The Covenant - Uncovering Secrets -

Chapter Eight - A Little Past Can't Hurt, Right? Part 2

Part Two

"Mother?" I turned as Caleb's voice brought me from my memories, finding him in the doorway frowning at me.

"Yes, Caleb." I knew what he wanted.

"I need you to come down and apologise to Belle." Taking a deep breath I nodded, following him back downstairs. Meredith would have a heart attack if she saw Belle, if she found out she had come back to us. I entered the kitchen, Tyler, Pogue and Kate still sat around the far side of the island in the middle of the room while Reid stood against a counter holding Belle's hand tightly. Perhaps it was a good idea not to allow Meredith and Joseph pretend she was their daughter. The thought ran through my mind as I looked closer at Belle and Reid. "Mother." Caleb prompted. I looked at Caleb, seeing so much of his father in him, remembering how much I never wanted him to turn into him, not after what he did.

"I'm sorry if I startled you, Isabel." Belle flinched as I used her given name and I found myself curious as to why.

"Don't call me that." She whispered tensing as she continued to still not look at me.

"It is your given name." I replied crossing my arms. How much had she told the boys? How much did she know? Did she even know who she was? Why she would feel so at home between the boys. Why she felt drawn to them? The boys and Kate were watching me, their eyes briefly moving to Belle. "It is the name your mother gave to you." Belle's sharp eyes snapped to mine, her body going still. Reid ignored me, stroking the inside of her palm with his thumb but she continued to look at me. Does she even know?

"I never knew my birth mother. She didn't deserve to be my mother and I don't see her as my mother, as far as I'm concerned I don't have a birth mother. She gave me up." I felt my jaw tighten and my eyes narrow.

"How dare you talk of your mother like that!" I snapped unable to control my anger. "Katherine died protecting you, Isabel. She would never have given you up willingly, she died trying to keep you alive." Belle tried to move but Reid held her against him.

"You don't know anything about me! Or whoever my mother was." I sighed.

"Then I shall prove to you that I know more about you than you seem to know at the moment, and about your mother." I picked up the phone hanging on the wall beside the door dialling the number off by heart.

"Hello -"

"I need you to come over to the house, immediately. We'll be in the kitchen." I interrupted the soft female voice.

"Evelyn?"

"Now."

"We'll be there in a few minutes." Hanging up the phone I crossed my arms looking at Belle while she looked at the others before returning my gaze. I thought back to the night that changed how much I cared about Belle being happy and safe with her adoptive family.

"William, please. Tell me why we can't take her in." I stood across from William in our study. "Tell me what you're hiding? Why are you so against Isabel staying where we can watch over her?" William looked up from the fire burning brightly, to the photo of Caleb and the other boys that sat on the mantle place.

"Evelyn, leave the subject alone."

"No. Why..." My words caught in my throat as he looked at me, his eyes angry and full or pain. "...or is it the fact she is Katherine's daughter that you don't want her near any of us?"

"Evelyn!" William warned.

"Are you scared when she grows up that she'll tempt one of the boys?" William glared at me. "Like you were tempted by Katherine." I pinned him with my eyes, needing him to tell me what it was that was making him so amendment to keep her at arms length from the boys. "William, tell me!"