HAUNTED BY THE PAST, PART SIX

"Did you mail my letter?" was Rachel's first question when she saw her captor again.

"I sent it by messenger." Stark replied.

"Did you really? Or are you just saying that to shut me up?"

"I swear on my love for you, Amalie, that I sent the letter. Your family should be receiving it even as we speak."

Rachel hoped he was telling the truth.

"Would you care to take a stroll around the garden?" said Stark.

"Gladly!" said Rachel. She would have jumped at any chance to get out of these three rooms and see something more of this house. He offered his arm and, after an instant of hesitation, Rachel took it.

In fact, she didn't see much, as Stark ushered her downstairs: a hallway, a staircase, another hallway - all of them shabby and rundown - and then the door leading to the garden.

"This must have been beautiful once." she said. It was a mixture of lush tropical greenery and English garden flowers, all very much overgrown.

"It was." said Stark, "This is where you and I first met."

"When was that?"

"In 1804." he said, "I had just arrived from England - "

"If you're from England, why do you have an American accent?"

(Note: I wondered about that, especially since the actor who played Stark is now on another soap, playing some sort of prince - with a British accent! :-D)

"I was educated in America. My parents wanted their 'monster' of a son kept out of sight, heir or no heir."

"So you arrived from England -?" Rachel prompted.

"I had business with your father." said Stark, "I came here, to this garden, and saw you, cutting roses. I had never seen such beauty! You looked at me, and there was no revulsion in your eyes - none! I loved you from that instant."

"That's a very romantic story."

Their walk had taken them to the edge of the cliff, which was bordered by a low stone wall. Rachel looked down; it was steeper than she had expected. The beach looked a long way below.

"How fearful/ And dizzy 'tis to cast one's eyes so low." Stark murmured, as she instinctively clutched his arm. "The crows and choughs that wing the midway air/ show scarce so gross as beetles."

"King Lear, right?"

****

The UPS man arrived at the Cory Mansion with a package.

"Maybe it's the ransom note!" cried Matthew.

"Hold it!" Cameron grabbed the package before Matthew could open it. "There could be fingerprints! You shouldn't touch it without gloves!"

Matthew grabbed a box of tissues and wrapped them around his fingers. "This will have to do." he said, "Now give me that parcel - or I'll take it!"

"Okay," said Cameron, "Just be careful!"

Matthew opened it gingerly. It contained an envelope, addressed "The Corys/ Cory Estate/ 10 Underhill Terrace/ Bay City IL."

Matthew held the envelope by one corner as he slit it open with a paperknife and took out the letter.

"My Darlings - " he read.

"Is that Rachel's handwriting?" asked Cameron.

"It looks like it." said Matthew.

"I'd better call Josie and the Feds." said Cameron.

"Never mind that now!" said Paulina, "Read it, Matt!"

"My Darlings - So much has happened since the night of the Lumina Ball that I can't begin to describe it, except to say that I am in another world now. This may be the last opportunity I have, for some time to come, to tell you how much I love each and every one of you. Amanda, Allie, Matthew, Paulina, Jamie, Cory, Elizabeth - you are all my children, and I love you all equally. Remember that, whatever happens in the future. Keep hoping, as I do, that I will soon be coming home. All my love, Rachel."

"It sounds like she's saying goodbye." said Amanda.

"Don't say that!" said Paulina, "Rachel is alive!"

"The cops will want to take the letter with them." Cameron pointed out.

"Let's make a copy, on my printer." said Allie.

****

When Rachel returned to her prison, she found that it had been swept and dusted in her absence. So that was why she had been allowed to go outside! Someone had come to clean it - someone Rachel wasn't supposed to see - or someone who wasn't supposed to see her! Surely, that person would be coming back, at regular intervals! Rachel pondered how she could make use of that fact.