Chapter 14. Needle and thread

Edith began her story.

"Miriam asked me to be a Governess for the children.

When I agreed, Innis built an extension to their home and

I moved in when they were abroad.

Finn had just started walking, so he must of been about

a year old. Their housekeeper Joan had taken the girls into town

for a treat and I was minding Finn for the afternoon.

He was fast asleep on a daybed in the sun room

so I thought I might catch up on some darning.

I was in the sewing room looking for a needle and thread

when I heard the back door open. I thought Joan and the

girls had come back early, but when I didn't hear their voices

I went to check on Finn and sure enough, he was gone.

Through the bay windows I could see him toddling across

the backyard towards a stack of wood the workmen had

set fire to that morning. I called out his name.

He turned and gave me a cheeky grin but didn't stop.

By the time I got to the back door it was too late.

I saw him tumble into the pile of burning timber.

I screamed and ran toward the fire - and I couldn't believe

what I saw.

He was sitting in the middle of the flames playing happily

with burning sticks and glowing embers like they were toys

- and that's when I saw her for the first time."

Edith glanced sideways at Gideon.

''Eurides.'' he said.

Edith nodded.

"She was sitting beside him in the fire, smiling and looking

on like a doting Mother. I didn't know what to do.

I thought maybe I could try to coax him out.

When I moved closer she looked up at me and smiled.

'Hello Edith.'

It frightened me that she knew my name.

'Let him play a little longer.'

Finn was laughing and waving his hands through the

different shapes and patterns the flames made.

When he started to get tired he climbed into her arms. .

She lulled him to sleep, stood up, kissed him and held him

out to me - naked as the day he was born.

All of his clothes had been burnt away and he was

covered in soot and ash.

'Don't be afraid Edith.' she said.

I carried Finn into the house and looked back to see if

Eurides was following - she was gone.

I washed him, found some clothes and put him to bed.

The everyday routine of what I was doing made me doubt

that what I had just seen was real, maybe I had

imagined it all.

I tucked Finns' blankets around him and when I stood up,

Eurides was standing there beside me.

'I have a favour to ask of you.' she said.

"What did she ask you to do?"

Edith smiled. "Isn't your lunch break just about over."

"The War department employs me as a civilian, not a soldier,

so there's some give and take in the hours I work."

Edith took off her sun hat and smoothed out her hair.

"Eurides told me she was Finns' guardian and that she only

wanted what was best for him."

Gideon recalled a similar conversation.

''She wanted my help to watch over Finn until he was older."

Gideon wondered if Eurides had offered Edith anything in return.

"Did anyone else in the family know about her." he asked.

"Miriam and the girls certainly didn't."

Gideon found that hard to believe and suspected Eurides

subtle influence.

"I thought that Innis and Joan knew, but they never spoke to me

about it. I lived with them until Finn started school. Joan still

lives there in the house. I asked her once if she'd ever noticed

anything out of the ordinary about Finn."

"What did she say?"

"She said that an apple doesn't fall far from the tree."

"What does that mean?" Gideon asked.

''I have no idea." Edith said.

*

Hidden from view in a stand of oak trees the office raven looked

on as Edith and Gideon talked.

''An apple doesn't fall far from the tree." it repeated to itself.

After a moment of reflection it chortled and clacked its' beak

in amusement. "Yes indeed."

*