Maude to distraction with suggestions for making Duncan 's home more pleasing.
Maude wasn't as guarded as Gerty. She was always eager to set her chores aside and visit with Madelyne. Little Willie, Maude's four-year-old son, proved to be as talkative as his mother once Madelyne was able to coach his thumb out of his mouth.
When the day's sunlight began to fade, however, Madelyne's stomach would tighten up and her head would start pounding. It was little wonder, she told herself, when one considered that the evenings spent with the Wexton family were trials of endurance Odysseus would have turned his back on.
Madelyne wasn't allowed to turn her back though. She had all but gotten down on her knees and begged to take her meals in her room, too, but Duncan wouldn't allow it. Nay, he demanded her attendance at the family meal and then had the gall to remove himself from the disgusting ordeal he forced on her. The baron always ate alone, and made a brief appearance only once the table had been cleared of the clutter the men hadn't already thrown to the floor.
Adela provided the stimulating conversation. While the men hurled bones over their shoulders, Duncan 's sister hurled one obscenity after another at Madelyne.
Madelyne didn't think she could stand the torment much longer. Her smile felt as brittle as dry parchment.
On the seventh evening Madelyne's composure did crack, and with such violent force that those who witnessed it were too astonished to intervene.
Duncan had just given her permission to leave the hall. Madelyne stood up, excused herself, and began to walk toward the entrance.
Her head was pounding, and she thought only to give Adela a wide path. Madelyne wasn't up to another round of screaming. Duncan 's little sister was walking toward her.
Madelyne warily glanced over at Adela and saw little Willie peeking out from the doorway to the kitchens. The little boy smiled at Madelyne and she immediately stopped to speak to him.
The child responded to Madelyne's smile. He darted out in front of Adela just as the sister swept her hand out in one of the grand gestures she always made when she was about to start in abusing Madelyne again. The back of Adela's hand struck Willie's cheek. The little one toppled to the ground.
Willie started to wail, Gilard shouted, and Madelyne let out an ear-piercing scream. The sound of rage she made stunned everyone in the hall, even Adela who actually backed up a step, the first real retreat she'd ever made from Madelyne.
Gilard started to stand. Duncan grabbed hold of his arm. The youngest brother was about to argue over the restraint, but the look in Duncan 's eyes stopped him.
Madelyne rushed over to the little boy, soothed him with a soft word and a tender kiss on the top of his head, and then bade him to go to his mother. Maude, upon hearing her son's wails, had appeared in the doorway, with Gerty at her side.
Madelyne turned to confront Adela then. She might have been able to control her anger if Duncan 's sister had shown any sign of remorse. Adela, however, didn't look the least bit sorry for her conduct. And when she muttered that the boy was a nuisance, Madelyne let go of her control.
Adela called Willie a brat a scant second before Madelyne lashed out and slapped her right where she thought Adela most deserved it, across her mouth. Adela was so stunned by the attack, she lost her balance and stumbled to her knees. Without realizing it, she gave Madelyne added advantage.
Before Adela could stand up, Madelyne grabbed hold of her hair and twisted the mass behind her head, making the sister vulnerable and unable to strike back. She forced Adela's head back. 'You've spoken your last word of filth, Adela. Do you understand me?'
Everyone stared at the two women. Edmond was the first to come out of his stupor. 'Unhand her, Madelyne,' he shouted.
Without taking her attention away from Adela, Madelyne shouted back to Edmond. 'Keep out of this, Edmond. You hold me responsible for what happened to your sister, and I've decided'tis high time I took a hand to right this mess. Starting now.'
Duncan never said a word. 'I do not hold you responsible,' Edmond yelled. 'Let go of her. Her mind is-'
'Her mind needs but a good cleaning, Edmond.'
Madelyne saw that Maude and Gerty were both watching from the doorway. She kept a firm hold on Adela when she turned to speak to them. 'I think we'll have need for two tubs to rid the filth covering this pitiful creature. See to it, Gerty. Maude find clean clothes for your mistress.'
'You're going to have a bath now, milady?' Gerty asked.
'Adela is going to get a bath,' Madelyne announced. She turned back to glare at Adela and said, 'And soap in your mouth every time you say an unladylike word to me.'
Madelyne let go of Adela's hair then and helped her stand. Duncan 's sister tried to pull away, but Madelyne wouldn't allow it. Her anger had given her the strength of Hercules. 'You're taller than I am, but I'm stronger, and meaner right this minute than you could ever imagine, Adela. If I have to kick you all the way up to the tower, I'm more than up to the task.' She pulled on Adela's arm, dragging her toward the entrance, muttering loud enough for all three brothers to hear. 'And I'm smiling over the thought of kicking you, that's the truth of it.'
Adela burst into tears. Madelyne was heartless. The sister wasn't going to get any more sympathy from her. Edmond and Gilard had given Adela too much of that already. Without realizing it, the brothers hurt their sister with their pity and their compassion. What was needed now was a firm hand. And Madelyne's were firm enough. Odd, but her head was not aching anymore.
'Cry all you want, Adela. It won't help your cause. You dared to call little Willie a brat, when the name belongs to you. Aye, you're the brat. That's all going to change now. I promise you that.'
Madelyne kept up a constant chatter all the way to her room. She didn't have to kick Adela once.
By the time the wooden tubs were filled to spilling with steaming water, the fight had gone out of Adela. Gerty and Maude stayed to lend a hand getting Adela's clothes off her. 'Burn these,' Madelyne ordered after handing the offensive garments to Gerty.
When Adela was pushed into the first tub, Madelyne thought she tried to mimic Lot 's wife. Duncan 's sister sat like a sculptured piece of stone and stared off into the distance. The look in her eyes told another story, however. Aye, it was plain to see that Adela was seething with rage. 'Why was there need for two tubs?' Maude asked. She wrung her hands with worry. Adela had suddenly changed tactics and had just grabbed hold of Lady Madelyne's hair. It looked as though she meant to rip Madelyne's pretty locks right out of her scalp.
In retaliation, the lady who Maude had come to view as a sweet, gentle woman, shoved Adela's face under the water. Did she think to drown the baron's sister?
'I don't think Lady Adela can breathe under there,' Maude said.
'Aye, and she can't spit at me either,' Madelyne answered, snapping out each word.
'Well, I never…' Gerty gasped the protest before turning. Maude watched her friend run out the doorway.
Gerty was always one for telling the news before anyone else had a chance, Maude knew. Next Baron Wexton would probably be wanting to know what was going on.
Maude wished she could chase after Gerty. Lady Madelyne frightened her now; she'd never seen such a ferocious temper. Still, she'd stood up for little Willie, Maude admitted, and for that reason she'd stay and lend a hand as long as Lady Madelyne demanded it.
'We need two tubs because Adela is so filthy, she'll need two baths.'
Maude had difficulty hearing what Lady Madelyne was telling her. Adela had started kicking and scratching. Lord, there was water everywhere, most especially on Lady Madelyne.
'Hand me the soap, if you please,' Madelyne ordered.
The next hour was an incredible ordeal worthy of retelling until next spring. Gerty kept poking her head in to check on the progress. She'd then hurry back downstairs to report to Edmond and Gilard.
When the commotion was over, Gerty was a bit disappointed. Lady Adela was sitting quietly in front of the fireplace while Lady Madelyne combed her hair. The fight had gone out of the baron's sister, and the excitement was over.
Maude and Gerty left the tower after the tubs had been emptied and carried away.
Neither Adela nor Madelyne had spoken a civil word to each other. Maude suddenly appeared in the doorway
