"Miss Bertrand, I am Georgia."
"Adelaide put her hand over her heart and caught her breath. "I cannot believe it. Look how beautiful you are." A little embarrassed about her appearance, Adelaide straightened her dress.
"I remember you so very well. You used to make angel wings for me."
"You do remember. I wasn't certain you would. Can you stay for a bit?"
"I can stay as long as you like."
"Good. Come upstairs with me. I have pictures."
"Baby pictures? You kept them?"
"I could never part with them. You were my baby too."
For two hours, Georgia and Adelaide talked, and looked through the photo albums together. Georgia remembered some and not others, but neither of them cared. At length, she closed the album. "Are you alright here?"
"I saw it on the news this morning. I am quite safe now that your father is locked up."
"Would you like to come stay with me? I have plenty of room."
"Oh no, dear, I would rather live on my own."
"I understand. I like my independence too. Is there anything you need? Anything at all?" Georgia asked.
"Just a visit from you once in a while."
"You can count on that."
Adelaide reached for her hand. "I am so sorry I had to leave you there, Georgia. I have cried many a tear over it."
"I do not blame you for what happened."
"I could have run away with you…but I didn't. I was too selfish."
Georgia put her other hand on top of Adelaide's. "He would have found you."
"I suppose he would have."
Georgia took a tissue out of the box and wiped Adelaide's tears off her cheek. "I'll hear no more regrets. No one in the world loved me the way you did, and I shall always be grateful for the years we had together. May I have a copy of some of these pictures?"
"You may have the album, I made it for you."
She stood up and hugged her Nanny. "I must go now, but I'll be back."
"Don't let your father get out of jail."
"I assure you, we will do everything in our power to keep him there."
*
Another week went by, and each day another pile of papers came by courier for her to sign. Austin still didn't come or call. She signed them and sent them back. The rest of the time, she wandered aimlessly around the mansion, swam in the outdoor pool, and tried to keep busy watching movies alone in the theater.
Reporters from all over the world tried to get in and one even managed to make it over the high wall. Helicopters occasionally hovered above, making an unthinkable racket and didn't leave until they decided she wasn't going to show herself. It was outrageously annoying.