It was taking Charlotte longer than necessary to dip a washcloth in the water basin and wring it out. "Charlotte?" Finally, Charlotte handed the wet cloth to her and McKenna held it against Sassy's head, hoping to make the bleeding stop. Then she smiled. "I fear you might have a black eye soon."
Sassy returned her smile, letting her deep dimples show. "I've not had one of those since James walloped me a good one for callin' him a put-her."
McKenna removed the cloth and stood back up. "You best lie down, dear, so I can wash the blood off your face and out of your hair." She waited for Sassy to obey, sat down next to her, noticed the bleeding had not stopped and pressed the cloth against the cut again.
"Who saw what happened?" Hannish asked as he grabbed a spare blanket, walked to the other side of the bed, unfolded it and spread it over Sassy.
"I did," Sarah said, pushing her way through the others standing just inside the doorway. "Sassy refused to call her 'My Lady' and the duchess hit her with her brush. She had a handful of Sassy's hair too when I pulled the duchess off."
Hannish was not as concerned about her hair as he was about the way Sassy was holding her arm. "Is it broken?"
"Nay, just a little sore, is all," Sassy answered.
He gently took her hand, examined the red defensive marks on the underside of Sassy's arms, and then felt the bones for lumps. "Is this the first time Olivia has done such a thing?" he asked the others.
"Nay, she threw hot tea on me on the ship," Millie answered. "Another time she…"
"Millie," McKenna interrupted, "My brother need not hear all the details. 'Tis enough for him to know Olivia cannae control her anger."
"Good heavens, why did no one tell me?" Hannish searching their faces, but none of them answered. He ran his fingers through his thick, wavy hair and tried to calm his rage before he did something he would regret. "How could I have been so mistaken about her?"
Donnel tried to comfort him. "You could not have known. None of us did afore you married her, else we woulda said."
The idea that his wife had hurt Donnel or Blanka made him draw in a deep breath. "She'll not hurt anyone again, of that I promise."
McKenna got up and went to rinse out the cloth in the basin. "Out everyone, let Sassy rest."
Sarah watched them leave and stayed anyway. "I will get some aspirin and a cup of tea."