Longing for Cameron and a bone-deep sorrow hit her hard. She missed Cameron’s mother. The woman had been a true mother to her. Not like the evil sack of shit that was trying to scare her by insinuating it might not be God’s will for her or her baby to survive. “I’m going back to bed,” she said, teeth clenched.

“I’ll walk you there,” her mother said silkily, taking her arm and digging her fingers into Hayley’s flesh.

Hayley struggled, but her mother was strong. “Mom, you’re hurting me. Don’t—”

Hayley’s protest was suddenly cut off by her mother’s scream, the bitch’s grip abruptly disappearing. Hayley caught Graham’s small wink and bit back her grin. Graham had sloshed some of the contents of the pot onto his mother’s feet, and it was soaking into her shoes.

“Oh, Mother. I am so sorry,” Graham said.

“You did that on purpose!” she screeched.

Murmurs arose from the curtained-off rooms.

“Good job, Mom,” Hayley snapped. “You’ve woken everyone. I’m going back to bed.”

She turned on her heel and headed back for the cubicle she shared with Joshua’s other wives. And ran right into Brother Joshua himself. He gripped her arms, steadying her before she could fall. His grip wasn’t punishing, like her mother’s had been, but she winced.

“What is the meaning of this?” he growled.

Sister Rebecca, the baby-stealer, sidled up beside him. “She’s a troublemaker.”

“Her mother slapped her,” a calm voice said, and Hayley wanted to sag in relief. Sister Tamar had rescued her once again. “She slapped her, then grabbed her arm. She probably has bruises.”

Joshua frowned. “Is this true?”

Hayley started to answer but caught Tamar’s shake of the head. Looking over her shoulder, she saw that the question had been addressed to Graham. Who still held the damn pot of piss.

“Yes, sir,” Graham said respectfully, and Hayley had the urge to giggle. His tone was so respectful. Only Hayley knew that he was laying it on with a trowel.

Joshua let Hayley go. “Go back to bed,” he said with surprising gentleness. “I’ll deal with your mother.”

Hayley blinked in surprise, then bit back a flinch at the venomous look on Sister Rebecca’s face. If looks could kill, I’d be dead.

“I’ll help you,” Tamar said, sliding her arm around Hayley’s shoulders. She looked up at Joshua. “She’s due any day. If she falls, she could harm the baby.”

Joshua glanced at his first wife. “We don’t want that.”

Rebecca’s expression had shifted from venomous to beatific. “No, we don’t.”

“Come,” Tamar said, giving Hayley a tug.

Once they were back in Hayley’s space, Tamar shook her head. “What were you thinking? You can’t provoke your mother like that.”

Now that it was over, Hayley realized that Tamar was right. She’d let her words fly without thinking. “I’m sorry. When she hit me, I . . .”

“I know. But you must control your temper.”

“I know.” Hayley sighed. “You’re right.”

“And you’re tense.” Tamar started a lower back massage that made Hayley groan. “Have you felt any contractions?”