Echos of Doubt

This is part 2 of the thrilling O'Leery Series, Draw into horror, and romance of Faith, and her strugle to rise from the Morgantile Shame!
Rating-PG-13 *lol or any VCA fan*
This story was written by Darcy Casteel Wise

I was raised to believe that my Mother was Eliza O'Leery, and my Father Thomas O'Leery. When Momma died, I was told, that my mother wasn't her, but Grace Sullivan, a runaway from Dublin, my father had fallen in love with her, and had me, but she died after I was born, minutes after she had named me.

I was whisked away to a magical place called Darbyshire Hall,where the people there were as cold as it's stone walls. My Grandmother hated me on sight, and Uncle Patrick looked at me, with something in his eyes. My spolied cousin, Emily, despised me, and I too, and my Aunt Amanda refused to dine with us, or spend time with the family, except me, or her husband.

If it wasn't for Grandpa Morgantile, Matthew, my cousin, and my adopted uncle David, I would have turned back months ago. but I stayed.
Sadly, the day after my 15th birthday I had found out that my father, my loving caring father had died of cancer, and he left me his pocket watch. Everything else was with his wife until the day I returned. I searched in the libary and discovered that my Uncle Patrick had hid letters from my family and friends from Dumark, my home.

Grandmother Elizabeth Morgantile, was determined to get rid of me that summer, so she insisted I was to go to school in London England with Emily. In return I was to gain her respect, and promises, of freedom, and wealth. I agreed, perhaps foolisly....

Chapter One

As the plane landed I felt my heart sink lower and lower. I was 15, going to a strange place. My only guide? Emily Morgantile, the biggest spolied brat imaginable. And sadly enough my cousin.

Emily huffed and puffed insisting that we Morgantiles should have at least a driver here. I picked up my bags with ease, ingoring Emily,as she flirted with a man,to kindly help with her bags.

So this is London, I thought wistfuly. And what will be my sea here? The Thames? A girl around my age, 15 came up behind me.

"What's yer name?" the girl asked in a thick Irish accent. I smiled at her.
"Faith, Faith O'Leery" I said. The girl stuck out her hand.
"Maggie. Maggie O'Toole. We match with the O' eh, dont it? My Father is Maxwell O'Toole of some oil venture or shopping centers, here in London, and my Ma is some debutante. Yours?"

I Bit my tounge, "My Parents are dead. They died."
Maggie looked honestly sorry, not like Emily did when she had found out. "I am truly sorry. At the same time? Like a carr accident?"
"My mother died when giving birth to me, and my father died a month ago, from Cancer...two days after my birthday, so my Grandmother decided I should go here to school."
Maggie nodded. "Well it's a good school. full of snobs. Espcailly that one." She pointed to Emily.

I laughed, the first time in days. "I know her."
"Really? Emily Queen of Sheba?" Maggie wrinkled her nose.
"Yes She's my cousin." Maggie looked shocked.
"Blimey! You MUST take after your father! She's as snobby as the Queen of England herself!"
I giggled. Good. Not everyone was under Emilys charming spell, here as they were back home.

Emily came up beside Maggie and I. "Oh Maggie O'Toole! What a suprise! After all what happened, you came back!"
Maggie winked at me. "Aye, I came back, What a suprise to see ye too, Emily. I mean, not many girl, happen to show their faces, after being made a fool at the Acdemny, now do they?" Emily turned red, and grabed my arm. "Now cousin dear, I did promise our Grandmother I will take good care of you. Come on!" I slipped my arm away from her hand.
"Is taking good care of me, meaning going off to the school with a stranger? I do hope not, Cousin Dear." I repiled mimincking her tone. Emily turned red and flounced off. Maggie and I laughed.

"What happened at the school?" I said, whiping tears of laughter from my eyes.
"Ohhh. Some jewerly was stolen, and I was blamed. I proved myself, and all was forgotten. emily had her bed soaked in Toilet water...filthy toilet water." Maggie said, wiggling her eyebrows. I laughed again. I fianly had a best friend again! Or at least a close one.
Maggie slipped into the limo that had pulled up. Then she popped her head out the window. "It looks like ye cousin, has left ye! Want a ride?" I quickly accepted,and her driver drove us the the Acdemny.

"What's the school's full name?" I asked, as we drove along the streets of downtown London.
"The Bancroft Acdemny. Translated to the School of Higher Excelance. Everyone wants everyone to go there. Most Irish people go, because Tara Bancroft was the founder of the school. And it's a excellent edcucation, the best you cna get anywhere in the United Kingdom, or Ireland."
"How is it like?"
"There's the snobs, and the jocks then the people who don't do anything but study, and get good marks. I fall into that catagory. I have to play my piano, and have no time to gossip." Maggie said firmly.
I turned to my new friend. "You play the piano?"
Maggie smiled proudly. "Grade 7, I've actually stuck with it, I've played more harder stuff, but I wish to stick with my teacher! Do you play an instrument?" "Only my fiddle. I tought myself. My Grandmother hates it."
"Your grandmother hates most everything you do, Faith! If your grandmother found out a fraction of what Emily does here at school, she'll be horrified!" Maggie hushed up then. I was soon to find out what she meant, by Emilys appaling behaviour.

Chapter Two

I felt the same way I did, a year ago, arriving at Darbyshire Hall. The Acdemy was enormaus, with gardens, almost everywhere. We passed the gate.

"Isn't it grand?" Maggie asked, like it was her own sweat and blood had went into the construction of the building.
"Oh yes, very." I awed over the pool. "Is it full?"
"I don't reckon so. The indoor one would be though." Maggie said.
"An Indoor Pool!" I exclaimed. "Where?" In the gym. The third one. We have three. One has the rink for Ice Capades, and things like that, and one is just a normal gym." Maggie answered. Three gyms! It was like Darbyshire Hall all right, but bigger!

Maggie's driver lifted up her bags, and I took my own, and we walked into the main dormintory. Maggie quickly pushed her way to the front bullten board, then came back, a huge grin on her face.

"We are roommates, you and I! And we get one of best rooms, in the place!, Bad news though Emily is our suite mate."
"Suite mate?" I wrinkled my nose.
"Yes. They treat us like if we are in college, and we share a suite, and then two people share a room. Poor Kate They can not STAND each other!"
Yes, I though. Poor Kate indeed. Emilys mean streak, was even more horid then what it was then!

We reached our room, and it was lovely. We quickly unpacked our things, when there was a terrible shriek in the living room.
"NO! I will NOT share a room with HER!" Emily screamed. Then she saw me. "AND ESPCAILY NOT HER!" She continued. Maggie clenched her fists. Kate looked sad. I sighed. A year of this?
"What's wrong with Kate? She's a fine girl!" Maggie hollered.
"Fine, then YOU room with the urchin!"
"But Emily, that means you will have to room with me" I said softly.
"Better you then a urchin." Emily spit. Kate looked like she was going to cry.
"You'll room with neither one of them! I'll make sure of THAT Emily Morgantile!" Maggie shouted, and left the room in a huff. Emily smirked, and tossed her flax colored hair over her shoulder.
"You KNOW Kate, if you wern't a urchin, I'd room with you." Emily looked contrite.
"Well Kate doesn't room with witches." I snapped, and dragged poor Kate into our room. The minute I closed my door, Kate burst into tears.

"Thank you." she said in a soft british accent. "She hates me."
"I've noitced. Emily hates anyone who's better, prettier, or just kinder then she is." I said softly, handing her a tissue.
"I'm smart. I'm attending here on the Bancroft scholarship. It's award to the person who has highest grades. Emily wanted it, to impress one boy who goes here." she whimpered. I rolled my eyes. Only Emily would be sore, not because of winning such an award, but because she lost her way with a boy.
"Never mind Emily." I said.
"How do you know her?" Kate asked. She whiped the rest of her tears
"Believe it our not, We're cousins." Kate looked shocked. "I know, but don't worry, we are nothing alike."

Maggie burst into the room, her dark hair flying.
"There. That will TEACH YE, YE SPOLIED BRAT" she screamed, and I muffled my giggles.
"I talked to our floor chaperon. I asked her, that three out of the four girls, couldn't STAND Emily, and asked for another room, for all three of us, or for her. So we get Chloe Maddox." Kate looked up
"Chloe? She's really nice." Kate whispered.
Emily barged in. "Okay you rotten urchin, where is my locket?"
"I didn't take it, how could I! When you found out who you were rooming with, you were off in a tanget." Kate exclamied. Maggie looked furious.
"Are we at this AGAIN Emily." it was a statement, not a question.
Emily crossed her eyes at Maggie. "If I find it in your stuff Kate..." she threatened.
"I'll break your neck." I finsihed. "You shouldn't go into people's bags, Emily. Espcaily when your locket is hanging from your pocket." Emily looked down at her pocket, and sure enough, there was her locket. Emily blushed, then, for the fourth time that day, she flounced off. Maggie groaned and flopped on her bed.
"A Year with her is bad enough, I can't handle, living with her too! Faithy, I feel for ye, really I do!" Maggie said. I smiled.

An hour later, our new suite mate, and Kate's new roommate, came.
"'Ello, 'ello, 'ello! I'm Chloe! I'm replacing, Sheba's spot. Thanks Maggie. I was stuck with Shelby, her partner in crime." Chole chirped, in her strong British accent. "'Ello Faith, you are one, I don't know, and I've been comin here for ever, Kate too!" she continued.
"Hello." I felt in a spin. Chloe was a bundle of energy, and for that I was grateful. Maggies' earlier words were true. Emily was a handful, but to live with her? I thought nothing more of it.
After dinner, the head mistress, Mrs. Tannerlie, spoke a few words.
"Now students, please remember, to be modest at all times. And respectful. Our teachers are going to be a lot more strict with you, just to let you all know that.
"And, about your gym uniforms. When I go in there, some smell, a little, ripe Please, shower, and change your uniforms. Also wash them..." she went on and on. I whispered to Chloe, "Does she talk this long, every year?"
"Aye, she does! I've got the whole speach memorized!" Chloe said with a giggle.
"Me two!" Kate piped up.
"SHHHHHHH!" Emily hissed.
"Now remember, to be nice to our new students, show them, the Bancroft Way or learning." She ended her speach, and then told everyone, to review our list of rules. We all stood up and went into our rooms. Maggie and I jumped into our beds.
"I'm tired...I always forget how tiring the first day is. And classes to start tommrow...night Faithy." Maggie yawned. I flicked off the light
"Night Maggie."

Chapter Three

I was overwhlemed with the bustle and movement with everyone hurring to get to class. Everything was strange to me, and everyone kept staring. When I got to my class, the teacher, Mr. Drake, called me to his desk.
"Why, you must be Faith Morgantile." he said with a smile. I shook my head slowly.
"Sir, I be, Faith O'Leery. I'm Emily Morgantile's cousin." I amnded quickly, just in case he got us mixed up. I couldn't see how though.
"Hmm...it says on my resgister, Faith Abigail Morgantile. I assume, that that's your middle name?" he asked gently. I nodded. What was going on.
"Well I just wanted to say hello, and intrduce myself. You can sit down."
I sat though my English class in a daze, and picked up my books, and went to mathematics. The teacher went through roll call.
"Margaret O'Toole?"
"MAGGIE Mrs, Rochester, Maggie." she corrected.
"Maggie." Mrs Rochester said, in a tone of voice that indicated that in a day, it was going to go back to Margaret.
"Faith Morgantile?" she asked. Again? Morgantile again?
"Faith O'Leer, ma'am." I corrected. Mrs Roachester looked up.
"But she be Emily Morgantile's cousin." Maggie piped up.
"It says here, Faith, Faith Morgantile. Is that not your name?"
"No!" I exclaimed. "It's O'Leery" "You should go to the office, Faith. Get this sorted, Margaret will gather your things,if you should be late."
As I left the room, I heard Maggie, correct the teacher with a fustrated voice, and I smiled.

But I quickly lost it, as I thought back to English class, and now, with Mathematics. Two people calling me Faith Morgantile, the register said, Faith Abigail Morgantile...but why not O'Leery? What was happening in this school? did they simply mess up?

"I would like to speak to the principal, Mrs Tannerlie, please."
"One moment." the secretary said.
I waited, then Mrs Tannerlie came to the office, and escorted me back to her office.
"There seems to be a slight problem." I wispered. Mrs Tannerlie looked at me over her spectacles
"Problem? With what child? And, don't whisper, I won't hurt you." She smiled at me.
"With the register..it has my last name as Morgantile." I told her.
Mrs Tannerlie's face wrinkled. "What's your last name dear?"
"O'Leery ma'am, Faith O'Leery." I said. She turned herself around, and rummaged into her filing cabinet. "O's...you wouldn't believe how many O's we have. Well my dear, there IS no O'Leery...there is an O'Leary here but not a girl..." she mumbled. "hmmmm. Morgantiles, two. Faith Abigail, and Emily Susan. It's here on the appilcation sheet."
What application sheet? My heart sank...what exactly did my grandmother put on that sheet?

"Faith Abigail Morgantile, age 15, Place of birth Dublin Ireland, went to public school, but prefered more harder educational avenues.....a easy girl to get to know, but has problems handling rules, but a sharp reremand, sets her straight." Mrs Tannerlie recited. My mouth dropped. Why did my grandmother lie out right?
"May I call her, Mrs Tannerlie? it might cause some problems?" I said. She smiled, "Alright. Use my phone dear." she left to leave me some privacy.

My fingers trembled as I dialed Darbyshire Hall. Julian picked up.
"Julian, it's me, Faith. I must speak to my Grandmother."
"Hello, Miss Faith. Your grandmother is entertaining someone. May I leve a message?"
"No. I have to speak with her. Immidtatly." I snapped. Julian, murmmed a response, and in a few moments, Grandmother came on.
"Have you no manners girl! I was busy!"
"Why did you lie!" I whispered sharply. Grandmother was silent. then: "My dear child, I don't lie. Remember, I depise lies, and people who tell them to me."
"Then, you must hate yourself! My name isn't Faith Morgantile, and I wasn't born in Dublin!" I nearly shouted.
"My dear child, is that all? I only put what should have been true, if your mother had sence in her head to stay here at Darbyshire Hall, instead of spreading her legs around, and then dying." Grandmother said cooly. Oh, how I hated her! Always bad mouthing my poor dead mother, Grace.
"And the thing about the rules Grandmother?"
"You go up and see David, after I told you not too, and if anyone, except for grandfather, gives you a command, you always ask, why why why. so that's true as well."
"Tell them my really name! Or I'll come home!"
Grandmother hissed: "Come home, and our deal is over, Faith."
My heart sank. I desperatly wanted my Grandmother's respect, and even though I knew that it had to be earned,not bought, in the case of my grandmother, I had to "earn" it by being subject to her whims.
"Can't I least have my name? Please,I feel funny having a name I should have."
"Why shouldn't you have the name Morgantile? it's yours."
"But Grandmother, if my mother married, I'm not a Morgantile anyways. I'm an Sullivan, or a O'Leery . Please let them change it." I begged. Grandmother relented. "Fine. If you MUST be a O'Leery, I'll change it. but don't trifle me further with your complaints!" She hanged up the phone. Mrs Tannerlie came in.
"So, my dear?" "She said, to change it back to O'Leery. while doing my cousins, she must have used Morgantile on all of them." Mrs Tannerlie smiled, and I rushed off. I went into the corner, and bumped into a handsome young man.

"Why hello there." he smiled. I smiled back.
"Hello."
"I'm Andrew, Andrews Donovan." he said, and my eyes popped. Donovan?
"Is your father Irish?" I asked.
"Aye, he is, he's a congressman! Kyle Donovan,he's-"
"A friend of my grandmother, Elizabeth Morgantile," I interrupted.
His eyes widened.
"YOUR Faith O'Leery, aren't you?" He asked with a huge smile on his face. "My father, and grandfather can't stop talking enough about you! You play fiddle right?" he rushed on.
"Yes, that's right." I answered smiling.
"Hmmm. may have beg you to play some for me...I'm glad you decided to come to Bancroft Acdemny...well, good day Faith."

My body tingled, how he said my name Faith...the only one who ever made me feel this way was Matthew...and it was wrong, that he did for he was my cousin. He knew it, and I knew it. he had strongly told me, the day my father died, that he loved me. And me...I don't know, I don't know WHO I loved, or not. But Andrew Donovan...maybe, he would be the one to finaly earn it.
Kate ran up to me. "Was that Andrew Donovan?" she asked, with her soft accent, and the way my heart was pounding, I could barely hear a word. "Hmmm..."
"For it was, you'll be in trouble." Kate continuted, and my heart crashed down from Cloud number Nine. "Why?"
"Remeber when I told you the Bancroft Scholarship goes to two people, a boy and a girl, and Emily was determinded to win, to win a boy's heart?" Kate asked, and then my heart fell even more. "Yes...I remember."
"Well, Andrew Donovan was running for it. And Andrew Donovan was the boy, Emily had her eye on. You may catch it from her." Kate predicted. For catch i I did. Emily grabbed my arm, and whisked me into my bedroom

"Don't you have any manners, Emily? Oh no, I do forget who I was speakin to!" I snapped, rubbing my elbow.
"Oh no, you don't, Faith O'Leery. You done stole my mother's affection, and my father's and even my own brother's. they all love Faith O'Leery, but, here this, you witch." Emily hissed, sticking her finger in my face. "Andrew Donovan is mine, and you'll live to regret it, if you go sweet on him!"
"I only met him today Emily, you've known him for years. what chance do I have? And how did you know?" I asked.
"Shelby saw you, and told me, like a friend would. And since,I knew him way before you did, you stay away from him!"
"Don't you dare tell me who I can, and can not see!"
"Go with Andrew, and there will be trouble, Faith O'Leery, I promise you that!" Emily threatned, and stormed off. Kate and Chloe left their bedroom, to see what the fuss was about.
"Is she MAD?" Chloe asked. I nodded my head. There was no love lost between Emily and I, and I wasn't going to back down.
I turned to Chloe and Kate, and tossed my hair, Emily style.
"All's fair in love and war."

Chapter Four

Two months have passed. And Emily made good on her word. Whenever, Andrew asked me out to go court, Emily always knew about it, and made sure, that she had a date, and then, asked Andrew to double date with us. Andrew often said yes, and I had to subject myself, to watch Emily make cow eyes at Andrew, feeling soorry for myself, AND her date.
Andrews usualy stared at me, so lovingly, I put up with it. Emily had her little fun, and I got to rub in, that I not she, had Andrew

I was getting ready to go out, when I got a phone call
"Hello?" I mumbled, putting on some purfume.
"Faithy?" My heart raced...then I felt guilty. For the voice on the phone was Matthew. My cousin.
"Matthew? How are you? Where are you?" My genious cousin, was starting his first year at Oxford.
"Near Bancroft...I was wondering,if we can catch a dinner. Or a show," he rushed, when he noticed I wasn't talking.
"I have a date Matthew." I whispered. He was silent now.
"With who?" he finaly asked.
"Does it matter?"
"Faithy, who?"
"Andrew Donovan." I said.
"Andrew Donovan...damnit Faithy, can't you do better?"
"He cares for me, Matthew. I need someone to love and care for me, and Andrew is that person."
"Why can't it be me!"
"You know why it can't be you!' I cried.
"I wish....you know what I wish. But I can still take you to shows...even though..." he stammered. I smiled, even though I felt like crying. "Of coruse."
"Fine. Until, Faithy." he hung up the phone, and I wept. Chloe rushed into the room, proberly heard me talking loudly.
"What? what is it?" she asked gathering me into a hug."You know why it can't be you!' I cried.
"I wish....you know what I wish. But I can still take you to shows...even though..." he stammered. I smiled, even though I felt like crying. "Of coruse."
"Fine. Until, Faithy." he hung up the phone, and I wept. Chloe rushed into the room, proberly heard me talking loudly.
"What? what is it?" she asked gathering me into a hug. I sniffed, and smiled at my friend. "It's nothing." Chloe gave me another hug, and I left to go on my date with Andrew.

Emily glared at me evily everytime I left my room to go out with him. I soon began to think if it was worth it, for Andrew got rather impaient with me, after our dinner dates.
"Sweetie...please," he asked. I gently pushed his hand down from underneath my dress. "No. I'm not ready yet." I whispered.
"When will you? It's almost Christmas!" Andrew exploded. I stared at him. "So we should make love, just because it's Christmas time?"
"We should make love, because, we are in love. Aren't we, or should I ask, are you?" he took my hand. "I do love you Faith."
My heart soared. He loved me, he really did! "I l...I care for you strongly...maybe we should wait a little while before we give this strong feeling between us, a name?" I said rubbing his thumb. He sighed. "Aye... I guess so, Faith."

But I knew he was getting impainet that I wouldn't sleep with him. I wasn't sure if I was going to sleep with anyone, until after I got married.
Christmastime at Darbyshire Hall was spectaluar...again. It was more of getting gifts, then expercing the love, from the family.
"David?" I called, as I went into the Upper Northern Room. David opened his door, burst into a great smile,and hugged me tight.
"Faithy, I've missed you so!" he cried. I hugged him just as tightly. "Me too David."
He steped back. "Aye, well Elizabeth was right. going to that school was good for ye...you look more...stylish."
"I'm still the same Faith." I whispered softly.
"Do you have any boyfriends?" I blushed. "Who he be, Faith?"
"Congressman's Donovan's son." David's eyes raised up. "Younf Andrew? Aye,you sure do pick 'em Faith."
"Are you coming for Christmas dinner?" David raises hes eyebrows again.
"Endure Christmas, with Emily? and Elizabeth?" I folded my arms. "No m'dear, I'm not coming. You come up after you eat and share some of my food with me. Ye here?" he kissed my forehead and shooed me out.

I shook my head smiling. David despertaly wanted to come downstairs, and he knew I knew. But as the stubborn Irishman he was, he wasn't going to step foot down there until the day Grandmother Elizabeth invited him down. And that was never going to happen.

Chapter Five

It was a wonderfull Christmas.I enjoyed the presents that everyone gave me, and they enjoyed the ones, I gave them. My encounters with Matthew were stiff, and I often wondered if things could ever become the same again.

"Faithy! Happy After Christmas!" Chloe shouted. I laughed, and ran to hug my friend. "Happy After Christmas to you too!"
"Here is your gift." my mouth dropped. It was a set of earings!
"Did you get the same gift too?" Maggie asked as she steped out of our room with Kate. Kate smiled at me, and showed her pair too.
"They ARE lovely...but I don't have my ears pierced. Neither do Kate or Maggie." I said slowly. Chole grinned. "I know! I'm taking you guys to Scarbrough, and getting them done for you! We have three days until classes resume, and I thought, lets make a day trip! Then we can go visit the musemum and tell Mrs Davis that."
Kate looked a little nervous. "I don't know...I should go ask my mum."
"Don't be silly! Everyone gets ear piercings! Come on!"
Emily saw us leaving our room, and Maggie groaned.
"Where are you going?" She asked me.
"WE are going to Scarbrough." Emily raised an eyebrow. "Whatever for, dear cousin?"
"Because. And that's the only reason that you need to know." Maggie snapped. Emilys face dropped. "Fine! I didn't want to come anyways!" but I could tell she did.