Scottish Stars Cross

Part 26

Things took a weird and wonderful turn one day when a stranger arrived at the O'Brien keep asking for Sorcha. Sorcha came down to the main study used for receptions. Ella came down with Sorcha out of curiosity.

"I wonder who it is." Sorcha murmured aloud as her and Ella approached the closed study door.

Ella shrugged. "I just hope it's not someone that Mom and Dad sent over."

Sorcha groaned as they reached the door. "Agreed."

The heavy study door swung open on well oiled hinges. Tea and biscuits were set out and a matronly woman with long silver hair sat in one of the old wing backed chairs partaking of the refreshments. She looked up and paused with a biscuit partway to her mouth. The woman with wide green eyes blinked at them before she laid the chocolate biscuit down and brushed crumbs from her fingers. She stood as Sorcha and Ella moved farther into the room shutting the door behind them.

"My name is Sorcha McAllister and this is my sister Ella."

The woman stood and shook both their hands before she stared blatantly at Sorcha. She seemed to remember her manners because she apologized and introduced herself. "My name is Eleanor Hughes. Please forgive me for staring, but you look so much like her."

Ella gave the mature woman an odd look before she spoke. "Like who Ms. Hughes?"

"Call me Eleanor please. I am only known as Ms. Hughes to those who are my enemies."

"Who do I look like?" Sorcha queried.

Eleanor smiled. "You look like your mother. I had the misfortune of meeting her just once, but once was all it took." Eleanor studied Sorcha so intensely that it made her fidget. "Yes, you look your mother, but you have your father's violet eyes and black hair."

Sorcha and Ella looked at each other. Ella took Sorcha's hand and Sorcha held on for dear life. "What do you mean?"

"Shall we sit down?" Eleanor asked as she moved back over to sink gracefully down on the chair she'd vacated. "This is hard enough as it is."

The sisters sat down opposite Eleanor. Ella surprised Sorcha by speaking first. "How do you know our mother?"

Eleanor gave a delicate sigh and patted her hair. "Almost thirty years ago my son met a young woman from America who was visiting family in Scotland. He fell in love with her instantly. My son did everything for your mother. I knew of her, but didn't meet her till Charles brought her to me so that I could meet her. Charles planned on proposing to her and he did. Your mother laughed at him and it crushed Charles. It took a long time for him to get over her and move on to others things."

"What does this have to do with me?"

"You have done DNA testing have you not?"

Sorcha blinked in surprise. "Yeah, as a lark with my cousin."

"My granddaughter did so as well and discovered that you share similar DNA. Charles grew curious and decided to do his DNA and guess what we found?"

"A strong DNA match," Ella guessed in a soft voice.

Eleanor bestowed a sweet smile on Ella. "You are correct. The DNA showed that you shared half of his DNA which means that you are more likely than not, his daughter." Eleanor smiled at them in the stunned silence that followed. "We can do an official DNA test if you want to of course, but I am certain that it will show that you are Charle's daughter."

Sorcha sank back into her chair. She srubbed her face and looked at Ella who had a shell shocked appearance on her face. Ella looked at hr and swallowed hard.

"It would explain why you look different than all of us and why Father never really liked you."

Sorcha nodded. She turned and addressed the woman who could be her grandmother. "I have always known that I had a different father than Ella. It brings in perspective all of the things that have happened in the past."

"It explains why Father was always abusive towards you."

Fire leapt into Eleanor's bottle green eyes. "You were abused by the man who raised you?"

Ella grabbed Sorcha's hand as Sorcha began picking at her nails. Sorcha shifted in her seat and crossed her knees forgetting that the motion still caused her injured knee to ache. Eleanor's sharp gaze caught the look of discomfort on Sorcha's face before she oculd hide it.

"I was Father's punching bag whenever I did something wrong. He made sure to leave no tell tale marks." Sorcha looked at her sister before she spoke again. "The abuse only stopped within the past year. He didn't know that my boyfriend was still at my house when he started to hit me. Calleach defended me."

Ella nodded. "Our Mother stood beside him and now both of them are in jail. I hope they stay in jail." Ella blinked tears from her eyes.

"Would you like to meet my son?" Eleanor asked into the uncomfortable silence that filled the study.

"Where is he at?"

"Wales." Eleanor stated.

Sorcha ran her finger over Ella's bright pink nails. Her gaze moved so that she could stare at one of the bookshelves that filled the study. "Can I bring my family and friends with me?"

"You can bring whomever you want to Sorcha. Charles wouldn't care just as long as he can meet the daughter he never knew that he had."

Sorcha nodded. "Let me speak to the others and see when would be a good time to come and visit." Sorcha stood causing Ella and Eleanor to stand as well. Sorcha accepted the hug Eleanor gave her. "You can stay here as a our guest. I will get an answer to you within the next few days."

"Take as long as you need."

Ella touched Sorcha on the arm. "I'll see that Eleanor is settled. Calleach should still be with Bradley in the kitchen."

Sorcha gave her sister a relieved smile. "Thanks Ella. You are the best."

Ella hugged Sorcha impulsively before she started asking Eleanor what Wales was like. Eleanor's voice followed Sorcha down the hall as she headed towards the kitchen. She was relieved to know that Harold wasn't her father. Sorcha hoped that Charles was much different.

Calleach and Bradley were both standing in front of the stove arguing about something. Bradley caught sight of Sorcha and nodded in her direction. Calleach turned and the jovial look on his face faded. His quick strides carried him clear across the kitchen to Sorcha's side where he grasped her by the shoulders.

"What's the matter Sorcha?"

Sorcha took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "We have something serious to discuss Calleach."