Not surprisingly, the coroner committed Ellen to the state hospital after her attack on Cora and Charles.  Despite his pleas, Charles could to nothing to mitigate her sentence, though he tried to arrange for private care.  On admission, she  was a raging lunatic, sedated into submission and kept that way.  When Charles was allowed to visit, she never responded to him.  Her life was essentially over.  She never rallied and succumbed to tuberculosis in less than two years.  Though he was relieved the matter was taken out of his hands, Charles truly grieved the loss of the beautiful woman he’d married.

He was able to bring the girls back home with Josie’s and Cora’s help. They thrived in the loving environment.  Geneva was greatly saddened by Ellen’s death, but remained active in Ellen’s children’s lives, sharing the Mother’s love her daughter had never been able to give them. Ginny, of course, never knew her mother, but the boys and Charley had all suffered from Ellen’s treatment till they felt nothing but relief. Their lives settled down to a new, happy normal.

Charles never remarried, but over the years, settled into a comfortable arrangement with the widow of an old friend.  Neither wanted to unsettle their children or leave their family homes, so they embarked on a discreet friendship that lasted till his death thirty years later.  It was much more loving and rewarding than the time he spent with Ellen. His second love was kind, gentle, and unselfish, a true blessing after the stormy Ellen.

Charley was a sturdy, happy child,in her element when Geneva took her to visit the farm.  Ginny adored her, making every step she made.  For a long time after Ellen’s departure, Charley suffered from nightmares and startled easily.  Charles felt a special affection for her, since she’d suffered at her mother’s hand, indulging her love overalls and farm life, till she reached school age and had to conform.  Even then, she wore her overalls at home. Ginny was the image of her mother, though of Charles’s gentle temperament.  Soon the boys were off to college, leaving the little girls at home with their father.  It was a good life.

When Charles stopped by to see the girls at Geneva’s that morning, Geneva had news for him.  “I got a letter from Richard Henderson, Cousin Jean’s lawyer, this morning.  I am named executor of the will.  If you haven’t gotten a letter, you will.  You need to intercept it before Ellen sees it.  She’s been telling everyone she will inherit from Cousin Jean but she gets nothing.  Cousin Jean left me full use of the farm and lake property with the farm going to Charley at age twenty-one, and the lake house to Ginny at twenty-one.  She left most of her money to me except twenty-thousand left to you to provide care for Ellen, should the need arise.  She left Robert and Bessie the house they live in, one-hundred eighty acres in the front section, the 1937 Case tractor, and two-thousand dollars with the offer to stay on in their positions, should they desire.  Robert and Bessie will get a five-hundred dollar yearly raise in January and every three years after that.  I am not surprised since we discussed this a few weeks ago.  She also talked to Robert and he and Bessie are happy to stay on, so we don’t have look for anyone to manage the farm. I know this will be a problem, since Ellen expected to inherit.  If you like, I will help you tell Ellen, but if she reacts badly, I’d like to take the girls and Josie back to the farm till she settles down.”

“I’d be grateful for any help.” Charles told her.  “We’re are in a mess with Ellen.  I promised not to put her back in the hospital, but she’s a danger at home.  I’ll have to come up with some solution, but right now, I’d better call Cora to intercept the mail.  Ellen never gets up this early.”  With that, he called home, but got no answer.  “Cora must be at the clothesline.  I know she had a wash to hang out.  I’ll just run back by the house.”

“I think I’ll leave the girls and go with you.  I don’t feel good about this.” Geneva said.

Charles and Geneva anxiously rode the few blocks home.  Charles called out, “Yoo hoo! Cora! As he opened the back door, he saw the opened letter lying on the kitchen floor, blood spattered.  Chairs and ironing board were overturned.  “Oh my God!” He exclaimed,  He flew in to find Cora lying on the floor bleeding from several wounds with a gash on her head.  Screaming like the madwoman she was, Ellen flew at him from behind the door, slashing with a butcher knife.  He was able to subdue her, though she cut him a few times in the struggle.  Geneva saw the whole scene, horrified.  “Find something for me to tie her up with!” He shouted.

Geneva struggled to tear dish towels into strips while he held her.  Meanwhile, at the sounds of the struggle, the boys tore downstairs.  George held his mother while his father took off his belt and bound her wrists.  It was a terrible thing for all of them to witness Ellen’s undoing.

Realizing his own wounds weren’t life-threatening, Charles hurried to Cora.  Fortunately, despite the bleeding, her wounds were mostly superficial.  Ellen had caught her up beside the head with the iron during the struggle, knocking her out.  She quickly came around and was able to tell her story.  “I come in from the clothesline to find Miss Ellen reading that letter.  She was fit to be tied.  She grabbed a knife and come stabbing at me, saying we was all in it together.  I run around the ironing board and she took the iron and hit me in the head.  That was the last I remembered till now.  She was a wild woman.  I can’t take no more of this!”

“None of us can, Cora.”  He dialed the phone and spoke to Maisie, the operator.  “”Maisie, please ring the sheriff.”  After a brief conversation asking the sheriff to come over, He and the boys carried Ellen upstairs and left her bound in her room, screaming like a banshee.  Dejectedly, he trudged downstairs to tend Cora’s wounds.

Cora put bacon and eggs in front of Charles at the kitchen table.  As she refilled his coffee, he said, “Sit with me a minute, Cora.”  She wiped her hands on her apron and poured herself a cup of coffee.  “Have you seen you seen Ellen’s hair?  She looks deranged.  I told her last night she has to get it back to normal before anyone sees it. She threw one of her fits and had  be sedated.  I just gave her another dose so she should be quiet today.   Can you keep an eye on her?”

“Dr. Charles, her hair was a mess at her tea yesterday. I was shocked when she come down the stairs makin’ a big entrance.  A couple of women giggled before that fool Sarah got everbody to clappin’ to cover up the laughing.  Miss Ellen was so proud of herself, she might not a took it all in.  Miss Geneva was right at her side and give out some looks that kinda shut them hateful women down.  I spect everbody in town knows ’bout that red hair.  I shore hate it.  I’d a tried to let you or Miss Geneva know if I’d a knowed ’bout her hair.”

Charles was stricken when he realized how far things had gone.  “No wonder she went wild when the boys and I burst out laughing at dinner last night.  It was such a shock!  She really has gone around the bend again, hasn’t she?  I don’t know what I’m going to do.  I can’t put her back in that hospital, but I certainly can’t have her around the girls.  The way she fought me and the boys, she could kill them.  She was fighting and even tried to bite while I was giving her an injection.  What am I going to do?  I can’t expect Miss Geneva to take care of my girls forever.  She’s past seventy and they have a right to live in their own home.  God help us all.”

“I just don’t know, Dr. Charles.  We gonna have to call on the Good Lord.  Don’t you have any doctor friends you can talk to?  I’ll keep an eye on Miss Ellen for you, but you might want to take her car keys, just in case she takes a notion to go somewhere.” Cora suggested.

“That I will.  Thanks for reminding me and for the talk.  I’ll figure something out.  That was a fine breakfast.  Better stop by and see the girls.”  He took Ellen’s keys off the hook as he left.

“Poor, poor man.” Cora said.  ” Money sho ain’t everthang.”

Needless to say, Charles was apprehensive about Ellen’s entertaining, but was reassured to know Geneva would be there to help out.  Cora would be serving with Birdie’s assistance.  Cora assured him everything was perfect on his way out to visit the girls at Geneva’s house as he did every morning.  Geneva promised she’d be there way early in case Ellen needed anything.  Ellen had hosted dozens of teas over the years, so Charles felt this would go well.  He had no idea she’d invited twelve instead of just her syncophant friend, Sarah.  Sarah had loyally endured Ellen’s barbs and snide behavior for the dubious benefit of her company for years.

Cora had laid a lovely tea with Ellen’s wedding service.  Dainty cucumber sandwiches and chicken salad sandwich fingers rested on a bed of lettuce on the bottom tier of a serving dish, scones on the middle, and luscious petit fours on the top tier.  More waited in the kitchen.

The parlor and dining room was full of ladies in their finest.  Anticipation was high as no one had seen Ellen for months or really knew the nature of her illness.  At two ten, conversation was buzzing when Cora rang a little silver bell and announced, “The new Mrs. Charles Evans.”  Ellen swept confidently down the stairs into the room. Her short flaming red hair clashed with the bright yellow of the silk dress, her brows and lips heavily made up.  She easily weighed twenty pounds more than when they’d last seen her.  A titter was heard, then nervous laughter.  Sarah quickly glanced around, and sensing disaster, starting clapping as if in congratulation.

Geneva joined in gratefully, then took her daughter’s arm.  Sarah rushed to embrace Ellen, “Oh, Ellen!  You look stunning!  I hardly knew you.”  Truer words were never spoken.  Ellen’s garish red hair and clashing yellow dress were a shocking combination.  Conversation resumed, and Ellen was gratified to be the center of attention.  To hear her tell it, she’d barely been snatched from the jaws of death, and was just now making a brave recovery.  The group was fascinated to hear the tale of little Ginny’s unexpected arrival, and to learn of Ellen’s recent bereavement and the vast inheritance she was soon to receive.

Ellen had little idea of the impression she’d made and felt her return to society was a great success.  Geneva felt sick, knowing her daughter had set tongues to wagging.