Chapter 26

After speaking with Sally,Richard’s daughter, we’re driving to Richard’s nursing home. I watch the countryside fly past with nerves in my belly while I ponder what Richard might tell us. It’s so long ago, which makes me wonder just what Richard will remember from that time, if anything.

With a heavy sigh, I rest against the back of the seat and watch Dean as he concentrates on the road. I am so in love with him and have no idea what is going to happen at the end of the summer. However, I have a gut feeling Dean is with me for much longer than the summer.

Lucas is staying with Thomas and Levi in the bar until after lunch to give us a couple of hours. I hope Lucas behaves himself, and with a bit of luck, keeps his thoughts to himself for a change.

“We’re here, Mack.” Dean pulls into a parking space at the home.

I stare out of the window and survey the scene as Dean walks around to open my door.

Resting his arms on the side of the car, he asks, “You ready to do this?”

“No, not really. Do you think I’m doing the right thing?” I’m terrified of what Richard might reveal.

“You have to do this. If you don’t, you’ll always wonder.”

I let Dean pull me out of the car and take hold of his hand as we walk toward the entrance.

Inside we are greeted by a nurse, who asks us the name of the person we are there to visit.

I reply, “Richard,” then it suddenly dawns on me that I don’t know his surname. I blush fiercely trying to recall it, but I don’t think Rose had written it down… Thomas had certainly never told me. When I mention Sally, we are pointed to the correct room.

On entering Richard’s room, we find it rather dark, and there are two small lamps switched on, although it does little to illuminate the small room with their soft, orange glow.

“I can’t see you over there,” a rough voice grumbles.

I move forward, my hand still held tightly by Dean and take a seat to the side of the bed.

“Hello, Richard. My name is Mackenzie Harper, and this is a good friend of mine, Dean…Simone. We’re sorry to disturb you, but we were wondering if you would be willing to talk to us about something that happened a long time ago?” I hold my breath while I wait anxiously for Richard’s reply. He takes so long to answer that I start to fidget. Dean tightens his hold on my hand in reassurance.

“Do I make you nervous, young lady?”

I hesitate. “Actually, yes, you do. I’m nervous about asking you what it is I need to know.”

“So, ask me and get it out of the way.”

I inhale deeply. “I found a diary dated 1947, it belonged to Rose Degan.”

Richard inadvertently stills. His eyes narrow.

“You remember Rose, don’t you, Richard?”

After a few moments, he focuses on me. “Rose was the first woman I ever loved, and I never loved anyone else like I did her. She was everything to me,” his voice breaks.

“Will you tell us what happened the night she died? Please, Richard?”

He doesn’t answer but instead looks toward the curtained window as if he is seeing something else. Finally, he looks back at us and whispers, “I’ve never spoken about that night since it happened, and then I only said I saw her go over the cliffs from a distance.”

“What really happened that night?”

He sighs heavily as he closes his eyes, and then he slowly starts talking, “I stayed outside that night after she got home from work. I was so jealous, and I wanted to make sure she didn’t sneak out to meet him. I’d taken sandwiches to eat for dinner and a thermos of coffee. Unbeknown to me, Jacob had been invited to dinner by her father. Don’t know what happened, but he left soon after arriving. So, I stayed, knowing deep down that she would try to sneak out to see him. Later, I don’t know what time it was, I saw a figure moving quickly away from the house. I knew instinctively it was Rose, so I ran in the same direction and then she disappeared from sight.”

Richard opens his eyes and stares at me. “I’m not proud of what I did next, but I loved her, and I panicked.”

“We’re not here to judge you, Richard. We want to know what happened to Rose.”

Richard takes a deep, rattling, breath. “I went running to the back door and started banging on it. I wanted to tell Rose’s father that she was gone, but Thomas opened it. He looked upset himself. I threatened him so that he would tell me where she had gone.” He pauses and shakes his head. “He told me he thought she had gone to meet Jacob, and that she normally took the footpath over the cliffs.”

Richard looks distressed so I stand and move to help him take a few sips of water.

“Thank you.”

He doesn’t look too good. “Richard, do you want to continue?”

“Yes. It’s about time I admitted the truth.”

“Okay,” I say, hesitantly. I want the truth, but a part of me is terrified at what he will say. I take my next to Dean.

“I’d caught up to Rose at the cliffs. She was standing there, near the edge, lost in her own thoughts. I made her jump in surprise.” He coughs. “She turned around to look at me and wanted to know what I was doing there. I told her I loved her and wanted her to stay with me and marry me. She laughed in my face. Rose told me that she was in love with Jacob, and only him, and that she was,” he wipes tears from his eyes, “pregnant with Jacob’s child. She told me that she was running away to marry him. I begged her not to. I told her that I would still marry her, and we could raise the child as mine. She told me no, and as I started very slowly walking toward her, she took a couple of steps back, and went off the cliffs.”

Richard stops and gulps in some much-needed air. “After that, I went back to Degan House. Her parents had arrived home by then. I told them that I saw her go over the cliffs from a distance and that I never had a chance to talk to her.” He pauses. “About a week later, her father came to see me and asked what had really happened. I told him about the baby. He was angry and ended up punching me. He told me never to talk about Rose again. I really did love her, Mackenzie. I didn’t mean for her to fall, and I would have saved her if I could have.”

As Richard finishes talking, I hand him a tissue. I take one for myself and look at Dean, who also has tears in his eyes. I turn and hug him tightly.

I look at Richard. “Thank you for telling us. It means a lot.”

“Tell Thomas I’m sorry for not saying any of this way back then. I was in shock and,” he pauses, “a coward. I’m not proud of my actions. I thought everyone would think I’d pushed her off because she was going to him instead of choosing me.”

“Oh!” I have to take some deep breaths so I don’t start crying.

“I need to rest now,” Richard says, his lips turning into a scowl as his hands begin to shake in agitation. He dismisses us with one sweep of his old, wrinkled hand.

Dean takes hold of my hand and leads me back to the car. He helps me inside before he runs around the front to climb in himself. “Where do you want to go from here, Mack?”

I offer him a sad smile. “Home.”

“Okay. Anything you say.”

* * *

Back at Rose Cottage,Dean ushers me inside and into a chair at the kitchen table. “Your hands are freezing.” He turns to warm some water for a hot drink, trying to bring some life back into me.

With a drink made, he passes it to me and wraps my fingers gently around the warm cup. “Thank you, Dean, for being there with me.”

He moves his chair closer to mine as he puts an arm around me and rubs my shoulder with his hand. “I’m here for you…now and always. I love you and I’m not going anywhere.” He cups his hand underneath my chin and tips my face up to his for a sweet, slow kiss.

“Are you sure, Dean?”

Dean smiles. “Yes, Mack. I am. If that’s okay with you?”

“Mmm. That’s more than okay.”

The next minute, Lucas barges right through the kitchen door. “Auntie Mack, you’re back.” Not realizing he’s interrupted anything, Lucas carries on walking straight through to the living room. “You coming, Dean?” he shouts, his voice filled with challenge.

Dean glances at me. “In a minute, champ.” He stands and tugs me up and into his arms. I wrap my arms tightly around his waist and enjoy the feel of him as I slip my hands into the back pocket of his jeans.

He chuckles and leaning closer, captures my lips with his. Breathing heavily, he whispers, “You’re asking for trouble by doing that.”

“Promises, promises.” I laugh.

About to grab me again, Dean stops himself as Thomas walks through the back door.

“Are you feeling better, Mack?” Dean asks.

I nod.

Dean smiles. “We’ll finish what you started later,” he whispers, and plants a quick kiss on my lips before he joins Lucas in the living room.

Thomas walks cautiously into the room before he makes eye contact with me.

I smile. “Thomas, we spoke to Richard this morning.” I take a seat at the table and wait for Thomas to join me. “He told me what happened that night, and he also told me how your father knew Rose was pregnant.”

Thomas silently rubs his face with his hands. “I did wonder if Richard had spoken to her before she’d died because I could never figure out how Father knew she was pregnant.”

“Apparently, he found her at the cliffs and begged her to stay and marry him. He said she’s the only woman he has ever loved, and I believe him. Richard told Rose he would even bring Jacob’s child up as his own.”

He shakes his head. “He was married and has a daughter. Are you saying he admitted to only loving my sister, Rose?”

“No. He said she was the first woman he had ever loved, and he never loved anyone else as much. I guess he loved his wife, but in a different way.”

“Then I feel sorry for him. His wife was a lovely woman. In fact, she was best friends with my wife, and when Janet died, she would bring meals to me three times a week.”

I sit quietly for a short time, at a loss for words. “Richard said to tell you that he was sorry he never told you anything about that night. He presumed everyone would think that he’d pushed her over because she’d chosen Jacob instead of him.”

I glance into the living room to make sure Dean has Lucas occupied. I catch Dean’s eyes. He winks and blows me a kiss, which makes my heart flutter.

Thomas takes hold of my hand and squeezes. “Thank you… I guess, in the back of my mind, I’ve always wondered whether or not he had anything to do with her death. I can’t imagine what he must have felt like, watching the woman he loved go over the cliffs.”

“It’s all so sad. Dean is going to arrange for me to meet his grandfather soon. I’m not looking forward to telling him, but he needs to know, and I really need to be the one to tell him. I feel connected to Rose. Their story breaks my heart.”

Dean and Lucas appear.

“Auntie Mack, after dinner can I go and have a sleepover at Thomas’s cottage…please?”

I glance at Thomas, who is nodding his head. “Are you sure, Thomas?”

Thomas looks choked up. “I’d love that, I really would.”

I look at an excited Lucas. “Well then, I guess we better pack you a bag.” He runs upstairs.

“My sister called.” I sigh, not wanting to tell Thomas this, “They’re collecting Lucas tomorrow and taking him to Florida. A visit with Mickey Mouse.”

“He’ll love that.” Thomas squeezes my shoulder and leaves.