Page 22 of Break Me: Smith and Belle

The rest of the house was quiet when I headed toward the kitchen. Edward hadn’t come in from the party as far as I knew. I was going to have to ask him how things went with Tomas in the morning. Given that I’d left him with Jane, there was no telling how much trouble he’d gotten into. I flipped on the kitchen lights and turned, nearly jumping out of my skin when I found Mrs. Winters sitting at the table.

“You scared me,” I said. Had she been sitting alone in the dark? I studied her for a moment. Her eyes were red-rimmed and she was clutching a mug tightly in her white-knuckled grip.

“Seems fair, given how much your oversight scared me,” she said in a cold voice.

“I didn’t know that Nora…“ I trailed away, torn between feeling surprised by her reaction and feeling guilty because I knew she was somewhat right.

“Can I get you something, ma’am?” she asked dutifully, pushing her chair back. Its legs scraped across the floor more loudly in the sleeping house.

“I’m just getting a glass of water,” I said, heading over to the cabinets. I took a glass down and filled it. Drinking it in silence, I considered how to make this right for her.

“I must have overlooked the information in her application,” I said for Mrs. Winters’s benefit. “There was so much happening with the remodel and the baby. Smith and I are going to go through all of the employee files and make sure nothing like this ever happens again.”

“Yes, ma’am.” She bobbed her head at me before rising slowly, wobbling a little on her feet.

“Are you feeling well?” I asked in concern as she swayed on her feet.

“I’m just fine,” she snapped. “I’ll be going down to bed unless you need me.”

I shook my head. Mrs. Winters disappeared down the narrow servant’s staircase toward her quarters on the ground floor.. I waited until she was gone and walked over to the table. Picking up the mug she was drinking from, I sniffed it and immediately gasped as the sting of whiskey hit my nostrils. No wonder she’d been shaky on her feet. It wasn’t my place to judge a grown woman’s drinking choices, especially on New Year’s Eve, but I couldn’t help wondering if Mrs. Winters was a mean drunk, given how rudely she’d just spoken to me.

I carried the cup to the sink and rinsed it out, leaving it on the counter. Tonight had been too much for all of us. We had all been through a lot lately. But it was a new year, and I was determined that in the morning we would turn over a new leaf accordingly. I opened the rubbish bin to dump my tea leaves and saw the crumpled remains of the fruitcake there. No doubt it was the one that had caused Nora’s allergic reaction.

Making my way upstairs, I paused at her room and knocked softly before peeking in. “I just wanted to check on you. I hope you weren’t sleeping.”

“I think I’m a bit too shaken up to sleep,” she admitted, biting her lip. “I’m sorry to ruin your night.”

“Don’t apologize to me,” I said firmly. “I should have known about your allergy.”

“I thought you did,” she said with some hesitation. “It was on my application, and I brought it up to you personally.”

“Honestly, I’ve had baby brain for a while.” It was the nicest way to say that I hadn’t had my shit together of late.

“I’m not upset with you,” she said quickly. “I didn’t mean to suggest that.”

“I barely remember anything before Penny was born. Everything was happening all at once.”

“Oh no, Belle, it was after I came to help you with Penny.” She cocked her head at my puzzled face. “You don’t remember? You said you would tell Mrs. Winters. It’s why I didn’t worry about the fruitcake. Normally, I avoid them.”

“It must’ve slipped my mind.” It was a lie. I had no recollection of her mentioning it, but those had been sleep deprived days. “Is there anything I can get you?”

“I’m fine. I promise I’ll be back up to help you with the baby in the morning. I’m supposed to rest for now.”

“Take all the time you need. Smith and I are taking turns with Penny.

“I just don’t want you to think I’m not available,” she said meaningfully.

I forced a smile, I didn’t need another reminder that she’d taken over the task of being Penny’s primary caregiver. “We’ll be fine. I’m glad that you’re okay. Good night.”

She settled against her pillow and smiled. “Good night.”

I closed the door behind me and started toward the nursery. I paused as I reached Smith’s study. I wanted to see Nora’s application for myself. This shouldn’t have happened.. I went to his desk, prepared to rifle through his drawers to look for the employee files but found a stack of them on top of his desk instead. I sorted through them, looking for Nora’s but hers was the only one not on the desk. Naturally.

I opened his file drawer and thumbed through the hanging folders. There was paperwork regarding Thornham. The lease to his offices that he’d completely ignored since Penny’s arrival. Information pertinent to my own business. Our will. But Nora’s file was nowhere to be found. I looked through the stack on his desk again. All I had wanted was to see it there in black and white, and prove to myself that was an innocent oversight. But as I returned the files to the stack, I couldn’t help wondering where Nora’s information was—and who had it.

11

Smith