Authors: Becky Riker
“Yes, thank you,” Naomi’s answer was rather distracted.
“
Beggin’ your pardon, ma’am, but are you feeling okay?”
Naomi refocused and looked at
the girl, “Yes, I am well, Marianne. Thank you for asking,” she gave the letters up and went to find her mother-in-law.
Diana
was unexpectedly sober. Naomi was relieved.
“I need a moment of your time, Mrs. Haydn,” she remained standing and attempted to speak in a respectful manner.
Diana was seated at a table and appeared to be working on a screen, “Have a seat.”
Naomi did as she was told.
“What is it you wish to say?”
Naomi thought she sounded like a queen condescending to speak with a subject.
“I came to speak to you about your lady’s maid.”
“Liz?” the woman turned her full attention to Naomi. “Whatever could interest you regarding her? She spends the vast majority
of her time dusting the same table.”
“She also spends time with the carriers,” Naomi did not beat around the bush.
Diana’s expression did not falter.
“And the carriers bring more than produce and supplies from town, Mrs. Haydn. They also bring gossip.”
“Just what are you implying?” her hard tone gave evidence of her irritation.
Naomi reminded herself to speak softly, slowly, and distinctly, “I do not want Liz to be bringing tales to or from the carriers. In fact, I would like you to forbid her to meet the carriers when they come.”
Diana’s reserve broke, “What makes you think you can come into this house and start making rules about my servants?” her voice rose.
Somehow, Naomi found the yelling easier to stomach than the cold treatment just moments before.
“I will remind you, Mrs. Haydn, that you are now a guest in my home. While I would like you to feel welcome in my home, I am now requiring you to follow the rules of the house.”
Diana’s nostrils were flaring, and Naomi almost feared the woman was going to suffer a
n apoplectic fit. However, she needed to continue.
“There will be no strong drink allowed in the house from now on.”
Diana gripped the arms of the chair.
“My husband detests liquor, and I am doing this to please him.”
Diana shook her head and opened her mouth, but no sound came out.
Naomi dipped her head as a small measure of respect toward the older woman, “Good day,
madam.”
Naomi left on shaking legs, hurrying down to the music room where she knew she would find some comfort in the piano.
After a time no less than an hour, Naomi ceased her attention to the instrument and went to find Mr. Dillon.
“I would like you to gather the staff so I may speak to them. Is there one time that will be more convenient than another?”
He gave her a time.
“Thank you,” she took a breath, “and I will require Mrs. Haydn’s maid to be present.”
His gaze did not even flicker, “Yes, ma’am.”
Naomi left him then to take her afternoon walk. She hoped the stroll would calm her nerves, but she discovered it only made it worse. The flowers and trees were not distracting her from the thing she must do.
Naomi sat down on a bench.
“Dear God, I haven’t the strength to do this on my own. I am terrified of what will happen when I tell the staff what I must. I am more afraid, dear
Lord, that my child will grow up in such a home. Please guide my lips.”
She hoped for a sudden sense of peace, but it did not come. She sighed and continued her walk.
Two hours later, Naomi stood before the staff.
“Thank you all, for setting aside a moment to listen to what I have to say. I appreciate that you all work hard, and it is not easy to have your work interrupted.”
She took a deep breath.
“It has come to my notice that there are those among our staff who spend time in idle talk about others. This is not acceptable. Whether the subject of the gossip is another member of our staff, a delivery man, a
person from the nearby village or the master himself, it will not be tolerated. Hereafter, rumormongering will be grounds for termination.”
She saw a few jaws drop and some cheeks redden.
“I am also removing all strong drink from the house.”
There was an audible gasp from somewhere in the ranks.
“This does not include the bottle used for medicinal purposes that Mr. Dillon will keep locked. Liquor used for cooking will also be retained, but we will provide a lock for that as well.”
Mr. Dillon looked a bit less staid than usual.
“If anyone is caught bringing alcohol into the house or onto the grounds without explicit permission from Mr. Dillon or me, he or she will be terminated instantly, and there will be no letter of recommendation given.”
All staff
were visibly nervous.
“I realize these seem to be abrupt changes, but I have been considering them for some time. I was recently given permission by Mr. Haydn to make these changes, so I determined now was the best time.”
She didn’t mention that Finn just told her to make whatever changes she deemed necessary, and he hadn’t actually known she was about to do this.
“That is all,” she smiled. “Thank you.”
Naomi turned on her heel and then left as quickly as she could manage gracefully. She didn’t stop until she reached her bedroom, where she flung herself down and cried.
CHAPTER TWENTY
For the first time in his life, Finn considered taking his mother’s approach to handling life’s problems. A bit of inebriated oblivion would be nice right now.
“Will you be going out this evening, sir?” his valet stood at the ready.
Finn frowned, “I haven’t gone out in the evening since I have been here, James. What would make you think I was going out tonight?”
“If you will allow me to say, sir, you seem a bit restless.”
“Restless,” he scoffed. “Why would I be restless?”
“I am sure I do not know, sir.”
“Thank you, James. I will not need you any more tonight. You may retire.”
James bowed, “Thank you.”
Finn could not deny the restlessness to himself. He had been so since he got the latest letter from Naomi. He was going to be a father. He pushed back the soft reminder that he already had a child and focused on the future.
Immediately, Finn wanted to go back to Selby to see his wife. After some deliberation, however, it seemed it would best for him to delay his visit. She was probably still furious about what he told her regarding the child in Ireland. Her letters had not reflected that, but letters were not always a clear communication of true feelings.
He pulled the letter from the pocket of his waistcoat. He carried it with him everywhere and read it whenever he was alone. He wished he had not told her to write less frequently. He missed the narratives of her days, the progression of the season about the house and gardens, and her comments on the staff. He even missed reading about what she had learned from Scripture.
James had been right about one thing. He was restless. Maybe an evening at the theater would be just what he needed. He called for his valet.
“Sorry to bother you, James, but I have changed my mind”
James’s brow gather in a question, “Changed your mind, sir?”
“Yes,” Finn tugged at his jacket to remove it. “I will be going out after all.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Naomi could hear the screaming before she reached the door of Diana’s suite. Missy had been walking beside her, but Naomi stopped her with a hand to the arm.
“Thank you, Missy.”
“But, Miss,” the maid protested leaving her, “I mean ma’am, she has been throwing things, and you aren’t in any condition to be dealing with that.”
Naomi shook her head, “I will be fine. Please go and ask Mr. Dillon to come up here, however. I may need his assistance on a related matter.”
Missy turned, wide-eyed, and ran to find the butler.
Naomi walked toward the door, praying for safety and patience.
“Mrs. Haydn,” she opened the door without knocking and looked about. “It seems you have terrified your maid.”
Diana’s eyes were bloodshot, and she had not changed her clothing for at least two days. Her hair had been styled at one time, but the pins were now dangling from the clumps that were straggling about her face.
“Get out,” she snarled in perfect imitation of a rabid dog.
Naomi prayed for strength.
“I said, get out!”
“Liz,” Naomi looked at the woman who was cowering in the corner, a cut on her temple. “You may leave. Please see Mrs. Hollingberry about your injury.”
Diana reached for the final glass upon the sideboard and held it above her head menacingly, “Don’t you move a muscle, Elizabeth. You are my maid, not hers.”
Liz’s lip began to tremble.
Naomi had a sudden inspiration. She reached for a vase that stood on a pedestal beside the door. It was quite ugly, but that did not mean it had no value.
“Put the glass down, Mrs. Haydn,” she held the vase in a position that mirrored the older woman’s.
Diana looked at Naomi and curled her lip in derision, “You think I care about that vase? I got it from my husband’s mother.”
“Liz,” Naomi spoke again, “you need to leave.”
Liz whimpered and moved like she was about to leave.
Diana prepared to hurl the heavy crystal at the maid, but she was stopped suddenly by an explosion in her own hand. She stumbled backward, trying to comprehend what had happened.
Liz tore from the room.
Naomi breathed deeply and flexed her fingers. She was relieved she was still able to target an object from that distance. It had been several years since she and her brother would try to knock apples out of the trees with rocks, but it seemed her aim was still good.
Diana stood in shock. Naomi walked to the combined shards of the glass and the vase. The vase had fared better, breaking only into three parts. There were no recognizable pieces of the glass. She took the hearth shovel and began scooping sharp fragments into it.
“What did you do?”
Naomi glanced up, “I stopped you.”
Diana sat down heavily.
Naomi continued to work. She was pleased when her mother-in-law went into her bedchamber and closed the door.
Naomi dropped the glass into the hod and left the suite. Mr. Dillon was standing outside the door.
“Has Liz been tended?” she hoped her voice wasn’t shaking as hard as her hands were.
He nodded, “Begging your pardon, ma’am, but what happened?”
She ignored the question, “I need to speak with Liz as soon as possible, and please send someone into Mrs. Haydn’s suite to clean the glass from the floor. The rug will likely need to be removed for cleaning, so I believe it would be in order to send two men in with a maid.”
He eyed her for a moment as if seeing her in a new light. She could not tell if the change was for the better.
“I will send Harland and Merle, ma’am. They are strong boys.”
She nodded and swept past him to find Liz. The girl was still in the kitchen, her face white.
“Might I have a private audience with Liz, please?” she addressed Mrs. Hollingberry.
The cook shooed her helpers from the kitchen.
“What happened?”
“You threw the vase at the missus,” Liz’s voice was filled with awe.
Naomi tamped down her amusement, “I am aware of what happened once I arrived. What happened prior to that?”
“Oh,” she took a sip of the tea the cook had provided. “She was looking for her gin. This is the first day she doesn’t have none left. She was mighty fractious yesterday because she couldn’t get enough to take care of her thirst.”
“Please,” Naomi prodded, “just today.”
“She started digging through all her cupboards, her drawers, hoping she had some hidden I think. Then she starts blaming me for drinking it.”
Naomi could well imagine.
“I don’t drinks, ma’am. I didn’t take a drop of it.”
“I believe you, Liz. Did she leave the suite?”
“She was about to,” Liz nodded, “but I told her it wouldn’t do no good because you had gotten rid of all the booze in the house. That’s when she started throwing things.”
“Why didn’t you leave right away?”
“I was trying to stop her at first.”
Naomi pointed to the court plaster on Liz’s head, “What hit you?”
“Just a little bit of glass.”
Judging from the size of the cut, Naomi assumed that was a lie, but she did not press.
“Are you willing to go back in there, or should I find somebody else?”
Liz’s eyes widened in terror.
Naomi rose, “I will find a replacement.”
Liz lurched to her feet, “No, ma’am! I’ll tend her. I need the position, ma’am.”
Naomi smiled, “I am not threatening your position, Liz. I am simply saying that you may need some time to recuperate before going back.”
“I don’t need no time,” she argued. “I can do it.”
Naomi was grateful. She did not know how to find someone to stay with the older Mrs. Haydn. Not only was Diana unlikely to accept someone she did not know, there were few who could tolerate the woman’s tongue. Add those problems to the glass throwing, and unearthing a willing maid would be impossible.
“The next few days will be the worst,” Naomi warned her.
Liz nodded, “I think she’ll be madder than a wet hen.”
“It is going to affect more than her attitude, I am afraid. She may have fits and see things that aren’t there.”
The maid’s eyes grew.
“She probably won’t want to eat anything, but we need to try to get her to eat anyway – especially if we can get some meat into her.”
“How do you know this?” the question was spoken softly.
Naomi wondered what was going through the maid’s head, “I asked the doctor about it when he was here last.”
“You’ve been thinking on this for a while.”
Naomi nodded.
“What do I do if she has fits or gets crazy?”
“You need to try to keep her safe. I want all the glass and sharp things out of her room. You’ll have to try to get those without her noticing.”
Liz nodded.
“We’ll have someone outside her suite for the next week. If Mrs. Hayden starts to do something to hurt herself or you, you need to yell for help.”
“What if something happens?”
Naomi frowned.
“Like she hurts herself and I can’t stop her?”
Naomi sighed, “I am going to pray it does not come to that. I trust you are going to do everything in your power to keep her calm.”
Naomi began walking toward the door, “You will need to go back to sit with her now. Do not worry about any cleaning. We will send a chamber maid in while Mrs. Haydn sleeps. I suggest you try to sleep at those times as well.”
Liz held her head high and went to fight the battle with her mistress.
Naomi went to visit Finn’s mother the following day just after breakfast. She was rocking back and forth, perched on the edge of a chair, wearing the same gown as the day before. Her fists were knotted so tightly in the skirt of her gown that her knuckles were white.
“How long as she been like this?” Naomi asked Liz who looked like she was about to fall over.
“I think she woke about midnight,” Liz blushed. “I had fallen asleep.”
Naomi felt a rush of compassion for the woman. She had been aiding Diana’s drunkenness and had supplied the woman with gossip about Finn, but she seemed like she truly cared for her mistress.
“I will stay with her for a time.”
Liz shook her head, “Oh, no, ma’am. I couldn’t think of it.”
Naomi took the other woman by the shoulders and turned her toward the door, “Sleep for an hour, change your dress, and get something to eat.”
Liz allowed herself to be shown from the room. Mr. Dillon stood at the door with a tray of food.
“Thank you,” she took the tray. “Liz is not to come back for at least two hours. Please see she is not disturbed in that time.”
Naomi brought the tray to Diana, “You will want to eat something.”
Diana did not respond but continued to rock.
Naomi lifted a spoonful of broth to the other woman’s lips and tipped some into her mouth.
Diana grimaced.
Naomi did it again. After about a third of the bowl, the older woman turned her head away and refused any more. Naomi was pleased she ate that much.
Diana eventually drifted to sleep. Naomi could not move her, but she lifted her feet onto an ottoman and covered her with a blanket.
Liz returned looking better.
“Perhaps you can sleep some yourself,” Naomi whispered. “The chamber maid has changed Mrs. Haydn’s sheets and dusted the room. I do not think more is necessary right now.”
The second day, Diana had a fever. She was in bed when Naomi arrived.
“She’s been jabbering about France most of the day,” Liz shrugged. “Sometimes in French.”
Naomi sat down with the tray of food and attempted to spoon some soup into Diana’s mouth. Mrs. Hollingberry had prepared a cream based soup this time.
From her position against the backboard of her bed, Diana reared up and sent the spoon flying. She grabbed at Naomi’s throat and brought their faces closer together.
“You did this,” she seethed. “You stole Lucian from me.”
Naomi wrestled herself from the other woman’s grasp and moved quickly from her reach.
“Mrs. Haydn, I’m Finn’s wife.”