Yesterday's Promise

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Book: Yesterday's Promise Read Online Free PDF
Author: Linda Lee Chaikin
of the strong Zulu warriors called
impis
. He remembered how Henry would talk about his map at the same time, repeating that if something happened to him before he could return to South Africa, the map was Rogan’s.
    The map…and the painting.
    With one swoop, Rogan lifted the painting from the wall and turned it over. He pulled the tacks from the frame, removed an outer backing, and…saw something folded, concealed between the painting and the false backing. The map…and something else. His heart began to race with excitement. An envelope with some pages, torn from what must have been a diary of sorts. Rogan recognized Henry’s writing. Hehad expected a letter addressed to him from Henry, but there was none. Just the map and the diary sheets his uncle had put away securely early on, even while Rogan was yet a boy. Now he was even more convinced that Henry had not expected to die as suddenly as he had. Henry was normally very methodical about everything. If he had planned to take his life, he would have written a letter first and placed it here with the map. Rogan could hardly wait to get alone in his room to study the diary pages and the map!
    He put the painting back together and replaced it on the wall. No one would ever guess these clues had been hidden there all these years.
    He smiled. This was his secret now. He would tell no one. He would quietly finish his remaining years at the university, do his intern work at the family diamond business in London for a year, and then set sail for Capetown with Henry’s map. He would arrange his own private expedition. Somehow he would convince Derwent to come with him. He could trust Derwent, who grew up in the rectory with Evy, as he could trust few others.
    Now, what was the name of the son of Bertrand Mornay, Henry’s guide? Henry had mentioned his guide’s son several times. Giles, that was it. According to his uncle, Giles Mornay would follow in the steps of Bertrand to become a hunter and guide as skilled as his famous father. One day he would locate Giles Mornay in Kimberly. He was the right man to take up where his father had left off. Together, with Derwent, they would discover the gold deposit on Henry’s map…

    The ship pitched again in the storm raging outside, and the lantern swayed. Rogan turned his attention back to the yellowed pages from Henry’s diary. Though the writing was indistinct in the lamplight, he read again Henry’s warnings…

C HAPTER T HREE

    22 October 1879
Pietermaritzburg
    The Zulu War is about over. After the massacre the impis committed at Rorke’s Drift at the Varley Mission Station, I’ve small pity left for the Zulu. Great warriors they are, but showing scant mercy. I blame Julien for what happened to Katie. I told him so to his face when he showed himself at Lady Brewster’s. He believes the baby is dead too. I think he’s actually relieved. Even Lady Brewster was offended with Julien’s manner and kept the infant’s whereabouts a secret. I confess she does not know all the truth. She will help arrange our travel home with a nursemaid to England.
    Julien believes that I have the Black Diamond, but it must be under the rubble and stench at Rorke’s Drift. Where else, if it was Katie who took it from me in the stables? Yet due to the secret love I hold for her, I will keep silent and take the blame for now. But I won’t let this matter rest. I shall continue looking into it. Could it have been Katie who struck me from behind? Reason says yes, but I am not fully satisfied
.
    5 November

Aboard the
Victoria,
headed for London
    In the end, even Lady Brewster, Caroline’s aunt, turned against me. Julien has convinced her I was to blame for Caroline’s death on the last
trek. I’ve written Honoria, brother Lyle’s wife and Caroline’s sister. Dear Honoria is a good person. She wrote me back a most compassionate letter, saying she does not hold me
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