“The more things change, the more they stay the same,” Kim said, voicing the old adage.
Kim wondered if all these similarities could have anything to do with the message she’d come to believe Elizabeth was trying to send her over the centuries. With a shudder, Kim wondered if a fate similar to Elizabeth’s was in store for her. Could that be what Elizabeth was trying to tell her? Could it be a warning?
Increasingly upset, Kim made a conscious effort to stop ruminating obsessively. She was successful until she got on the train. Then the thoughts came tumbling back.
“For goodness’ sake!” Kim said aloud, causing the woman sitting next to her to eye her with suspicion.
Kim turned to face out the window. She chided herself for allowing her active imagination too much free rein. After all, the differences between her life and Elizabeth’s were far greater than any similarities, particularly in the area of control. Elizabeth had had very little control over her destiny. She had been essentially coerced at a young age into what was actually an arranged marriage, and she did not have access to birth control. In contrast, Kim was free to choose whom she would marry, and was free to control her body insofar as reproduction was concerned.
This line of thinking kept Kim comfortable until the train neared North Station in Boston. Then she began to wonder if she was as free as she’d like to believe. She reviewed some of the major decisions in her life, such as becoming a nurse instead of pursuing a career in art or design. Then she reminded herself that she was living with a man in a relationship that was becoming disturbingly similar to the one she’d had with her father. On top of that, she reminded herself that she was saddled with a research lab on her property and five researchers living in the family house-none of which had been her idea.
The train lurched to a stop. Mindless of her immediate environment, Kim walked to the subway. She knew what the problem was. She could almost hear Alice’s voice in the background, telling her it was her personality. She didn’t have appropriate self-esteem; she was too pliant; she thought of other people’s needs and ignored her own. And all these conspired to constrain her freedom.
Such an irony, Kim thought. Elizabeth’s personality, with her assertiveness and decisiveness, would have been perfect for today’s world whereas in her own time it undoubtedly contributed to her untimely death. Kim’s personality, on the other hand, which was more dutiful and submissive rather than assertive and decisive, would have been fine in the seventeenth century but was not working out so well today.
With renewed resolve to unravel Elizabeth’s story, Kim boarded the subway and traveled to Harvard Square. Within fifteen minutes of her arrival she was back in Mary Custland’s office in the Widener Library, waiting for Mary to finish reading Jonathan’s letter.
“This house of yours must be a treasure of memorabilia,” Mary said, looking up from the page. “This letter is priceless.” She immediately called Katherine Sturburg to her office and had her read it.
“What a delight,” Katherine said when she was finished.
Both women told Kim that the letter was from a period of Harvard history of which there was scant material. They asked if they could copy it, and Kim gave them permission.
“So we have to find a reference to ‘Rachel Bingham,’~” Mary said, sitting down at her terminal.
“That’s what I’m hoping,” Kim said.
Mary entered the name while Kim and Katherine looked over her shoulder. Kim found herself with crossed fingers without having been conscious of doing it.
Two Rachel Binghams flashed onto the screen, but both were from the nineteenth century and could have had no association with Elizabeth. Mary tried a few other tricks, but there was nothing.
“I’m awfully sorry,” Mary said. “Of course you realize that even if we did find a reference, the problem of the 1764 fire would still be a rather insurmountable difficulty.”
“I understand,” Kim said. “I really didn’t expect to find anything, but, as I said on my first visit, I feel obligated to follow up on any new leads.”