The English Descendants

8

In the carriage on the way to London, Edith tells the entire story as she lived it. She has not yet read Thomas' diary, so what her own eyes discovered is all she can say, and she leaves out pieces she thinks are too disturbing for the children- the incest, mostly, and the baby. Charlotte is horrified. Eliot has more questions. Edith tells them that they can call on Thomas to answer them once they are back in Detroit.

Eliot cannot wait, though, and when he thinks he is alone in his cabin on the steamship bound for America, he asks, "Can you hear me? Sir Thomas, I mean." Thomas flickers into view in a corner, "So you do watch us."

"Often."

"Why?"

"Because-"

Charlotte bounds into the room from the adjoining cabin, "Mum says-" She stares, "I don't ever want to see you again. Stay away from this family." Thomas' heart sinks and he opens his mouth to speak and closes it again. There is nothing he can say to make anything any better. "Mum says we're meeting for supper in an hour. Don't bring the ghost." She storms out and slams the door.

"Sir Thomas? Are you alright?"

"You mean beyond being dead and recently being in the middle of a housefire?"

"Clearly. She's shaken you."

"You are quite perceptive for such a tender age."

"And you're more complicated than I thought ghosts would be. There's something else here that I don't know, isn't there?"

"Yes."

"Tell me."

"I promised myself that I would earn my way back from my fallen state by acting as a guardian for Edith's family as long is it took for me to find rest."

"And?"

"And my daughter has told me that I am not to do anything of the sort."

"So? You're dead. We can't see you most of the time. Why would her demand stop you?"

"Because it seems wrong to stay when I'm so unwanted."

Eliot thinks for a moment, "I don't know what the future holds. But I don't want to see you again, either, at least not right now. You've done some pretty miserable things. And I'm not certain I want my family seeing you, either. But I think Mum would be glad that there's someone else helping to watch over us. And I think I'd feel comforted, when the time comes, to know someone is watching over my own children. If that is what you have to do to rest in peace, then fine, but stay out of sight unless you feel it is absolutely necessary for us to see you."

Thomas is heartbroken and it shows on his face, but he bows to his young companion, "As you wish, young master McMichael. But if you ever do wish to know me, your mother has my diary." He disappears, returning, at least for a little while, to the pile of rubble that is Allerdale Hall. Even if she is miserable company, at least Lucille wants him. Or she did, at least, until Edith set the house on fire. He's not sure what he will find when he returns. But old habits are hard to break and no matter how angry she has been with him, she has always sought him.