The Wonderful Bouquet

CHAPTER TWELVE: The Hayes sisters

Eli was not home - again. He had kissed Mary's cheek when he came to bed, waking her up a little. Twas nice to know she was sleeping in her husband arms, but she did not know how long it had lasted, for when she woke up, he gone. Out of the house and off to work - whichever one of the two.

Twas days since she had last really spoken to him. He was still kind - leaving notes around the house for her and the children - but she missed the sound of his voice.

She responded to his notes, and every time she asked when he would be really home again. Every time he responded that he did not know.

The children missed him too. Though they did not have many words to say it, they could question where Papa was. With a saddened face, Mary had to tell them he was working, earning them their food and clothing. At those words, they let out a sigh and turned away with disappointment in their eyes.

Mary hated it. She loved Eli and she loved her children, but she hated being with them without him near. She hated eating dinner with only the children and she hated sleeping in an empty bed.

She also hated not having someone to talk to or listen to. Sure, they had a few servants, but they were working whenever they were not hiding in the servants corridor. They were also too polite and would tell Mary only what she wanted to hear.

But she had a sister to talk to, she figured. But then she shook her head. She should not talk to Elizabeth about her husband that's never home, for it would only remind her of her own suffering.

She also had two sisters-in-law. But again she shook her head. She should not bother Victoria with a silly problem like hers while the lady was fearing her own life. And Madilyn...

Well, mayhap she could talk to Madilyn. True, the lady had a busy house with many people, but Mary would not mind seeing Adelaide again.

With a nod, she told herself that visit Madilyn and Adelaide was what she must do. And not much later, she was dressed and riding in the carriage toward her brother's house.

"Mary," Thomas said upon meeting her in the hallway, "to what do I owe the pleasure of seeing you in my house?"

"Do not flatter yourself," she told him, "I am here for your wife and sister-in-law."

"Which one? It seems I have two living here," he said with a sigh and an eyeroll.

"Adelaide, or course."

"Did I hear my name?" an all too familiar voice said, right before the dark blonde haired woman rounded the corner. A smile appeared on her face, and she gasped. "Mary!"

With open arms, Adelaide came toward her and hugged her, both women smiling brightly.

"I shall tell Madilyn of you presence," she heard Thomas say, but Mary's attention was on her friend.

When Adelaide had just escaped Arthur, they had hidden her in lady Anne's house. Mary, being unmarried at the time, was living there too, thus become great friends with the sister of her sister-in-law.

Adelaide truly was wonderful, and Madilyn was too. Surely Eleanor could not be as bad as Thomas claimed her to be.

"How are you?" Adelaide asked, genuinely curious about Mary's wellbeing.

She gave her friend her best smile. "Quite alright."

"Quite? That does not sound all too well."

"Tis not. And that is why I am here. But mayhap we should not talk in the hallway."

"Of course," Adelaide said, wrapping her arm around Mary's. "But we must wait for the lady of the house."

The waiting did not take long, and soon Madilyn walked toward her with a similar smile her sister had been wearing.