"Explain it to me, Mother."
Clara stared at the photograph in her hands.
The image showed Eleanor holding a six-month-old baby. Standing beside her was Victor Cross, the same man they had just seen in the archive footage.
"Why was he holding me? And how did he save my life?"
Eleanor lowered her eyes.
"Because someone tried to take you from us."
The room fell silent.
Arthur moved closer to Clara, while Edward slowly pushed himself upright against the pillows.
"Your mother and I never wanted you to know about this," Edward said. "You were too young to remember, and we believed the danger had passed."
Clara looked at him.
"What danger?"
Edward exchanged a glance with Eleanor.
"Six months after you were born, someone entered the nursery through the east wing. The security system had been disabled, and the guards assigned to that section had been replaced without our authorization."
Eleanor's fingers tightened around the edge of the photograph.
