OLIVIA
Chapter Thirty-Nine

Before anyone could even react, Patrick erupted in an angry growl and charged Cal, tackling him off the bed. Angelina screamed as the two men landed with a loud thud and began rolling across the floor. Grunting could be heard all around the room as they fought like madmen, both of them trying to take the upper hand.

"Miss Olivia!" Marietta cried, and ran over to the semi-conscious Olivia. Her concern was for her mistress and not the two men as she scooted onto the bed and grabbed her hand. "Miss Olivia! Can you hear me?" she cried amidst the chaos in the room. "Miss Olivia!"

Olivia groaned and tried to open her eyes. "Help," she barely whispered. "Help me, please."

"Angelina! Help me get her out of here." Marietta motioned quickly to her friend, but the poor girl was frozen in fear as Patrick and Cal slammed into the dresser, sending items flying all around them. "Angelina!" Marietta shouted, and began pulling on Olivia with all of her might.

Finally, turning to Marietta and seeing what she was trying to do, Angelina ran over to them and helped Marietta lift her from the bed. Olivia’s head lolled backwards as she was lifted between the two women and half dragged across the room and out onto the landing.

"To the nursery!" Marietta gasped, and turned toward the nursery door.

Olivia groaned again as the pain of them jostling her filtered into her foggy senses. She felt as if she was floating, and yet the pain she was feeling was making everything too real. When they reached the door, Angelina opened it and they led her inside. Sitting her down in a rocker, Marietta raced back and locked the door behind them.

"What about Patrick?" Angelina asked in a frantic cry.

"I don’t know," Marietta answered shakily as she came back over to Olivia. "I can’t think right now."

"What is the meaning of this?" Mrs. Ryan’s voice broke the silence around them when she clicked on the nearby lamp. "What is going on here?" she asked harshly until she saw Olivia’s limp body. "What in heaven’s name?" she breathed.

"Mrs. Ryan, please help us," Angelina pleaded tearfully. "Mr. Hockley…he’s gone mad."

Mrs. Ryan frowned as she came closer to Olivia and inspected her bruised and bloodied face. "He did this?"

Marietta got to her feet and faced her. "He did, and it’s a good thing we got to her when we did. We have to help her, Mrs. Ryan."

Mrs. Ryan drew herself up and furiously shook her head. "Ladies, we must get Mrs. Hockley and the children away from here immediately. I will not work for a man who does this to his wife. Mr. Ryan, God rest his soul, couldn’t stomach a man who beat his wife, and neither do I."

"But how?" Angelina sniffed.

"Where is he now?" she asked as she looked down at Olivia again.

Angelina and Marietta looked worriedly at each other. "He and Patrick are in still in their suite," Marietta told her, biting her lip. "Patrick attacked him when he saw Mr. Hockley hit her."

"Attacked? Oh, dear Lord," the older woman replied.

"We have to do something now!" Marietta spoke up.

Just then, Olivia stirred. She had been listening to the conversation around her, although everything was still hazy. "Patrick," she moaned. "No, Patrick…he’ll kill you."

Mrs. Ryan’s eyes shot over to Marietta as the two women recognized the intimate tone to her voice. There was obviously something more going on than either woman suspected. Clearing her throat, Mrs. Ryan bent down in front of her. "Mrs. Hockley, can you stand? We have to get you out of here."

Olivia opened her eyes slowly and tried to focus on her. "My babies…Patrick. I can’t leave them."

"No. No, of course not. We’ll get the babies. Don’t you worry," she assured her calmly. She motioned for the two ladies to gather the sleeping twins from their beds as she helped Olivia get to her feet. They all made their way to the door, where Mrs. Ryan opened it slowly, looking out onto the shadowy landing as she did. A sudden crash from the suite broke around them as the two men burst through the doors and fell onto the floor, their heaving bodies still grappling violently with each other.

Angelina screamed and stepped back, holding on tightly to Catherine as she did.

Cal stood warily, his breathing heavy and labored. "I should have listened to my father about you! He warned me, but I didn’t listen!"

Patrick staggered to his feet, as well, and faced Cal. "When did you ever listen to anyone besides yourself? You’re so full of yourself, it’s sickening."

Cal sneered and gripped his bruised fists tightly. "I will not stand here and listen to this any longer. Remove yourself from my home immediately, and I don’t ever want to see your face around here again!"

"You are a pathetic excuse for a man, Caledon Hockley!" Patrick fired back with the same intensity. "You can beat up on your wife, but when it comes to someone your own size and strength, you prove yourself to be the coward you are."

"How dare you?" Cal gritted. "No man calls me a coward and gets away with it."

"I dare," Patrick retorted heavily. "You think you’re infallible because of your wealth and prestige, when the reality is you are nothing but a slimy, twisted, conceited bastard who gets off on beating his wife. Well, I’m here to tell you, you will never lay another finger on her again…not as long as I have breath in my body."

Cal stared at him angrily for a moment, and then suddenly something in his demeanor changed. He stepped back and looked at him as if something had just occurred to him. He narrowed his eyes on Patrick’s face and let out a ragged laugh. "You’re in love with her, aren’t you?"

Patrick never wavered in his stance. His cold eyes never left Cal’s position. "She deserves better than you. You never cared about her. She was only a possession to you…something you could buy and own."

"My God!" Cal’s laugh became louder with disbelief. "You’re in love with my wife--my wife, McBride. You are a fool, a bigger fool than I first thought."

Patrick gripped his fists at his sides and stepped closer to Cal in the process. "You may have money and power, but that’s not going to keep you from losing everything you deem important. I’m taking Olivia and the twins away from here, and if you try to stop me, I’ll kill you."

The silence that followed crackled the air like electricity. "You have truly lost your mind if you think that will ever happen," Cal replied in a hard, flinty voice. "I don’t give a damn about Olivia, but you will not touch my children, especially my son."

Olivia, who had finally recovered enough to be aware of what was happening, flinched at Cal’s harsh words. There it was--the cold, hard truth. Cal had never cared about her, and the revelation of that was harder than she thought it would be. When she thought of the many times she had wanted, hoped, and dreamed of a happy life with him and their children, she counted herself a fool now for it. With a determined sigh, she lifted her head. She was no longer going to be his whipping post. She was no longer going to let him decide what was best for her or her children, ever again. From now on, she was in control, and it was time she let him know it. She stepped forward, but was held back by a fearful Marietta.

"No, Miss Olivia! Please." She shook her head.

Olivia lifted Marietta’s hand from her arm and turned her fierce gaze onto Cal. With a shaky but loud voice, she slowly came out of the shadows. "You have forgotten one thing, Cal. They’re my children, too, and I will leave with them, whether you like it or not."

Cal and Patrick turned in unison to Olivia. Her face was swollen on the side Cal had hit her, and she even winced once in pain, but she stood tall and determined as she faced her husband.

"What in the--" Cal started, and that was when he noticed Angelina, Marietta, and Mrs. Ryan holding the now squirming twins, all of whom were staring at them. "What is going on here?" he thundered.

"I’ll tell you what’s going on here," Olivia answered coldly as she came to face him. "I’m leaving you. Here and now. I’m taking my children and I’m leaving."

"Are you insane?" Cal gasped angrily. "You aren’t going anywhere, and neither are my children."

"That’s where you’re wrong, Cal. I am leaving, and you will not stop me," she said, shaking her head. She turned to the frightened women and motioned to them. "Angelina, Marietta, take them downstairs."

"No!" Cal shouted as he stepped forward. "You will not move even one inch! I forbid it!"

Mrs. Ryan placed her arms around the two women and the babies, ushering them down the stairs, away from the scene that was taking place. She glared at Cal over her shoulder and shook her head as they descended the staircase.

"Come back here! I will have your heads for this!" Cal shouted agitatedly.

"It’s too late, Cal. It’s too late! I gave you chance after chance, and it was not enough--I was never enough. Well, the time has come when I’ve had enough!" she yelled at him. "I’m tired of the games and the lies, and I’m tired of you, Cal. I’m sick and tired of you!"

Cal growled angrily and lunged for her, but was immediately stopped by Patrick’s fist when it slammed into his stomach. Air expelled from his gut as he doubled over, but Patrick gave him no time to react. He came up hard and slammed into his face sending him sprawling backwards into the wall, crashing into a large framed family photograph of them.

With a loud cracking sound, the picture shattered all over the floor, sending shards of glass everywhere. Patrick ran over to him and straddled him, grabbing his hair in the process. Once more, he slammed his fist into his face, flinging Cal to the side, facedown into the glass.

"Patrick!" Olivia cried, and came rushing forward.

"Get back, Olivia!" he breathed heavily as he held out his hand.

Suddenly, Cal lunged forward, holding a piece of the broken glass in his bare hand. "You piece of filth!" he shouted as he swung up, barely missing Patrick’s face.

"No!" Olivia screamed, and jumped between them, throwing herself on Cal. He lost his balance and the two stumbled backwards, falling on the floor with Olivia landing on top of him. "I hate you!" she screamed, and began pounding on him with her small fists.

Cal grunted and grabbed her flailing arms. He growled and threw her off of him, rolling so that he was the one on top. He pinned her hands above her head and snarled into her face. "Do you honestly think I’m going to let you leave here alive? No court in the land will convict me when they learn what a heartless adulterer you were and how you chose your lover over your children."

"Get off of me!" She bucked wildly beneath him, and in a matter of seconds, that was precisely what he did…but not of his own accord. Patrick tackled him from behind and they landed with a thud, precariously close to the staircase.

"Run, Olivia!" Patrick shouted as he and Cal rolled back and forth, both trying to get in hits when and where they could. Olivia heaved herself up and watched in horror as they rolled one time too many and fell over the first step, which sent them flying down the staircase. She ran to the banister and looked on frantically as they came to a stop halfway down. On staggering feet, Patrick stood and focused on Cal’s prone body. With one final blow, he reared back and slammed into his face. Heaving heavily, he waited for retaliation, but Cal was out.

Patrick stumbled backwards and fell into the railing, gasping for breath but never taking his eyes off his nemesis. Olivia came down the stairs with a cry and grabbed him, burying her face into his shoulder. "Oh, God! You’re all right." He held her with one arm and nodded through his breaths.

"I’m fine, but this is not over. He won’t stop, Olivia. He’ll never stop. He’s ruthless, manipulative, and cold. I’ve seen it too many times before."

"It doesn’t matter. I’m never coming back." She intensely shook her head. "Let’s just go. I want to leave this place."

Patrick hesitated for only a moment more, and then he nodded and released a deep breath, glaring down at Cal. "He’ll never hurt you again. I promise."

Olivia gave him an emotional smile and then wrapped her arm around his middle to help him. They descended the stairs, where the three women and the babies were waiting for them in the hall. When they reached the bottom, Mrs. Ryan stepped forward.

"I have summoned the car around, Mrs. Hockley. You and your children will soon be gone from here."

"Thank you, Mrs. Ryan. I truly appreciate it."

"Quickly. We must go outside. Don’t you worry. I will take care of Angelina and Marietta. My sister lives close by, and we will be going there just as soon as you’re safely away."

"I don’t know how to thank you." Olivia reached over and gave the woman a hug.

"Now, now, there’s no time for emotions. You just take care of those precious children. I’ve grown quite attached to them, and I don’t want to see any harm come to them."

Nodding, Olivia let Patrick lead her outside. Just as the door was opening, a commotion was heard behind them. Suddenly, Cal came half-stumbling down the stairs, pointing a finger at them. "Olivia! I will destroy you if you leave. Do you hear me? I will destroy you!"

"Hurry." Mrs. Ryan pushed them through the door just as the car came around. They ran over to it and scrambled inside, lifting Catherine and Nathaniel in with them. The driver, Martin, threw the car in gear, sending gravel flying behind him. Olivia turned around to look out of the rear window.

Cal came stumbling out of the house, and after giving them chase, finally fell on his knees. With one final cry, he threw his head back and began to scream. "Olivia!"

As he grew farther and farther away, she turned back and closed her eyes. It was over. She was free. She brought her children close to her and kissed them on their heads as Patrick did the same to her. Holding each other tightly, they drove into the night…and with them came the light of hope, freedom, and most importantly, love.

Chapter Forty
Stories