William was standing at the doorway, looking down the hallway when Keeghan opened the door for the stairwell. He walked down the hall and took the box from her. He followed her and the dog back into the apartment. After closing the door, William walked into the living room and set the box on his grandfather’s lap. Keeghan returned to her seat on the sofa.
“This is what started our search, Papa,” Will announced. “Nana Rose never lost the crown or the portrait. It’s strange. The portrait was sealed in a bottle and found its way to our home via the ocean.”
Papa Victor removed the silk cloth covering the objects. His eyes filled with tears as he removed the portrait. “What a waste. To have her life ended so soon. She was truly a beautiful woman.”
Papa Victor set the picture beside him, looked into the box, and stared at the contents. He removed the glass bottle and examined it. “The portrait was inside this?”
“Yes.”
“That is strange. I can’t imagine Momma placing the portrait in that. She was a meticulous woman, especially with items of value. It would have been framed for protection and in a closet if it wasn’t hung on a wall.” He turned his attention back to the box but never attempted to remove the jewel. The room went quiet. Keeghan could hear Constable snoring.
“Papa?” Keeghan whispered, “Do you know what happened to Natasha’s diary or the journal Stewart, Hope, and Alex kept? I’d love to read them.”
“That diary,” Papa Victor responded quietly. “I don’t think Nana Natasha ever intended for anyone but Papa Stewart to read her thoughts. I haven’t seen those books in years.”
Keeghan lowered her head, but it was difficult trying to hide her disappointment.
“Keegh.”
“After learning Will’s a descendant of Natasha and Stewart, I got my hopes up and expected to read the diary and journal. With such a close-knit family, I was sure the books would have been stored in a safe location.” She fought the urge to cry.
“Are you up to another trip down memory lane?” Will asked his papa.
“I’m getting tired, William. What do you have in mind?”
“I want to take Keeghan back to Kassima.”
“Really!” Keeghan grinned. “I’d love that.”
“We’d like you to join us, Papa.”
Keeghan nodded, enthusiastically.
“We can tour the entire orphanage and grounds and perhaps speak with Nicole,” Will informed them. “It’s possible she’s the offspring of one of the daughters Alex and Sarah adopted.”
“Nicole. Yes, she is Alex’s great granddaughter. We exchange Christmas cards and chat about the orphanage.”
“Well then. Keegh and I want to see the cemetery at the back of the property.” He paused for a second. “We’ll bring Mom and Dad up to date and the five of us can fly over for a little holiday. It’s up to you whether you come to the orphanage with us, but I’d also like to go back to the university and to the cemetery. To see the Donovan plot and Izabella’s.”
“I’d like that. I think it’s time I visit the Venderkemp Orphanage.”
“The orphanage has special meaning now. We’re going not as guests but as family,” Keeghan boasted. “This is the Hetherington heritage. Something to tell our children.”
“I would like to make a donation to the university on behalf of the Donovan / Venderkemp / Hetherington family,” Will continued, “and place a plaque under the portrait of Stewart, Natasha, and Hope. I’m going to take my digital camera with us and take some pictures from the school archives.”
“I want a thorough tour of the building and the property,” Keeghan told Will. “The staff wouldn’t allow us to tour the grounds of the orphanage while we were there,” she informed Papa. “That’s going to change. We’re going to see every millimetre of that place.”
Papa Victor never looked up to acknowledge the comment. His focus was on the family portrait that he held.
“Make the arrangements, William. I think it’s time I face my past. I need to revisit Nana and Papa’s home. Nicole needs to meet Victor, Lucas, and William Hetherington. Eventually they will be seeing your names on the financial documents. Our history is over there and Uncle Alex is right. It is about time Lucas learned about his heritage.”
“Papa is exhausted,” Keeghan whispered. “I’m exhausted. We should go home.” They stood, planning to leave.
“Nana Natasha’s legacy,” Papa Victor whispered. “Natasha was denied her rights when she refused to return to the castle. She detested anything that reminded her of that part of her life. For Nana Hope, the crown was a reminder of her mother’s pain. I love and respect Nana Hope and Papa Stewart for declining the offer to return to the castle.” He pushed the box containing the crown toward his knees. “Take that with you, William. I’m going to call your dad and invite your parents out for dinner tomorrow night. If you’re not too tired from your trip, I’d like both you and Keeghan to join us. I’m sure it will be an interesting conversation.”
“We’ll be there. We’ll be crashing early tonight. We have to readjust our bodies to the time change, but we will see you tomorrow. Come on, Constable. It’s time to go.”
Keeghan walked into the house, poured two glasses of water, retrieved her laptop, and sat on the sofa.
“Email,” she informed Will. “There are a couple from Julianne.”
“Two? Something on our friend’s mind?”
He put fresh water down for the dog and joined her on the sofa.
“Yup. Julianne found herself a charity to support. She sent a link to an organization called ‘The Healing Cycle.’ Hospice Palliative Care. She’s raising money for them.”
“Shit. I meant to tell her I’d send money when we got home. I didn’t want to use my credit card on an unsecured site. We’re fortunate my papa and your nana are healthy.”
“It’s not just for seniors, Will. It’s for people of all ages. Young and old and everyone in between. Giving terminally ill people a reason to smile, making their last days as pleasant as possible. Allowing them to die with dignity.”
“That hits the heart, doesn’t it. Julianne researches the hell out of an organization before she gets behind it. I’ll read that tomorrow and we’ll send some money. I expect we’ll be adding this one to our list of ‘substantial donations’.”
“No arguments here. I’d like to see the Healing Cycle go national.”