The Haunting Of Hastings House

Chapter 21

By
Brynn Morgan

Copyright © 2023 by – Brynn Morgan – All Rights Reserved.
It is not legal to reproduce, duplicate, or transmit any part of this document in either electronic means or printed format. Recording of this publication is strictly prohibited.

Chapter 21

"Do you know anything about Hillary?" Emily asked.

Cynity chuckled. "Well, I should say so. Hillary lived with Parker and me from when she was 13 until she went to college."

Emily found that extremely interesting. "Why. With a grand house like Hastings, why would she want to leave?"

Cynity sighed and stacked the plates, and gathered the empty glasses. "Hillary hated Hastings." She said plainly.

"Why?"

"Hillary was going through a tough time, and Marjorie asked Parker if Hillary could come and stay with us for a while, just for a change of scenery." She laughed.
"That short time stretched out to six years." Cynity informed them.

Emily remembered the abrupt way Hillary had hung up on her that day on the phone. It was so rude, when she did tell her about Amori dying? To hang up? She would have strangled her if she could have gotten her hands around her neck at that moment. "Did she ever say anything?"

Cynity shook her head. "Sadly, Hillary did not open up to me as much as she did her uncle. She and Parker had a special bond since she was born, but I know that she never wished to return to Hastings, and she would fight against him whenever he brought it up. I will say this, though. She never went upstairs again. Hillary went to parties and gatherings at the mansion, but as far as any relationship with Majorie and William, they had to come to her."

Lainie's eyes narrowed with speculation."I wonder if she encountered the girl at some point. It seems strange that she would stay away from there for years." She said.

"I always suspected something had happened there, as it happened to me all those years ago, but Hillary was so quiet and withdrawn. She would not talk about it." Cynity stopped for a moment and then said. "You see. Parker and I could not have children, so I had been so excited for Hillary to come and stay with us. She was always so withdrawn and would barely speak. We never formed that bond that I so desperately craved."

Emily remembered Hillary being like that in school. She was so quiet and withdrawn. Hillary wore glasses, and her hair hung down on her face. She was brilliant and always on the A honor roll list but associated with no one.

"Now, when she went away for college, she changed." Cynity said. "She developed from an ugly duckling into a beautiful swan. She went to medical school at Duke University and met Hans Gant. He attended medical school there as well. Parker and I were sad when they moved to New Zealand, but we felt it was best for her. She has only returned for the passing of her parents, and she stayed with us only during that time, never at Hastings House."

Emily sighed. "We need to get in that room at the end of the hall. I do not know how to do that. Claude and Maureen are the caretakers there now, and she kicked us out when we went there to pick up the rest of my things."

Lainie looked at Cynity.

"Guard dogs of Hastings." The old woman  commented. Cynity looked at the women.
"I will call Hillary. It's time that I find out what happened to her and has haunted her all these years."

"Do you think that she will open up about it?" Emily asked.

"She has no choice at this point." Cynity stated.

"We will only get in through her." Lainie commented.

***

5:18 AM
Hillary Gant
New Zealand
***
Hillary heard the call come through as she rose early for her Pilates session. She let it go to voicemail. Hillary finished her session about thirty minutes later and then checked her phone. Her dark eyes widened. Cynity? Why would she be calling? That was very strange. At this time in the morning?
She did not have time now. Hans was out of the country for work, and she was taking care of the twins on her own and working at the hospital. She did not have time to call her.