“Someone had taken her from there, they’d left her on our doorstep rather than leaving her in the woods or keeping her hidden behind its walls.”
Scarlett fisted her hands, her nails digging into the tender flesh of her palms. They’d known. They’d all known.
“I stayed in for months and when I came out, I had the baby. She was still so very small. No one doubted she was a newborn. I told them all we were too nervous to tell of my pregnancy after our many losses. My husband went along with it, God rest his soul.” She did the sign of the cross. “He was a decent man.”
Scarlett’s mind raced, and acid burned her throat. That phrase . . . he was a decent man. She’d heard it before in connection with Mr. Schmidt. She’d read it in Narcisa’s letter: Mr. Schmidt tried to save my baby. He has a spark of decency in him, but the others are too powerful.
Had Narcisa, once a midwife, delivered Kandi’s baby as she lay dying? And then—very old herself and unable to care for a newborn—delivered it to the one decent person she knew of in Farrow? A small sound came up Scarlett’s throat, born of shock and horror. “Narcisa,” Scarlett breathed.
Vicky’s gaze darted to her and then away. “I suspect, yes. I’d secretly bought oils and herbs for fertility from her. The church wouldn’t have supported that sort of medicine, but I did it anyway. I was desperate, so I sinned.” The last words emerged as a mere croak, her cheeks coloring in shame.
“We have to tell, Vicky.” She reached out, putting her hand on hers where it rested on the pew. Her skin was cold and papery. “Millie, she has family, people who deserve to know she exists.” That Kandace lived on in the eyes of her child.
Vicky looked down where Scarlett’s hand covered hers. “Yes. They should know. Amelia’s people. I’m sick.” She looked back up, her eyes on Christ again. “I have cancer. Perhaps I’ve been punished after all. Perhaps we all have.”
A noise sounded and Scarlett looked up to see Sister Madge standing near a side door. Her expression was somber, eyes filled with sadness as she looked at Vicky. “I told her,” she said to Sister Madge.
The old nun approached, such blatant sorrow in her eyes that Scarlett’s chest squeezed. “Yes, dear. You had to. You saved that little girl. You did right by her, and now you must do right by her again. We all must repent for the roles we played.”
Scarlett watched the nun, a breath of relief ghosting from her lips. Although her overwhelming emotion at the moment was shock, she also felt a modicum of breathless triumph. Hope. Millie, Kandi’s daughter, could very well be the key to bringing the truth to light. And that truth involved Camden.
“I believe, Victoria, that we must call the police. Immediately. All of this, it’s gone on far too long.” She turned her head, looking at Jesus as Vicky had done, joining her hands in prayer. “Forgive us, Father,” she whispered mournfully. “Oh, please forgive us.”
Vicky was weeping quietly now, her head hung. “Come, dear,” she said to Scarlett. “Let us leave Vicky to her grief. I’ll come back and drive her home after we’ve made the call. I believe it’s best that we do not contact the sheriff.” Her face registered conflict. She knew he was part of the guild. She knew he was corrupt.
Scarlett pulled her cell phone from her pocket. “We can use my phone.”
“I’m afraid the church doesn’t have wireless service,” she said, a sad smile coming over her face. “Oh, we’re desperately out of touch, aren’t we?” She sighed. “I have the number for the state police in my office. We can call from there. You must tell the police what you know about your friend. Perhaps a DNA test . . .” She frowned. “Oh, dear, it’s going to hurt so many people.” Still, she turned and began moving toward the door. Scarlett stood, following. She appreciated that the old woman was going to do the right thing, despite that she had played a part in the town’s corruption. At the very least, she’d aided and abetted with her silence alone. Despite her words, and despite Scarlett’s hope that she was being truthful, she walked a few paces behind the old woman, as frail as a bent tree branch. She was far too feeble to do anything physically to Scarlett, but she wasn’t going to give her the element of surprise should she try.
She looked back, offering Scarlett the glimmer of a smile. “I drove out to Lilith House just a little bit ago, to offer my condolences on your friend, and see if there was anything the church could do to aid in your comfort.”