A Story in Which Betrayal Never Seems To End

A Book Review on Her Secret Legacy by Mirella Sichirollo Patzer

by Jeneane Vanderhoof

Juliette was abandoned at birth- and left with a small-town doctor, Laurent Fontaine- the man leaves only a note. In it- the doctor is asked to care for her- promised money to help his own family too- this is the only way he is allowed to keep the child- Fontaine’s wife, not a kind- or charitable woman.

So Juliette is raised with the doctor, who becomes her father, Dr. Fontaine However, when it comes to having a mother- she does not feel that way about Laurent’s wife. After all, the woman has never treated her well and gives the child the knowledge she is there for one reason- because she brings money from an anonymous benefactor. However, when Juliette turns twenty the money no longer comes. And when Laurent dies, with no one left in the home who cares about her- Juliette does not know what she will do.

Luckily, the anonymous benefactor chooses to bring Juliette to his home- to hopefully give her the knowledge of her birth. But when Dr. Fontaine reads the letter that tells of Juliette’s lineage, the next day he is found dead of a heart attack. His wife infers that what was in the letter killed him- and, as Juliette meets her anonymous benefactor and readers hear his odd requests- to think that the doctor, who very much loved Juliette died when he heard bad news about where she came from- that very much could have been the case.

Before Juliette leaves the Fontaine home and before her adoptive father passes she saves a childhood friend who carries the letter from her anonymous benefactor from drowning. He is Francois- who was raised by Juliette’s adoptive aunt until the same benefactor who supports Juliette calls the boy into his household.

The problem with Francois is that Juliette’s adoptive sister, Simone, wants to marry him. Twenty-seven, fatherless, and with no other means of support (other than Juliette and the money she gave the women)- Simone must marry the man or she and her mother will be completely destitute.

So when Juliette leaves her childhood home (after the death of her adoptive father and having been called there), Francois soon follows (after he recovers from his injury) and when he arrives, proposes to Juliette. But the pair’s benefactor Bernard- was the one who threw the idea out into the world- pushing Francois to do something he wanted and desired (to propose to Juliette) and pushing Juliette into the arms of a man she always wanted to care for but couldn’t- as Simone had always claimed Francois in the past and Simone being the “real daughter” of the Fontaine’s- always got what she wanted- changes his mind. It is then we learn of what sounds like a sinister betrayal- and a payback- that may last several lifetimes- and generations!

Mirella Patzer gave me many things to think about with the issues she gave her characters in Her Secret Legacy. One of the things, which is very true to life- is the fact that even though Juliette, through her secret benefactor brought in almost all the money that the family survived on for twenty years- Laurent was the only one to treat her with any kindness or love. And the rest of the family didn’t need to even go that far- to love Juliette but the very fact that she was “the money”- her presence is the only thing that helped the family survive each year (as small-town doctors didn’t seem to make much money) — she should have been treated the best in the household- as number one.

What did Simone and her mother, Elise, think would happen when God forbid- Laurent got too old to bring in any money? Juliette had the only relation the family knew for support- and they treated her terribly. Why do people do this in life? Turn their back on the only means of support- treat their only means of support terribly- and then expect one day, when they need help, to ever ask them for anything? Because this is just what Simone and her mother do- even if they go about it in roundabout ways.

I do not only speak of Patzer’s Her Secret Legacy- concerning the previous statement- I speak of the world and people in it- that these are the very ways some are treated- especially ones that can and do help others. While I wanted to say that it is understandable that Simone would be mad that her father brought another daughter into the home- it isn’t understandable- Simone’s reaction.

But, her reaction is very much like the response of many in this world. When a person that has little if next to nothing in their life, as Juliette came to the Fontaine’s, as a baby- that Laurent’s wife and daughter did not take her into their home as Laurent did- what is wrong with people like that?

But, why is that? Why is it understandable- in any way, that some (and maybe many) children would be jealous? Because it shouldn’t be. We should want our children to be innately kind and loving and when they are not- we should not only question their attitude but where this attitude came from. Who, how, and why it was instilled in them?

Laurent was caring for a patient when a man came in with a woman. Then the man said he was putting the carriage in a better spot- and took off. Laurent finds that the woman had been dead awhile, having taken her own life with the bottle of Laundemn that came with the body- along with Juliette (as a baby), along with the note to the doctor. Laurent surely told his wife the whole truth and his daughter would come to know it (depending on the age that she was when Juliette came into the home- which may be about 6 or 7 if my estimate from the ages given in the story are correct)- why would the pair not take pity on the baby as she grew into a girl and then women- why would they make her feel like a pariah- either one of them?

Why do I think so much- that we live in a cruel- cruel world- and have lived in a world like that for a long time- this being a historical fiction tale and one that could very well be true in some form (if not all)- to what may have happened to a real-life person.

While Juliette’s life had been fairly terrible with the Fontaine’s- albeit Laurent and the way he cared for the girl as a father, when she arrives at her mysterious benefactor’s home- things only get worse- and much worse- from there on out. Bernard Donet tells Juliette he is her uncle but how he treats her- telling her that she has a curse on herself because of her lineage- who she was birthed from and why- he even tries to make her put her hand in fire- to prove if Juliette carries a curse or not. The only thing that saves Juliette from her fiery fate- is the fact that Francois returns home. He chastises their benefactor- saying Bernard gained this knowledge from a charlatan and that the only thing that would happen with the whole fire ordeal- is that Juliette would be hurt.

Bernard Dorset is a man with many secrets and a lot of pain. And though all the people who have caused him pain are all dead- his pain doesn’t seem to end. Bernard still seems angry, still seems to want revenge and there are only two people that he can take this revenge out on. The strange story of where Juliette and Francois come from- how they ended up in Bernard’s life- is all based on what Bernard wanted and did not get.

And when Bernard did not get what he wanted- when people did things outside of the future he planned for himself and others- he made sure things ended badly for them. Even with those whom Bernard felt betrayed him dead- he carries on in his revenge and may ruin the lives of both Juliette and Francois- with all he has done and may do. Surely he has ruined any good childhood and family they might have had. However, he could (and plans) to ruin much, much, more.

Bernard has created a world for Juliette and Francois that is all an illusion- and they don’t even know the whole truth of their existence yet. However, the thing they do know is that they want to be together- and that may be the worst of all. The sad thing is that Juliette and Francois- all they may have is one another. But then- the one thing they may not be able to have is one another.

After the tale is unwoven- what can Juliette and Francois do? Will they be able to marry as they want to- or will the truth destroy the pair? Will Bernard ever get enough revenge- to have it be enough- that he stops and makes a real life for himself- one that does not include plots and plans for others- that will utterly destroy them? Can Bernard stop- or will anyone stop him?

And what is going on in the round abandoned room above the top floor in Bernard’s manor? Will Juliette find out- will Bernard unlock the secrets of what happened there, for the young woman? Or will Juliette only find herself locked in it- with no way out? Because Bernard has never had to lay a finger on a person- for them to die. When Bernard wants revenge- the people he wants revenge on, kill themselves. Although Bernard has been the benefactor for these children since they were born- is it only to take out on them, what had been done to Bernard- by their parents?

I apologize if this review of Her Secret Legacy is cryptic for others to read- I only wanted to save some of the surprises in the story- the intrigue, the madness, the reason for Bernard’s revenge- for the readers to find when they open the book. Her Secret Legacy was one of the best historical fiction books I have read in a long time- fast-paced, entertaining, and full of surprise.

I hope other readers will join me as a fan of Mirella Patzer- as I can’t wait to see where she goes next- what forbidden love she will try and release as she did here, in Her Secret Legacy. Mirella Patzer has weaved a twisted tale of intrigue, duplicity, cruelty, and revenge- where all the characters want in their life is love- even the ones that never seem to deserve it.

Happy Reading!