Page 105 of The Dravenhearst Brides
35
November 1933
Kentucky has called for a vote.
—Excerpt, Dravenhearst Distilling Inventory Log as maintained by Merrick Dravenhearst
Aswooshingwhisper,thensunlight,bright against her sleep-crusted eyelids. Margot flinched away.
“Margot, love?”
His voice was the only thing able to penetrate the laudanum haze. She felt a cool brush at her forehead, sweeping back her tangled hair. The kindness in the gesture sent a bolt of heat straight between her legs. She opened her eyes, then screamed.
Eleanor lay beside her in the bed, phantom fingers brushing Margot’s face.
“Margot.”Merrick stood across the room, backlit by sunlight streaming through the window. In two bounds, he was at her side.
Eleanor vanished. Beau jumped onto the bed in her place, pawing maniacally at the sheets where she’d been. He snorted with displeasure.
“Margot, love,” Merrick repeated, eyes wide with concern. “What’s wrong?”
She shook the dust off her vocal cords. When her voice came, it was little more than a croak. “You…you startled me…that’s all.”
He frowned.
Margot waited. Already, mere seconds into consciousness, she was so tired.
“It’s the middle of the day,” he said, sinking to the mattress beside her. “Why are you still abed?”
“It’s…it’s normal…” she said, eyes filling with tears. “I’m just tired. It’s normal.”
His frown deepened, a furrow between his brows. He reached for her hands. “I think I should send for the physician.”
She struggled. Suddenly, his grip felt restraining, not comforting. “No. It’s normal. You said so yourself.”
“I know I did, but that was weeks ago, love. Xander told me…” He trailed off, suddenly nervous.
“What?” she demanded. “What did Xander say?”
“I’ve been busier than usual lately, with the distillery and the upcoming speech for the legislature. I simply didn’t realize…”
“Realize what?”
“That you’ve been in bed for weeks, all day while I’ve been working.”
Weeks…is that how long it’s been?
“I get up for meals.” It seemed important to emphasize this. She was functioning. She was taking care of herself and the baby. She was fine.
“Yes, you do,” he conceded. “That’s why I…I didn’t realize.”
“Xander is exaggerating. We’ve had a tiff.” They had…hadn’t they? She couldn’t quite remember though. Like smoke curling through her fingers, the memory came, then slipped away.
“Ruth hasn’t seen you in weeks, said you haven’t been visiting like usual. She’s also concerned. Quite concerned.”
Ruth—calm, capable, dependable Ruth—was much harder to explain away than the aging, half-senile manservant.
Margot shrank back from Merrick, making herself small, pressing her spine against the headboard.
