She was separating the pile of papers, setting some aside on the narrow top of the desk. “Oh, no. The edges were badly singed and much of the lettering is too burned to be legible. But I kept them in tissue in hopes it might preserve them.”
“You are a heroine, Miss Saunderton,” declared Delia, her heart soaring with hope as she moved to join her at the bureau.
“There, you see.”
With care, Giff’s aunt laid a folded package of tissue on the writing surface and gently opened it. A couple of sheets of badly scorched parchment lay revealed, such writing as was unmarked clearly fading. Delia put out a hand, but Miss Saunderton grabbed it.
“Take care! The sheets are so dry they may crumble at a touch.”
“Best to try to read them where they are, Delia.” The rector was at her shoulder. “Pardon me, Dowsabel.” He put the woman gently aside and took her place, leaning over the parchment.
“Can you read anything on it, sir?”
“Give me a moment, Delia. The lines are close. Thank the lord we have sunshine today!”
Delia glanced at the window, from where a good deal of light threw onto the writing surface, illuminating the letters. She would dearly love to try to decipher them herself, but it made more sense for the Reverend Gaunt to do so, since he knew so much more about the family.
“Is it from Mr Favell, sir?”
“This is Henry’s hand.”
“Your nephew?”
“Yes, and it seems to bear out what Saunderton told us.Ithoughtitonlyrightto… Then it is unreadable, but it goes on,Flora’sdeath… and again,theboyis… thenhealth.”
“Then he is saying Giff is alive and in health, though his mother is dead?”
“So it would seem.” He turned his head. “Dowsabel, you don’t object if I move this one to see the rest?”
“Do as you must, Reverend. If young Giffard may benefit, I am only too glad for you to read them all.”
Read them only? Would she let them out of her hands? They must be given to Giff! But she held her tongue on the urgent words as the Reverend Gaunt carefully prised the top sheet away.
“It is extremely dry,” he commented as the sheet crackled upon being moved. He set it down on the other half of the tissue and peered at the parchment below. “Ah, this is not as badly damaged. A trifle browned, but I can still see the letters even where it is darkly burned.”
Eager now, Delia bent to peer at the writing. “Is it from his stepfather?”
“I don’t know the hand, so we may assume it is Favell. If I turn it … yes, there is Matthew’s signature.”
“Oh, thank heavens! Read it, sir!”
“There is a deal of preliminary explanation about writing at all, but here he says,IcouldnotthinkitrighttoleaveyouignorantofmybelovedFlora’sdemise.Avirulentfevertookher,alongwithouronlydaughter.Shehasleftmetwofinesons,oneonlybornofmyloins.TheotherisyourownGiffard,sir,andIamofamindtosendhimhome.Hehasgrownintoanexcellentyoungmanandwhileitwilldistressmetolosehim,Iconsideritmycleardutytorestorehimtohisrightfulpatrimony.Icannotfinditinmyhearttowithholdhimfromthedestinythatishisbyrightofbirth.Heisyourheir,sir,andIawaitonlyyourrequestforhisreturntoWaldicheKeep,uponreceiptofwhichIwilldespatchGiffardforthwith,despitethepainhispartingfrommemayinflict.Ihavelovedhimasmyownbutneverconcealedthetruthofhisoriginsfromhim.Hestandsreadytocometoyouthathemaylearntoknowandunderstandhisdutiesbeforehemusttakethemup. And he ends with the hope of hearing by return and the usual salutations.”
Delia could not contain her elation. “This is fantastic, sir! We have the very thing needed to prove Giff’s claim.”
“It may not be enough.” The Reverend Gaunt looked grave. “This proves only that he was alive at the date of this letter.”
“Well, and it tells us Mr Favell had the intention to send him back.”
“Yes, but it is evident Henry did not send the required confirmation.” He bent to the letter again. “What is the date here?”
Miss Saunderton intervened. “I fear the date has been burnt off, Reverend. But I can tell you when it came. It was six years ago — no, seven, I think.”
“Two years before Henry died! And Giffard had received no summons from him, that I know for a fact.”
Appalled, Delia gazed at him. “Do you think he did not mean for Giff to inherit? Was it indeed his doing that Piers should step into his shoes?”
The rector considered this. “He made no mention of it to Hammersley, so far as I know. But nor did he inform the lawyer of this letter. He knew the boy was alive, and he did not destroy the letter. He may have dithered, his pride preventing him from doing what was right. His death was sudden and unexpected, so it may be he meant to send for Giffard in the end.”