Unaware of the drama going on across the hallway, Daniel and Gwen continued to face each other, both still caught up in dealing with their own roller coaster of emotions that filled the air around them with tension.
Gwen was starting to unhappily accept. that things would never be the same between herself and Daniel. The shadow of Isabella's death and their part in it, would always be looming over them, and in the end Gwen realised in this instance her friend, even in her death had triumphed over her, because she would always have Daniel's heart
Real reconciliation between them seemed almost impossible now, and this time, she knew she had lost Daniel for good.
"You need not worry about my presence in the area for much longer. I will be gone for good by the end of week, once my affairs with my dead husband's estate is finalised" she informed him, her voice sounding strange and stiff to her own ears
"Yes, I think that will be for the best, for both of us," Daniel agreed
Gwen found herself staring at him, still finding it hard to believe that he was so cold and unmoving towards her, it felt like someone had stabbed her in the heart. Despite all that had happened in the past, there was something she wanted him to know before she left his life for good. So she now took a step closer to him, her hand going up to rest on his cheek as she stared up at him with as much sincerity as she could muster in her eyes.
"I know you are filled with regrets about the past, and what happened between us, and it is probably too late to put things right, but despite that, I want to tell you, that you were the only man that I ever really cared about" she informed him, her voice shaky with emotion
But she never had the chance to see his response to this, as the door suddenly opened and Clara appeared.
Daniel and Gwen immediately moved apart. Clara found her eyes going from one to the other, with Martha's words and accusations still ringing in her ears, But now, as she stepped into the room, she still did not want to accept any of it could be true.
"Father, Martha has been saying the most horrible things about you and Lady Hawthorne.. She said you both helped cause the death of my mother.. Just tell me she is lying again, and none of it is true!" She found herself looking from Gwen to her father again, for the signs of horror, indignation, or even angry disgust at such a suggestion.
But instead her father looked stricken, and Gwen shifted uneasily, unable to look Clara in the eye.
"I-I really think I should go now," Gwen spoke up shakily just wanting to get away
"Yes, once more your very presence seems to curse my life" Daniel returned coldly
Gwen let out a small sob, "I never meant for all this to happen I am so sorry, forgive me" she said brokenly looking from Clara to Daniel, and then she turned and hurried away.
Daniel watched her make her way to the front door to let herself out, and then noticed Martha was now hastily making her way up the stairs.
He turned to his stunned daughter, grabbing her by the shoulder's "What did Martha say to you exactly?" he demanded fiercely
Clara gulped, a little alarmed by the intensity in her father's eyes and still confused about what was going on.
"She implied that you and Lady Hawthorne were having some sort of affair, only mother found out about a handkerchief belonging to Lady Gwen that was in your possession. She said that was why mother got upset and fell down the stairs.. But it is all lies, isn't it, it isn't true?" Clara stared at her father wide eyed and hopeful, wanting him to confirm she was right.
Daniel wanted so much to deny it, yet he found he couldn't. He could not look Clara in the eye and lie to his daughter anymore, so he found himself unable to speak. But still his mind was going over what Clara had told him, and suddenly the realisation that Martha had known about the handkerchief sank into his brain. He now realised with some dismay that she had been the one who had found it and who had taken it to Isabella.
Suddenly, he had the answer that had been puzzling him since first wife's death, about exactly how the handkerchief ended up with Isabella. With this, his own sense of guilt melted a little to be replaced by a new cold rage towards Martha Rawlings and feeling so stupid he had not realised before now that she was the one responsible. How else would she know about the handkerchief?
Clara noticed the way her father's expression changed, his blue eyes had hardened, his mouth set in a grim line, leaving her even more bewildered. He suddenly released her, before storming out of the room, purposely making his way up the stairs in great strides.
Clara decided to follow him, to find out what was going on, and what he intended to do.
Martha was considerably startled when the door of her room was flung open, and she found Daniel standing there glaring fiercely at her.
She backed away from him a little, not expecting this confrontation, imagining he would have been too busy trying to explain himself to his daughter, then come after her.
H-How dare you burst into my room, you have no right-" she started angrily, now recovering from the shock of his presence.
"I have every right, as of this moment this is no longer your room" Daniel replied stonily, "I just want you out of this house right now" he then informed her through gritted teeth
Martha just smiled, "You can't throw me out just because I told your daughter the truth about you. What is the wrong Master Daniel," her tone become taunting, "Can't you bear the fact that Clara knows you are not the wonderful father, but an adulterer who cheated on his pregnant wife, she has a right to know just as much as your wife did"
Daniel decided he had heard enough, this time she had pushed her luck too far "Enough! you are leaving, I am sick of your twisted mind, and the way you have tried to manipulate everyone for your own ends. Well it stops here" he snapped decisively ,
Then noticing the bag, which she had already packed with some of her belongings, he went over and grabbed it with one hand, and then Martha's arm with the other. Then he forcibly trailed her, out of the room and down the stairs as she still protested at his rough actions,
He kept his grip on Martha as he opened the front door, and with great satisfaction pushed her unceremoniously outside with such force she stumbled, and almost fell, before throwing her bag at her feet
Eleanor, had been away visiting Jess and checking on Mary's son who seem to be thriving well, So had just been on her way back to the house, when caught sight of the extraordinary scene, and now her footsteps quickened to find out what was going on
"Daniel, what is happening?" she demanded noticing the way Daniel was glaring at the equally angry housekeeper.
"Martha is leaving us a little sooner than planned. I refuse to have that woman under my roof one minute longer," Daniel informed her, his chest heaving with the effort of trying to control himself.
"Oh, why, what has she done, can we just toss her ou7t like this?" she asked with some concern
Martha now turned on Eleanor with renewed vehemence, "I don't need you of all people to fight my battles for me! You and your 'do gooding,' saintly ways make me sick, if he had never married you, everything would have been alright" she snarled
"You see," Daniel's smile was grim, "Do not waste any of your concern on this woman, she is not worth it, I hope she rots in hell" he stated coldly before turning to walk back into the house
"I will probably meet you there," Martha fired back after him. Then as she hurriedly picked up her belongings, she turned back to Eleanor, "You are welcome to him. He is no better than me. so he cannot condemn anyone. He is a hypocrite, and an adulterer and I made sure everyone knows about it now
Stunned by this tirade, Eleanor just stared after her for a moment, then turned to go into the house, where Daniel stood in the hallway rubbing his hands over his face, forcing himself to calm down, and regain control. But then, looking up, he became aware of Clara, pale faced leaning over the balustrade at the top of the stairs, watching him and realising she had overheard it all.
Now as he met her eyes, he saw the hurt and bewilderment in them as she met his gaze.. Suddenly her face crumpled, before she let out a small sob before she turned to flee in the direction of her bedroom.
Eleanor, also witnessing this little scene between father and daughter, turned questioning eyes on Daniel, just wanting to know what had happened to cause all this latest drama.
Daniel just stared back almost helplessly. After all, how could he explain it? Where would he start? So instead he just shook his head a little despairingly, all the anger and energy was draining out of him,
It was then he decided he really needed a drink. And he just walked away leaving Eleanor staring after him.
******************************************************
Unable to get any answers from Daniel, Eleanor now hastily climbed the stairs to go and find Clara knowing she was upset over whatever had occurred. Perhaps she might be able to enlighten her about what had happened this afternoon.
She entered Clara's room and found the young woman sprawled out in her bed her face buried in the pillow, as she sobbed
Eleanor went over to her sitting down on the edge of the bed and lightly resting her hand on Clara's shoulder.
"Clara what has happened, why are you so upset?" she asked in concern, feeling distressed for her step daughter.
Clara lifted her tearstained face from the pillow to glance around at her, "Oh Ellie, it's been horrible!" she wailed, now sitting up and flinging her arms around Eleanor and clinging to her sobbing again, "I can't stay here, I want to go back to stay with my Grandparents' ' she then declared.
Eleanor was now realising how serious the matter had to be for Clara to make this kind of declaration
Eventually through her sobs, Clara managed to tell Eleanor what had happened, and what Martha had said, and how at first she had not believed the woman. And then when she had confronted her father, and found him there with Gwen, then his reaction, and the realisation that there was truth in what Martha had told her.
"So you see, I-I have to leave Somerton, how can I live under the same roof as my father, knowing what I know now," Clara hiccupped miserably, "How could he do that to my mother? It is his fault she is dead"
Eleanor held Clara, finding herself less shocked by what she had just learned.
After all she already had an inkling and her suspicions that something untoward had happened in the past that involved Daniel Isabella and Gwen, only now she knew exactly what it was and she imagined this was Daniel's worst nightmare come true that his daughter knew. She could not understand what possessed Martha to be so callous, as to involve Clara in getting back at Daniel for dismissing her, the woman had absolutely no moral character whatsoever, seeming to gloat in others people's misery, so she only had herself to blame if she found herself without a roof over her head
But It didn't really affect her in the same way as Clara, as she was not so emotionally and personally involved with Daniel's past. So she could look at it with a broader perspective, and feel for everyone caught up in the situation.
"Don't be so quick to judge your father ," she told Clara, whilst soothingly stroking back the young woman's dark hair away from her damp face, "I know it must be really distressing for you now, finding out like this and you are upset with him, and that is completely understandable." she assured her before chewing on her lip for a moment wondering how she should continue, finally she spoke up a little reflectively, " Do you remember when you first came here, and your father treated you with indifference and you felt he didn't care about you ? and you were upset with him"
Clara just sniffed and nodded
"Well, I thought it was an odd reaction myself, because even when he first learned you might be returning home to him, I recall him telling me that he didn't deserve to be a father or a husband. But now, I think understand why he felt so, and what he meant by those words. Its because of what happened in the past. He has been eaten up with guilt and hating himself for what he did. I think it is one of the biggest things he regrets in his life, especially when he lost your mother. Because I believe he did love her, and he knew he had made a terrible mistake that he could never put right, and he couldn't really live with himself afterwards, so that is probably why he drank and kept you at a distance, because he didn't think he deserved to have you care about him because of what he had done"
Clara gulped down the lump in the back of her throat, and allowed herself ponder on Eleanor's words, reluctantly seeing the sense in them, and that perhaps it did explain her father's behaviour towards her. But still, it was very little comfort now she realised exactly the reason why
"But how can I face him now, or even talk with him? I just want to go away" Clara said dolefully
"Now, that doesn't sound like the Clara I know. She wouldn't want to run away when faced with difficulties, she likes to stand her ground, and meet them head on" Eleanor chastised her gently, pulling her away from her a little.
"I know you are shocked and hurt at this moment, after what you have just learned. But I want you to think about how you and your father have built up such a good relationship lately that he has become a better man and wants to do right by you. Don't let what Martha said ruin it, because that's exactly what she wants. It was the reason why she did what she did, just to cause a rift between the two of you again, and if you leave she will have won.. Is that what you want?" Eleanor asked, looking Clara in the eye.
"No," Clara sniffed, as she realised Eleanor had a point, "But what should I do then?"
"Give yourself and your father some time," Eleanor suggested, "Even if you feel you cannot face him right now, there is going to come a time you will have to. I know it won't be easy for you. But it is the only way you will be able to move on, and perhaps through time you will be able to understand and forgive him.. I think that is what your mother would have wanted you to do," Eleanor finished.
"Do you think so?" Clara was doubtful.
"Yes," Eleanor replied with an encouraging smile. Then suddenly she remembered something, which made her move away from Clara, "Just wait here, I will be back soon, I have something for you" she told her with a hint of urgency.
Clara was a little bewildered, but she let Eleanor leave, still trying to get her head around what she had learned, she still didn't feel very forgiving towards her father. She felt as if he had betrayed her.
All those years she thought she had done something wrong, that he didn't want to bother with her. Then to discover it had been driven by guilt, and that he couldn't face her because of what he had done in the past.
Part of her wished he had just stayed away now, and then she would never have found all this out then she would have been blissfully ignorant.
The fact she had become close to him lately only made it hurt even more, especially to discover he had partly been responsible for her mother's death.
Eleanor returned shortly, in her hand she held a small book, and now she held it out to Clara
"Here, I want you to have this. It is your mother's diary. I found it with some of her other things a while back. I always meant to let you have it anyway." Eleanor informed her "I took it to read just because I wanted to know about your mother and your father, after I got married and arrived at Somerton Manor" she confessed shifting a little guiltily that she had withheld it up until now.
"But now, I think you should read it, and I think you will get to understand your mother's feelings and private thoughts. In doing so, I think you will realise that your parents were very happy together, and perhaps it will give you more insight to the situation, so you might not judge your father so harshly. In truth, I believe as I told you earlier,, he has never really forgiven himself for what happened, and well, I think that it is punishment enough, as he has to live with it everyday" she reminded her sagely as she pressed the diary into Clara's hand.
Clara now wiped her eyes, staring down at the diary in her hand, then she looked up at Eleanor, "Thank you, I will read it. and I think it is one of the most precious things you could give me right now." she admitted in a wobbly voice
Eleanor now gave her another comforting hug, just hoping that they could all come out of this latest upheaval in one piece, for Daniel and Clara's sake.
She was fast discovering life was never going to be dull in Somerton Manor, but there were some things she could happily do without.