The book and the bay leaf

I was in my father's study after the funeral, his funeral. I'd love to stay here, but it wasn't safe living in this big house all alone. So this afternoon I'd be going to live with my Aunt Cassie till I was old enough to live on my own. My Aunt Cassie was my only living relative, and she seemed nice enough, even though I've only met her once or twice before. My father was a very rich man, but we were close. So no one was surprised that all of his inheritance went to me, but Aunt Cassie was conviced that I had to live at her house, she wasn't big on moving to other places, hinse why I never saw her.

I opened my father's desk drawer smiling when I found pictures I'd drawn for him over the years, I set them neatly on the ground beside me. I looked into the drawer confused at finding a key and a black leather notebook with a lock on it. A note was attached on the front I pulled off the note, it was my father's handwriting no doubt. To unlock the truth that is before you is a dangerous task I leave for you. I turned it around to find nothing else written on the other side.

I reached down to retrieve the key and the leather notebook. I unlocked the notebook having hundreds of letters spilling out of the notebook, I shuffled through them, some were open while most remained sealed. I picked up one and turned the letter over to find a date on the back of it.

I gathered the letters flipping them over and putting them in chronological order. The newest one was from today. I gasped. That meant someone had been here, while the house had remained unwatched for everyone had been at the funeral. I opened up the letter, carefully pulling out the letter, the lettering had been used by a typewriter no doubt.

Dear Gilly,

This may be the last letter you will ever recieve from me, and the last time ever see you. My what girl you've become. I hope you'll forgive me, for giving you up. George had been alone and I'd been without money, he'd always wanted a daughter, the thought of you having a education of more than just high school seemed to good to be true. To watch you grow even though you never refered to me as your father was a blessing in itself.

-Your father

My head was spinning this seemed all too much. I'd been adopted? I shouldn't have been all too surprised, my father always seemed too old to have actually been, well my father.

It seemed as though whomever was my father wanted to remain anonomous, but I wasn't about to leave without at least knowing who he was. It said that he was glad to have seen me grow, which meant he lived here. I bursted out of the study a few of the maids giving me odd glances as I ran toward the butler, Mr. Howard, my dress flying behind me, I weaved through the maids and servants as I made my way to him.

I grabbed onto his black suit heaving in and out from all the running. "Why Miss. Copper good heavens what seems to be the trouble." Mr. Howard said. I didn't quite know what I was doing when I blurted out.

"Is it you?" I asked him gripping the letter at my side.

"I don't think I quite understand-" I was about to tell him more till something slipped out of the letter, I bent down to retrieve it, examining the leaf, a bay leaf. I looked up to find a dirty pair of boots tracking in mud in the foyer, the maids giving dirty looks to this man.

I stood up looking up at the man, gulping when the words left the man, the gardener's mouth. "It's me."