Chapter 98 - The Midnight Reckoning
Emma stood by the bay window of the study, the winter sun illuminating the faded blue ink of her father’s handwriting. Claire stood beside her, reading over her shoulder in silence.
*“My dearest Emma,*
*If you are reading this, it means I was too late to save Claire, and too weak to stop the machinery your mother and her brother have built. I am so sorry, my little bird. I wanted a life of books and quiet gardens for you, but Eleanor lives only for the applause of people who do not care if she lives or dies.*
*Do not let them make you feel small. You have my heart, and you have Claire’s fire. If the day comes when you must choose between their approval and your dignity, take your dignity and run. Let the Vance name burn. The only true legacy worth leaving is the love you give to those who have no power to repay you.*
*All my love across the dark,*
*Dad.”*
Tears dropped silently onto the paper, blurring the date at the bottom. Emma pressed the letter against her chest, closing her eyes as the last lingering knot of guilt inside her soul unraveled and blew away like smoke.
All those years, Eleanor had told her that her father was disappointed in her, that she was clumsy, unrefined, a disappointment compared to the Vance lineage. It was all a lie. A systematic, deliberate campaign to break her spirit so she would never look behind the wainscoting, never question the trust documents, never protect herself.
"He loved us," Claire whispered, her voice cracking.
"He did," Emma said, wiping her face and turning around. "And he knew what she was."
May you like
Agent Davies tapped his watch. "The federal convoy is clearing out. The manor is being sealed as a crime scene until the U.S. Attorney’s office finishes cataloging the ledger assets. We’ve arranged an escort back to your house in Albany, Emma. It’s over."
Emma looked out at the frozen lawn. "Almost over. There’s still New Year’s Eve."
