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It was finally time for the lake to give her up. And so, one morning in late summer, her body washed gently into the shallows, as though it, she, had simply been floating in a peaceful, watery slumber.
But some stories, especially peculiar, hidden ones involving murder and mystery, have a way of bubbling to the surface, especially when wrongs need to be righted. They make themselves heard despite efforts to keep them silent.
Of course, modern-day folk weren’t given to such superstitions. They had a way of forgetting the past, so intent were they on the future. Legends and lore became nothing more than stories that might entertain guests sitting around the fireplace after a nice dinner. The old beliefs faded as the modern age dawned, but the spirits that inspired those legends remained, kept doing their important work, waiting for someone to believe again.
The hypnotic rhythm—pull, skim, push—over and over again, cleared the random thoughts from her mind and lulled her into a sense of peace.
Me when I’m sewing.
“Ma petite fille chérie. Le danger vient.”
“My darling little girl. Danger is coming.”
“I know. But plenty of people do. You only hurt the ones you love, isn’t that the saying?”
“We have the gift of dreaming,”
And yet, didn’t legends start with at least a grain of truth?
“Come on, let’s have some coffee. Everything seems out of control until you’ve had coffee.”
“I think he was cheating on her,” Kate said, chewing a mouthful of eggs at breakfast the next morning.
Idk, I don’t think so. While I think he does love her, he worked too hard for his life now to throw it away because of a scandal of that kind.
Kate desperately wanted to believe in Jess’s innocence. But she had to admit that it was looking more and more like he was, indeed, guilty of this crime.
Is it though? Not really. I think either Harrison or Celeste did it. Either him, because he wanted Addie but couldn’t have her, or Celeste somehow, maybe she wants Addie's baby for herself or she's jealous because her husband is straying from her to Addie? Man idk, I just don’t think it’s Jess. I think he’s being framed.
He was fiercely protective of her and more than a little jealous. Who wouldn’t be? His wife was one of the most beautiful women—inside and out—in this town or any other.”
Dude. 😐
Mr. Stewart fell on the courthouse steps. This reporter heard him call out his wife’s name as he took his last breath.
Is that what Addie is trying to do? Even after all these years, she’s trying to clear her husband’s name?
“I just can’t believe he cheated on her,” Kate said, her voice wavering. “I know what I saw in the dream, but why would he do that? They were so much in love! He loved her his whole life. They were children together! I read it in the testimony of the trial. All their lives! Why would he do something so heinous and stupid?” A flood of tears overcame her, and she covered her face with a napkin.
Did I miss that part? I don’t remember him doing anything. I remember her coming onto him, in front of Addie, but I don’t remember him outright reciprocating any of those advances.
“Nothing happened between Sally and me, darling,” Jess said, hurriedly gathering up some papers into his leather briefcase. “She’s just an old friend, that’s all. You’re making much too much of it.”
Well, no no, that’s that not the whole truth. Come on man, I’ve been defending you.
“Yes, I courted some women, including Sally, before we were married. That I didn’t tell you about it myself—that was a mistake on my part. I know that now. And I’m sorry. I’m sorry for not telling you before, and I’m sorry for the way you found out about it,
Okay, there you go. Truth. Better.
Jess is going to kill you and your baby!
Noooo. Listen, I’m just as shocked as anyone that I’m defending a man, but I really really think Jess is innocent.
Then she heard it, clean and clear: A male voice, horrified, anguished, stricken. “Good Christ, what have you done? Addie, oh my God—”
Did Harrison find out his wife murdered Addie?
Nothing can hurt you here. You are with me now. I will keep you safe, here, with me, my daughter of the lake, until it is time.
who would go to her grave adoring a man who had stood by and watched her own father be convicted of a crime he did not commit.
He knew about his friend’s affair with Sally Reade and despised him for it. How could he possibly cheat on Addie? He deserved to lose his wife and child—just not that way.
I agree. I thought he was smarter than that. I was wrong.
Not that Celeste had anything particular against Jess. But it wouldn’t do to have Harrison go to jail. Let alone herself. They had a baby to care for. They were the richest couple in town. The largest employer. She would not betray her father’s memory, erase all his hard work and sacrifice, with that kind of scandal. No.
HAHAHAHA oh my god, “with that kind of scandal”, that’s literally what I said, “a scandal of that kind”, about why I didn’t think Jess was a murderer and a cheater. I was wrong about one, right about another.
We toyed with the idea of just keeping this to ourselves. Letting sleeping dogs lie, as it were.” “Those sleeping dogs have a way of waking up and biting you when you least expect it,” Johnny said,
“My darling girl,” she whispered into Kate’s ear. “She’s gone. She can’t hurt you. She never could. Never really wanted to. It was the madness, the grief.”
Sally Reade couldn’t believe her good fortune as she walked through the fog to the Cassatt house.
Where’d you come from? Why are we hearing from you now?
He did not object. Yes, he had been drinking, perhaps too much, anyone could see that. But it didn’t matter to Sally. Why should it?
The fuck? It matters!
Sally didn’t like to think of the word murder, it sounded so evil, so wrong.
Oh my god, were you planning to kill Addie too but Celeste beat you to it??? This book man. A plot twist I didn’t see. I thought she was a random character just meant to stir up some drama and then be on her way.
Sally heard it all, then—Celeste’s crazy ramblings, Harrison’s horror at what he thought she had done. A smile sliced across Sally’s face. He thinks his wife killed her. This is perfect.
OHH my god. Celeste didn’t do it either. Holy shit lady, you’re insane.
Sally did not have children, so she did not understand the fury of a grieving father. She could simply not foresee the blinding, vengeful rage that she had elicited with her actions that night.
It carried her lifeless body for miles to a faraway, desolate shore and spat her out in disgust.
As it should. BTW, sorry if anyone else reads these comments of mine, I didn't intend to start liveblogging my reading in the notes...
