Discovering Treasure (9 page)

16

That other letter

Connor took off for Melbourne that same Sunday afternoon. He said he needed an early start next morning and for that, a restful night. Mr. Wallace, the vet planned a trip to Sydney with his wife and son to order what was needed for his almost completed clinic. So he hand delivered another letter from Treasure to her uncle, requesting to visit earlier than he anticipated. This was in regard to the reading of Primrose's second correspondence. God was in control again; otherwise the mail would have taken over eight days to be delivered.

Kelvin began work in earnest on Ella's salon. He hired a helper and Ella with Parish were constantly underfoot. Not that Kelvin minded, he had never experienced companionship as he did now since coming to live at Treasures.

Meanwhile in Sydney, Marcus Kingsley was surprised to receive the letter when Treasure knew he was to visit again in a few weeks. Why it was important for him to be with her he was unsure, but he immediately made plans to drive, leaving very early on Thursday morning.

Connor was having a busy time in Melbourne. Not only did he have the court case to prepare for and attend, he was also being fitted for a new type of lighter prosthesis for his leg. This took a few appointments due to measuring, fitting, adjustments and re-fitting, but by Friday morning he was very happy with the result. Now he just needed to get used to the lighter weight.

The work with his client was over by one o'clock that day, and he was ready to head back to the valley. But there was something on his mind, and he felt it was important. He wanted to reassure Treasure of his love. She knew God loved her now, but to feel the love from someone else who she herself had professed to love, seemed very important. With this in mind Connor went for a stroll along Bourke Street where his apartment was located. Walking into a jeweler shop, he looked at solitaire engagement rings. – Which one? What were her tastes? In the end he picked a plain white gold with an oval red stone, thinking of her light skin and the red in her hair. If she didn't like it, he'd bring her back with him for an exchange. Encased in a red velvet box, it rode in his pocket and he prepared for his trip back home.

Uncle Marcus arrived early in the afternoon on Thursday. Treasure was astonished that he'd driven himself all that way, as it was another of out of character act. She informed him of the letter Connor was to read to them on Saturday and of Connor's advice for him to be present. This was a puzzle, however, Marcus had faith in Connor and was happy to be included as family.

He changed clothes straight away and after a sandwich and cup of tea to carry his hunger over, he got to work digging out the foundations of the footpath from the front gate to what would be Ella's salon front entrance. This was another revelation to Treasure, never in her life had she witnessed him performing laboring work, and so she questioned him why he would do it now. He put down the shovel for a moment and sat on the verandah with a cool glass of lemonade. He informed her, there was nothing he enjoyed more than getting his hands dirty, but her mother had been opposed.

“Who do you think planted that rose arbor out the side of the house?” He looked at her with a twinkle in his eye. “I designed it and built every bit myself while you two were overseas. I swore our gardener to secrecy of course.” He chuckled and stood. “Now back to work, and –,” he paused mid-step –, how did you think I kept fit all these years?” He looked at her with a secret smile. “Muscles don't come from sitting around. Your mother thought they came from playing golf.”

He had her laughing then. All the negative thoughts she'd carried about him faded into a distant memory as he began to delight in life. Thinking about him as she carried his glass back into the kitchen, Treasure felt he couldn't be more in age than his late forties. Why, maybe he'd marry again, and next time perhaps it would be to someone with more in common.

*****

Saturday dawned and the letter to be read sat in Connor's hand.

“I believe what I am about to read will be a shock, and I am now thankful for the time allowed between this and the first one. I feel both Treasure and you also Marcus, have both been strengthened together in your new-born faith, and so will be much more able to withstand what you hear. In God's Word we are told there is a time under the heavens for all things. Whether or not this will be the right time only you will be able to understand. For what it's worth, I know this letter will bring both sadness and happiness, as I was the one who was asked to dictate it. So you will note it is not handwritten as in the case of the first one.” He looked at Treasure now. “Primrose managed to write the first letter and then her strength was depleted. So you will find it has been typed, by myself I might add, because your mother wanted the utmost secrecy. However, you will see she did sign and date it herself.”

They all sat in Grandmother's office with the door closed. Kelvin and Nellie had both been asked to please keep all noise down until the letter was read. Following that, it would be nice to have morning tea. Connor looked extremely uncomfortable and a little sad. He cleared his throat and read.

“My dear beloved's, yes, you who are all close to my heart will be listening to these words in wonder. Marcus, I'm afraid I never fully appreciated your sacrifices; and probably at times I even looked down on you. However, you were always there when I needed a shoulder to lean on or a handkerchief to cry into. Looking back over the years, I don't know where I would have been without your kind and devoted heart. Please know I love you, and it took me almost until the end before I was wise enough to realize it. I am so sorry, but please, remain close to my girls because I know they will always make sure you are cared for, and you deserve that.”

Marcus now shuffled in his chair. He rummaged for his handkerchief and held it tohis eyes in his own silent misery. Blocking himself off by turning slightly away from the rest in the room, everyone felt his terrible grief. Treasure, sitting between him and Ella, reached over to thread her arm through his in understanding and compassion. As he gained his composure Connor continued on.

“Now Isabella, and I call you this as proof of who you really are.”

Ella thought she would fall off her chair and she hastily moved closer to Treasure and clung onto her arm. Shock and fear etched worry lines across her face, but no words could escape.

“You will remember, the very first time I met you in London with Treasure. Do you remember how startled I was to hear your surname of Dittmar? Well my dearest girl, the reason for that was because Frank Dittmar, the man I thought I loved for all those years, the man who is Treasure's father, is also your own. Yes my dears, you and Treasure are sisters, half-sisters; you have the same father but different mothers.”

This was the biggest shock of all. But how did Primrose find this out? And how long had she known? Connor now looked at Treasure, who had one arm hooked through her uncle's and the other through her sister's.

Ella spoke first. “This is the reason we have always had such a commitment to each other.”

“Yes,” Treasure agreed, “and our eyes are the same color yet it's not as obvious, because they are shaped differently and our hair is different colors.”

All three related persons in the room felt closer to one other, yet for different reasons

“Treasure,” Connor began again.
“Even when I learned Ella was your sister I couldn't say anything, because it may have caused you to go racing off to your father. I believe that could have caused a problem for the three of you. Life isn't always simple; I wish it could be, however, many years have passed now since I saw your father, so you may be able to find him, with the help of my lawyer, Connor. Ella will fill you in on life before we met her. Her promise to her father is broken now that I have revealed your relationship. Due to who he was, and who Ella is, I took her under my wing and loved her as my own.. My love to all three of you now. Primrose and Mother. ”

Connor re-folded the letter and placed it back in the envelope, which he handed to Treasure. Well! How many secrets could one person contain, and why? It all seemed so senseless.

Ella had some explaining to do. It was her turn now to solve the rest of why Primrose had kept silent.

“It's alright Ella.” Treasure reassured! “It must be safe otherwise Mother would never put you into danger.”

Connor cleared his throat again.

“From what Lady Primrose told me, when she went and found your father, Treasure, he told her it wasn't safe in their village for Ella to remain. Ella's mother was unwell with a kidney disease and on dialysis, so he couldn't move them away as a family. He felt obligated to see the last of her life was lived out in as much comfort as possible. Unfortunately in the same community lived a bully whose father was the local bobby. This bully was possibly responsible for the rape of a young girl whose family wasn't believed he'd done it. Then he began to set his sights on Ella.”

So Ella's father felt it best she get away and try and find work in London.” Connor stopped here hoping he had given Ella the confidence to continue the story herself.

“It's a terrible thing to lie,” Ella commenced, “because one lie leads to another. I had to leave my parents and I was only fifteen, and my mother had a friend living near London. Papa thought I would be safe if I could get to her, but the hard thing was how to get me out of the village without that nasty Bill Towers following me. The last bus of the day was at eleven o'clock at night bringing home workers. Most of the village people were settled in bed by then and not many used the return service. Papa got a friend to purchase a ticket, saying it was for himself, and then he came with me to make sure I got on the bus safely. I was dressed like a boy, with pants, a coat, my hair tucked up in a cap, and a wooly scarf around my neck. My father told me, not to talk to anyone and to go straight to my mother's friend's address on arrival. I only carried a small bag, and the clothes I wore when I met you Treasure.”

Treasure looked perplexed. “But –, what about your mother's friend? You didn't tell me anything about being with her?”

Ella shook her head remembering the hopelessness of the situation. “My father told me not to write him for a while until I was safe and then to just send him a postcard saying –, having a lovely time, June Lawrence. That was my mother's friend's name.”

“Well!” Repeated Treasure. Where was your mother's friend?” She was feeling exasperated!

“She died! Do you remember the terrible flu pandemic in London that year? Well it took mum's friend. And I was left not knowing what to do. It was then, while I was standing outside that fancy restaurant, I met you and your aunt – er – Mother. It was the strangest thing because I felt like I knew you right from the start and you felt like you knew me.”

She stopped and clutched onto Treasure's hand. “It was so extraordinary, God made us find each other without knowing we did. Then without my understanding, when your mother asked me the next day where I came from, she took a taxi all that way and went and saw my father. Later, she didn't tell me who he was to her. She just said she saw him and told him I was safe with her and that's all I knew. Later we moved to Paris and I sent the postcard saying what he told me to say, in case anyone else saw it. About six months later he wrote me that my mother died and that he had been offered a job as a mechanic. He also said that the bully had been caught out stealing in another town and send to prison, so I should be safe.”

Connor took all of this in and it was his turn to close it all off. “To be truthful Ella, you haven't contacted your father in three years. Now I know that Lady Primrose had begun to feel unwell, and you and Treasure were busy, but he would have liked to know that all was well with you.”

Ella stared at him. “How do you know this about my father, Connor?”

Treasure leaned forward. “Yes,” how do you know?”

“Lady Primrose told me to write to him and tell him you were settled back at her home in Sydney. She also sent the money for his passage to come back here to see you. His boat docks a week before Christmas, that's just two weeks from now.”

He watched Ella's reaction, and a multitude of expressions crossed her face. Then he turned to Treasure.

“Your father still doesn't know about you, Treasure. Your mother felt he had enough on his plate without learning about you when she went to visited him. His wife was dying and his young daughter would be going away to Paris with you both, so she just said she had her niece with her and left it at that. So he will get a shock to discover he has two daughters instead of one, and he has lost so many years with both of you. Can you deal with that?”

Uncle Marcus, who had remained silent through all these, interacts, stood up.

“I think I need that cup of tea. I had a niece who was like my own daughter, and now I have lost her to a man who has never had anything to do with her life. I need time out, so if you all don't mind, I'll have a cuppa while you sort yourselves out, and then I'll take a walk for a breath of fresh air.”

This was so unfair to her Uncle Marcus; Treasure could now see he'd always seemed to get the raw end of the stick. Treasure was glad that at least her mother had written of her love and appreciation for him; she owed him much more than that. There were fathers who conceived a child and fathers who nurture them, and considering how her uncle never let her down and rushed to her side when she needed him, he was more her father than anyone else. She decided there and then, that she would acknowledge her natural father for who he was, but he still had Ella whereas Uncle Marcus only had her.

Treasure also stood. “I don't know about you two, but I am going for a cuppa as well, and then I am going to talk to my uncle and convince him that nothing changes. I love him and from now on he is the one I consider as my closest. Ella, I am the happiest woman in the world to know you are my little sister. I love you very much and nothing changes between us except that we now understand the puzzle of our close connection.”