Chapter 4 - Where Marjorie Planned to Take Her
The destination was a family property outside Québec City.
Not a boarding school.
Not an illegal orphanage.
Not a secret institution.
A farm.
My mother’s cousin, Antoinette Bellier, owned a large working property with her husband.
Maple trees.
Vegetable gardens.
Chickens.
Guest cottages.
Every summer, extended family children spent time there.
They called it:
Heritage Week.
The name sounded more official than it was.
There was no registered camp.
No tuition.
No program license.
Just relatives.
The children did chores.
Feed chickens.
Sweep porches.
Collect vegetables.
Set tables.
No phones before dinner.
Shared bedrooms.
Hiking.
Swimming.
Ordinary enough.
I had considered sending Ione when she was older.
Then I read Marjorie’s emails.
Not from hacking.
Vaughn had access to their shared home computer and showed our attorney after Marjorie refused to explain.
Three weeks earlier:
Marjorie to Antoinette:
Ione has become soft since Celeste died.
That made me nauseous.
Antoinette:
She was three. Grief is not softness.
Good.
Marjorie:
Fletcher compensates for everything.
No expectations. No resilience.
Not entirely true.
But I had indulged Ione sometimes.
Guilt.
Busy work.
Single parenting.
Could be discussed.
Then:
I want her with you for six weeks.
Antoinette replied:
Absolutely not unless Fletcher is fully on board.
There.
Marjorie:
He signed standing Canada authorization.
Antoinette:
That isn’t what I asked.
Another message:
If she comes, she does normal chores with everyone. No punishment regime. No humiliation.
Why did Antoinette write that?
Because Marjorie had described what she called:
“preparation.”
Wake at six.
Make bed precisely.
Laundry folding.
Floor scrubbing.
Eating what was served.
Sleeping near utility area one night:
“to break the expectation of special treatment.”
Antoinette replied:
That last part is bizarre. Do not do that.
Marjorie did it anyway.
The Canadian relatives were not conspirators.
They thought the trip was still under discussion.
They had never agreed to six weeks.
Marjorie booked ten days initially.
Her private notes showed she hoped to extend once Ione was there.
May you like
That became important.
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