Authors: Becky Riker
The woman thrashed around in the bed, apparently trying to untangle herself from her sheets.
“I don’t care whose wife you are, you can’t have my husband.”
Naomi wondered if she would have to call for help.
“I’ll kill you before I let you take him.”
“Merle,” Naomi called out.
The man was beside her in seconds, “Ma’am?”
“Who is he?” Diana screeched and rose from the bed.
“He is just here to help,” Naomi prepared herself for the attack.
Diana took a step toward them, “I have had all the help I can bear.”
“Madam,” Merle pressed Naomi behind himself, his voice a warning.
Diana threw herself at the man, a flash of silver caught Naomi’s eye just as the man encased the older woman in his beefy arms.
Naomi’s heart was racing, “Does she have a knife?”
He couldn’t hear her over the animal-like screams coming from the woman he was attempting to restrain.
As quickly as it began, Diana drooped.
Merle dropped her to the floor and stepped back, “Is she. . .?”
Naomi stepped around him and peered down at the heap, “She’s breathing. I think she just passed out.”
Merle picked the lady up and unceremoniously dumped her back into her bed before retrieving the knife as well.
“Thank you, Merle,” Naomi refused to laugh. “I think I can manage now.”
He bowed smartly and left the room, but Naomi noticed he left both sets of doors ajar.
The following day was much the same. Naomi had Harland and Merle take turns in the room. After the previous incident, she wanted a man in the sitting room at all times. Diana did not attack anybody, but she sat against her headboard, spewing threats against anyone who should dare to enter her room.
The patient was somnolent the fourth day of the experiment. Naomi sent Liz to sleep a few extra hours in her own rooms, choosing to sit with her mother-in-law herself rather than ask another maid to do so. By evening, she was up and screaming again. Naomi asked Mr. Dillon to lock the mistress in her bed chamber to protect Liz.
The fifth day after the removal of Diana Haydn’s alcohol was the worst.
On the fifth day after the removal of Diana Haydn’s alcohol, her son came home.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Finn was aware of a strange attitude among the staff upon his arrival. They seemed more cautious than before. He wondered if they were discussing among themselves his relationship with his wife. If they were, they likely found in Naomi’s favor.
“What news have you, Dillon?” he handed the man his greatcoat.
“The ewes have dropped, and we have a goodly number of healthy lambs.”
Finn could tell the man was avoiding something, “And here in the house?”
“I believe your wife has found some new ways of economy.”
“Oh?” Finn hoped she was not scrimping in areas that she should not.
“And she has changed the method by which we receive deliveries,” he added.
Finn narrowed his eyes, “I was unaware that there were problems with the old method.”
“Neither were we, but her technique will cut out some aggravation. We have only implemented the change once, but it looks to be a good one.”
Finn chewed the inside of his cheek, pondering how best to drag more information from the man who clearly wished to remain tight-lipped about it.
Finally, Finn decided it would be best to go to the source, “Do you know where my wife is, Dillon?”
Dillon’s brow furrowed, “I have not seen her since this morning as she was on her way to the breakfast room.”
Finn wagged a finger in the man’s face, “That is to say that you know where she is, but you are disinclined to give me that information.”
Dillon’s face paled slightly.
“Never mind,” Finn turned. “I will find her without your assistance.”
He peeked into the kitchen to greet Mrs. Hollingberry and to ask her if she knew where his wife was. He was surprised to see Liz there.
Both ladies rose and curtseyed.
“I am in search of Mrs. Haydn,” he informed them.
Mrs. Hollingberry looked down at onion she was chopping.
Liz wore a pained expression.
He stepped more fully into the room, “Do you know where she is?”
Mrs. Hollingberry looked up, “Mrs. Haydn?”
He nodded, a fear beginning to grip his heart. What if something had happened to Naomi while he was away?
“Your mother?” Liz’s voice squeaked.
“No,” his heart pounded faster. “My wife.”
Mrs. Hollingberry let out a nervous giggle, “She isn’t in here.”
He narrowed his eyes, “Clearly.”
She spoke up again, “And I’ve been in here all morning,” she claimed. “Excepting to talk to the mistress this morning.”
“And she was well then?” he pressed.
“Oh, yes,” the lady bobbed her head furiously. “Young Mrs. Haydn is always well. She has such a glow about her. Well, not maybe the time she fell in a faint out by the lake, but then she hadn’t eaten and sh – ”
“What?!” he thundered as he closed the gap between him and the cook and leaned in to press his palms down on the work table she was using.
Mrs. Hollingberry tipped away from him, “She always looks well.”
He glared at the maid, “Why aren’t you up with my mother?”
She rose to her feet, upsetting the chair she had been using, and scurried from the room.
Finn never looked away from the cook.
“My wife collapsed?”
The cook mopped her brow with the edge of her apron, “She was right as rain after.”
He took a deep shuddering breath and spoke slowly, “Where is my wife, Mrs. Hollingberry?”
The cook appeared to be thinking the question through. Finn’s patience was nearing the end.
“She’s up in your mother’s suite.”
Finn was so startled at the answer, he stepped backward, “My mother?”
Mrs. Hollingberry nodded her head, “She’s been up there since just after breakfast.”
He could see there was something going on, but he hadn’t the fortitude to drag it out of the woman before him. He spun on his heel. Finn normally tried to act the part of the master of the home, but he did not even bother. He ran the full distance to his mother’s door.
Naomi was exiting the suite as he arrived.
“Good heavens, Finn,” she grasped his hands, “whatever is wrong?”
He felt a bit short of breath from the sprint up the stairs, but seeing her would have knocked the wind out of him anyway. Her hair was in disarray, she had scratches up and down her arms, and it appeared her lip was swollen.
“I might ask you the same thing.”
She touched her lip, a guilty expression crossing her face.
He gripped her elbow so he could better see the injuries on her skin.
She pulled away, “When did you arrive home?”
Finn reached behind her and opened the door to his mother’s sitting room.
“Mother?” he called out, pulling his wife in behind him.
Liza stepped out of the bedroom, “Mrs. Haydn is sleeping right now, sir. Perhaps you would care to come back later.”
He dropped his grip on Naomi’s wrist and pointed to a chair, “We will wait.”
Naomi chose to sit on the divan instead of the chair he indicated. He was not sure if it was intentional, but he took advantage of it, nonetheless, and sat beside her.
“Are you in pain?” he whispered.
She shook her head, “No. It hurt initially, but time has made it less.”
“What happened?”
Naomi gripped his hands, “Finn, please promise me you will think through your actions before you do anything.”
He did not like where this was going, and he felt like she was treating him as she would a child.
“Just tell me.”
She sighed, “Your mother caught me off guard and hit me with a candlestick.”
Finn had not been expecting that. He was sure his gaping jaw and wide eyes communicated that to his wife.
“I am sorry, Finn,” she reached for his hand. “I think I should explain.”
He nodded.
“We took away your mother’s alcohol.”
He was sure he had not heard her correctly.
“Yes,” she nodded, answering his unasked question. “We did. She has not had any alcohol in five days. It has made her. . .” Naomi searched for a word.
“A raving lunatic?” he supplied, horrified at the thought.
She shook her head, “The doctor says her behavior is temporary. He prepared me for it before we began the process.”
He shook his head, “I have tried this before, but someone always supplies her with more.”
“I promised to let go anyone who brought her alcohol,” she breathed in as if to fortify herself. “We removed all strong drink from the house.”
Finn leaned back into the seat, stunned.
“She did not sleep last night,” Naomi continued, “and it was not until just before Liz returned that she finally dropped.”
“Dropped?”
Nomi sighed, “She had been standing beside the bed for hours, tearing at her sheets. She lowered herself to her knees about an hour ago and then fell asleep with her head against the bed post.”
Finn jerked upright, “She is still like that?”
Naomi put a hand to his arm, “I beg you not to disturb her. Liz needs more rest.”
“She seemed to be resting just fine when I saw her in the kitchen.”
“She was getting something to eat, Finn. I am sure she was unable to sleep last night.”
Finn looked at the woman next to him, lifting her arm, “What happened here?”
“You mother tried to leave the room,” she barely glanced down at the scratches before returning her gaze to his face.
“And this would be a bad thing?”
“She was not . . .appropriately attired.”
He thought he was done being shocked, but this was almost too much to comprehend.
Naomi reached up and ran a hand over Finn’s head, “How were the roads?”
He was almost unable to make the topic change with her. His brain stuttered a moment before he could answer.
“Much better than the last time,” he leaned into her touch.
“Would you care to lie down for a while? You look tired.”
He turned to look at her, “Why are you doing this?”
She dropped her hand immediately.
“No,” he grabbed her hand and brought it back to his lips.
“Why are you taking care of my mother, why are you even bothering with her?”
She nodded, “I think she was killing herself with the drink.”
He frowned at her, “Why should you care? She has been nothing but cruel to you since you met her.”
“She is your mother, Finn. I care.”
That hit him in the gut, but he wasn’t finished, “Why take care of her yourself?”
“I have only been there with her while Liz rests. Liz has done most of her care.”
“You could have another maid do this.”
“I did not feel it was fair to the maid or to your mother. When Mrs. Haydn recovers from this, she will be grateful that we involved as few people as possible.”
He knew this was true, but he could still not grasp what was motivating his wife.
“I knew I had to help her before the baby arrived.”
The baby! Finn had forgotten about the baby.
“I will not have time after the baby comes, and I did not want our child to grow up – ”
“Naomi,” he cut rather sharply into what she was saying, “you should not be caring for her while you are with child.”
She blinked up at him.
He stood and pulled her with him, “It is not safe. I cannot believe you would be so careless about our child.”
Naomi followed along willingly until they reached the door of the suite.
“I must tell Liz we are leaving.”
“I will tell her,” he turned toward the bedroom.
“You should not,” she called at his back. “I do not believe your mother is,” she paused.
He looked back at her, “Appropriately attired?”