We’ve made it to day 12 and the final instalment of Stolen Identity. I hope you’ve enjoyed it and I wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone who has got in touch to say they’ve loved the story so far. I hope you all enjoy the ending.

Stolen Identity Part 12

As we approached Dr Marsh’s office my pulse thumped against my eardrums. What if it all goes wrong? What if they don’t believe us?

Robert raised his hand towards the door.

“Wait! What if—”

“We’re doing this, Emily. We have to.” His fist connected with the wood, the thud sending panic racing through me.

“Excuse us, Dr Marsh. I understand you have people with you that wish to see me,” Robert said as he stepped into the room.

I skirted in behind him, his body my coverage.

“What is the meaning of this?” Dr Marsh stood from his desk.

Robert bowed his head slightly before turning to Clara and her parents who stood the other side of the desk. “Mother, father. I do hope you were planning to look in on me before you left. Considering you’ve left me here for four years, I think it’s the least you could do.”

Lady Brunsworth paled as her eyes found Robert. She reached for her husband’s arm but never connected with it. “Robert.” She gasped as her legs gave way and she crumbled to the floor.

Everything happened in a flurry of confusion. Dr Marsh slammed the door shut before demanding an explanation. Mr Brunsworth gently slapped his wife’s face, calling out to her to open her eyes. Clara stood open-mouthed and Jonathan looked as if his world was about to end. It was.

“Sit down, Doctor,” Robert said moving further into the room.

I remained by the door unsure what was about to unfold.

“Simon, what is the meaning of this intrusion? Are you having an episode?”

“Not today, Dr Marsh. I’m perfectly sane. You might want to call the constabulary. They’ll be very interested to hear what I have to tell them about my dear uncle.” Robert nodded towards Jonathan.

Dr Marsh fumbled at his desk and Jonathan used the distraction to try to escape. Mr Brunsworth was faster, his hand shot out and wrapped around Jonathan’s ankle, sending him tumbling to the floor. “Not so fast, brother. I wish to hear what my supposedly deceased son has to say.”

Mrs Brunsworth mumbled as she returned to a conscious state and was helped into a chair. Tears streamed down her face as she took in Robert. She started to speak but Robert hushed her. “I know you have a lot of questions, mother, and I assure you they will all be answered in due course, but first you need to hear what this monster has done.” He paused to point at Jonathan who sat slouched against the wall.

Robert turned to Clara next. “Sister, you played a part in this charade, what have you to say for yourself?”

Clara looked at the floor. “I had no idea, I swear. Uncle told me Emily had agreed to everything. I didn’t know.” She started to cry, and I wanted to comfort her. “I’m truly sorry. All I wanted was to marry for love.” Clara turned towards her mother as she spoke, and I remembered saying the very same words to my own mother not so long ago.

“I’m afraid I’m somewhat ignorant as to what is going on here.” Dr Marsh stood from his desk. “Would you care to explain, Simon?”

“My name is not Simon. My name is Robert Brunsworth and this man, my uncle, had me locked up here four years ago.”

“But Robert Brunsworth died in a riding accident—”

Robert cut Dr Marsh off. “No, I didn’t. My uncle drugged me and when I woke, I was here, in Barrow Haven. He told me my parents had me committed and excommunicated. It was your staff who changed my name and when I refused to go along with it…”

Robert trailed off. I suspected I knew what he was going to say. My body certainly did and the chill that raced down my spine along the memory of the biting pain of icy water reinforced it.

Dr Marsh shook his head and sat down. “How can this be possible?”

Robert explained his story while everyone listened. His mother sobbed and begged for forgiveness. His father threatened to have Jonathan executed, and Clara stood wide-eyed throughout. “Emily is another victim and Jonathan would have succeeded had we not met in the rose garden. Clara in her naivety allowed him to use her. Henry is not who she thought he was. He is uncle’s stable boy and the son of Annie the nurse that works here. They plotted together so Jonathan could get his hands on father’s fortune. With no heirs, he was next in line to inherit everything.”

“Ridiculous nonsense.” Jonathan spoke for the first time. “You can’t believe this tripe, William. I would never betray you. We’re brothers.”

It was Mrs Brunsworth who spoke first. “You took my son from me and you planned to take my daughter too. All for money?”

“Calm yourself, Florence. I am no fool.” Mr Brunsworth walked towards Robert and placed a hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry, son. We had no idea you were here. We will do everything necessary to make amends.”

“It’s not your fault father.” Robert’s shoulders fell and I knew he believed them. His ordeal was over.

“And you, young lady. You have our sincere apologies. Clara will be punished for her part in your imprisonment.”

“That won’t be necessary, Mr Brunsworth,” I said. “Clara was as much a victim as I was. She will punish herself enough. I’m sure of it.”

“You have our gratitude.” Mr Brunsworth turned back to Jonathan. “Why would you do this?”

Jonathan sneered, his composure slipped, and he balled his hands into fists. “Why do you think brother. It was all supposed to be mine, but no, father chose you. I am the oldest, the true heir. Why should you have what is rightfully mine? I would have had it all too had it not been for that pauper.” He turned to me and my stomach tightened.

“Nonsense,” Mr Brunsworth said. “You can’t blame an innocent child or father for that matter. You pushed him to it, left him with no choice. There’d be nothing left had you got your hands on the family fortune. Your gambling habits, your drinking…” He shook his head. “I gave you more than enough, an estate, enough to live comfortably, and you did this. You plotted to destroy my family.”

Tension in the room grew and I’m not sure what would have happened had the constabulary not arrived. What happened next feels like a blurred memory. Statements were given. Tears were shed. Dr Marsh apologised profusely for the treatment I’d received, and Clara slumped in the chair, head held in her hands. It might have taken minutes, it might have taken hours for the ordeal to end, but end it did, and as I placed my feet onto the gravel drive outside Barrow Haven, I turned to look at my prison one final time. The windows peered down at me, faces obscured, begging to be released too. I shuddered as my glance fell on the door that had closed behind us. Solid oak, unbreakable. It had broken me though.

“Emily?”

Robert’s soft voice pulled me back to reality and I lifted my gaze to him.

“Will you allow me to escort you home?”

“Home.” It came out in a whisper. The place I’d longed for, spent my restless nights dwelling on. Was I really going to see it again? Mother, the boys? My heart quickened as I struggled to get the words out.

I didn’t need to answer. Robert placed a hand on the crook of my arm and led me to the waiting carriage. “Father is taking mother and Clara, he asked that you come too, but I told him I’d take you in uncle’s carriage. I hope that’s okay?”

I nodded. I still couldn’t believe it was all over. Robert helped me into the carriage and just as the door was about to close, Clara called out. “Wait. Emily please.”

I poked my head out. She looked wretched, her eyes red and swollen, her hands wrapped in the folds of her dress. She reached the carriage. “May I travel with you? There’s so much I wish to say, please?”

My heart ached at the sight of her pain. I’d never been a hard person and even with the past month’s events, I could not bear to witness another human’s suffering. I nodded for her to join us.

“Thank you,” she said, taking my hands in hers. “I had no idea, honestly I didn’t. Uncle…” she snuffled and bowed her head. “He said you were being cared for, that no harm would befall you. He said you agreed. I was not part of his plan. I returned at nine as we agreed. He was waiting. He told me everything had been sorted, that I would marry Henry.” Her tears flowed and I squeezed her hand. I could offer no comfort, not for a broken heart.

We travelled the rest of the way in silence, a hiccup echoing every now and then. As the green fields disappeared and the smoke-filled city skies began to appear outside my window, my anticipation grew. How would mother react? Had she thought I’d abandoned them, run away? The church spire glistened in the distance. Familiar rooftops rose out of the fog hovering over Clayton Bridge and the scent of coal forced its way into the carriage. I opened the window and took in a deep breath, filling my lungs. I was home.

***

Mother cried and the boys wrapped their skinny arms around my legs. Their strength surprised me. They’d grown too but promised they’d been good. No more borrowing. They’d looked after mother. The pride in their voices as they recounted their chores. I smiled through my tears and told them how big they were. Men almost.

Mother held my face in her hands, her calloused thumbs removing my tears as they fell. My reflection shone in her eyes and I knew she saw the pain I’d tried to bury. The torment of Barrow Haven. “Let’s get you some tea,” she said, looking away. “You can tell me everything later.”

***

The days passed but Barrow Haven left a scar, one that was visible only to me. It haunted my dreams, icy water blasting my naked body, as Jonathan and Annie looked on laughing together. But I had survived. My family too and Mr Brunsworth made sure we were taken care of. “My gift to you, dear Emily, for saving and reuniting my family,” he’d said.

Clara agreed to marry George and Robert took over the running of his uncle’s estate. Henry disappeared and Annie suffered some sort of breakdown in prison and was sent to an asylum for the remainder of her days. Jonathan was convicted too but died not long after being sent to prison. Rumours said it was self-inflicted. As for me, I got to marry for love and Clara become more than a friend. She became the sister I never had.

The End

And that’s it, a happy ever after for Emily, Robert, and even Clara. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading Stolen Identity and don’t forget, from tomorrow my free December serials continue and I’ll be bringing you Grisham House and another mystery.

Below are the links to the previous instalments and if you want to buy the story to have on your Kindle it’s on Amazon for 99c/77p.

Stolen Identity Part 1
Stolen Identity Part 2
Stolen Identity Part 3
Stolen Identity Part 4
Stolen Identity Part 5
Stolen Identity Part 6
Stolen Identity Part 7
Stolen Identity Part 8
Stolen Identity Part 9
Stolen Identity Part 10
Stolen Identity Part 11

Buy Stolen Identity on Kindle: 
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08NXMW6CX
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08NXMW6CX

Until next time,

Keep reading and writing,

Amanda