CHAPTERTWENTY-FIVE
Lorna was amazed that in all their discussion, she hadn’t woken Kyla. She was still fast asleep, her breathing steady, and after Lorna had gotten herself together, she left the room. It was imperative that she speak to her mother right away. The time for secrets was now over.
I deserve tae ken the truth at long last.
With determination, she stomped to her mother’s chambers, not caring any longer that her mother was still recovering from her short illness. Outside the door, she paused, her hand on the knob. It was still possible that Bryce was lying about it all, but what reason would he have to lie? And he brought in Athol, claiming that he was the one who had told Bryce all this.
Biting her lip to keep from crying again, Lorna knocked and entered the room. Her mother was sitting up, peering at a book. She looked much better, even better than the day before. Her heart swelled with happiness and relief, but then she remembered that her parents had potentially lied to her.
Or grandparents, perhaps.
“Lorna,” her mother said, closing her book and putting it on the table next to the bed. “What are ye doing here, me dear?”
“Just coming tae visit tae make sure ye are well,” Lorna lied. She sat down at her mother’s side and looked into her soft, gray eyes.
Was it really possible that everything she’d known her whole life was nothing but a lie?
“Well, as ye can see, I am well. How is Kyla?” her mother asked kindly.
“She is sleeping now. Doing better. I am happy tae see her look well.”
“Good, good. I am happy about that.” She reached out for Lorna’s hands. “What is it, me dear? What troubles ye?” Her face darkened. “Is it Bryce?”
“Nae directly, but I did come tae ask ye something.” She didn’t wait for her mother to respond when she asked, “How could ye keep that from me? About me true parentage?”
Her mother paled. “What are ye talking about, Lorna?”
“Ye ken what I mean. Athol told Bryce, and now Bryce has told me. Ye are nae me mother, ye are me grandmother. And yer daughter was me mother. How could ye nae tell me?” Lorna’s voice broke, and she began to cry again, the tears streaming down her cheeks. “It is a terrible thing tae keep from yer daughter. Tae nae tell her the truth. Especially tae keep it for so long. Ye would have gone tae yer graves with that knowledge.”
“Aye, we would have,” her mother said, but she reached for her again. “But please, forgive me. It was all for yer sake, I swear it. I wanted tae keep ye safe.”
“It was for the sake of the clan too. There would be nae reason tae keep the secret if Siusan was married. There must have been some shame,” Lorna retorted.
Her mother nodded, looking ashamed. “It was for her sake, aye, and tae keep yer reputation secured. We wanted a good life for ye, and a Laird’s daughter was a good path for ye tae follow.” She paused and swallowed nervously. “Will ye forgive me, Lorna, for keeping it all from ye?”
“I am nae sure,” Lorna said, still fighting back the influx of tears. They were falling quietly, but she wanted to cry out, to scream, to get rid of this terrible feeling in her chest that she’d been betrayed all these years, by her own blood. By people professed to care for her and to love her.
“Ye willnae forgive me?” her mother asked, pulling back and leaning against the headboard, the fatigue and former illness showing back in her face. “I love ye, Lorna. Please ken that I do.”
“I ken that ye do.” She was about to say ‘mother’ at the end of that, but she bit her tongue. That was no longer true. “But how can I instantly forgive when this deception has been going on for years? And ye wouldnae have told me if I hadnae approached ye.” She kept her mother’s gaze, and her mother looked away and remained silent.
“Ye will have tae give me time. It will take time,” she repeated, not wanting to lose her family, but she wanted them to know just how greatly they’d hurt her.
“Was that why ye were always so protective of me? Always so embarrassed by me actions?” she asked, needing more explanation.
Her mother nodded. “Aye, I never wanted ye tae experience the shame from yer parentage. I wanted tae protect ye from the same fate as yer mother. She died, and she died in shame. She would never have been able tae get away from her past.”
Lorna breathed out and sat back in her chair. Her mother said, “I ken that ye donnae ken yet about forgiving me, but perhaps ye can sit with me for a while. We can talk of yer mother, if ye like. I miss her dearly, every day.”
“Aye,” Lorna heard herself agreeing. “I will stay with ye for a little while.”
* * *
“By God,” Bryce said, leaning back in his chair as he stared down at the last page of the journal.
“What? What is it? What have you found?” Tobias asked, next to him, looking up eagerly.
“Just this.” Bryce put his finger to the page. “Mrs. Creech wrote this as her last entry.” He cleared his throat and began to read.
