Page 98 of Lipstick Kiss

“Of course,” Melly said.

She bustled over to follow him to their break room, which had a bed for a quick nap if they were doing long shifts for the Turners. Freddie crouched and put his wife on the bed. He kissed her forehead and promised to come back in a few minutes. Melly was behind him with towels and a dressing gown.

“Where is Bailey, Melly?”

“On an errand for Miss Turner. He should be back in an hour. His legs aren’t what they used to be.”

“Why did she get him to walk?”

“Only Miss Turner knows the answer to that question,” Melly said gravely.

“I’ll be back. Do not leave her,” Freddie instructed.

He knew Melly would take care of his wife, but he needed to say the words aloud.

“I promise to stay by her side, Freddie.”

Freddie moved quietly out of the small room, through the kitchen and on light feet, went up the stairs to the main floor. The door opened into the marble foyer. The staff had spy holes everywhere so they could monitor when the Turners might want something in the main living areas. That door was no different. He swished the copper cover up and looked through. On the far side was his sister, leaning against a marble pillar, reading a book. He then looked to the front door and saw that the large latch was down. Freddie knew when Bailey returned, he would enter Turner Hall through the kitchens. During daylight hours, they never latched the front door.

Imelda favoured walking around in the front of Turner Hall to escape Cynthia’s rooms and the view Cynthia had of the rear. It was also on the opposite side of the morning room Cynthia spent a lot of time in, tending to her exotic flowers in the conservatory attached to the end of the room.

Freddie stealthily opened the door and slipped through the crack as quietly as he could. Cynthia was so engrossed in her book that she hadn’t noticed he was there. He leaned against the pillar on the opposite side of the marble foyer, fifty feet away. He stayed deadly still until he was calm enough not to strike her for her cruel intentions toward his wife. It wasn’t his fault Cynthia messed up. It wasn’t his fault Cynthia wouldn’t stand up to their father. It wasn’t his fault Cynthia took elaborate measures to hide she’d had a child. There was no reason why she couldn’t bring her child and Jonathan to Turner Hall. What would their father do? There were very few staff left. Jennifer, her handmaid, and Bailey, the footman training his son to take over. Melly, the cook who was training her daughter, Maggie, to take over. Then there was the gardener. None of those would ever dare confront Cynthia. Hell, even Freddie wasn’t pissed off enough to evict her.

As soon as their father died, he intended to sign the whole estate over to her, and he would take Imelda and his four children far away from Copper Island. He wasn’t even forty and felt like he was as old as his father in his seventies.

“You want to tell me what the fuck you’re doing?” Freddie clipped out.

Cynthia jumped so violently that she dropped her book. The hardback slapped on the marble floor.

She held her palm over her heart and glared at him.

“Christ, Freddie, you scared the shit out of me. Why do you always have to creep up on me?”

“Why is the front door bolted?”

“Bailey isn’t here, so I thought it would be prudent to secure the door.”

“Are you expecting an invasion of the peasants from the town?”

“Don’t be crass. You married one of those peasants.”

“And so you could’ve, but you ripped out your spine and cowered to Daddy,” Freddie retorted.

“How dare you?” Cynthia yelled.

“You know my wife was out there. You know it’s pissing down with rain, yet you keep that door bolted. You know she’s weak as a kitten. Letting Imelda stand in the rain in her condition, which only seems to worsen when I’m away, is cruel. It fits with your personality, but I want to know why?”

“I’ll open the door, relax Freddie. You’ll give yourself a heart attack.”

“You’d love that, wouldn’t you? Have this whole place for you and your child.”

Cynthia took a step back, hitting her back on the marble pillar.

“I don’t have a child. You’ve had all the children.”

“I know your secrets, sister. Don’t ever forget that. Don’t bother with the door. I’ve found my wife and will keep her from harm, even if I lose the Turner name. Then you can live in splendid isolation with our dear father. But don’t forget you can’t bring your child and Jonathan here while our father is still alive. I hope beyond all hope he lives a very long life.”

Freddie couldn’t trust himself to say any more. He had no doubt Jennifer knew everything anyway, but if Melly or Bailey were listening, they would know, too. Not that they would whisper a word. They loved working there too much. God only knew why, but Melly and Maggie said they thought the world of his kids and seeing them every day made it worthwhile. He praised whoever was looking down on him. He had two women and Bailey, who wouldn’t allow any harm to come to his kids. He needed to work out how his wife was getting sick while he was away.

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