Marriage is Murder

Steven listened and nodded as Robert finished and he resized the bowl. "Right 36 used and 36 in the bowl." he said and began to do as Robert asked to help out.

About an hour later he was tying a sling around Abby's shoulder. Sending everything to the kitchen for wshing making the room as if nothing had he appened. "Want me to take her up or do want to ?" he asked as the last sheet was sent out. Cassidy pulled back the cover the bed and plumbed the pillows adding an extra one to support Abby's shoulder. Steven stood waiting he knew Cassidy would have the room looking its best for Abbey and sent the big kitten up to her. Cassidy saw the kitty float up and she put it in a chair close by adding a hanky as a sling to make out it was hurt too.

Robert wiped his hands and added to her pain spell. "No, you go ahead and take her. I want to wash my hands. And I'm worried about Kate and Michael. They should have been here by now. I'm not coming up and leaving no one downstairs."

He went into the kitchen to wash up and to brew a pot of tea. He had just put the tea on when Michael arrived with Kate.

"I was worried,' Robert told her.

"I'm sorry. Brian's not feeling well. How's Abbey?"

"Broken collarbone. She's going to be fine. Steven's taken her upstairs. I'll bring you tea in a moment. Whats' with Brian?"

"Woke up with a fever, stuffy head, stuffy chest, sore throat. No appetite, chills, achy. Just wants to be left alone. I found your fever potion, and Kieran is trying to get him to drink something. He didn't need a cold."

"Doesn't sound like a cold. Sounds like bronchitis or pneumonia, but not a cold. Did you tell Jess?"

"No, she looked like she had troubles of her own. Angus and Kieran will tell her if they need to, if she doesn't find it on her own," Kate said.

"I'll check in, in a bit," Robert said. "Go see Abbey."

"Do you need to send for more guards?"

"I dont' know. Steven will tell me if he needs more help," Robert told her.

Steven nodded and carried Abby up the stairs Cassidy walked out the room " in here " she said softly and motioned to the bed she had made up where he gently lay her down so not to jar her shoulder in any way. Cassidy pulled the covers over her and made sure she had some water. " I'll stay with her, you check the others " she said to Steven who nodded and after a quick kiss he left her for the nursary all remaining children played quietly.

Moving down he saw Kate and smiled "She's settled in a room next to Khaat, first door on the right." he said knowing she'd want to go check on Abby and Khaat. Steven looked at Robert he had over heard about Brian " you think those two will get it togther?" he asked meaning Jess and Jack.

"Thank you," Kate smiled. "I'll go straight up. Make sure he sends up that tea, will you?" She picked up her bag and went upstairs to Abbey's room. "Thank you, Cassidy," Kate said. "I'm sure she'll be fine. I'm just hoping we can soon find out what made her fall in the first place. Oh, and we need to let Khaat know that Abbey's up here and is resting. I'm sure she's worried."

"Which two? Jess and Jack? I don't think they have a problem. I think Jess is the one with the struggle. Kate thinks that they sent for Jeffrey. I'm almost hoping they did. Jess isn't quite on her game, and Kate says Brian woke up sick today.

"Its not like Brian to be sick at all. But apparently he's running a fever, his head and his chest is congested. He has a sore throat, and aches everywhere, and Kieran is having a hard time getting
him to eat or drink anything. That's just not Brian. And not for him to get that all at once. If Jess can't deal with him, I'm hoping Jeffrey will. I'd like to not have to take him back to St. Mungos for something we really could handle at home.

"Tell me," Robert said, changing subjects, "Are you and Cassidy going to be able to handle all this? There are four kids, and security. And that's presuming that Kate deals with Abbey, and Marcus deals with Khaat, and Michael deals with the house. If you need more help, you'll let me know straight away, right?"

Steven listened to Robert and nodded but still refrained from saying anything untill he changed the subject " yes we will be fine and yeah I'll let you know though I think one or two nursary staff would be a good idea might take the presure off " he said as he motioned for a tray and tea to be sent up to Kate. Cassidy looked up to se Kate and smiled.

" ow am I glad your here " she said relived and stood up " I think it was all the tenshion with Jack and Jess and that bad suffed Kitty over there, I don't know what happened but I wish they had called us a whole lot sooner." she said softly to her as she looked over at Abby. " shes not moved since Steven brought her up.

"Well, you know," Robert said, "Lizzie has a set of twins that just graduated from Hogwarts and they aren't working yet. They're good kids. Hug and Iris Danhurst. They're both 17. They were Hufflepuffs, I believe.

"If I recall, Hugh wants to go work with dragons in Romania with Charlie Weasley but can't go until winter because Charlie has no openings there right now.

"Um...Iris. Hm...what was that about her? Oh, yes. She's been interviewing for an herbalist with the local potions makers. Apparently does exceptionally well with plants, but then again, its getting a bit late in the season for herbs. So far as I know, the kids could use the money, and while they might not be fighters, you don't need them for that. They're honest kids, and they'd do well with the kids, I think. Perhaps I should have Jim ask Lizzie about whether they'd be interested.

Kate listened to Cassidy about her thoughts about what had happened to Abbey.

"I don't know," Kate said. "Its not like her to get involved or upset about adult squabbling. Perhaps something with the toy, but I'm sure when she wakes she'll tell us. And I wouldn't worry about the fact that she's not moved. Robert's most likely got her very medicated to keep her comfortable."

Steven listened to Robert and rubbed his now whisker covered chin. He knew they needed help and nodded "Good idea, the experiance would go along way for them." he said "Can you send for them?" he asked looking at Robert as he spoke. Cassidy smiled at Kate and nodded she was glad she was there.

" I agree, ow I know that, I guess Im just over protective." she could not help the chuckle to her self and smile at the sleeping Abby " I've gone from not knowing what to do around kids, to feeling like I could kill any one who hurts them." she looked to Kate with a smile then at Abby. " I'll stay and watch her tonight if you want." she asked .

"Send an owl to Jim, and ask him to go see Lizzie, would you?" Robert said. "If they can come, perhaps Jim would bring them around. Tell them to bring a bag. I'll expect them to live in.

"Oh, and do set an enchantment on the bedroom closest to the nursery to make it two bedrooms. They could be identical since it is an easier enchantment, but perhaps make one navy blue and one red. I do see Iris likes red. And Hugh tends to always be reading some novel about the navy and about sailing ships or some such.

"I'll trust you and Cassidy to help them find their way around and acquaint them with our rules and get them settled in. You might introduce them to Michael. He's evidently brought the dogs, so I hope they can deal with enchanted furniture. They're high spirited kids, so I think it'll be fine, and they'll keep the kids entertained so you two can get on with your duties. You'll both be in charge of supervising them.

"I'd appreciate you being here overnight, if that's alright," Kate told Cassidy. "But I think Abbey might want her Gram when she's awake. At least until she gets done being upset. There is one thing I do need to do before much of anything else. I need to go tell Khaat that Abbey is alright."

Steven nodded and moved to a table taking some paper he wrote a note then sent it threw the floo to Jim " of course we will Robert and don't worry." he said and moved to put the paper away. Cassidy looked at Kate and nodded she understood.

" I'll stay with her if you want to do that" she said and smiled at the sleeping Abby." I don't think she will wake any time soon" she looked at the room across where she knew Khaat would be. " I haven't seen her since the incident and she must be worried." Cassidy stood up and poked the fire to warm the room up for Abby.

Kate nodded and got up glancing at Abbey to make sure she was still asleep. Then Kate went next door to see her daughter.

Khaat was pacing, anxious about Abbey.

"She's fine," Kate said. "She's sleeping in the room next door. Your father's done a wonderful job with her."

"Thank you," Khaat said softly.

"Do you have any idea what happened?"

"No. I wasn't there..." Khaat began. She stopped and then said, "I wasn't there for her."

"Khaat," Kate said, "You cannot possibly have eyes all over your head, whether you had one child or a hundred."

"I have one job right now! One! My children! And I can't get that right!"

"Stop," Kate said. "Abbey doesn't care about all that. All Abbey cares about is you. Go see your daughter, Dear." She kissed Khaat's forehead. She motioned Khaat to come with her to Abbey's room and took her there.

She saw Cassidy there and knew Cassidy would stay with her.

"Thank you," Khaat said. "Just make sure she's comfortable, will you?"