Angelique's Child

Chapter 5

Angelique rushed to the shipyard office after getting a note from the shipyard that Minty fell into the water. Why had he taken her when she told him not to? She hurried and got into the building. She saw Minty who was shivering and wheezing in her father's arms. Angelique rushed over to them, picking up her child.

"How did this happen?", asked Angelique with a growl, sending a bad look to Brnabas.

Angelique couldn't meet her husband's eyes anymore. She held on tightly to her daughter.

"I left her alone to go talk to the captain and when I came out Minty was standing on the railing. I tried to get her to come down, but she got scared and fell in.", Barnabas said with his head low.

Angelique was furious at him for leaving their daughter alone for a moment. If he had stayed with her nothing would have happened.

"She will never step foot here again! I want her to stay at the old house!", she screamed at Barnabas.

Barnabas grew angry that she screamed at him. He stood up rather quickly.

"She can't stay at the old house  forever. She needs to be with other people!", yelled Barnabas.

Angelique felt Minty stiffen when the two started arguing. Minty nuzzled her head in her mother's chest.

"Yeah other people like you! You almost killed her today. I don't think I'll ever trust you with our daughter again!", she retorted back.

Angelique didn't wait for him to say anymore and she stood up with Minty and ran out of the office building. Barnabas stood and watched them go, knowing that he better not follow. They most likely were on their way back home.

~~~

Angelique got into the carriage with her daughter still tightly wrapped up in the blanket. Minty let out a wheeze and then a cough.

"Its okay my darling. I promise I will keep you safe for the rest of my life. Daddy will never take you away from the old house again.", she said in almost a whisper.

Minty kept her eyes shut and slowly began to fall asleep in her mothers arms. She was shaking still since her clothes were still wet.

~~~

Angelique and Minty were now back at home. Minty was now in warm clothes, but was still shivering. She let out a wheeze, nuzzling her mother.

"Its okay we're home noe my darling. Lets go to sleep.", whispered Angelique.

Angelique laid her daughter down, laying beside her with her arms wrapped tightly around her. The mother and daughter fell asleep next to each other.

~~~

Angelique woke up to the front door being slammed.  She hurried to her room, closing the door behind her as to not have him waking up their sick child.

Barnabas marched up the stairs and grabbed Angelique's arm in anger. He forced her to him.

"Minty is my daughter just as much as she is yours and I won't be treated as if I'm not! Not in my household! As long as you are here you obey by my rules!", yelled Brnabas, squeezing her arm.

Angelique let out a yelp of pain that ran through her arm.

"Then me and Minty won't live in your household then! We'll find somewhere else to live!", she yelled back, forgetting the pain.

Barnabas kept his grip on his arm as she yelled back at him. He listened to her threat, but it just made him angrier.

"You can leave the old house if you want to, but I permit you from taking my child! She belongs here with me!", Barnabas demanded.

Angelique broke away from her husband and ran to Minty's room. She gathered up as much of her daughters stuff as she could. Barnabas was about ready to grab a hold of Angelique's arm again, but Angelique grabbed Minty and hurried out of the room.

Barnabas ran to the front door, blocking their only entrance. He snatched Minty from Angelique and shoved his wife to the ground. Angelique fell, hitting her left cheek on the stair railing. She looked up at Barnabas, tears falling from her eyes. Angelique stayed there on the ground, blood from the gash on her cheek dripped onto the carpet.

"Im sorry Angelique. I...", he said, his eyes filled with fear.

"Don't say anything to me!", Angelique cried, interrupting him.

Barnabas for once wasn't angry at Angelique, but was angry at himself for hurting his wife. Angelique pushed past Barnabas and ran out of the house. Minty hid her face away from sight as her mother ran out. She let out a cry, thinking that her mother was leaving her for good.

~~~

Barnabas was sitting in a chair in the drawing room while Minty was asleep in her room. A knock sounded from the door and Barnabas stood up to open it. Joshua and Naomi were outside.

"We've come to collect Minty's things and our granddaughter herself.", stated Joshua.

Barnabas looked at his father, anger filled him, but he didn't dare show it. He allowed Naomi to come inside. Naomi walked up the stairs to Minty's room. About fifteen minutes later She came back with a bag and Minty in her arms. Minty was sleeping with her head rested on her grandmother's shoulder. Naomi walked out the door in a bit of a hurry.

"I'm sorry to do this, but until you treat your wife and child better you aren't allowed to see her. Angelique will choose when she's ready to come back.", said Joshua.

Barnabas held his head down in shame. He didn't say one word or did anything until Joshua left, closing the door behind him. Anger welled up inside Barnabas and he swung his arm, knocking the small table that had a flower vase on top onto the floor.

"This is what you get Barnabas! You should never have hurt your wife. You should have let it go!", screamed Barnabas to himself.

He walked up the stairs going into his room. Barnabas looked at the photo of Angelique on his side of the bed. He took it and threw it against the wall, shattering it. Barnabas calmed down realizing what he had done. He ran over to the broken picture frame, taking the photo out of it.

" I'm sorry Angelique. I love you and I'm sorry. ", he cried, hugging the picture.

Tears fell from his eyes into the photo in his hands.