Secrets of the Past (6 page)

I cannot wait to see you; perhaps I may manage a visit of 4 days this time.

Love and adore you
always.

C.D.

It was so beautiful,
dreams had taken
over,
I
returned it to the envelope, and chose another, but suddenly
heard a noise; I grabbed a pen.

I
t
was the front door opening,
so
I quickly searched for the locket, realized I had left it in the lounge, so rushed out the door.

Anastasia stood gazing at me.

She looked startled, and said
.

“Anna wh
at are you doing in my bedroom
.
”

I stood staring
at her with a very guilty expression, her face very angry.
Lines were now appearing along the sides of her lips.

She then said

“Go to the sitting room and wait for me
.
”

 
With
a raised voice.

I rushed pass her and into the lounge, running to the window as that is where I had opened the locket, but before I could pick it up,
she came in the room.

“A
nna, now explain yourself Miss,
now if you please”

I slowly
turned;
she
was standing by the door
.

I answered
.

“Oh mother I was just looking for a pen, as I was going to write a letter to my friend”

I lifted the pen to show her.

She replied.

“Well normally you would look where the pens are kept Anna, in the writing bureau
?
”

She looked so sternly at me, I was a little afraid. She then stood hands on hips awaiting my reply.

So I kept thinking,’
what
can I say now’ Then I spoke.

“But I wanted to write with the pretty pen, the one
father gave you mother, sorry I thought you would not mind, I am so sorry
.
”

S
he seemed happier with the answer.

“Well next time ask child, I would rather you ask, it is very unladylike to enter someone’s personal bedroom without permission
.”

She answered sternly.

I apologized and she left to go to the kitchen.

Where was the locket I thought?

I had knocked it onto the floor, then I found it, opened it quickly, I needed to get back fast before she came back.

The tunnel
of light beamed across the room.

T
his was really happening to me.

However,
I
did feel
safe again, but wondered how I new f
ather, as I had ca
lled him, had bought her a pen.

W
ho knows, I thought, so m
any strange things
I
could not keep count anymore.

I then heard shouting in the street below, so turned to look.

It was the teenagers just along, shouting about. One of the girls seemed upset with the boys. Obviously as boys do, they had done something to upset her.

My thoughts returned to the locket in my hand.

I felt it was like a dream when I went back, but real when there, so strange, however it was not safe to keep doing this.

I
t excited me to
go;
perhaps secretly I enjoyed every experience.

CHAPTER FIVE

About ten o’clock the bell rang
again
,
and
when I opened, it was James, looking very casual, never seen him dressed
in jeans.’ How cool did he look?

I invited him, in made him coffee, where he started apologizing,
for bothering me, so
I immediately interrupted, told him to stop.

     I w
as t
rying to think about something to discuss.

I realized the locket was in my hand so started telling him the story, which he listened to intently.

He was very concerned about my safety and said if this Geoff ever comes again, you call me directly.

Which I agreed, I would.
He asked to look at it.

“Amy would you like me to ask my uncle about the locket he has an antiques shop
.
”

I agreed that would be a great idea.

The next evening he arrived again, rushing past me up the stairs

“Amy I have something to tell you
.
”

He was looking a little shocked, what could be the matter I thought.

“My uncle is not entirely sure but he thinks this locket is from the eighteenth century
”

H
e said.

“Do you know just how valuable this locket could be, my uncle said it is possibly priceless.
”

His uncle was looking into the history of it and would let us know”

James placed the locket on the fireplace and had to leave as he was meeting someone, I did not ask whom, just said goodbye.

The next day at work, I started researching internet sites concerning the eighteenth century to see if I could find anything at all about it.

I was imagining all sorts, a bit carried away.

Decided to get my work done, had not seen Ja
mes at all he had not come in. A
s I was on my own, I managed to clear all the papers, and tidy my desk.

Made coffee then sat at the window of the office, watching the street, not so busy today.

Opposite the office stood the old furniture store, been there for years. Called in on
c
e with dad, we were looking for a new dining set, but we soon left after seeing their prices, never been in there since.

I usually left at five o’clock, it was h
alf three, so decided to go
, was sure James would be ok about it.

The next morning I was up early as I was off to see my nephews in London, it
was their birthday; I was travelling up by train
so I set off for the station, rushing a little as I always did when catching a train, even though I had tons of time.

As I turned from my flat into the street, I looked up I almost bumped into a woman, stood in front of me, she touched my arm, she had long black hair, with a scarf tied around it, lon
g skirt
.

She said, “Are you
Amy
?
”

I replied, “Yes I am, do I know you
?
”

    
“No, we have never met.”,
she answered.

“
I am Zoë’s mother, can we talk,
and I
really need to speak to you please”

I had plenty of time so I took her back to my fl
at, I
made her tea, and she told me
Zoë had disappeared there was no trace of her anywhere, and the police had no idea where she had gone.

   
The police had told her they had found her bag and in it, a
diary and my name listed.
I asked her where she thought she had gone and she said she believed she was dead, as she would have contacted her.

She also said she new Zoë was a prostitute, but had a job recently,
as she was trying to turn her life around
.
S
he was a loving daughter to her and that is all that counted in her book.

I agreed, thinking of my mum with sadness.

I told her I had not seen Zoë for a few days and I did not really know her. She was just an acquaintance not a friend as such, which made her look sad, but what else could I say to this woman, it was not my place, I did not get to know Zoë, just a passing moment in time I would rather forget.

Suddenly she blurted out,

“Have you still got the locket?”

Before I answered, she said
.

“Please can I see it”?

Therefore, without thinking I picked it up, and placed it in her hand.

As I did tears flowed down her smooth rosy cheeks, her eyes full to the brim with tears, it upset me greatly to see her like this, and I had a lump in my throat, I was on the verge of bursting in to tears myself.

Her hands were shaking as she opened the locket; she g
azed at the photograph.

Suddenly my thoughts were ‘Why is the room not changing’?

“See it is her, my great, great, grandmother, she is so
beautiful her name was Anastasia and look m
y great grandmother Anna Maria she is the child here.”

S
he
had
turned her hand, for me to see the locket more clearly.

We sat and she started telling me the story about their lives.

As she talked, I was thinking
.

‘How come nothing
happe
ned could not stop thinking about it.’

She said Anastasia was in love with a man, but no one knew who he was, only that he was very famous at that time, and the child Anna Maria was there love child,
as well as a son a bit older. That
is where she and Zoë came
from;
they were direct relatives of Anastasia.

This was unbelievable, but it is true I had met them, little did she know, and I was not about to tell her at all about it.

She closed the locket and handed it to me, and said “Take care of it, keep it safe, that’s what Zoë wanted, I know she is lost, but she is with the people who love her and she is no longer in pain
.
”

I asked her why no one knew of the locket and of Anastasia, and there love relationship.

She replied.

“No one has ever known the secret it has stayed a secret within our family, and it must, forever, please don’t tell anyone, it is
imperative to keep this quiet
”.

I told her
.

“You must take it; it is yours by right.
”

However, she replied,

“No
I do not want it, keep it.”

She then added,

“You will never ever see me again, take
care of
yourself, and be happy.” 

T
hen she rushed down the stairs.

I soon realized I had missed my train, so immediately phoned my brother
and made my excuses
, which I was a little sad about as I was looking forward to see
ing
my nephews, but another time, I will get to see them soon.

I am sure they would not miss me, with all the gifts they would be receiving from others.

I sat and thought about the locket and tried to think what my mum would have done, it was such a sad story. Should it stay in the past?

I decided I would research thoroughly, somewhere there must be a mention of Anastasia, somewhere in history.

I sat and started the biggest internet search of all time, sending to experts asking if the name meant anything to anyone. All the replies were the same, nobody had ever heard of this name Anastasia.

In fact, I had a few emails back, who thought I was a bit of a nutcase.

I learnt so much, digesting everything I read. However, to no avail, I was back to square one.

Again,
I
had another thought
. W
hy had the room not dimmed
when Zoë’s mother had opened it? P
erhaps I would try it again, if nothing happens, I could put this story to rest.

I assume I was fast becoming addicted to this dream.

So I sat on my window ledge and opened the locket once more, as I opened it wider the light dimmed, it was amazing, but the room was a little lighter this time, nobody around, so I rose to my feet and walked towards the fireplace.

The large picture hanging there I now realize was obviously her gentleman friend, he was quite the gentry in the picture, he was holding a walking stick, he looked very elegant, balding on top slightly, with silver grey hair.

As I looked at the picture, the door at the side of me opened, and in he walked, I jumped back startled.

Then he spoke
.