Escape to Ecarte Island

A Repeat Offense

        

From Benedict Blue to Petrich by way of Violet:

Petrich,

I promised I would keep vigil of Ellenora in your absence. If Ellenora was as a typical young girl, I would not have made such a promise.  Many may have made themselves far too much of a bother, but Ellenora has always been differently turned. If she is the one to be bound to you as you say, then the stars, or whatever has brought it about, made a wise choice.  But she is still a young human and she is feeling your loss. 

Cattleya has let her be, knowing your leaving is crushing her daughter's heart, and allows Ellenora into the attic where she tends to stay whenever she can.  I do not believe it has reached a critical stage.  In all things Ellenora seems to be thriving just the same, just a bit quieter these days.

I'll be secretly testing her memory of you, for I agree that her association with you may be beyond her parents' grasp, which would be understandable, of course.  I'll report any drastic changes.

Stay Safe,
Benedict

       Violet Baugainvillea delivered the letter from Benedict, as instructed but did not linger. She made to leave Petrich where he sat at the table of their outdoor veranda.
"Have you a moment, Miss Violet?" Petrich asked.
Violet turned about. "Yes."
Petrich refolded the letter and absent-mindedly tapped it on the table.  "Would you mind my asking something rather personal?"
"No," she again answered simply and sat in a chair nearby.
"You were separated from Gilbert a good long while after the war. How is it that you coped?"
This time Violet took time to consider the answer, her eyes fixated on the folded letter in his hand.
"There is a special someone you had to leave back on the mainland." she stated, her expression unreadable as usual, other than the slightest hardness at the corners of her delicate mouth.
Petrich blinked, cleared his throat uncomfortably and readjusted in his chair. "Um, well, yes. I had to."
"Was this special someone aware you were leaving?"
"Yes. Yes, she knew." Petrich answered, a bit nervously as he noticed the hardness of Violet's mouth become more apparent. Her gloved hands now clenched her skirts.
"And where you had gone?" asked Violet.
Petrich did not want to answer that question, afraid of the wrath that might be unleashed upon him. But before he could answer, she asked another question. "And does she love you?"
I refuse to forget you, Petrich Ivan Hollenburg, because I'm the one who loves you. . .
All Petrich could do was give a shame-faced nod, no longer meeting her gaze.
            "And you believe this is the best solution in this particular circumstance?"
          Petrich raised his eyes to meet hers again, now with a bit more conviction. "Yes, I do believe this is the best solution in this particular circumstance."
         "You asked how I coped in my separation from the man that I needed to be near beyond all things."  She had seemingly returned to her more natural neutral emotional state. . . maybe.
          "I did." Petrich answered, fully aware that her answer might be very painful to hear.
          Violet turned her head and gazed out at the open landscape of Ecarte, the soft breeze from off the sea stirring her silver blonde tresses.  "I was not given the privilege to know whether the Major was alive or dead.  I finally woke, awaiting orders, but they never came."
           "The Major? Orders?" Petrich asked, confused, "Like military orders?"
            "Of course." said Violet, "I was trained a soldier and gifted to Gilbert from Dietfried as a weapon of war. Given your expression, you did not know this."
            "I had heard rumors of such soldiers, but Dietfried never told me of you in such context."
            Violet gave a slight nod and continued. "President Hodgins hired and looked after me after that.  He had promised Gilbert he would.  The last words Gilbert had uttered before the blast that had just nearly killed us both, was 'I love you'.  I had not been trained to understand the meaning of those words, but I so desperately wanted to learn them so that I could fully understand what he felt for me.  I  became an Auto Memory Doll and began to learn the many, many facets of this 'love'.  It was all what I had felt for him all along.  I just did not have the word to express it.  In the midst of it all, I was desperately seeking him.  Others discouraged my search, believing him dead. I refused to believe this. Four years later, through Dietfried and Claudia, Gilbert was found living here."
         "Did he know you were alive?"
         "Yes, and he was living here among strangers, punishing himself for using me for that which I was trained to do. He thought I would ultimately move on with my life, but the truth was I could not move forward without him with me.  In those years of separation, the misery was constant."
          Violet then stared down at her hands, still clenching the skirts on her lap.  "This is difficult to accept as the mother of a beautiful son, who is loved immeasurably by both his parents, but there was a time during that separation when I no longer wanted to live. Such was my misery without him."
          This serene, calm woman, speaking of contemplating suicide was just unfathomable, and Petrich was at a loss of words.
          "I learned so very much during my time of separation from Gilbert, but compared to my pain throughout that time, it all means next to nothing.  I would not tolerate my son suffering as I have. May it never happen to him or anyone he loves. It is torturous to watch."  Violet looked at Petrich. "If you may be choosing to do this to someone, you are making a horrid mistake."
          Petrich's eyes fell on the folded letter and silently nodded.
          "If that is all, Mr. Hollenburg," Violet politely replied, standing up and smoothing her skirts , as if the prior conversation had been no more than tomorrow's weather forecast. "I have chores to finish before beginning supper."
            Petrich stood and bowed as she left him, then he sat down again and after much thought, he put pen to paper in a letter back to Benedict.

Benedict,

Violet suspects I have left someone behind to suffer the same as she had.  I can not bear knowingly doing this to Ellenora.  If her memory of me remains completely intact by the end of the year, surely all will be squared away with this troublesome contract, and I shall return.

So, please let me know if there are any changes as soon as possible!

Thank you for your effort,
Petrich

The letter was in mail by the next morning.