Caro’s lips trembled at the idea. “I—I couldn’t. The imposition . . .”
“It’s no imposition. Caro, you’re a good person who deserves to be happy. You know that, right?”
Viola’s words seemed to trigger something in Caro, and I knew as she suddenly burst out into heartbreaking sobs that Viola had seen something the rest of us hadn’t.
It wasn’t just that her aunt had dominated Caroline, taking control of every aspect of her life. She’d done it by making Caro believe she wasn’t worthy. That she wasn’t good. Silent tears rolled down my cheeks as Viola made soft hushing sounds, pulling Caro into her arms. She pressed her cheek to Caro’s head and rocked her like a baby.
Wiping at my tears, I got up and crossed the living room to sit down beside them. I took Caro’s hand in mine and held back my wince when she squeezed it with all her worth.
“Let it out, Caro. Let it out,” Viola whispered.
Just like that our girls’ night took a turn I hadn’t expected.
And as Caro’s story fell from her lips in broken words, I was done taking it slow.
My plan had been to gradually get Caro to a point where she felt comfortable enough to leave Helena. But now I realized why Roane hated the woman so much. This girl was wounded in places no young woman should be. Only abuse could do that. I had known on some level that Helena’s control over Caro’s life was wrong. Yet the word “abuse” had never entered my mind. Until she shared her story.
Slaps across the face for any attitude considered disobedient.
Locked in her bedroom for a week when she was fifteen for daring to make a date with a boy. She had only a Bible and water to keep her company, her aunt bringing a tray of food once a day.
And every day, being told she was a bad seed, worthless, that she had the devil in her, and only Helena’s influence in her life kept him at bay.
Sick to my stomach, I sat in that room, listening to what sounded like something out of a gothic novel, and I realized Caro was so much stronger than she knew. Many people would have given in to such emotional and mental abuse, but deep down Caro knew her aunt was wrong.
We lapsed into silence, Caro’s head resting on Viola’s shoulder as the young girl hugged her close.
“I don’t want to push you, like Helena has bullied you,” I announced, “but I think you know you need to make a move and do it now. Move in here, with me, and then we’ll find you something more permanent later.”
Caro sat up slowly, her big dark eyes round with sorrow and fear. “I know she’s wrong . . . but there’s a part of me that’s scared she’s right.”
That was the impact of years of mental warfare, and it wouldn’t go away with a snap of anyone’s fingers.
“She’s wrong. But no one can make this decision for you. Only you can. I can promise we’ll all be here to help you through this.”
“Maybe you should speak to someone,” Viola offered with a hint of trepidation.
She’d plucked the thought right out of my head.
Caro frowned. “Someone?” Her brow cleared, and her lips pressed together for a second in displeasure. “You mean a therapist?”
Viola and I shared a look, worried we’d scare Caro away. Coming to a silent decision, we both nodded.
Looking down at the floor, Caro whispered, “I’m scared.”
I swear I thought my chest might splinter with the aching pain I felt for her. Roane’s cousin was such a gentle soul. How could anyone do what that wicked woman had done to her?
“Anyone would be. But we’ll be here.” I reached across Viola to take Caro’s hand again. “You don’t have to go back there. We can get your stuff for you.”
Caro shook her head, and I felt my stomach drop with the fear she’d return to that woman. “No.” She tilted her chin up with a hint of stubbornness and looked between Viola and me. “I should go back. To get my things.” Her lips trembled. “There’s not much I want to take with me, but I have a few things I’d like to keep.”
Relief swamped me. “Do you want one of us to come with you?”
“I think I’ll need you.” Anger flashed across her eyes. “She has all the passwords to my bank account details. All the money that my mother and father left me. I haven’t been able to touch it.”
Fury ripped through me. “Excuse me?”
She swallowed hard and nodded. “I have three savings accounts and a checking account. She took away my bank cards, made me open online accounting, and then changed all the passwords so I couldn’t access them. Moreover, we set up investments with my money with a financial adviser, but she has all those details too.”
Something dawned on me. “Does she have money of her own?”
Caro took a shuddering breath. “Everyone thinks so because her parents had money, but the majority of it went to my mother because she was the eldest. That money went to me. Helena thinks of it as hers. The only thing she owns is the cottage.”
Now it all made sense. She didn’t want Caro to exert her independence because it would leave her with very little money.
“Does Roane know this?”
“He suspected, but I lied.” Caro’s face crumpled. “I told him she didn’t have access to my money.”
Yeah, I was so done. “Will you move in here?”
She blinked at my abrupt question but nodded slowly. “Yes.”
We would talk about therapy later. First things first. “Tomorrow, Roane and I will accompany you to the cottage. While I help you pack, Roane will get everything he needs from Helena regarding your finances.”
“What if she won’t hand it over?”
“Oh, she will,” Viola said. She looked at me, angry determination in her eyes. “Roane has a good friend on the police force at Alnwick. I’m sure he’d be willing to accompany you.”
I smirked. “That could work.”
“I don’t want anyone else to know.” Caro shook her head.
“It’ll only be Patrick, Caro. You know he won’t tell anyone.”
After a little back-and-forth, we got Caro to agree, and I disappeared into my bedroom to call Roane. When I was done telling him everything, I had to hold the phone away from my ear while he cursed and railed.
I wished in that moment I could be there in person to comfort him.
“Roane,” I soothed. “This is a good development. She’ll finally be out from under that woman’s thumb.”