Marblestone Mansion 01 - Scandalous Duchess

is good to hear your voice too…nay, I was awake…You did? That is glorious news…What?...Aye, ‘tis true…I am very certain and quite relieved…Very good. Cameron, I am sending Olivia back tomorrow…Hello, are you there?...I will explain later. Might you meet her train?...Aye, I shall telephone with the details. Thank you and do call anytime…you will not wake me. I miss you too, little brother. Good bye.”
    He hung up the phone, walked to his desk, pulled the chair out and sat down. Exhausted, he put his head in his hands for a moment and when he looked up, Keith was setting a tray on his desk with the second bottle, only this one was Scotch instead of wine. Keith excused himself and hurried back upstairs to see if there was any news of Sassy’s condition. He was worried sick about her and didn’t care who knew it.
    “ Sit down, Alistair,” Hannish poured scotch in the glass and handed it to his butler. “There is much to do and little time to do it.” He pulled a roll of American dollars out of his desk and began to peal off enough to see to the expenses. “As I said, there is something I wish you to bring back and I am pleased you will be there to see to it yourself.
    I managed to secure the last stateroom on the HMS Umbria. It leaves every Saturday and you have just enough time to get Olivia on it. Meet the ship at Pier 40 on the North River, at the foot of Clarkson Street. I have sent for Dugan’s cousin Egan, and the other servants Olivia refused to bring. They should arrive the day after you get there, if all goes well.”
    “ Dugan’s cousin? Mr. Hannish, how good you are to us.”
    “ Yes, well I do not feel so good about myself just now.”
    Alistair downed the scotch. “Shall I tell Dugan?”
    “‘ Tis up to you.”
    “ He might need a good word or two by the time we get the duchess on a ship,” said Alistair.
    “ He might at that.”

    He was halfway down the hall when Hannish saw Sassy and Sarah come out of McKenna’s room. Sassy was holding her head and looked a little unsteady on her feet. “We’ll have none of this,” he said.
    “ She wants to sleep in her own bed and Sarah will stay with her,” said McKenna.
    “ Aye, but I’ll not have her passing out on the stairs.” He leaned down, picked Sassy up and nodded for Sarah to lead the way.
    Sassy glanced back to make sure McKenna was coming, and then wrapped her arms around his neck and laid the uninjured side of her head on his shoulder. “I might cry now.”
    He turned sideways and eased her through the door to the back staircase. “I would not blame you if you did. Does it hurt terribly?”
    “ I have had worse. Mr. Hannish, must you go back to Scotland?”
    “ Is that what might make you cry?”
    “ Aye. You are happy here, I can tell.”
    He stopped at the top of the stairs and waited while Sarah opened the next door. “You need not fret, Sassy, I am not going back to Scotland.” He followed Sarah and McKenna into Sassy’s room, and carefully set her on the edge of the bed. “Sleep now if you can. Is there anything you need?”
    Sassy looked up at him. “Mr. Hannish, might I hide from your wife from now on? All the Scots do.”
    Sarah fluffed the pillow and giggled. “You’re a Scot now, Sassy? Did I not hear you claim to be an American earlier?”
    “ You might have,” Sassy admitted.
    “ Well, we Americans are glad to have you, Sassy,” said Hannish. “Can you rest now?” When she nodded, he walked to the door and joined McKenna. “Mrs. MacGreagor will be leaving in the morning. You’ll not have to hide for long.”
    In the hallway, Charlotte heard it all and hoped he would notice her, but when he came out, he went back down the stairs without so much as a glance her way. McKenna saw her, but who cared about that.

    The rest of the night was hardly quiet. In the room next door to Olivia’s, Hannish could hear his wife repeatedly demand to see him. He tried to go to sleep, but then she began to pound on the locked door between the two rooms and sleep became hopeless. Determined not to give in to her demands, he got up and sat in a chair instead.
    His mind was flooded with an unthinkable mixture of rage for what his wife had become, and pain for the lost dreams that were now dashed against the rocks. He was certain of only one thing, a future life with Olivia would be miserable for them all. He had to keep her in a place where she could not hurt anyone, and tried to think where that could be.