Page 109 of The Missing Pages
She handed the papers to Ada.
“I feel badly you’re leaving so soon. I wanted to help you get on your feet,” she said.
“It will be better for me to return to London,” Ada said quietly. “I’m not a citizen here, and I was already pushing how long I could stay working for Mr. Rosenbach. It is for the best.”
Fanny’s hand reached out and touched Ada’s shoulder. “I know everything feels so raw right now. I’m not going to lie and tell you your heart is going to hurt any less. But you do learn to endure it.”
Ada’s throat tightened as she forced back tears.
“I have this horrible feeling, Fanny,” she finally managed to say. “Like I feel her kicking inside me. It’s like I’m still carrying her even though I know I’m not.”
Fanny’s lids lowered. “I had the same sensation. I would be working at my sewing station, and I was sure I felt those flutters in my belly.” She paused. “Honestly, it still happens to me, Ada.”
“It feels almost cruel,” Ada said. “A constant reminder of what I’ve lost.”
Fanny put down Ada’s suitcase and put an arm around her. “Maybe you need to think about it another way… like she’s still with you.”
Ada nodded. “Yes,” she said.
“I can come with you to the train station,” Fanny said.
“It’s better I go alone,” Ada said. “I have a big trip ahead.”
Fanny nodded and handed Ada her valise.
The gratitude she had for Fanny was overwhelming. There was so much she wanted to say to her friend, but Ada didn’t want to break her composure. And one thing she did know for certain was that after all that had transpired between them, the bond between them transcended words.
CHAPTER EIGHTY-SEVEN
“Areyou suggesting what I think you are?” Violet had taken the letter back from Theo.
“Well, how likely is it that your grandmother would be given a book that’s the only thing connecting her to her birth mother, which has the same doodle and the same initials as this letter?”
Violet struggled to process what he was saying. “You really think my grandmother Helen could be Harry and Ada’s child?”
Theo shrugged. “I mean, yes, it sounds absolutely crazy, but so do all the weird things happening to you in the library. Maybe it’s what you suspected all along… that Harry wantedyouto know.”
“I’m not following what’s going on here,” Ms. Elderkin interrupted them. “You think there’s something in these letters that connects you to the Widener family?”
Violet felt herself grow pale. “I mean… possibly. I really don’t know for sure.”
“What was your grandmother’s birthdate, Vi?”
“January 5th, 1913.”
Theo did a quick calculation in his head. “That’s nine months after theTitanicwent down. Come on, it’s totally possible.”
“First things first, we need to see if we can find your grandma Helen’s original birth certificate. Maybe her birth mother named Harry on it…” Theo’s head was racing thinking that maybe Violet was soon going to see her entire life transformed as a possible heir tothe Widener fortune. “Oh my god, this is like the craziest story ever. A Christmas miracle!” He clapped his hands together.
“Slow down,” Violet said. “This is all going way too fast.” She looked at Ms. Elderkin. “Who actually owns these letters? The church?”
Ms. Elderkin shrugged her shoulders. “The church bought all of the existing furniture and contents of Lynnewood Hall when they purchased the property. So legally we do, I suspect. But we would want to do the right thing and donate it to the Widener archives, I would think.” She stood up a little straighter. “I’ll need to speak with my superiors and get back to you on that.”
“Tell me the name again of the place you remember your grandmother was adopted from,” Theo asked when they got back into the car.
“All that I know is that her adoption was arranged through St. Joseph’s Orphan Asylum. She mentioned that detail quite a few times to me.”
“Okay, so we need to go over there and check if they still have your grandmother’s birth certificate on file.”
