Finding Elizabeth

by Faith Helm

  "I want to find Elizabeth's hidden room. I have been reading her journal again and I just need to see it. You won't believe the things she said," Grabbing Daniels hand Claire led him out the door.

  The drive home seemed to take longer than normal. Claire was both anxious and nervous at the thought of finding Elizabeth's room. But she was eager to solve the mystery and hopefully Elizabeth would finally be at rest.

  By the time Claire and Daniel reached the attic she was so excited she thought she would explode. Although the things she had read were heartbreaking, she just felt an urgency to find this room.

  Quickly making their way to the back of the attic, they moved the items that had been left against the wall. After everything had been moved Claire began searching for the opening.

  Watching her with curiosity Daniel came up beside her, "What are you looking for?"

  "I... I'm not sure exactly. The doorway is supposed to be on this side of the attic. Well, the hidden room is the attic for the turret room."

  As they searched the wall Claire spotted one of the wooden panels that didn't look exactly right. She tried pushing it and it didn't budge. Daniel came over to help, and together they would push it and then pull at it and nothing happened. Just when they thought it wasn't there, Daniel gently pulled in on a piece of wood trim that held the panels in place. They stood there stunned, as the door creaked open.

  Amazed Daniel said, "I can't believe there really is a secret door.

  I was expecting to find an attic crawl space, but it is actually a hidden room."

  Gazing inside Claire was overcome with emotion, "This is where Elizabeth was held in captivity for God knows how long. This is where she was raped by her father and where she learned of Thomas' death, and then shortly thereafter gave birth to her daughter Emma Olivia."

  "Wait, what did you say? Her father raped her?"

  "Yes she revealed in her journal that he had been forcing himself on her after he locked her away in this room. It also said that Thomas had come for her and her father shot and killed him."

  Walking up beside her, Daniel put his arms around her, "I knew you said she was confined. But I didn't think you meant that she was really being held prisoner. Claire I am so sorry I didn't take it more serious. I know how important finding Elizabeth is to you."

  "You don't have to go in there today if it's too hard, we can wait and come back another time."

  "No, I need to know. I have been hearing the crying baby almost every night since I came here and I need to know what happened. Daniel, I know it isn't a fox I'm hearing. Jen heard it when she was here, but you have been staying for weeks and have never heard it. I think it's Emma crying, and I think Elizabeth needs me to know what happened to them. I think she wants her story told. She was treated poorly and I need to find a way to right the wrong so maybe she can find peace."

  Stepping inside Claire felt the familiar sensation of deja vu as every hair on her body raised. Continuing on she walked over to the bed and turned around to see exactly what Elizabeth had seen more than a hundred years earlier. She could see the colors of the rainbow on the wall from the stained glass windows all around her. Looking over the room she found a small chair and behind a screen she found a chamber pot and metal bathtub. These were the very items Elizabeth would have used throughout her confinement.

  Claire tried to imagine what it would have been like to be imprisoned in this room. She could only imagine how hot it would have been in the summer and how cold in the winter. She imagined how long a day would seem if you only saw the same things, with no one to talk to or nothing to occupy your thought's.

  "I don't know how she didn't go crazy," Claire said sadly.

  Moving toward the edge of the room Claire began looking at the wooden panels on the wall.

  "What are you looking for?" Daniel asked.

  "Elizabeth had a secret hiding place. She said it was a small space, but she could lift the panel from the wall. She hid some of Olivia's things in there," Claire said as she tugged on the panels.

  Daniel and Claire continued to search, and finally Daniel found it, "I think I found something."

  Within seconds Claire was by his side, as he lifted the panel up Claire looked into the space and gasped, "No, it can't be. It should be empty," She gently pulled the items out of the hiding space, as tears streamed down her face.

  "What is it. I thought you would be happy to have found Olivia's things. Why are you crying?" Daniel asked softly.

  "If Olivia's things are still here it means that Elizabeth never left this room alive. Her chambermaid Annie was stealing Olivia's things and bringing them to her so she could hide them away. She was to sell the items so she would have money to get far away from her father, and start a new life for her and Emma."

  "If She was never freed, I wonder what became of her daughter Emma?" Claire cried.

  As she remembered the two graves that only had dates, the realization hit her, "I think I'm going to be sick," Claire said as she sat down and rested her head on her knees. Taking deep breaths, "I think maybe the two graves just outside the cemetery are Elizabeth's and Emma's. The dates on the graves are the same as Elizabeth's birth year and the one for the baby would have been about the time Emma would have been born."

  "We don't know that yet," Daniel soothed as he rubbed her back.

  She sit for a while quietly thinking as Daniel continued to rub her back. When the nausea had passed she began looking through the things they had found. It was odd to Claire to think that the last person who touched these things was Elizabeth almost 130 years ago.

  As Claire looked into the small wooden box she found what must have been Olivia's wedding ring. It was a dainty gold band etched with delicate flowers, and in the center of each of the five little flowers sat a tiny little ruby. Gently setting the ring aside, Claire picked up what she knew was the charm bracelet that Phillip had given Olivia, after he gave her the beating that killed her. She looked at each of the little charms that surrounded the bracelet before setting it to the side.

  Taking a deep breath Claire continued looking through the contents of the box. She found a man's pocket watch, a couple of simple gold bands, a few delicate pendants and several pieces of silver flatware.

  Claire picked up the last piece, which had been lovingly wrapped in paper. As she gently unwrapped the crumbling paper she found a delicate cameo, and a jewel encrusted hair comb. Claire wondered to herself if these were the same things she had seen in the portrait of Olivia, that now hung in the library.

  Turning her attention back to the box, Claire spotted a folded piece of paper. She knew before she touched it that it was William's letter. Claire thought for a moment before picking it up. What if it crumbled in her hand? Deciding she needed to look at it she gently picked it up and unfolded it. She could see the faint writing of a young child. Sitting back comfortably, Claire read the letter aloud.

  July 13, 1886

  Dear Elizabeth,

  How I miss you. Father said that you stole away, and he does not know where you are but thinks you must have gone back to Boston. I wish that I could have gone too. How I miss my friends and my school. If you come back and get me, I promise I will be good, just please take me with you.

  Annie helped me write this letter and then she said she would send it in care of Miss Elizabeth Van White to the Boston general post. She said should you be there my letter would surely find you.

  But I know you loved me dearly and would never have left me here alone. I wonder if you have gone to be with mother.

  I think of you and mother each day as I sit in our garden spot. I wish you were here to see the beautiful flowers we planted. Sometimes I pretend that it is a magical garden and that you and mother are actually here with me as I play.

  I have not entered my secret room, but if you come back I promise I would share it with you and it could be our secret room. We would have so much fun, like all the days before when we danced and played in there.

&nbs
p; I have found a creek nearby and I found the strangest shaped stone. Father said that is was an arrowhead from one of the Indian tribes that must have passed through this area. My teacher, Miss Cotton has read stories of the Indians to us. It is very frightening to think of the things they have done.

  I pray each night that wherever you are you will know that I am waiting for you to return and take me away.

  Love,

  William

  Wiping at her tears Claire could only imagine how much these words would have hurt Elizabeth. But they would also have given her comfort of at least finally hearing from her baby brother. Claire knew this letter would have been one of Elizabeth's most cherished possessions and that she would have read it hundreds of times if not thousands.

  Putting the hidden treasures back in the box, Claire stood. As she looked up at Daniel she thought she saw tears in his eyes, but he quickly turned his attention to the wall.

  As Daniel tapped on the wall Claire asked, "What are you doing?"

  "I wanted to see if there were any more hidden doors," Daniel said.

  "That's impossible. Elizabeth kept searching for a way to leave. If there was a door she would have found it and the items hidden in the wall would be gone," Claire said.

  With a thoughtful smile Daniel said, "I'm not so sure. Do you hear the difference? When I tap on this panel it sounds solid, but when I tap on this one it sounds hollow."

  Claire began tapping on the panels. As she tapped Daniel pulled at the wood holding the panels in place. Almost instantly the door creaked open as a new cloud of dust entered the room.

  Claire gasped, "I can't believe this. There was another exit all along. Surely if Elizabeth had known, she would have been able to escape."

  Daniel turned on the flashlight on his cell phone, as he started to make his way into the dark, musty stairway. Claire followed close behind, but Daniel cautioned her to stay, "I don't think it's a good idea for both of us to be in here. I'm not sure where it leads to or what could be in here. Besides, what would we do if the panel was to close from the movement on the stairs, and we couldn't get it open again. We could be trapped." With Claire's nodded approval, Daniel carefully turned and walked down the dark staircase alone.

  Claire couldn't help but be struck with sadness at the thought of Elizabeth having been locked away. And the entire time there was a secret stairway that led to her freedom.

  While Claire waited for Daniel, she re-read Williams letter, gently tracing the delicate paper with her fingers.

  Feeling new hope about the hidden door, Claire couldn't help but think that maybe Elizabeth had found the door, and her freedom. Maybe she left her mothers things there for safekeeping in hopes she would return one day to get them.

  Hearing Daniels heavy footsteps coming up the stairs, she quickly stood, "What was down there?"

  "Nothing, just a stairway. There's a door at the bottom, but it's blocked. The best I can tell it would have led to somewhere near the kitchen, or maybe the butler's pantry," Daniel said as he brushed the dust off of his shirt.

  Claire gathered Olivia's treasures as her and Daniel headed downstairs to see if they could find the door to the stairs.

  As they reached the kitchen they began opening every door they could find. The only stairs were the ones they knew led to the upper floors and to the basement.

  Moving the search into the butler's pantry Daniel said, "This room was updated, probably in the 1940's or 1950's. It's possible that the stairway was covered since it only led to the attic. Do you see how the cabinets on the other two walls match each other? They are most likely original to the home. This set of cabinets is newer. I believe these were added when they remodeled."

  "What do you think we should do?" Claire asked.

  Daniel smiled already knowing what her response would be, "It's up to you, but the only thing I can do is remove the cabinets."

  "Then I say remove them. We plan to remodel anyway and I want to find the door," Claire said firmly.

  As Claire removed the various pieces of cookware from the cabinets, Daniel went to get a crowbar and hammer.

  When Daniel returned he began pulling at the cabinets with the crowbar. Within minutes the cabinets were in a pile behind them and in front of them was the door. Daniel grabbed a screwdriver from his back pocket and gently put it into the hole where a door knob had once been. Using the door frame as leverage, he pulled until the door slowly creaked open. Claire gasped. She could not believe that they had found it.

  As a sense of grief and sadness washed over Claire she said, "I think I'm done for the day. I will get this mess out of here tomorrow, but tonight I just want to soak in a hot bath and go to bed."

  ***

  Chapter Fifteen

  As Claire slept she continued to be awoken by the sound of the crying. As she lie in her bed she was aware that this was no longer the baby crying, this was a woman sobbing. Claire didn't even have to think about what it was. She knew in her heart it was Elizabeth. She knew Elizabeth was spurring her on, wanting her to find the truth. It's not that it scared her, it was just unnerving.

  Finally giving in to Elizabeth's sobs, Claire set up in bed and began to read.

  November 1, 1886

  Dear Diary,

  The last few weeks have passed so quickly. I spend most every day and night staring into the angelic face of the most beautiful baby I have ever seen. She has brought me so much comfort and joy. I would think that I could never bore of looking at her. I can not believe how much the tiny bundle has grown in such a short time.

  During Annie's visit today she brought me the most wonderful gift I could have ever hoped for. It was a beautiful baby rattle made from the finest bone and silver. I know it must have cost her dear and I shall cherish it forever.

  Annie has become more of a mother to me than a friend or a servant. Although she never had any children of her own, she raised me and I should think she did a splendid job. I look to her for wisdom during the times when I can not soothe Emma.

  The weather is getting cooler and with an infant to care for I am afraid I must stay in my prison for a while longer. I would fear taking a baby out into the cold would surely bring death to her. But I will continue to plan our escape and will be ready when spring time comes.

  Elizabeth

  November 4, 1886

  Dear Diary,

  To my dismay father has visited. I had hoped he would take one look at Emma and instantly be smitten. I nearly fainted when he asked if he could hold her. Reluctantly I agreed hoping that he would see that keeping a child locked away like a prisoner was ridiculous. He looked at her and said, "She doesn't look like a bastard." And then he began talking to me about finding her a new home, with good people to raise her.

  I was overcome with such anger that I stood up and demanded him to leave my chamber. I think he was shocked to see that I had a voice. He immediately left, but I am fearful now that he will return and send poor Emma away to an orphanage.

  I can not imagine what I would do if she was ever taken from me. I do not fear, I know that I would go mad. She is such a tiny thing, and she needs me as much as I need her. She is the only link I shall ever have to my dear sweet Thomas. I continue to hope and pray that he is watching over us and protecting us.

  I think of things like what she will be like when she grows up. I think of seeing her on her wedding day, or of her holding my grandchildren. But I mainly think of the small things like helping her with her studies, or teaching her to sew and teaching her to play the piano.

  I often try to picture what my life will be like raising both William and Emma. I know it will be a hard life, and not the one of privilege that I was accustomed to, but also not a life of imprisonment, abuse or fear. I should think that any life of freedom would be grand compared to the life I am living now. I am still not sure what the future holds for Emma, William and I, but I do know that without them, I have no future.