Chapter 38
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Louisa sat up in bed, sleep forgotten in an instant. Screams were coming from Daisy’s room. She pulled back the duvet and slipped her feet into her slippers.
‘What’s the matter?’ Richard said from her side.
‘Daisy is crying. She must have had a scary dream.’
‘I can’t hear anything.’
‘She sounds really distressed. I won’t be long.’
Richard switched on the lamp then. ‘Louisa, it’s two a.m. Come back to bed.’
Louisa stopped for a moment, wondering why he was being so sharp. Daisy was still crying. She couldn’t leave her to it.
‘I won’t be a moment.’
She heard him sigh as she left the room. But as she padded along the landing, the noise stopped. She popped her head around Daisy’s door. It was ajar, her nightlight still glowing.
‘Mummy’s here, Daisy,’ Louisa whispered as she crossed the room to her daughter. Yet as she got to the bed, she realised she was fast asleep. She’d expected Daisy to be sitting up after crying out like that, wanting the arms of her mum to soothe her. But no, she was dead to the world.
She stooped by the side of the bed, watching as her daughter’s chest rose and fell. Perhaps she’d been calling out in her sleep. Louisa had definitely heard her, despite what Richard had said.
After a couple of minutes, she went back to her own bedroom.
‘Well?’ Richard asked.
‘She’s fine. She must have been crying in her sleep.’
‘I never heard a thing. You’re imagining it again.’
‘I heard her as plain as anything.’
‘Yeah, yeah. Hurry up and switch the light off.’
Louisa did as she was told but lay awake in the dark. She knew she was listening out for Daisy. Sure enough, the moment she dropped off to sleep, Daisy started crying again. She sighed and pulled back the covers.
‘Where are you going now?’ Richard snapped.
‘Daisy is upset. Can’t you hear her?’
‘I have an important meeting in the morning and waking me up every hour is going to ruin my concentration.’
‘But I can hear her!’ Daisy’s cries were getting louder by the second. ‘I’m going to her.’
Richard muttered under his breath as she raced into Daisy’s room. But again she was asleep. She couldn’t understand it. Daisy very rarely cried during her sleep and twice in one night was unheard of. She went back to her bedroom, confused and disorientated.
‘I hope you’re not going to get up again,’ Richard growled. ‘Because if you do, don’t bother coming back to bed. Find a chair to sleep in.’
Louisa said nothing. It wouldn’t be worth the hassle she would receive. Richard was terrible if he’d been kept awake. She’d had the wrath of him on many occasions. Again, she lay in silence, waiting for a tiny peep out of Daisy, ready to jump up again.
Thankfully, she was quiet for the rest of the night. But the next morning Richard was in a foul mood.
‘What was going on last night?’ he questioned as soon as he woke up.
‘You mean with Daisy? I have no idea, but I bet she’ll be fine today, not even realising she’s interrupted us.’
‘Don’t try and put the blame on Daisy. She was fine and wasn’t screaming out. Hearing things isn’t doing any of us any favours.’
‘But I heard her.’
‘I didn’t.’
‘I’m not making it up. She was…’
‘She was asleep when you went into her room, both times.’
‘Yes, but—’
‘You can’t be in our room tonight. I need my rest.’
‘I know that and—’
He sighed. ‘Maybe you need to take a sleeping pill, to help you get through the night.’
‘No,’ she protested. ‘They make me feel like a zombie.’
‘They give me a good night’s rest.’
‘Well, perhaps I should go back to the doctors to get something milder.’
‘Perhaps you’ll do as you’re told for once and take the ones you have already.’
His cold stare was enough to make her want to escape the room. In his hand, he held the plastic bottle containing the pills. ‘Take one tonight and see what happens.’
She took the bottle from him, knowing she wasn’t going to do anything of the sort. She would feign sleep if she had to, and hope that Daisy didn’t scream out too.
While Richard had a shower, Louisa went to start breakfast. But as she took a few steps downstairs, she noticed that the front door was wide open.
She rushed to close it, going through to the kitchen to see if Sarah was up too. But there was no one there. A quick check around the property ensured everything was still secure.
What was going on? Dare she mention it to Richard in case he accused her of leaving it open? She couldn’t remember coming downstairs last night. No, she was certain she hadn’t.
‘Morning,’ Sarah said as she came into the kitchen a few minutes later.
‘Morning, did you sleep well?’
‘I did. There’s something about country living. I’m sleeping deeper than ever. It’s so relaxing.’
‘I’m sorry about Daisy’s crying though.’ Louisa gave a sad smile. ‘I think she’s having nightmares.’
‘The poor thing. But don’t worry. I didn’t hear anything so she was no trouble to me.’
‘I’m surprised. She was screaming so loud at one point.’
‘Oh dear. I hope you managed to comfort her.’
‘Yes, she was fine.’ Louisa decided not to mention that Daisy had been asleep both times she had gone to her. ‘And you didn’t come downstairs for anything during the night?’ she mentioned casually.
Sarah shook her head. ‘No, why?’
‘Oh, no reason.’ Louisa wondered whether to say anything to Richard about the front door being open. He’d likely not believe her anyway; most probably she’d get the blame.
‘It was great to get up knowing that I haven’t got to go to that bloody factory,’ Sarah said. ‘You were so lucky to get away, Lou.’
Louisa smiled half-heartedly. Lucky? To live here, yes.
To live under these circumstances? She begged to differ.