Susannah closed her eyes for a minute. ‘Oh, Katie, it’s the most wonderful joy I’ve ever felt.’
Kate nodded, tears beginning to fall down her face. ‘I don’t feel joy when Matthew and I are together.’
‘I’m sorry, darling,’ Susannah said, stroking her sister’s soft blonde curls. ‘Please tell me what happened?’
‘I told you,’ she said quietly. ‘I had to do my duty as his wife, but he got angry with me. Because… he couldn’t…’ Kate sobbed. ‘He said it’s because I’m disgusting.’
Susannah took her sister in her arms and cradled her head in her hands. ‘It’s okay,’ she said. ‘Everything will be okay.’
But in truth she had no idea what to do.
At that moment, Lynsey started crying downstairs. ‘I’ll go get her,’ Susannah said. ‘Your little girl needs you.’
After Lynsey had been fed, changed, and put to sleep in her crib in Kate and Matthew’s room, Susannah persuaded her sister to let her wash her hair. While their mother laced at her stand, Susannah filled the old tin bath with pot after pot of boiled water. As she bathed Kate, gently massaging her head and neck, their mother began to sing one of their old childhood songs.
They were all on alert for sounds of Matthew’s return, but it was Saturday night, and Susannah was certain he would be out all night, especially after what had happened earlier. She wasn’t sure what to do. How much could she interfere in her sister’s marriage?
Just when they had all begun to relax, they heard the front door slam open. They all sat in anxious silence as Matthew appeared in the doorway, gripping the handle as he swayed to and fro. Susannah had never seen anyone so drunk before. He said nothing at first, as if taking in the scene of the sisters and their mother in harmony. But Susannah saw a dark glint in his eye, as his mouth twisted into a cruel smile.
‘What’s going on here?’ he asked. ‘Why are you naked in the kitchen for all to see?’ He addressed Kate, ignoring Susannah and her mother as if they didn’t exist.
Kate stumbled out of the bath, grabbing the towel off the chair. Her whole body radiated fear.
‘Leave her alone,’ Susannah said, standing up, hands on her hips.
‘Or what?’ Matthew said, dismissing her, before grabbing Kate by the arm. ‘Where’s my dinner?’
‘We thought you would be out all night,’ Kate simpered. ‘But I can make your dinner now, darling. Of course. Won’t take me long.’
‘I’ll help,’ their mom said, putting down her lacing and taking a pot out of the cupboard. ‘You put your feet up, Matthew, and we’ll have some potatoes and fish cooked up for you in no time.’
Matthew narrowed his eyes.
‘What kind of useless wife are you?’ he roared at Kate. ‘To have no dinner on the table for her husband when he’s out risking his life every single day?’
‘Keep your voice down. The baby,’ Susannah said.
Matthew turned on her. ‘Did you just tell me to keep my voice down in my own house?’ he yelled at her. Immediately, they heard Lynsey crying from across the hall.
‘Don’t antagonise him, Susie, please,’ Kate begged as she went to go for the baby. But Matthew grabbed her by the arm on her way out of the door.
‘I come first,’ he demanded. ‘You have to feed me first.’
‘But the baby is crying; she’s hungry, Matthew. Mom and Susie will get your dinner.’
‘It’s your job. Let them give the darn baby a bottle.’
‘Her name is Lynsey and she’s your daughter!’ Susannah suddenly flared, pushing past him out of the door to get to her niece, who was screaming at this stage.
Lynsey was red in the face by the time Susie picked her up. ‘Come on, darling, hang on now, Mommy is coming.’ She jigged her up and down, so that her screams subsided into hiccups.
Any minute now Kate would come in, Susannah reassured herself. Matthew would hardly stop his wife from feeding her own baby. But to Susannah’s horror, Matthew thundered into the room after all and yanked Lynsey out of her arms. Lynsey began roaring again.
‘Give her back!’ Susannah yelled at him.
‘She’s my daughter,’ he declared.
Kate ran into the room. ‘Matthew darling, please, she needs to be fed,’ she said, her voice trembling. ‘Give her to me, come on now.’
‘Fine,’ he said, offering Lynsey to Kate. Her sister quickly took her in her arms and unbuttoned her shirt to feed her.
‘Not in here,’ Matthew said, pushing Kate out of the door. ‘No man wants to see his wife looking like a milking cow.’
Susannah could feel herself trembling with rage. She had to get away from this hideous man, but when she went to follow Kate out of the room, Matthew stood in her way.
‘Let me by,’ Susannah said.
‘I know your dirty little secret,’ Matthew said in a low hiss.
Susannah felt her chest tighten, a shiver down her spine. ‘Get out of my way; you’re drunk.’
‘In case you didn’t know, as Kate’s husband I read all her mail before she does, although she’s so dumb she doesn’t notice.’ He gave her a nasty smile. ‘I especially read every single one of the foul letters from her sister about her filthy injun lover.’
The air was suddenly thick with threat. Susannah felt her mouth go dry. ‘That’s none of your business.’
‘It is so,’ he said. ‘As the head of this family it’s my responsibility to ensure my wife isn’t corrupted and to look after all of your moral values. And Susannah, I find yours lacking.’
‘You’re a monster,’ she hissed.
Quick as a flash, Matthew slapped her across the face. She stepped back in shock, and as she did so he punched her in the mouth and pushed her on the bed.
‘I think we both know what lesson it is you need to learn,’ he said, flipping her over on her stomach so that her cries were muffled by the
