I walked away thinking how many women had been expected to tidy up Daniel’s decisions, and how different it felt when none of us agreed to do it anymore.

PART 12: THE TRUST VERIFICATION

The formal meeting about General Reynolds’s trust took place in the spring.

The trustees, the attorney, Margaret, Daniel, and representatives for the children attended.

Vanessa provided a statement but was not asked to adjudicate anything.

The children remained at school; they didn’t need to sit through adults debating their legal identities.

Samuel Pierce began by explaining the procedure.

The trustees would consider the executed amendment, identity records, evidence that Daniel knew of the pregnancy, and evidence of later denials.