Forget the Past

Forget the Past Part 10

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Erich and Tessa both, looked to the opened doorway.

A man, with the small maid, stood just outside the study.

"Begging your pardon, Sir. This man is come to speak to you. He be a Constable, Sir. I can sit with the Mistress, if it pleases you." She indicated the woman beside Erich.

"Bring broth and tea, Millie." the man rose, releasing his hold on Tessa's hand. "Finningston, you have news?"

"Quite a bit, actually." the older, shorter male nodded his 'thanks' to the maid who went about her business with a discreet curtsey. The brown eyes which observed Tessa were astute and shrewd. "Are you ailing, Miss?" there was genuine concern in the question. "I can return at a more opportune time if..."

"Come in, man. Sit." Erich motioned to a chair. "This is a perfect time."

"Constable?" Tessa was anxious.

"I am merely a Runner, Miss." Finningston belayed all fears. "Your name is...Elsbeth James and you reside at..." he consulted a weathered notebook made of study brown leather. "Miller Crossing Cottage, on the outskirts of Endergard in the township of Blithe."

Tessa took in the information but it meant nothing to her. Her expression told Erich as much.

"My God. What a hideous name. I will consider Greta, I think."

Erich smiled. "Elsbeth."

"Stop." the woman grimaced her distaste.

"Beth?" the man tried again.

"Well..." that one wasn't so distasteful, especially when said by this man beside her.

"Ellie?"

"Oh." 'Ellie' perked up. "Oh, Erich, that is not...so bad, is it?"

The man smiled again. "There you have a name now. A lovely name."

"Liar." she crinkled that nose.

"Endergard is only five miles from where you found the lass, Baron."

"Baron?" Ellie lifted startled eyes.

"The information is correct, you are certain?" Erich ignored the questioning stare. "There can be no mistake?"

"Was not easy to find out anything in that village. The townspeople are closed-mouth and suspicious to a fault. Twas a young lad let it slip, about the missing girl and the young lad, one..." again the notebook was consulted. "A David Strathborne. As anyone could figure the boy was six and teen at the time of his disappearance."

Ellie's hand tightened painfully on Erich's. He glanced to the contact then her face which was carefully guarded, he knew.

He offered over a 'keep the hell quiet' look.

Ellie 'kept the hell quiet."

"The lad was a little slow, Sir if you get my drift. He had no people that anyone could say. Miss James here took him under her wing, as it were. That was the talk, at least."

Erich checked with the woman who shrugged slender shoulders.

Finningston's eyes told Erich there was bad news to report, asking silently of the woman's sensibilities.

Ellie missed any interaction, too concentrated on all having been said so far to note.

"She needs to know." Erich shook his head, indicating, "say what must be said."

Ellie lifted interested eyes.

Finningston cleared his throat. "Your parents, Miss...they be gone. Lost in a ship crossing about four years back." he waited for any reaction.