Page 45 of The Unseen (Echoes from the Past #5)
THIRTY-SEVEN
Once Emma left the room, Quinn was able to finish telling Gabe about her vision, but saying the words out loud didn’t make what she’d seen any less shocking. “The man was despicable. I would have never foreseen this turn of events.”
“Yes, what he did was diabolical,” Gabe agreed. “He came to their aid, gave them time to grow comfortable and secure in their new life, and then sprang the trap. Did Valentina agree to his terms?”
“I don’t know yet. I can’t bear to find out.
Everything inside me is screaming for her to get away from this man, but I suspect she gave in for the sake of her family.
Her mother was emotionally fragile and unsuited to any type of work, and her little brother would have no future without a proper education.
Tanya was only fifteen at the time, but given the societal norms of the day, her only future security lay in marriage, the prospect of which would also be snatched away should they be reduced to a life of penury.
Valentina wouldn’t be the first woman to trade her dignity for security for her family. ”
“No, she wouldn’t be, but she would despise the man who orchestrated her downfall.”
“I wouldn’t call it her downfall,” Quinn protested.
“We know that Valentina married twice, had two children, and was financially sound for most of her life. Something must have happened to turn things around for her. Rhys would like to arrange an interview with her daughter, Natalia, but I think I’ll hold off a bit longer before speaking to her.
I’d like to find out what happened first.”
“Rhys will wait until you’re ready. He has great respect for your process and is completely in awe of your ability.”
Quinn chuckled. “My ability can be compared to a besieged castle. Everyone on the outside wants to get in and everyone on the inside wants to get out. Rhys would give up a vital organ to be able to see what I see, but I would gladly give up this curse once and for all.”
“Would you really?” Gabe asked, smiling at her in that way that suggested he knew better. “All you have to do is wear latex gloves when handling objects, and you’ll never see anything. Yet you choose to get involved with the victims. You feel compelled to tell their stories.”
“Very few people throughout history were important enough to remember. Most were born, lived—some longer than others—and died. But when you delve into the past, you see that their lives were not nearly as ordinary or uneventful as historians would have us believe. The common view is that most women’s lives could be summed up by three events.
They were christened, married, and buried, leaving virtually no mark.
For every Elizabeth Tudor, Mary Stewart and Margaret of Anjou, there are millions of women who’ve been completely forgotten.
I feel obligated to give them back their voice and to applaud their bravery in fighting for a better life and the right to be happy in times when men held all the cards and a woman could do nothing more than cope with whatever was done to her. ”
“So you wouldn’t give it up?” Gabe asked, still grinning as if he’d just proved his point without saying a word.
“I don’t think I can.”
“Then tell their stories and allow Rhys to be your tool. He might not be able to see what you see, but he gives you free rein. This is your show, Quinn. This is your platform.”
“You’re right, as usual. God, that’s annoying.
” Quinn laughed. She felt lighter after talking to Gabe, and ready to face whatever had happened to Valentina.
The women she saw were long gone, so the events could no longer hurt them, but it was important to vindicate them in the eyes of history, and she was the only one who could do that.