Chapter IV
Saturday was perhaps the longest day I’ve ever had. It was as if Sunday would never come. It kept me thinking of Aunt Rachel; her sufferings and her sacrifices. I thought of myself, a kid abandoned on the streets, with people all around me and yet none to help. It was then that someone came with a helping hand, and did more than a help to me in these fourteen years, to put me back into the mainstream of life, once again. Despite all her efforts to bring me up, she had pained herself to remain in mystery to me. Perhaps she felt, I’d walk out of her, if I came anywhere near the truth. Why did she ever think like that and suffer from her own stupidity of miscalculating me.
It was Sunday at last; I packed up all my belongings and bade farewell to Father Mathews and all my remaining friends. With two baggages, one in each hand and a large bag across my shoulders, I left the orphanage. I soon reached the railway station and took the train to Bridgetown.
I reached Bridgetown on Monday morning, about an hour earlier than expected and hired a cab to 48, Richardson Street, where she lived.
It was quite a big house but looked considerably old. The garden seemed to have been uncared for a long time. I waited by the broken gates for someone to show up, although the place looked desolate. I then went up to the door and knocked. The door opened slowly and I saw a short old man. I starred at him for a while, then asked, “Is this the place where Mrs. Rachel lives?”.
He thought for a while, and asked, “You are from the orphanage I think”.
I nodded and he asked me to come in, and showed me a seat. He sat opposite to me, “I am lawyer Billmore”, he said in a low voice, “I am sorry, Mrs. Rachel died on Friday and we buried her only yesterday”.
It was another shock. I was screaming –– “No—No—No—”.
Mr. Billmore placed a hand on my shoulder and continued, “It was after she visited you that she developed a chest pain and had a mild heart attack. She recovered from this and wrote a letter for you and also made her will. However on Friday, she had a massive attack again from which she couldn’t survive and we had her buried yesterday. Since then I have been looking for your arrival here all alone”. He then gave me a letter that I tore open and read silently.
“Dear David, I write this to you in case, you never see me again. There are a few things I should let you know before I die; only then shall my soul, rest in peace. It’s all my fault and I shouldn’t have done this at all. But it was my love for you and fear of losing you that I went into hiding this truth and diverted your attention to something that wasn’t there.
My personal life and way of living was so low that no respectable person would like my acquaintance. Probably it’s my fate and not merely circumstances that forced me to be in the dark. It is for this same reason I tried to keep you far and yet close to me by bringing in Lady Ashford. There is actually no one by that name, and I did all this with the help of Father Mathews. Forgive me if you feel I’ve wronged you, but please never think that I tried to take advantage of your position.
As for me, I have none other than you in this world, as my own. I would therefore like you to inherit all I have – a hundred and fifty acre farm, this house and all my cash. Mr. Billmore my legal advisor will give you more details. You need not look for a job, as you would require all your time in looking after your farm.
This is all I have got to tell you. Take care of yourself and start a new life on your own, and live happily.
Your loving Aunt Rachel”
Concluded
