𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥'𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫 ᵖᵉᵃᵏʸ ᵇˡⁱⁿᵈᵉʳˢ

𝟑𝟖

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟑𝟖

It had been two weeks since Maeve almost died. A week and a half since Grace's funeral. And during this time, Maeve remained at home until Arthur and Polly deemed her 'fit to leave the house.'

She shakily stood, slowly opening her door to listen to Linda and Arthur's conversation downstairs.

"All i'm saying is that it's clear Maeve has..some things wrong with her. And that's why i think we should look at getting her some help." Linda suggested.

Arthur shook his head, standing by the fire. "She don't need help, Linda. She's a fucking Shelby-"

"Language." Linda scolded.

"She's a Shelby, yeah? She don't need anyone's help. She can get through it just like I did. Maeve has her medicine, she has her family. That's all my daughter needs, trust me." He snapped.

Linda stared at him. "Are you saying what she's done is acceptable? Maeve is seventeen and going round cutting people open. When I was seventeen-"

"When you were seventeen, you were going to church every bloody day! We don't do that- Maeve doesn't do that. And if you think for one second i'll force my daughter to do something that's more likely to drive her mad, then you don't know who I am." Arthur defended.

"Arthur, i'm not the enemy."

"Are ya saying my daughter is the enemy, eh? Is that what you're fucking saying?!" He shouted, inching closer to Linda and grabbing her wrist. "Cause if that's what you're saying, i'd suggest you pray to ya fucking lord and wish for some fucking mercy."

"Arthur get off me." Linda said lowly, pulling her wrist away. "One day you'll see how demented she's becoming. One day."

Arthur took a deep breath and left the room, slamming the door behind him and freezing when he saw Maeve at the top of the stairs.

"Demented?" She scoffed, "if anyone's demented it's your fucking wife." She told him, slowly making her way down the stairs.

"You're supposed to be in bed. Resting." He reminded her. "Dad, there's only so long somebody can rest for before they go mad. And according to Linda, i'm mad enough so i'd say it's best for me to be out of bed."

"Very well.." Arthur shrugged, taking out a flask of whiskey and opening it.

"You're doing that again?" She questioned, stopping at the bottom step. He raised an eyebrow in confusion. "The flask, the whiskey. I thought you said you'd stopped drinking so much?"

"Yeah well this is only my second of the day."

"And it's only twelve in the afternoon? World record, kids will learn that in history." She joked, looking away at the window. "How's uncle Tom?"

"He's not doing well according to Ada. The funeral was last week, but Tom being Tom, hardly batted an eye."

"Yeah well, that Thomas for ya aint it? Speaking of, I heard you're going down to Arrow house today..reckon you can take me with?" Maeve asked, tilting her head.

Arthur raised his eyebrow. "No way."

"What?!" She practically "you're gonna deprive me of social interaction with my own family? Who is the demented one now!?"