Page 104 of The Missing Pages
Ms. Elderkin nodded. “Come this way.”
She led them through the connecting doorway that led to another room. “This one actually still has some of the original furniture,” she said, pointing to the bed frame and large armoire.
“Is this the original closet?” Theo asked as he opened a door.
“I believe so, yes,” Ms. Elderkin said.
Theo stepped inside my closet and discovered a painted cabinet. One he rightfully suspected might be a place where I had stored my important papers.
“Darn, I really thought it would be here,” he said as the key refused to budge into the lock.
“Violet?” he called out to her.
“I’m right here,” she said. Violet stood in front of the armoire. “May I open it?” she asked. Her finger traced the seam dividing the two doors, examining to see if there was a keyhole, but she found none.
“Yes, there’s no one staying in here now,” Ms. Elderkin said. “It should be empty.”
Violet pulled open the large doors. It was completely bare. Nothing was inside.
Her eyes, however, were pulled upward toward the armoire’s crest.
“Oh my goodness,” she gushed to Theo. “Look, there are two birds…”
Theo spun around. “I was just going to tell you I saw birds carved into the headboard.”
Violet’s eyes scanned the armoire up and down, eventually falling upon the bottom drawer.
She knelt down to open it. “It’s locked,” she said, now noting the keyhole at its center.
Theo’s eyes grew wide. Neither of them said a word as he handed her the key.
Violet slid the key into the drawer and felt the lock release. She took a deep breath, then slowly pulled open the drawer.
Her eyes immediately fell on the black lacquer box resting beside a small stack of yellowed dress shirts.
“There’s a box!” Her voice grew louder. Now Ms. Elderkin and Theo hovered behind her, each of them peering into the drawer.
Violet lifted it out and brought it to the center of the room. “Put it down here,” Theo suggested as he pointed to the small wooden writing desk.
Violet placed it down and then lifted the lid. Ada’s letter to Eleanor Widener rested on top.
“This one’s still sealed,” she remarked.
“Finders keepers,” Theo said. “Go ahead and open it.”
CHAPTER EIGHTY-TWO
ILET OUT AN ENORMOUS BURST OF ENERGY ASVIOLETbegan to read. The thin curtains rippled in the room. The air became fragranced with what Violet and Theo by now recognized as the scent of my tobacco. I wanted her to know I was there beside her as she now focused on the words.
At first, she was completely overcome with the excitement that her strong suspicion had been confirmed.
“Ada Lippoldt was her name!” she said, her face beamed with joy. “I was right!”
As she continued to read aloud, she could not contain her enthusiasm following Ada’s attempted revelations. “Oh my god!” She brought a hand to her mouth. “Ada was actually pregnant with Harry’s child!” she uttered.
“If that letter was still sealed,” Ms. Elderkin commented, “it means Mrs. Widener never learned that news.” She too now was besieged by the excitement of the discovery.
“Jesus,” Theo said, before realizing that wasn’t the best choice of words with Ms. Elderkin there. “I’m sorry, ma’am. I meant ‘jeez.’”
