The Somerton Man

The Turning Point

Daniel found himself spending half the day at Isabella's grave, trying to find the answers and the will power to try and finally sort out his relationship with his daughter, and to try and  get his life into some sort of order, other than getting in day by day, feeling angry with himself and the rest of the world.

His biggest battle was fighting back the urge to subdue it all in a drunken haze.

Seeing that portrait of Isabella smiling down at him, when he walked into the drawing room the previous day had shaken him, and at first he had been angry.

But then recalling the portrait had been done just shortly after Isabella found out she was pregnant with Clara, it made him recall the happier memories he had with Isabella, before Gwen had come along.

At one time he couldn't bear to think about them, but now they brought him some sort of comfort, which enforced his belief that he could no longer go on the way he was going Eleanor had been right.

He now realised he owed it to his dead wife's memory, to attempt to improve his relationship with his daughter, and he knew he needed to be sober to do that. It was time to face up to his responsibilities no matter how hard and painful it was.

It was the least he could do to honour Isabella especially after he had treated her so shabbily, something he knew he would always have to live with, and he knew he would have to accept it.

In a determined more positive frame of mind, he left the graveyard to go on to the Mill and inform his man of business to keep an eye on the place for a few days as he had things at home he needed to attend to, and would not be available. He intended to go back to Somerton manor, stone cold sober to speak with his daughter, to apologise, and try and make her understand that she did matter to him.

He reached Somerton Manor in the early evening, still filled with trepidation about facing his Clara, still trying to sort out in his head what he planned to say to her. As much as Eleanor offered to help him he felt he had made this mess and he was responsible for fixing it. He just hoped he had the strength to do it, and braced himself as he entered the house.

He wasn't sure what sort of reception he was going to receive after the events of the night before, but the last thing he expected when he had just came through the door was to see Clara standing halfway up the stairs, and on catching sight of him she looked almost happy and relieved to see him

"Oh Father. I am so glad you have come back!" she exclaimed as she now hurried down the rest of the stairs

Daniel found himself a little bewildered, but judging from the anxiety on his daughter's face, he knew something was not right.

"What is going on, is there something wrong?" he demanded feeling a whole new sense of unease

"It's Eleanor, she has been gone for hours, and she hasn't come back.. And it's all my fault" Clara babbled in distress.

"What do you mean she is gone, and what could you have said or done to believe you are to blame?" he then queried anxiously, feeling his uneasiness growing. He was doing his best not to sound angry, recalling his earlier resolution to not get so upset with Clara and alienate her further

Clara now proceeded to give him a somewhat rushed and garbled explanation' There was something about wanting to get back at her step mother for ruining things between them, and destroying the garden, then how Eleanor confronted Clara in her bedroom, getting really upset before fleeing from the house

"It's been nearly three hours now, and she still has not returned" Clara finished fretfully, "I am so worried Father, I wanted Tom to go and look for her, but he doesn't want to be bothered and thinks I am being silly... But she was so upset when she left, So I was going to try and find her myself just when you came"