeral?” He took a seat beside her before clasping her hands in his. “Now, you say your sister’s name is Angelina, what else did you discover?”
“Exactly what I just told you and Mr. Bond. My mother had Angelina long before she met and fell in love with my father. That would mean Angelina’s last name is Freeman. When he proposed marriage, he had one condition—nobody could know she had a child out of wedlock. In exchange for her silence, he’d pay for the best care money could buy and all of her expenses. In essence, give Angelina everything my mother could never have afforded her.”
Charles shook his head. “Your poor mother, I can’t imagine how hard that must have been for her.”
Jenna squeezed his hands. “Think hard, can you recall
anything
she might have said or done over the years that made no sense at the time, but…”
“Nothing comes to mind right now. Maybe we should ask the staff. It’s more likely she would’ve shared something that personal with Edna or Grace.”
“I can’t think straight. I need a little time alone to process everything.” She yawned. “I wish you’d let me help with the funeral arrangements. There must be something I can do.”
“It’s all taken care of.” He leaned against the desk and folded his arms across his chest. “We’ll have a very short service on Friday.”
Suddenly her eyes grew heavy. The emotional rollercoaster she’d been on was taking its toll on her—how she wished for the simpler life with Jack again. “I’m going to lie down for a bit.”
Charles pulled her into his arms, wrapping her in a very much-needed sense of family.
“Why don’t you put on one of those pretty dresses of yours and we get out of here this evening? Let’s go to The Chateau?”
The last thing on her mind was dressing up and going out, but she saw how happy the thought made him.
Jenna shrugged. “Sure, I guess I can do that.”