Page 52 of The Forsaken (Echoes from the Past #4)

FORTY-FOUR

London, England

Quinn wiped the gel off her stomach while Dr. Malik turned off the ultrasound machine and recorded the results of the scan in Quinn’s chart.

Gabe stood by quietly, waiting for the final word from the doctor, but Quinn had seen the relief in his eyes when he watched their baby cavort on screen. He’d been really worried.

Dr. Malik turned back to Quinn and Gabe and gave them a reassuring smile.

“Everything looks good. Your blood pressure is slightly elevated, but not enough to be of concern, and your ankles are swollen, but it has been rather warm these past few days. Try to drink more water and keep an eye on the ankles. Ring me if the swelling gets worse. I see no reason for complete bedrest as of now, but I’d like you to rest at least two hours every day.

Are you resting?” she asked, peering at Quinn over her rimless specs.

“Not as much as she should,” Gabe piped in, earning himself a look of reproach from Quinn.

“I will rest more,” she promised.

“I’d like to see you in a fortnight,” Dr. Malik said as she said her goodbyes and rushed off to see the next patient.

“See, all is well,” Quinn said as she got off the examining table and slipped her feet into her shoes.

“Thank God. Would you like me to come with you?” Gabe suggested. “I still have a bit of time.”

Quinn had heard back from Hetty Marks two days ago. Hetty was in London visiting her sister, and had suggested they meet in person, which had left Quinn fluttering with nervous excitement. They had arranged to meet by the Albert Memorial at noon.

“Gabe…”

“All right. I understand. Ring me when you’re through.”

“I will. And thanks.”

Quinn took a taxi to Hyde Park. It was too far to walk, and as Dr. Malik had observed, it was a hot day.

Even in her light summer frock, Quinn was perspiring.

The green expanse of the park beckoned to her to enter its coolness, but she had to wait by the memorial.

It was the easiest spot to meet someone since it was open and elevated, the perfect vantage point.

The air shimmered with heat and was thick with the aroma of freshly mown grass and flowers.

Birdsong carried on the light breeze but was quickly drowned out by the sound of a giggling toddler.

Quinn looked at the little boy and her heart filled with longing.

She couldn’t wait to meet her baby. She wanted to hear it giggle just like that, and feel its weight in her arms as she held it close, enjoying that intoxicating baby smell that all little ones seemed to have. Eau de Bébé , Jill called it.

Quinn walked up the steps in front of the memorial before taking a drink of water from the bottle she always carried. The water was tepid and Quinn made a face, which elicited a chuckle from the elderly woman who was just walking up the steps.

“I remember you making a face just like that when I gave you a bottle. The formula wasn’t warmed through, and you were very displeased, as I recall.”

“Ms. Marks,” Quinn said, smiling at the woman.

She looked exactly like her profile photo on Facebook.

Round blue eyes, ruddy complexion, and thick salt-and-pepper hair cropped close to her head.

Ms. Marks wore a long cotton skirt with a pattern of bright red poppies against a cream-colored background, and a beige top .

“I’m thrilled to see you, Quinn. Or should I say Dr. Allenby? What an honor. I looked you up after I received your message. I’ve only just recently learned how to use Messenger. My word, you’ve come a long way from that squalling infant,” she said as she studied Quinn with undisguised interest.

“Should we walk, or would you prefer to find a shady bench?” Quinn asked.

“If you feel up to walking, I’m game,” Ms. Marks replied. “And please call me Hetty.”

They walked away from the memorial and deeper into the park. “I’ve only just found out about my sister,” Quinn began. “I had no idea my mother gave birth to twins. She never thought to mention the fact.”

“So you’ve met her then.”

“Yes, very recently. She’s not what I expected,” Quinn confessed.

“Few people ever are. I’m glad you contacted me though. I always did wonder about you girls.”

“Please tell me everything, as you remember it.”

Hetty nodded, a faraway look in her eyes as she recalled the details of that day. Her account was very similar to that of Reverend Seaton, and Quinn was disappointed that Hetty couldn’t add much to what she already knew.

“You see, I took a leave of absence shortly after the two of you were found. My mother fell and broke her hip, and needed looking after, so I spent nearly a year in Manchester. That’s where I’m from, originally. By the time I returned to work, your cases were closed.”

“Did you never look at the files?” Quinn asked.

“I was no longer the case manager, so I had no access to the information. Adoption files are confidential. ”

“Do you know anything at all about my sister?”

“I know that she had surgery and remained in hospital for several weeks, under observation. By the time I returned, she’d been discharged and adopted. That’s all I can tell you, love.”

“Did she look like me? Were we identical?”

Hetty smiled kindly. “You were newborn babies. Even if you were identical, it’d be pretty hard to tell at that stage, especially as I never saw you side by side. I suppose you looked alike, but I can’t tell you anything more than that. I’m sorry.”

“Is there any way to find out who adopted Quentin?”

“I’m sorry, pet, but finding your sister won’t be easy. Had your mother gone through the proper channels, there’d be a record, and your sister would have had a surname at birth. As your mother decided to leave you girls just lying about…”

“I see. Thank you, Hetty.”

“I do wish I could help you. I always thought it was wrong that they split you up, but I suppose they thought it best to get you adopted as soon as possible without waiting for your sister to recover. Not many people wish to take on babies that are ill, and I believe your sister might have had a congenital heart condition. They thought you’d have a better chance on your own, and looks like they were right. ”

“Yes, my parents are wonderful. I got very lucky. I can only hope my sister can say the same.”

“Have you searched the internet for a Quentin of about the same age?”

“I have, but no joy,” Quinn replied.

“What’s your next step then? Is there anything I can do?”

“I suppose I’ll visit the hospital where Quentin was treated. Perhaps someone might remember her, or maybe I can even get access to her file. As her sister, I could be considered next of kin,” Quinn speculated.

“Well, I don’t know about that, but you can certainly try. I think your mother might have a better chance, as the birth mother, you know.”

“Do you think so?”

“It’s worth a try, isn’t it? Oh, I do hope you find her, Quinn. I can’t imagine life without my sister. We’ve had our ups and downs, as sisters do, but there’s no one in the world who understands me the way she does.”

“Since Quentin and I didn’t grow up together, I can’t expect that we’d share that sort of bond,” Quinn replied, envious of Hetty’s relationship with her sister. She’d always longed for a sibling, but she was grateful for Jill, who was as close to a sister as Quinn could hope for.

“No, you didn’t, but you shared a womb, and parents. You must have something in common.”

“I’d like the chance to find out.”

“I hope you’ll get it. It’s so much easier to find someone in this day and age, with computers and such. I’m sure you’ll find her trail.”

Quinn and Hetty talked for a while longer, and then Hetty said her goodbyes and rushed off to meet her sister for lunch at a nearby pub.

Quinn found a shady bench and sat down, needing a few minutes to ponder what Hetty had said.

The truth of the situation was that Quinn was as far from discovering what had happened to Quentin as she had been a few days ago.

She would never seek help from Sylvia, who had never bothered to find out what had happened to her baby.

She’d just walked away—from both of them.

She didn’t deserve to have her daughters back, and Quinn would keep whatever she discovered to herself.

In truth, Sylvia would be of no use anyway, since her name wasn’t listed anywhere as the birth mother, and she had no legal connection to the children she’d abandoned.

Quinn supposed her only option was to visit the hospital where Quentin had been left, but what were the chances that anyone would actually tell her anything?

She left the park, purchased a fresh bottle of water, took a few minutes to hydrate, and set off for home.

She’d clear forgotten that Logan and Scott would be coming by tonight to take a look at the sword.

She’d stop by the shops on the way home and pick up a couple of salmon fillets.

Served with jasmine rice and steamed asparagus, they would do very well for an impromptu dinner.

Quinn took her mobile out of her bag and rang her mother.

She’d promised to call after the doctor’s appointment.

She momentarily considered telling her mum about Quentin but quickly changed her mind.

She’d keep that bit of information to herself until she knew more.

Perhaps it was unfair of her not to share this monumental news with her parents, but since discovering her psychic gift at a young age, she’d learned to be secretive, more for her parents’ sake than her own.

She had no wish to upset them or cause them unnecessary pain, since they were already questioning their place in her life and thinking that somehow they’d never been enough.