CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Audsley was at his mother’s side in an instant. “Have Deakins send for Mr. Friedman, my mother’s physician,” he said to Emma.
She rushed out to the foyer to relay Audsley’s instructions, then asked Mrs. Deakins to prepare a guest chamber. Emma returned to the library to find the dowager on the settee, looking faint with Audsley standing beside her. “Perhaps you should move her upstairs.”
Audsley nodded, then picked up his mother and proceeded to carry her upstairs to where several maids were already hurrying in and out of a bedchamber. Audsley entered, then carefully put his mother on the bed.
Emma was at his side. “I’ll help her undress.”
“That is not something a countess would do,” snapped the dowager, who somehow managed to be rude even as they were helping her.
“Nevertheless, I shall do so,” said Emma, before turning to Audsley. “Send word to her butler and maid that she’ll be staying here at least for the night and send Mr. Friedman up as soon as he arrives.”
“I’m not leaving you here,” said Audsley.
“Yes, you are,” said Emma, as she kissed him, then gave him a gentle shove toward the door.
Once he was gone, she turned to the task at hand. “We need to get you out of your corset so you can breathe better.”
“I’ll do nothing of the kind.”
“Yes, you will,” said Emma. “You could be seriously ill and neither the corset nor your anger at me are doing you any favors. There will be time enough to express your displeasure with me later. Right now, you must do this.”
It was nothing short of a miracle when Amelia begrudgingly allowed it. “I have nothing to put on and I cannot be dressed in just my chemise when Friedman arrives.”
Emma turned to one of the maids who was bringing fresh water into the room. “Can you please fetch my dressing gown?”
“Yes, my lady,” said the girl, who then quickly left to do as instructed.
“You should never ask servants to do their job. You tell them to do so. They won’t respect you, otherwise.”
“I have always treated servants as I would like to be treated, if I were in their position.”
“You should be in their position, you know. You don’t deserve to be a countess.”
“Quite frankly, my lady, I don’t give a fig about being a countess, I only want to be a good wife to Audsley.” She knew she shouldn’t upset the dowager when she was in this fragile state, but it was very hard not to simply tell her to go to the devil. But Emma had been raised better than that.
The maid returned with the dressing gown and Emma barely suppressed a groan. It was the only one she possessed and was virtually threadbare. She’d been embarrassed for Audsley to see it, but it hadn’t stayed on her long enough for him to notice. She had a feeling Amelia would not be so forgiving.
“I’m not wearing that rag!” said Amelia.
“It is the only one I have, madam. So, your choice is either that or your chemise. Which will it be?”
“Bring me one of my son’s!”
Emma considered ignoring the command, but she nodded and smiled at the maid, who quickly scampered out of the room. She was back in a moment with the garment and Emma helped the dowager into it, before settling her in bed.
“These linens do not seem freshly pressed.”
“They look pressed to me,” said Emma, on the verge of losing her patience with the tiresome woman. There was a knock at the door, then Mrs. Deakins opened it.
“We did not bid you enter!” said the dowager.
“How may I help you, Mrs. Deakins?” asked Emma.
“Mr. Friedman is with me. His lordship asked me to bring him here straight away. Should we come back later?”
“No, please show him in.” If Emma had had to spend more time alone with the dowager, she wasn’t sure how she’d hold up, despite her good upbringing.
“My lady,” Mr. Friedman said to Amelia, bowing deeply and completely ignoring Emma. He was a tall man with a full head of dark hair with a smattering of grey, who looked to be about a decade younger than the dowager. He carried an expensive leather satchel and his clothing looked like the best Bond Street had to offer.
“Thank heavens you have arrived, Friedman,” said Amelia, suspiciously weaker than she’d been just a moment earlier when she’d been criticizing Emma. “I wasn’t sure I would last the night.”
“I am most distressed to hear that, my lady.” said Friedman, brushing past Emma to go nearer the bed.
“You may go,” said Amelia to Emma.
Emma would rather not stay, but she did have an obligation to the other woman, both as her hostess and as her daughter-in-law. “Are you certain you would not like me to stay?”
“Quite.”
Emma was more than happy to leave, though she asked a maid in the hall to stay near the bedchamber in case she was needed.
Emma found Audsley near the stairs. It was always difficult to read Audsley’s emotions, but he was definitely upset. Emma put her arms around him and was relieved when he held her. “I believe she’ll be all right.”
“Why do you say that?”
“She was well enough to be mean to me.”
He chuckled and Emma liked feeling it reverberate through his chest. “I’m so sorry for the way she treated you. I’ll make her leave as soon as she is able.”
“While that does sound delightful, I believe we should allow her to stay for a few days to ensure she is well.”
“She has servants to care for her and I will pay for Friedman to stay by her bedside.”
“But there is no substitute for family when one is ill.”
“My mother is an unpleasant woman. I doubt her mood will improve while she recuperates.”
“I’ll not argue with you about how unpleasant she can be, but we cannot abandon her in her time of need. Besides, being rude to me will lift her spirits. I’m sure she’ll feel better in no time.”
Audsley kissed her, then pulled her close. “You are a kind woman, Emma. Our baby could not have chosen a better mother.”
“Thank you. I am rather fond of the babe’s father, myself.”
* * *
“What is it this time?” asked Friedman with some disdain, once they were alone and the door firmly shut.
“You are being impertinent. Fluff the pillow behind my back,” said Amelia, as she sat up so Friedman could reach it. For a moment, he did nothing. But once she arched a brow, he languidly walked to the bed and fluffed the pillow. “You are to tell my son there is something wrong with my heart.”
“And here I thought you didn’t have one,” said Friedman, as he pulled a bottle of laudanum from his satchel and took a long sip.
“You forget who you are. More importantly, you forget who I am.”
He re-stoppered the bottle, then put it back in his bag. “I don’t know how I could do that when you are always there to remind me.”
“Your complaints grow tiresome. I am a countess, after all. You should know your place.”
“You are now a dowager countess, a position which isn’t quite so lofty as the one you held before. Your daughter-in-law seems quite attractive, for a country mouse. I imagine she will be very popular in town and learn to spend the estate’s blunt accordingly.”
“Your language is vulgar. One does not speak of money and one certainly does not call it ‘blunt.’”
“Whatever it’s called, you owe me quite a bit of it. Having had a look at the countess, I begin to wonder if I’ll get any that I’m owed.”
“You’ll get what you’re owed and more if you do your part. Say that I am too weak to be moved and they should take care to not upset me.”
“That would seem to be a Herculean task.”
“Just do it. Now leave me be.”
“Surely you don’t wish me to go before I leave you this?” He pulled out a small bottle of laudanum.
She eyed it for a moment, as if considering her options, then put her hand out. “Give it to me.”
“Shouldn’t there be a please, there?”
“Countesses do not say ‘please’ with their servants.”
Now it was his turn to arch a brow. But he gave her the bottle, bowed mockingly, then left.
* * *
Audsley sat at his desk in the library, studying Friedman, who sat opposite him. Audsley considered the report he’d just been given. He knew little of his mother’s physician other than she’d been seeing him for the better part of two years. He wasn’t certain what she was being treated for and had not even realized she was ill. But he’d spent little time with her over the years and she was of an age when ailments caught up to a person. “You believe she has a weak heart?”
“I am afraid so, my lord. As one grows old, the heart begins to weaken. Has anything upset her recently?”
“My mother is easily upset. Any number of things could have disturbed her.” He refused to blame his decision to marry for her collapse.
“My recommendation would be to keep her as calm as possible. She’s not to be moved and great care should be given to her daily needs.”
Audsley nodded. “How long of a rest do you believe she will require?”
“It is hard to say, my lord. I would say the minimum would be a week or two, perhaps more.”
“It will be done,” said Audsley, rising.
“There is the matter of the payment for my services,” said Friedman, remaining where he sat. “I hate to bring it up at such a delicate time, but I have been attending to your mother’s needs for a while now and she has fallen behind on her payments. You know how ladies are on matters of finance.”
“I suggest you do not let my wife hear your opinions on that matter. Send an invoice to my man of business. I’m certain he will pay you promptly.” Friedman looked a bit disappointed that he wouldn’t be leaving with payment, but Audsley wasn’t going to take the man’s word for it that he was owed money. His mother had many failings, but negligence with finances wasn’t one of them. If she’d been ill, she might have let some things slip and Audsley would definitely pay any amount owed. But for now, there were other matters requiring his attention. He walked toward the door to his library, confident Friedman would follow.
After a moment, the man finally did.
“Good day, my lord. I shall return tomorrow, but pray do not hesitate to call me if I am needed in the meantime.”
Audsley bade farewell to the physician, then nodded to Deakins to see him out.
Then Audsley went in search of his wife.