Page 108

"No. Dr. Price told me of her. But today Linden told me she had come to see you some time ago. Why?"

"She hoped to blackmail me. She was a despicable person, jealous, cruel to the patients, and especially to me,"

"What did you do?"

"I threw her out."

"I would have thought she would have tried to blackmail my father, not you."

"That was the irony of it all. She truly did love your father and couldn't get herself to be cruel to him. Whereas she would enjoy being cruel to me. For all I know, however, she might have extracted something from him."

"I don't know," I said, shaking my head.

"It doesn't matter very much now," she said. She looked at the sea again. "None of it matters, except how it affects Linden and you."

"I'd like to be his friend, his sister. if I can, if he'll let me," I said.

She looked at me intently for a few moments and then glanced back at the beach house.

"I should have told him long ago. It would have been so much easier for all of us. Secrets have a way of gowing into little cancers, eating your heart and your soul."

I nodded, biting down on my lower lip, trying to squeeze back the tears that were burning beneath my lids. Surely. Daddy had suffered secrets like this as well, and for so long and so privately.

She smiled at me and stroked my hair, 'Just looking at you brings back so many wonderful memories of your father. Willow. What a wonderful name to have given you No one knew how special it was but your father and me. It made him so happy. I see his smile in your smile, the same light in your eyes. I am truly glad you have come back to me." she said. "Even after all this time.-

"But I've brought you bad news. I was afraid I would bring you pain, and I have."

"Yes, but it's over. The bad news is over," she said. It sounded so much like a prayer.

I smiled back at her.

Behind us, a tern cried mournfully as if it had overheard her words and knew that fate hadn't quite satisfied its hunger for tears. Not yet.

15

The Waters Rise

.

My mother repeated her promise to tell Linden everything that evening. If it went well, she would bring us together tomorrow, she told me. I warned her about the Eatons' big affair. She had already gotten word of it through some of the servants, who sympathized more with her and cared more for her than they did for Bunny and Asher.

I would have thought the Eatons would stay home and rest for their big extravaganza, but Bunny had Jennings inform me that they were going to another dinner party and would not be available to have dinner with me. I was to request anything I desired, however,

"Anything you want." he said. "The chef is standing by."

Jennings stood there, waiting as if I were on death row, ordering my last meal before my execution.

"I'm not terribly hungry, Jennings. Just some cheese, crackers, and fresh fruit with some coffee will be fine. I'll take it in my room." I told him.

"Very good, miss," he said with a small bow. He retreated. and I sat on my balcony and gazed down at the beach house, wandering what was happening, where and when my mother was beginning her disclosures to Linden, and how he was reacting. It kept me on pins and needles, and when the phone rang. I practically leaped out of my clothes,

It was Thatcher again. "Just checking on you to see what you're doing. Are you going into town, meeting anyone?"

"No. I'm just having something light here in my room, on the balcony. actually."

"I'll stop by to see you as soon as I get home," he promised. That's fine." I said. "Don't worry about me. "

"My parents wanted to take you along with them to their dinner party, but I wouldn't let them." he revealed, "I don't want to share you. You're liable to meet some prince of industry and drop me like yesterday's news."