Voices From Within (Book 2)

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen

The Last Letter

"Regardless of what the letter says do you know what your plans are, Reggie? Are you going to stay here for the winter?"

"I don't know. I need to care for the animals," said Reggie as he continued to eat. "This squash is so good. Tell me again how you can only cook a little."

"My mother and our cook, Matilda, taught me to cook and bake. Now, don't change the subject."

"I told Sheriff Davis that when you were fit to travel, I was going to take you to the Thanturnam estate to recover. I'd thought I would let my mother fuss over you for a few days."

"That is sweet of you. But I'm afraid I should go back to Carlisle to check on my father, even though I don't want to."

"Why not?"

"Reggie, do you trust me?"

That was a sensitive issue with Reggie. Women had betrayed him in the past, and he kept everything to himself, which often created more of a mystery that surrounded him. Reggie stared at her dark brown eyes. She wanted an answer.

"With my life, yes. To hold my secrets, I trust very few."

Then he flipped the letter over and in Ivan's handwriting, the bold letters read 'Tell no one and show even fewer.'

"No wonder you are afraid to open the letter. That sounds ominous."

They ate in silence, as the letter laid on the table, unopened. Reggie and Charlotte wrestled in silence with their thoughts concerning trust. There were many unanswered questions, and they both remained guarded on how much to reveal and how much to keep to themselves.

"Charlotte, I must ask. Why don't you want to see your father?"

"My father," said Charlotte in exasperation at the thought of the man. "The Senator doesn't trust me or my mother or women in general. My father has kept secrets from us and lied about his business dealings too many times to count. I'm not so sure he had a heart attack. He takes to him bed to gain sympathy."

"I'm sorry to hear that. I didn't realize you had been so deceived by your father."

"He's not my father."

Charlotte gasped and put your hand over her mouth. She had said it out loud. Reggie looked at her with confusion. She stood up and rushed to the cookstove to check the meat for Kaiser. She filled his bowl and set the pan aside to use for her rue for the soup.

"Charlotte, talk to me. Explain to me why you believe he is not your father."

She took a deep breath and began her story. "My great-grandfather and grandfather were members of the elite in Spain. They were wealthy businessmen who had made their fortunes in gold, silver, and platinum. They ranked high in the eyes of the Spanish government. Prior to the Revolutionary war, the government had appointed my grandfather ambassador to America. My grandparents, my mother, and my Aunt Carmen moved to Washington, D.C. and lived in the Spanish embassy.

When my mother turned eighteen and my aunt sixteen, they enjoyed the social parties of the season. The two sisters fell in love with the two sons of the Mexican ambassador. Their names were Maxwell and Raul Alvarez.

The two governments were not getting along, and Maxwell's father objected to the union between my mother and Maxwell. During this time, Senator Randolph had become enamored with my mother and had asked my grandfather permission to court her. To keep up appearances, my mother reluctantly agreed, but continued her secret affair with Maxwell. The senator found out about the affair and threaten to tell. Then, when my mother discovered she was pregnant, she was overwhelmed with shame for her family.