Can you believe we’re almost halfway through the story? Time to find out what Jonathan has planned for Emily and what secrets are being kept hidden. As always, the links to the previous parts of this story are included at the end of the post.

Stolen Identity Part 6

I followed Jonathan’s instructions. Dr Marsh seemed rather pleased with my confession, smiling and nodding as I fabricated the nonsense.

“It seems time to reflect has brought the problem to light, Clara. How do you feel about it now?”

“I’m not sure, doctor.”

“It’s quite normal to feel a little uncertain but I assure you, it’s all part of the process. Understanding is the first step to recovery. I’m very happy with your progress, very happy indeed and I’m sure your parents will be overjoyed with the good news too.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat. I’d never been one to tell lies. Mother hated them, said they were the devil’s words and nothing good could come of them. Had I allowed the devil into my mind? I thought back on everything that had landed me here in Barrow Haven. Was it my own foolishness that led to my imprisonment?

“You may return to your room. I will see you tomorrow.” Dr Marsh stood and opened the door. “Annie is waiting for you.”

My room was a welcome reprieve and the only place I could gather my thoughts. I was permitted to sit in the common room, but the place gave me the chills. Patients whispering and mumbling to themselves or talking to people that weren’t there. One lady, Charlotte, walked around with a pretend knife threatening to slice everyone to ribbons before shrieking and running for the door. The elderly gentleman, Philip was the only one who seemed any way sane but most of the time he refused to talk, or perhaps he wasn’t able. I noticed how his eyes danced, his expression blank as he looked through me. These weren’t my people.

After sitting on my bed for what felt like forever, my mind replaying the events of the past two weeks over and over, I decided to take a stroll in the garden. I couldn’t find Annie, which in itself was unusual as she’d become like my shadow, so I strolled through the west wing on my own. A sense of being watched followed me but every time I looked behind the halls were empty. The rose garden was not, however. A man, one I hadn’t seen before, sat on my bench slouched forward with his head in his hands. His fingers gripped and pulled at sandy hair and as I drew nearer, I heard him muttering to himself. I stopped to listen. I knew I shouldn’t, even more so as his words became clearer.

“I’ll kill him for what he’s done. I swear with my dying breath I will watch the life leave his body. He will pay for the torment he’s caused. Uncle or not, I won’t let him get away with it. He thinks locking me up here will silence me. It won’t. I will have my revenge, Jonathan, I swear it.”

The gasp that escaped my lips halted his conversation and his head snapped up.

“I’m sorry,” I said turning to leave.

“No, don’t go.” He beckoned for me to return. “You’re new. I haven’t seen you before. Come sit. I would enjoy the company. I don’t get to talk to many people.”

He patted the bench. He looked sane and I desperately wanted to talk to someone, anyone besides Dr Marsh or Nurse Annie. I cringed even thinking about her.

“How long?” He asked as I took a seat.

“Huh?”

“How long have you been here?” He smiled, his blue eyes lighting up.

“Oh. Two weeks. It’s a mistake though, I’m not meant to be here. They think I’m someone else. I should be at home with my mother and brothers. Anything could happen to them and…” I trailed off as tears threatened and my throat tightened.

“I get it,” he said. “The name’s Robert, and I shouldn’t be here either.”

“Emily. They insist on telling me I’m Clara though. Stupid mistake really and all my own fault for being so trusting. I thought she was helping me, a friend, turns out this was all a rotten scheme she cooked up with her uncle just so she could get out of marrying someone. I won’t stay here though; my mother needs me—”

“I had a sister named Clara, pretty little thing.” Robert stared out into the rose garden obviously consumed by his own thoughts. “She’d be sixteen, no seventeen now.”

The way he spoke, defeated, I couldn’t help but ask. “How long have you been here?”

“Three, no four years, I think. You lose track of time in a place like Barrow Haven and the treatments…they mess things up.”

I sucked in a deep breath. The look of horror on his face told me all I wanted to know about treatments. I’d heard whispers about them. In the dining hall yesterday morning, I overhead Gertrude one of the older patients talking about someone she referred to as poor Polly and a hysteria treatment. The other patient she’d been talking to shuddered and shook her head. I left quickly. I didn’t want to hear anymore. All I wanted to do was get through this month and back to mother.

“You haven’t been subjected to them?” Robert asked.

“No.”

He smiled. “That’s good. Keep it that way.”

I was about to ask him what he meant when Nurse Annie appeared, marching towards us. “Clara, what are you doing out here? I didn’t give permission for you to leave. Back to your room now.”

“I’m allowed in the garden. Dr Marsh said so.” I stood and turned to bid farewell to Robert. His face was white as snow. “Are you—”

“Simon!” Annie’s hand flew to her mouth. “You’re not allowed out of the West Wing. Get back inside immediately.”

I looked from one to the other.

Robert jumped to his feet. “My name is Lord Robert Brunsworth and you know it. You think you can get away with what you’ve done to me. I’ll see to it that you pay, you and that treacherous man that claims to be my uncle.”

“Brunsworth? Clara’s your sister?”

Before I could utter another word, Annie grabbed me and threw me to the ground. “He’s nobody, you hear me?”

I struggled to get to my feet, but Annie’s foot connected with my head and I lost consciousness.

#

Poor Emily, what has she stumbled into and who is Robert? Tune in tomorrow to see what happens next. The links to the previous parts of the story are below.

Stolen Identity Part 1
Stolen Identity Part 2
Stolen Identity Part 3
Stolen Identity Part 4
Stolen Identity Part 5

Until next time,

Keep reading and writing,

Amanda