Page 12 of The Unfortunate Debutante
She winced as she attempted to conjure up the memory. “I remember being at the ball, but the events are hazy after I drank the champagne.”
“You fainted during the minuet with Lord Downshire,” Peggy revealed.
“I fainted?” she asked, knowing that sounded nothing like her. She had never fainted before.
Reaching behind her, Peggy adjusted the pillows under her head. “Fortunately, Lord Downshire saw you were going to faint and caught you up in his arms. He immediately brought you to your room and called for a doctor.”
The pain in her head was starting to subside when she went to sit up. “I need to go speak to Lord Downshire.”
“Lord and Lady Downshire specifically requested that you remain in bed until the doctor returns later this evening,” Peggy informed her.
Emma moved her feet over the side of the bed and rose. “I’m not an invalid. Where are Lord and Lady Downshire now?”
“In the study,” Peggy revealed. “But—”
“No buts, Peggy,” she insisted. “Will you help me dress or shall I wear my nightgown?”
Her lady’s maid frowned before reluctantly walking over to the wardrobe and removing a simple white cotton gown. “I daresay Lord Downshire will be angry with you for being out of your bed,” she muttered.
Once Emma was dressed, and her hair was pulled back into a loose chignon, she headed towards the study on the first floor. She was within a few feet when she heard male voices drifting out of the opened door. She stopped at the door and peered in. Luke was pacing near the window, and Rachel was sitting on the settee holding Matthew. Lord Camden, Lord Jonathon, and Lord Lansdowne were sitting on armchairs, each with a snifter in their hands.
She knocked on the door and everyone turned towards her. The men quickly rose and were watching her with stern expressions.
“Emma,” Rachel exclaimed in a relieved tone. “You’re finally awake.”
Taking a few tentative steps into the room, Emma stopped and diverted her gaze. “I am,” she replied, hesitantly. “I wanted to apologize for my behavior last evening…”
“You have nothing to apologize for,” Luke declared as he stopped pacing. “There’s no easy way to say this, so I will just tell you.” He paused, looking over at Rachel. “Last night, your champagne was spiked with laudanum.”
“Laudanum,” she repeated. “I don’t understand. Who would do such a thing?”
Walking over to the drink cart, Luke poured himself a drink before answering. “After you fainted, we summoned the doctor, and he explained you had digested a large dose of laudanum. He cited your irregular heartbeat and your dilated pupils as proof.” He brought the drink to his lips. “And based upon the timing of your fainting, we traced it back to the glass of champagne.”
Benedict spoke up. “You spoke of the champagne being bitter, and at the time, none of us recognized that as a perceived threat. Champagne can be considered sour to some but never bitter. Whereas laudanum is inherently bitter.”
Emma couldn’t seem to wrap her brain around what they were telling her. “I don’t understand. Why would someone want to poison me?” she asked as she walked over to Rachel and sat down.
The men all sat down as Adrien shared, “Jonathon and I took it upon ourselves to speak to the lead groom, and we confirmed that a burr was found in the blanket under your saddle.”
Emma nodded. That made sense. “That would explain why the gelding upended me.”
“Yes,” Lord Camden answered, “and a man, fitting the general description of the servant from last night, was seen spotted near your gelding yesterday. When the groomsmen confronted him, the man used the vague excuse that he was Lord Brisbane’s groom, and he went ahead to ensure your horse was already saddled.”
Baby Matthew made a lunge towards her, and Emma eagerly wrapped him up in her arms. “Why would someone go through all the trouble of spiking my drink with laudanum and placing a burr under my horse’s saddle?”
Lord Jonathon sat forward in his seat. “My guess is to ruin your Season.”
“If that’s the case, then they succeeded,” she remarked. “I daresay I won’t be able to show my face amongst the ton anytime soon.”
“Nonsense,” Rachel declared. “We’re already working on a plan to ensure you have a successful Season.”
“How?” Emma asked in disbelief, removing a lock of her hair from Matthew’s fist. “I fell into a muddy hole in the middle of Hyde Park, and I fainted during the opening set of my own ball. I have no doubt that the flibbertigibbets in Society are having a field day with this.”
Adrien rose from his seat and went to refill his drink. “Is there anyone that you can think of who may wish to do you harm?”
“No one,” she replied honestly.
“I can,” Luke stated, placing his drink down on the tray and walking over to his desk. “His name is Peter Lockhart.”
