The two of them moved as one slowly and methodically removing the pages carefully from the wall, and when they were done, they blew out the candles, and carried the pages downstairs to the study. “Will we need more candles?” she asked, frowning at the one in her hand that she had already blown out.
“Aye, one more should be sufficient if it is lemon juice ink as I suspect, so that we might both use one.”
Arthur stood by the fireplace attempting to use the light to see what could be revealed while Cleo lit another taper. He studied the pieces of paper and discovered that several of the pieces of parchment were not stand-alone pages but were rather smaller pieces of a whole.
When Cleo had relit the candles, she stood and smiled in anticipation. “Ready?”
“Aye, well done.” Arthur arose and met her at the desk. They cleared off a space to work and laid the pieces of paper out side by side upon its flat surface. “May I?” he asked gesturing toward the second candle in her hand.
“Yes, please,” Cleo nodded her assent.
Candle in hand, Arthur carefully held the flame far enough below the page not to burn it but close enough to reveal the hidden message concealed within. “Do ye see how far I am holding the candle?”
Cleo nodded. “Yes.”
“Take yers and do the same tae one o’ the other pieces.”
Cleo nodded again and followed his exact instructions to the letter. Her eyes lit up with wonder as the words revealed themselves across the page in her hand. “It is like magic,” she exclaimed in wonder.
“Aye, but yer faither would be certain tae correct us both in saying that it was science, nae magic.” Arthur chuckled at the thought of the professor’s ghost standing over them, his eyes lit with the same wonder, correcting their every move.
“I miss him,” Cleo admitted, her eyes misting with tears.
“As do I. Do ye need a moment tae gather yerself afore we proceed?”
“Nay, I will be fine. Let us continue. I want to know what these pages say more than anyone, and I find that I am impatient for their secrets to be revealed.”
Arthur smiled in understanding. “Then let us proceed.”
They split the pages among them, careful not to singe the parchment. By the time they were done, the room smelled of candle wax and smoke, Cleo had burned herself twice, and Arthur had few singed arm hairs, but the hidden message concealed on each page had been revealed making it all worth it, or so they hoped.
“I am almost afraid to look,” Cleo breathed. “I am afraid of what I might discover.”
“There is only one way tae find out.”
Taking a deep breath Cleo lowered her eyes to the page and began to read.
‘My dearest daughter…’
Chapter 23
To my dearest daughter,
Cleo, if you are reading this, then I am dead. It is quite possible that I have met my end by foul means, and if that is so, I can only imagine how you are feeling at this moment, now being orphaned by circumstances entirely out of your control, and completely beyond your current knowledge. I had hoped to avoid this moment until you were older and had had an opportunity to build a life for yourself free of the consequences and dangers of my choices, but alas it is not to be so.
Please know that I love you, that I always have, and that I always will. No father could ever have asked for a better daughter than you. I am so very proud of the young woman that you have become, and I will be dearly sorry to miss meeting my future grandchildren. I know that you will make a wonderful mother someday and sincerely wish that I was there to see it. Alas, it is not to be so, but if it is at all possible, wherever my spirit may reside, I will always be watching over you, as I know your dear sainted mother already does. I have been without her for a very long time and will be overjoyed to be reunited with her once more. Do not weep for me, my darling girl, for I am where I belong at your mother’s side.
If you are reading this, it also means that you have found all of my coded clues and, if I know my daughter at all, are feeling rather put out with me. I apologize for the necessary caution as your life is now in danger and should my enemies discover that you knew the truth, they would come after you. I could not leave anything to chance as there was too much at stake, including your life. Even now I cannot be straight forward in my speech and must dance around the truth in riddle once more should these pages ever fall into the wrong hands. You are the only one that I can trust to protect my secrets, but I do not wish for you to lose your life in the process.
That being said, I have a friend, a former student, whom I trust above all other men. His name is Arthur MacDonald and he is the Earl of Irondale. It is possible that you may have already met him at my funeral as I assume that he will pay you call upon hearing the news. Trust him. Allow him to help you bear this burden and to keep you safe from harm. It is into his hands that I place my most valuable treasure, you. Arthur will not know anything of this, so do not bother doubting his word on that count. I simply mention him here as a man and as a Highland warrior that I respect and know will honor my wishes to keep you safe from harm. I pray that you have managed to remain well in the interim between my death and finding this letter.
There is so much more to be said, my dearest, but there is not enough parchment in the world to say a proper farewell to the light of my life, the pride of my heart, and the whole of my soul. In equal measure there is not enough parchment in the world to say a proper apology for the disastrous mess that I have left you with. I never would have wished this burden upon you or have placed you in the danger that I now have. As the old bard, William Shakespeare said, “No legacy is so rich as honesty.” I hope that honesty is indeed the legacy that I leave you with and not the shame of deception and lies.
To that end, I must leave you with one last riddle. My deepest and sincerest of apologies, my darling, and I pray that you are safe and have found solace and comfort in this time of loss. It pains me to know that I am the cause of your sorrow and I hope that one day you will find it in your heart to forgive me. Be brave, young one, and face life with courage, integrity, and most of all love. Do not be afraid to love, for in love is found the greatest adventure that life bestows upon its humble occupants. Be brave, my beautiful Cleo, for the Moon sets and rises in your hair.
Eternally Yours,
Your Father, Henry
