The Seer's Secret

The Letter

Time felt like it had frozen in place when Katherine brought the dreadful news to the family room on Friday morning. Her hands shaking she gave Elaine's father a brown letter sent from France. Elaine tried to read his expression as he silently stared at the sheet of paper, but his face gave nothing away. He set the letter down and strode to the fire place falling into his favourite chair with a sigh. Elaine ached to go over and read the note but she knew she'd be in deep trouble if she did that so instead she waited for her father to talk. "What is it father?" she timidly asked. Her father looked at her and his faced looked older than he was. He spoke in an equally aged voice as he informed the room at large that Mr Crowfield, his closest friend had passed away.

There was a long silence before Jacob burst into tears."Mr Crowfield is dead?" he asked in between shaky sobs. Father nodded gravely. Jake had gotten along with the friendly man who worked for their father, he visited often to discuss the city plans and ordeals. Elaine had liked him too and each time he visited he brought along with him books for Elaine, as he knew she loved reading. She was holding back her own tears as she reminisced the interesting history lessons and the playful fun they had when father was sent away on business matters. In some ways he felt more like a father to her than her own one did.

Elaine's mother was also overcome with remorse "Oh good Lord!",  she cried with a hand over her heart. "And what of his wife and children?" She asked her husband. Tears were threatening to spill over her eyes. "They're all in good health Charlotte". Henry replied. "Oh thank goodness, those poor poor boys". Mother wept for the bitter fate of the two young boys he had left behind. In this day and age children without their fathers as sole providers were as good as dead. She worried they'd be sent to work in the factories as soon as word of their fathers demise got out to the public. Her mother held Jacob's hand, who was still sniffling and led him quietly out of the living room. Elaine chose to stay behind and read the book Mr Crowfield had gifted her but from the corner of her eye she watched her father. She felt a bit confused as she recalled his initial reaction to his friend's demise, he appeared to be expecting the news and his strange behaviour in the past weeks made her question whether had he known Mr Crowfield had died before they received the news? She didn't know how that was possible but something didn't seem right about the whole situation. "Elaine could you bring me my hat please dove?" he said to her. "Are you leaving Father?" she asked timidly. She wasn't allowed to question her father or answer back in general when he asked her to do something. Her father replied in the positive and so she hurried off to fetch the top hat he kept on the stand next to the wide front door.

As she was turning the corner she found him standing above the fireplace watching the letter he had just thrown in there burn slowly. Her suspicions increased and she walked in holding his hat. He seemed dazed as he took it from her but nodded and gave her a slight smile before he left the room. Elaine stood there for a minute pondering the situation. Why would he burn the letter? And where was he going? The questions circled her mind and she came up blank each time.
With a sigh she walked away from the burning letter that had turned into ash and let herself out the back door.