Lizzie's Song

Chapter 10- Edith

Thomas is incredibly gentle with his quilt, folding it carefully each day, keeping it from touching the floor. The smell of Christmas baking still lingers on it and he imagines that she pieced it together while sitting beside the oven, waiting for the spice cakes to bake. He loves that he falls asleep under the memory of cinnamon and ginger.

Alan checks on his wounds every few weeks and in mid-January, tells him there is little to do but wait for the wound to finish healing. His shoulder still aches and stiffens on the colder days. The assizes are approaching and Thomas asks Alan if there is any chance of one final conversation with Edith before he is taken to Carlisle. Alan promises to bring it up to her, but also guarantees nothing. She will make up her own mind as to whether or not she wants to speak to him.

There are two days before they travel to Carlisle when Edith comes. She is wears gold, smart and put together, just as he remembers her. Lizzie escorts her to the cell and sets up a stool outside the door. She hands a note to Thomas.

"Malachi is next door upon her request. I thought you ought to know you have a listener, even though he will take anything you say here with him to his grave. Speak freely, he is trustworthy."

After Lizzie has gone, Edith gestures to the note, "What did she say?"

"Malachi is next door and is trustworthy so I should speak freely."

"Does she know?"

"Her father wrote out my confession. I have no doubt she has read it. Lizzie is a bright young woman."

"She doesn't speak?"

"No."

"But she works the jail?"

"Every day. She brings meals, blankets, when needed, changes of clothes...she is dedicated to her work."

"And to you?"

"No. Nothing of that sort. She did her job for Lucille, too. And from what her father has told me, she has done this for every person who has come through here since before her voice left her. It is her work and she is quite proud of it."

"Ah." The conversation is awkward enough, but the pause makes it even more uncomfortable, "I've asked my lawyer to file divorce papers."

Thomas sighs, his heart sinking, even though he has known this likely, "I understand."

"You tried to kill me."

"I don't suppose telling you I deeply regret it makes any difference?"

"Not really. But it at least makes you still seem human."

"I'm sorry, Edith. For everything."

"You said you loved me."

"Love, not loved, but yes."

"Even now?"

"You were light in the darkness of Allerdale Hall."

"That's not why you married me."

"I married you because I wanted to. I hoped I had brought home someone clever enough to survive. I hoped that with the machine running, Lucille would have mercy. But I was mistaken."

"What you did cannot be forgiven. At least not by me. I heard your confession. I was sitting in the cell next door. And I understand why everything went so wrong, even if you both could have done so many things differently and avoided this tragedy all together. But that's no excuse. I'm set to testify against you in Carlisle."

"I had assumed you would."

"After, I'm going to return to America with Alan. He has developed a fascination for folk medicine and its efficacy thanks to Mrs Doyle. I think he will be committing himself to his practice and this new study. He's decided also to further explore ghosts in photography thanks to my experiences."