Page 68 - Homestead By Ann Newhouse

looked after me and Mitch all this time, because he believed Mitch may have been his young stepbrother and also through guilt about his father’s behaviour. I truly did not know who your parents were Mitch. I’m so sorry. The case of the fire was never solved nor was Buck’s death. The people of the town did not want to know as they said both men deserved what they got.”
Margarete finished speaking. She continued crying softly, more for Mitch than herself, knowing how hurt he was at the story she had told us. Did this mean Shelly was Mitch’s mother and Liz his sister? While Josh and Liz were not blood related, their relationship was legitimate, but I suspected John Tirrell was still against their pairing.
Margarete accepted John’s help as the fire had spread to their land, destroying their house leaving them with nothing. When Buck was also found dead, Margarete decided to leave and follow John Tirrell to make a new life in the Homestead, where no one knew their past.
There was a cold silence, even the hot sun could not warm the room through the open windows. I could feel the sadness from Josh and Sofie. They were finding it hard to believe what they’d been told about their grandfather and the way John had used the terrible actions of his father to get respect from folk.
I wanted to know where in the story did my family fit in, but seeing Margarete so upset, I decided I could wait a little longer to find out. Besides we needed to get Mitch and his mother, along with Josh, somewhere else to live and be safe.
I was not sure where I stood with Sofie. She asked me to leave as she wanted to talk to Josh in private. Johanna and I went to my cabin to work out a plan.
While John Tirrell was away, we were free to take them into Truth and settle them into the Hotel Rancho with the help of Shelly, Liz, and Bob Tully. We suspected Shelly could be Mitch’s real Mother. We didn’t have any proof yet, so we would have to investigate further. We planned on moving Margarete, Mitch and Josh and taking them into town tonight, providing they agreed. Johanna said she would stay with them to give them support if the Tully’s were not cooperative. She said she would push to get the job for Mitch in the hospital. That would sort out Mitch but for Margarete it may be a different story if our suspicions were right, and Shelly Tully was Mitch’s true Mother. She wouldn’t want Mrs. O’ Neilson anywhere near her!
It did not take much convincing for all three to pack up and get ready to leave, with just some personal belongings packed into a large trunk. Margarete walked to the station wagon, climbed into