My Name is Rapunzel(12)

“Look, my sweet daughter, I hope you can see it's not safe for you here. At the castle you’ll be protected. You’ll have space to roam and stretch. If you…well, I mean…if you don't…die, you'll always have room to breathe. Plus, you’ll have help.”

“Help? What kind of help?” He couldn’t be serious. He couldn’t ask me to leave my home, and surely he didn't want to leave it in his last days.

“The Cavanaughs—the caretakers who lived there since your grandparents and their parents before them—are descendants of the first caretakers who ever lived in the castle. They have assured me that they will take care of you and their future generations will take care of you…discreetly. You will soon learn that through my family and the investments we’ve made with the estate over the years, you have more than enough income to pay the hired hands.”

“Hired hands?” I didn’t like the sound of that. “But they’ll know about me. They’ll figure it out.”

Father held up a finger and gasped for breath. He was tiring. “No, they’re contracted for the next ten years. After that time, if you feel it’s a problem, you can hire new people.”

I nodded. It made sense. “What kinds of things would they do?”

“I gave them a bonus upfront to help with the move. They’ve already moved their families into the small cottages on the land and will join them after they’ve moved us. They will live rent-free, work on the land, and do any needed repairs.” He held up that finger again and took a few breaths. “If you want to keep them on longer, that’s entirely up to you.”

“But, how will I…?” What did I even want to ask him? So many things ran through my head. How could I choose just one?

“You will inherit everything I own, including the castle. The estate has plenty of money to take care of itself forever if it's invested wisely. I will teach you everything while I can still think clearly. You will be able to live off your inheritance.” He smiled gently. “The time has come.”

How could it be? I didn’t want to leave. Once we left…this was my last tie to Henry. If we rode away from this home, it would be as though he never existed. A vapor.

“I will sell this place.” Father gazed around our home.

The only home I had ever known. Selling it? I thought I'd live there and die there. Well, at least live there.

“You will inherit everything I own.”

Why must he keep saying that? It provided little solace.

Father gestured to the space around him. “And the castle, the entire estate, you will never want or need for anything as long as you live.”

“As long as I live? Are you sure about that?” I shrugged. “I'm not really worried about that, Father. Time and money will take care of itself. Life is too short, at least yours is, to make decisions so important based on the unknown.”

Father stopped walking and grabbed both of my hands. He looked into my eyes, forcing me to lock my gaze with his. “Listen to me, I can't die unless I know you're cared for—protected—and have some kind of a chance at a normal life. I won't have peace. Please, put me at ease. Let me see you prepared, even happy.”

How did he know that would make me happy? I thought I was happy—at least as happy as I could be since Henry's demise and the curse. I dropped my hands and wiped them on my skirt matter-of-factly. “All right, then. If that's the way it has to be, then we have work to do. Let's go.”

I turned toward the house and strode off with purpose. Was he following me? I peeked out of the corner of my eye at some movement behind me. I bet he hadn't expected it to be so easy, but he had made some good-enough points, and I wasn’t going to spend his last days arguing about anything. If something, anything, would settle his mind and it was in my power to bring it to pass, I certainly would.

***

Over the next two days, the hired hands filled two long, covered wagons with crates of clothing, dishes, and personal items I’d packed. They nestled those smaller things among the few bits of furniture Father allowed me to bring. “Honestly, though, you will have no need for all of this.” Father had gestured to their household furnishings when he had seen the first items loaded onto the wagon. “The castle is fully appointed and needs nothing. Besides, you may find these items to be…um…provincial compared to what you’ll own in a few days time.”

Provincial? What was so wrong with that all of a sudden? I lifted a rocking chair into the wagon.

That was it for me. The boys could finish the rest of the loading. Where was Father? I went into the cottage and found him in his room. “I'm finished, Father,” I sat down on the settee beside him and lifted his wrinkled hand. It seemed even more feeble than it had just days before. The move had to be hard on him, too. “Are you sure you want to do this?” I squeezed his hand.