by Karen Kelly
“Sometimes Annie’s curiosity pays off big.” Alice chuckled. “Did you ever think that old scrapbook of Maude’s would lead to new friends and the answers to an old mystery?”
Annie had regaled the Atwaters over dinner with the tale of the scavenger hunt in Portland and what they had learned. “I only wish I could find out what happened to the Bianco family. Perhaps it would help Timothy to heal from the burden and completely forgive his grandfather.”
Elsa laid a hand on her husband’s arm and looked him in the eye. This time Annie detected a shadow of a nod from the man before a smile spread across his wife’s face. “I think I can help with that, Annie.”
Annie and Alice chimed, “You can?” in amazement.
“Dante Bianco was my great-grandfather; Daisy was my grandmother.” Elsa paused to let the information register. “My mother passed down to me the story of the man who so kindly supported Gilda and Daisy after the false conviction of Dante.”
Annie’s hand crept up over her mouth, thinking how far off she’d been when she first thought William had been unfaithful to Ida. “Wasn’t there anger in your family that William didn’t publicly exonerate Dante?”
Elsa shook her head. “We understood the trial happened at a different time from our own. The verdict wasn’t in William’s hands, but the jury’s. What amazes me to this day is how he risked his own reputation as a judge to send money to the family.”
“I’m so relieved the money helped.” Annie felt honored to have William in her lineage. Grandpa had learned much from him, in addition to his own father.
“Annie, it completely changed our family’s future,” Elsa said. Gilda saved it and used it to pay for Daisy’s college tuition.” Her eyes misted with tears, but she smiled through them. “She became a teacher. Imagine that! The first of many in our family.”
Annie felt her own eyes growing moist, and she heard Alice give a quiet sniff.
“If you womenfolk are going to keep up this gushing,” Ron said, “I’ll go sit on the porch.” He shoved the last piece of his cake into his mouth.
“We promise to stop, Ron. Please do stay.” Alice wiped her eyes with her napkin. “So Dante and Gilda’s great-granddaughter married Judge Holden’s grandnephew. How did that happen?”
Elsa’s laugher spilled over. “After so many years of hearing the story of the kind judge, I became determined to track down his family in order to thank whomever I could find, personally. When a census indicated Maude’s family lived near Portland, I started there … and found Ron.”
Ron harrumphed. “And I’ve been stuck with her ever since.” There was a trace of a smile on his face; he put up with the women’s laughter better than he did their tears.
“I know I wasn’t very friendly the first time we met, Annie,” Ron said. He cleared his throat and then continued. “The possibility of retaliation from the family of whomever had framed Dante, should the story ever be made public, was never far from my mind. I just had to keep Elsa safe.”
“I completely understand, Ron,” Annie assured him. “My husband Wayne might very well have reacted the same way. But I think there is nothing to fear from Timothy Gerrish. He is a man who wants to restore the honor to his family that greed once stole.”
Elsa grasped Annie’s hand. “Please let Mr. Gerrish know the Bianco-Serra family has thrived—thanks to Judge William Holden. He would never send a widow away empty—especially if he knew that widow had been wronged. He was a good man—a man of his word.”
Annie thought of William’s Bible that had led her and her friends on this great circuitous journey. Since the Bible is the Word of God, Annie thought, I guess Uncle Will was a man of His Word. She smiled.
“Not to sound like Ron or anything,” Alice broke in, “but can we finish our cake, so we’re not too late to go caroling? And I’m going to need a minute to freshen my makeup.”
An hour later Annie, Alice, Elsa, and Ron joined the group of Stony Point carolers strolling along Main Street. They paused in front of The Cup & Saucer and began singing. Patrons left their plates to come outside to hear the singing, and Peggy, her fellow waitress Lisa, the cook, Marie, and even the owner, Jeff, paused in their work to listen at the door. Breck left his bussing tub on a table and joined them, a new slouch cap covering his curls.
God rest ye merry, gentlemen,
Let nothing you dismay,
Remember, Christ, our Saviour
Was born on Christmas day,
To save us all from Satan’s power
When we were gone astray:
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy,
O tidings of comfort and joy!