A Blue Mountain Memory

LXIII

A week passed, yet nothing changed.

Elwood still came over for dinner, still took Cora out for lunch, and still brought her to the abandoned cabin. Henry remained oblivious to the affair, too busy with his son and too pleased with his wife's improved disposition. Lee, on the other hand, felt himself spiraling. If his plan did not work soon, he would have to escalate the situation– anything to get rid of Elwood Lew.

Lee guessed that his sister's relationship with Elwood had grown closer and more intimate. He could tell each night he sat across from her at dinner as she beamed at her lover, fluttering her eyelashes and flashing suggestive looks. For as much as Lee loved and admired his brother-in-law, he could not believe how stupid the man was when it came to his own wife. She sat before him, flirting with another man, yet Henry still seemed content, trapped in this fantasy world of his that did not reflect reality. Did Henry know and not care? Lee did not think that could be the case. He knew just how much Henry adored Cora, and learning about a possible affair would surely break his heart.

As Lee found himself wracked with anxiety, Henry's naivety and oblivious nature allowed him to continue enjoying his vacation. He and William walked hand-in-hand through the center of town. They were on their way to the lake, once more, headed for another day of fishing and picnicking.

"Daddy," William said, tugging on his father's arm.

Henry's gaze was fixed on the buildings they passed, admiring their quaintness.

"Daddy," William said again, pulling harder on his father's arm.

"Yes?" Henry asked, refocusing his attention on the walk.

"That woman is here again."

"What woman?"

"The scary one," William said, pointing directly in front of them.

Henry's gaze followed William's finger and he saw the woman who had been harassing him the whole summer. Henry came to a stop and turned to William.

"Willie, how about you go back to the house for a bit. I've got something to take care of, but I'll come get you when I'm ready to go fishing. Okay?"

William nodded and ran back towards the house. Henry turned to the woman.

"I am not interested in anything you have to say about my wife," he snapped, stomping towards the woman.

"Oh, but I think you are, you just don't want to admit it," she laughed in response.

"Why won't you leave me alone?"

"Because, Mr. Carlyle, I want to tell you the truth. You deserve to know what your wife's been up to... who she's been hanging around with... Where they've been going... What they've been doing..."

"I don't understand. I know who she's been with. I trust Lewis and I trust her."

"Then why have they been sneaking off to a cabin deep in the woods?"

"What do you mean..."

Henry did not want to be curious. He wanted to dismiss this woman's words, confident that they had no truth. But surprisingly, Henry found he could not resist the urge to know what she had seen.

"I can tell you, of course... but for a price."

Henry paused. He took a deep breath, contemplating his response. No, he could not buy information about his own wife. It would be wrong, and it would show that he did not trust her.

Then again, this woman had been following him all summer desperate to tell him something.

"How much?"