Page 157 of The Vanishing Place
Lewis smiled as he pulled away. “Sorry.” Then he kissed Effie on the head. “I was actually just heading out. Couple of things to sort at home.”
As he stepped from the room, June turned to leave, but Effie stood and took her hand, squeezing it.
“Effie?” June frowned. “Is everything all right?”
Without answering, Effie pulled her into a hug, sinking her face into June’s hair, and they stayed like that. Still and quiet. Until June stroked Effie’s cheek.
“What’s wrong?”
Effie shook her head. “It’s Dad,” she said eventually, the wordsharder than she expected. “In his letter, he mentioned someone called Lily.”
June stepped back but kept hold of Effie’s hand.
“I think we should sit.”
Effie nodded and moved them to the sofa, June holding her gaze.
“You’re sure?”
“Yes,” said Effie. “I’m sure.”
June smiled softly as she sat down. “Lily was my best friend, and she was also your grandmother. Lily was Dinah’s mum.”
Effie inhaled, the words punching her, but she stayed quiet.
“When Lily died, your grandfather, Peter, refused to let me anywhere near the house.” June’s grip tightened. “I tried, at the funeral, to talk to him, to offer help, but Peter’s mind was already gone. He hid them away, Dinah and her brothers, and I…I didn’t do enough. I failed Lily. I failed her children.” June’s voice trembled. “I failed Dinah.”
“June—”
She shook her head. “Years later, when Cameron appeared on my doorstep with you in his arms, only two days old, I knew I would do anything to protect you.”
Effie opened her mouth, a whirl of questions hanging in the vacant space, but nothing came out.
“From that first moment, I loved you,” said June. “And on the days that your dad was too broken, I held you and bathed you and sang you to sleep.” She smiled then. “Your mum was in my step class in the village, and gosh, did she adore you. It was your mum who eventually asked your dad out.” June paused, and the warmth drained from her face. “But when you were just one, we discovered that your grandfather was looking for you. That’s when your parents decided to leave for the bush.
“We all agreed to keep the truth of your birth a secret,” June continued, “until your dad found Dinah. We didn’t want to sayanything to confuse or hurt you.” Tears formed in her eyes. “I’m sorry if that was the wrong thing.”
Effie squeezed June’s hand.
“Your mum loved you like her own. Because you were hers, in every way that mattered,” said June. “But Lily and Dinah are also a part of you. The pounamu necklaces…”
Effie touched a hand to the stone at her chest.
“One was Lily’s, and the other was meant for Dinah on her eighteenth birthday. Lily gave them to me before she died.”
“But why…” Effie said eventually, looking at June. “Why did Dad stop bringing us to Koraha?”
June let out a long breath. “He couldn’t risk it.”
“Risk what? I don’t understand.”
June shook her head.
“Please, just tell me.”
June touched a hand to Effie’s leg. “The last time you came to town, Peter was here. He’d found you.” Her face hardened. “Your grandfather marched onto my land, threatening to take you away and to have your dad locked up. Cameron begged Peter to tell him where Dinah was, but Peter just laughed, and something in your dad snapped.” June paused. “Your dad nearly killed Peter that day; he just about beat him to death with a crowbar.”
Effie flinched.
