Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger Read Free Book Online

to this matter.
    Ms. Noblin’s executor is Robert Fanshaw. He will be your neighbour if you accept your aunt’s bequest as he lives in the flat just below hers. Mr. Fanshaw can also assist you in matters pertaining to the estate.
    Regards,
    Xavier Roche
    Roche, Elderidge, Potts & Lefley LLP-Solicitors
    54D Hampstead High Street
    Hampstead, London, NW3 1QA
     
    Julia and Valentina exchanged looks. Julia flipped to the next page. The handwriting was disturbingly similar to Edie’s.
    Dear Julia and Valentina,
    Hello. I was hoping to meet you both someday, but now that won’t happen. You might wonder why I am leaving all my flotsam and jetsam to you and not to your mother. The best reason I can give is that I feel rather hopeful about you. I wonder what you might make of it all. I thought it might be interesting, even fun.
    Your mother and I have been estranged for the last twenty-one years. She can tell you about that if she wants to. You may think that the conditions of my will are a bit harsh; I’m afraid you will just have to decide for yourselves whether to accept on these terms. I am not trying to create discord in your family. I’m trying to protect my own history. A bad thing about dying is that I’ve started to feel as though I’m being erased. Another bad thing is that I won’t get to find out what happens next.
    I hope you will accept. It gives me great pleasure to think of the two of you living here. I don’t know if this makes a difference, but the flat is large and full of amusing books, and London is an amazing place to live (though rather expensive, I’m afraid). Your mother tells me you have dropped out of college but that you are autodidacts; if so, you may enjoy living here very much.
    I wish you happiness, whatever you may choose to do.
    With love,
     
    Elspeth Noblin
     
    There were more sheets of paper, but Julia put the sheaf down and began pacing around the living room. Valentina perched on the back of an armchair and watched Julia orbiting the coffee table, the sofa, then winging off to circle the dining room table a few times.
London,
thought Valentina. The thought was large and dark, the word was like a giant black dog. Julia stopped, turned and grinned at Valentina.
     
    “It’s like a fairy tale.”
    “Or a horror movie,” said Valentina. “We’re, like, the ingénues.”
    Julia nodded, resumed pacing. “First, get rid of the parents. Then, lure the unsuspecting heroines to the spooky old mansion-”
    “It’s only a flat.”
    “Whatever. Then-”
    “Serial killers.”
    “White slavery.”
    “Or it’s like, you know, Henry James.”
    “I don’t think people die of consumption any more.”
    “They do in the Third World.”
    “Yeah, well, the UK has socialised medicine.”
    Valentina said, “Mom and Dad won’t like it.”
    “No,” said Julia. She ran her fingers across the dining-room table and discovered a bunch of crumbs. She went into the kitchen, moistened a washcloth and wiped the table.
    Valentina said, “What happens if we don’t accept?”
    “I don’t know. I’m sure it says in the letter somewhere.” Julia paused. “You can’t seriously be thinking about not accepting? This is totally what we’ve been waiting for.”
    “What’s that, sweetie?” Edie stood squinting at them from the archway between the living room and the hallway. Her hair was mussed and she had a generally crumpled aspect. Her cheeks were very pink, as though someone had pinched them.
    Julia said, “We got a letter.” Valentina scooped it off the side table and brought it to her mother. Edie looked at the return address and said, “I can’t possibly deal with this before I’ve had my coffee.” Valentina went to pour her a cup. Edie said, “Julia, go wake up your dad.”
    “Um…”
    “Tell him I said so.”
    Julia bounded down the hall. Valentina heard her shrieking “Dad-deeeeeeee” as she opened their parents’ bedroom door.
Nice,
Valentina thought.
Why not just use an