How Far the World Will Bend

How Far the World Will Bend - Chapter 22

Chapter 22. It's My Own Invention

"Clothilde!" cried Meg, staring at the fortune teller. She could not believe her eyes-after all of this time, that she should meet the gypsy in the warehouse where she had first sent her-a day ago? Two years ago?

The woman looked at her steadily. "You have not answered my question," she repeated. "Have you found your heart's desire?"

Meg nodded emphatically, and Clothide smiled broadly. "Ah, I thought you would." She studied Meg for a moment, and asked her, "And have you figured out who you are?"

Meg gaped at her-had the woman lost her mind? "I know who I am," she replied slowly.

The fortune teller laughed. "Perhaps you do-and perhaps you do not." She speared Meg with a direct stare. "Tell me, Meg, were you successful in Milton?"

Meg thought for a moment before she responded slowly, wiping the residual tears from her eyes with the back of her hand, "Yes, I believe so. I stopped the riot, and saved-those whom I was supposed to save." She paused and asked, "Whatever happened to Margaret Hale?"

Clothilde waved a hand at her impatiently. "We shall come to that presently. How did you fare living in Milton-how did you deal with your family and the people that you met?"

Meg thought again, and said, "Mr. and Mrs. Hale were wonderful-I could not have loved them more if they had been my real parents. Dixon was a very special woman, and Nicholas and Mary Higgins were lovely people. Mr. Bell was like having another father as well as a good friend, and Doctor Donaldson-I do not know what I would have done without him."

"So you loved them, and felt as if you belonged?" she asked, and Meg nodded, mystified.

"You did not mention John Thornton," the fortune teller said quietly, a gleam in her eye.

"I loved him," Meg said, beginning to cry again. "No, that's not right, I do love him. I will always love him."

"And yet you left him, and came back to this time. Why?"

Meg choked out, "My mission was complete. I had saved John and the others, and there was nothing left for me to do. When I saw you in the street in Milton, I was certain that it was a sign that it was time for me to come back to my own time and resume my life...." She stopped abruptly. "Only, I find I have no life in London now, and I'm not sure where I belong." Meg stared at Clothilde and angrily blurted out, "Why did you bring me back to this time if I no longer have a life here?"

"Was that the only reason you came back?" Clothilde asked gently.

Meg shook her head morosely. "No, I came back because I was convinced that I wasn't the right woman for John-I thought I could never help him advance his career or become the master of industry that he was meant to become. I thought he would marry Ann Latimer, but he didn't. I was wrong," she cried, placing a hand over her mouth in a futile attempt to muffle her sobs.

"You foolish child," Clothilde said affectionately, stooping to bring herself to eye level with Meg. "You were not just meant to save John Thornton, Meg, but to find your own life-and your heart's desire."

Meg felt her heart begin to beat wildly. "What do you mean?" she asked in a frightened tone.

"Search your heart and tell me the answer," the fortune teller urged.

Meg pushed up from the floor angrily, wiping her hands on her skirt. "Is this a game to you? Why do you ask me all of these questions, but refuse to answer mine. Who are you?"

Clothilde smiled at her gently and stood. "The more relevant question is-who are you?"

Meg's mouth went dry. "Who am I?" she forced out through stiff lips.