Chapter III
“Well, the time has come for you to leave”, he said, “You’ve been a good boy all these years. Ah! I should tell you something important”, he said and rose from his seat only to come back with a bible, which he kept, on the table between us. “There are certain things, about you that I should let you know”, he said in a low voice, looking serious.
I was shocked; Father Mathews seemed to know more of me than I thought.
I came closer to the table and starred at him. He continued, “Fourteen years back, you came to this orphanage for the first time with Mrs. Rachel. You were alone and looked so miserable that she thought you’ve been abandoned for at least a day. Who your parents are, where you came from, we know nothing of these. Well, after coming here you became one of us and Rachel used to visit you whenever she had time. You had a sweet voice and looked innocent for the mischief’s you did and she loved watching you, watching you laugh, watching you argue, watching you cry. Gradually she became more and more interested in you and her visits increased”.
Father Mathews continued “She brought you many things and to be with you for a longer time, she even stayed in the orphanage for a day or two, whenever she came. Everything went on well for about a year or so when the trouble started. You didn’t like the orphanage and you wanted Mrs. Rachel to take you along and let you live with her. She didn’t know what to do and she came for my help. I considered the situation and in the interest of all, made up a ‘Lady Ashford’ story. Yes David, there is no one like that, no one by that name for you. I know we misled you, but then there was no other way”.
I was shocked to hear that, Lady Ashford didn’t exist at all!. I lost all my senses for a moment and it took sometime to get back. “But if she was so interested in me, why didn’t she take me with her?”, I asked Father Mathews.
“Well for the kind of life she led, she didn’t want you to be with her”, he said, “I’ll tell you, I’ll tell you her story, as she told me”.
“Rachel broke away from her family to marry the man she loved. She was about twenty then, when she eloped with this man, Mr. Andrews and came to the south where he said, he had found a job. Rachel dreamed of a happy married life, which would soon begin. They stayed for two days in a lodge, and on the third morning, she discovered that Andrews was missing, and so also was all her cash and belongings. She had nothing left with her except for the clothes she was wearing. She continued staying in the lodge and thought of a solution”.
“Rachel had to settle the lodge bills and she didn’t want to contact her parents. It was at this time, a man unknown to her, who had probably heard her story from the lodge owner, came to her room. He offered to help her out at a price no respectable woman would agree. Rachel was shocked at first, then considering her position she realized she had no other choice and offered herself”.
“From that day, she called herself Mrs. Rachel Andrews and entertained clients. She kept making money and never once thought of quitting her profession until eight years later, when she met you. She felt it was time to call it a day and start a different life somewhere far, and bring you up. But unfortunately for her, she was in the hands of such men who were always prepared to talk on her price, but never let her quit and live in peace. Thus she was forced to put you up in an orphanage and when she finally succeeded in getting rid of these men, you had grown up with a strong attachment to Lady Ashford. Mrs. Rachel wanted to tell you the truth, but couldn’t. She kept postponing it out of shame and maybe fear too, until today when I’ve told you everything”.
I was quiet and unusually calm. I could neither think nor imagine anything, except for Aunt Rachel smiling at me; when Father Mathews began, “Now that you know everything, your attitude will decide the person in you”.
He stopped for a while, and then continued, “Your Father Mathews too, is an orphan like you and in his six decades he has had everything he wanted, except for some love and understanding which he had craved for. In her, I saw a mother care and in you, the joy of being loved. There are many in this world whose great qualities earn a name for themselves and there are also a few others like Mrs. Rachel who exhibit greater courage, determination and patience and are yet forced to be in the dark. As for you David, I’d suggest you to go for higher education and be with her, or work if you must, but never make her live alone”.
“I understand Father”, I said, “I’ll act with gratitude”.
