Darkwater by V. J. Banis Page B

them. I suspect if the truth were known, and probably it never will be, that was the case with Liza. Someone—an unmarried woman, a derelict mother, a family whose fortunes had been destroyed—left her somewhere in the hope that someone would find her who could care for her. In this case, that someone was apparently Mrs. Hodges.”
    The doctor was right, of course. Mrs. Hodges was much too old to be Liza’s mother. If she herself had not been so shaken by her encounter with Mrs. Hodges, Jennifer would have realized this for herself at once. And Alicia, surely Alicia was intelligent enough to accept the truth for herself.
    Most likely the truth was something along the lines of the scenario the doctor had outlined. But if Liza’s was not Mrs. Hodge’s child, whose child was she, and how had she come to be living in the swamp with the old woman?

CHAPTER TEN
    Helen had not yet returned to the trap. Jennifer went along to the Emporium and found Helen there, waiting while the clerk wrapped a bolt of fabric for her.
    â€œThe children need some new clothes. Liza is too big already for her clothes. They were mostly hand-me-downs anyway.”
    Again Jennifer was struck with the treatment afforded Liza, as if she were one of the family and yet not quite that either. She knew Helen did not care for having Liza there, and resented her. At the same time, her sense of fairness and her natural affection for children made it impossible for her to be really cruel to the child.
    Surely, Jennifer thought, Liza must instinctively sense this ambivalence of feeling toward her. No doubt that was part of the explanation for her aloofness.
    By the time they had finished their shopping and had made the drive back to Darkwater it was later afternoon. The return trip was pleasant. Helen kept to herself any curiosity she might have felt regarding Jennifer’s visit to Doctor Goodman.
    Perhaps, Jennifer thought, that was because she had no curiosity. Surely by now she too had concluded there was nothing physically wrong with Alicia, and that her spells sprang from unhappiness and her possessively jealous nature.
    For that ailment, Jennifer saw no relief. She felt certain herself that sending Liza away would not solve the problem. With Liza gone, Alicia would only look around for someone else toward whom to direct her jealousy and resentment. And Jennifer did not have to look far to guess who that would be.
    â€œBy the way,” Helen said as they came up the drive to Darkwater, “we will be having company this evening for dinner.”
    Since Jennifer had been at Darkwater there were frequently guests at dinner, but this, she gathered, was something a bit different.
    â€œIs there an occasion?”
    â€œSome of the local men are talking of forming a grange. They want to discuss it with Walter after dinner. Of course they’ll be bringing their families with them.”
    â€œPerhaps I can help by looking after the children.”
    â€œThere will be servants enough for that. And some of the children are old enough to help look after the others. You will be more of an asset at the dinner table, and perhaps afterward, in the parlor. Do you play the pianoforte?”
    â€œA little. But I’m not an artist, I’m afraid.”
    Helen dismissed that with a wave of her hand. “Folks out here get hungry for entertainment. If you can manage to bang out a tune on the keys, they won’t be too critical, I assure you.”
    Jennifer hesitated a moment before asking, “Will Alicia be with us for dinner?”
    â€œShe rarely feels well enough for company,” Helen said, her voice dry and noncommittal. “I rather expect she will have a tray in her room, as she usually does.”
    Later, in her own room, it occurred to Jennifer that she had been virtually asked to help act as hostess in Alicia’s place. It gave her a thrill to think of acting as Walter’s hostess, greeting his friends and