"I'll get you, though," Ada said, and to anyone's ears her voice sounded sane. Usual. But I caught a glimpse of her in the panes of the window and her expression was sly, like a cornered rat.
“Gideon’s already gotten what he wants from you. There’s no need to keep you around anymore.”
“What did he want from me?” I asked quickly.
But she only looked at me with that sly smile, her pupils unfocused, red-veins pulsating with blood.
“Do you know how many times we’ve planned out how best to kill you? How he wondered if it was better to poison you or maybe throw you off a precipice?”
My heart almost pounded out of my chest.
Confirmation!I wanted to scream. This is confirmation. But there were still mysteries I wanted to figure out, needed to figure out. And I was so close to figuring them out. . .
“It’s been you killing those animals, isn’t it?” I asked, trying to edge away from her.
“Of course,” Ada said unblinkingly. “Sofunnyhow much they distressed you. Because you’reweak. That’s what I told Gideon. But he justwon’tlisten.”
"You're a fool," I said coldly. "Gideon wants this baby."
"He wantsme!" Ada suddenly screeched. "Not you! You were only supposed to be good for one thing. When did he start caring that you were warm? That you had the best room in the house?Ican give him a baby, if only he wouldn't pull out! I can, I can, Ican!”
And then I felt the true danger, knew I couldn't avoid it, that myplan had succeeded, but at great risk to myself?—
I darted for the door, but she ripped at the back of my gown, shoving me onto a nearby couch.
"You've a silly slut’s face, Deliverance. I'd like to see it burn."
Clutching at my belly, I tried to get away, but it was too late.
Ada grabbed one of the vials and ripped open the stopper. Then she flung its diabolical contents directly at me!
The vivid green droplets hung, suspended in the air, as I stared in horror at my own destruction. They began to fall on my skirt with angry hisses, burning through the fabric with a sulfuric smell.
I screamed, the sound echoing in my ears as the smell of burned cloth filled my nose.
She went to fling the rest of the contents into my face, but suddenly Gideon was there, twisting her wrist back so the poison fell into her face instead of mine.
Ada screamed as the acidic drops landed, burning her flesh with a sickening sizzle. Under my horrified eyes, the flesh began to slowly melt from her bones.
"You whore from the bowels of hell!" he roared. "You dare try to kill my wife and my child! I have been blind to your machinations, but from this day forth, you will be driven outof this house, and you must pray to whatever foul demon you suckle the teat of that I will never see your face again!"
He seized a horsewhip hanging on the wall and began to thrash her with it, landing harsh licks all up and down her back.
She was wailing in agony, the flesh pouring from her body. What she had hoped to unleash upon me had been unleashed upon her, and I knew in Christian charity I should feel pity for the figure she made as my husband chased her from the home.
But I am afraid I have to confess I ran to the window to watch as they left, and for once was glad for the unflagging strength of Gideon's punishing arm.
When her wails had faded into the distance, he strode back to me.
"Are you all right?" he asked, looking more serious and concerned than I had ever seen him. "I shouldn’t have allowed Ada to stay here after I got married. To have one’s wife and one’s mistress under the same roof was a damn idiotic thing to do. There is nothing to fear from this workshop now. I am very careful with my recipes, of that you may be sure. Let me help you back to the house so you may rest."
I said nothing, watching the property line as we walked back to the house.
Was that a flicker behind the tree?
“There is no need to worry I will bring another woman here,” Gideon said sternly, tightening his hold on my thickening waist. "I am a dishonorable man, but I will do better as a husband."
“It’s too late to get into heaven now,” I said.
