The nursemaid ran over, avoiding the vomit on the other side of the bed. “But I saw him shiver.”
Ellie shook her head. “A shiver is not always due to the cold. If the body is heated or in a weakened state, a shiver can be caused by the trauma associated with it.”
“How do you know this?” He couldn’t help the doubt in his voice.
His wife looked up at him over her shoulder. “Because the Duchess of Northwick is learned in the medical arts and made sure we all knew the basics.”
He studied his son. “This doesn’t look basic to me.”
She waved off his comment and returned her attention to Peter. “When did you start feeling sick?”
“My belly ached when I woke.”
“And did you have more than two sugared plums before you fell asleep last night?”
Peter groaned and turned his head to the side, causing Darius’s own stomach to feel uncomfortable.
Maggie spoke from behind them. “He had eight.”
“Oh dear.” Ellie brushed Peter’s wet hair from his forehead. “Your poor belly.” She looked to the nursemaid. “Did you give him ginger or peppermint?”
The nursemaid shook her head. “No, my lady. I gave him ipecac sherry. That’s what my mother always gave us.”
Darius wasn’t touching his wife, but he sensed her tension. “And did you always vomit after taking that?”
“Yes, we did. It gets the bad humors out of our body.” Anna nodded enthusiastically.
He found it odd that his wife didn’t respond. Somehow, he knew she didn’t approve. “We should send for a doctor.”
“No!” Eleanor rose at that and faced him. “Do not send for a doctor. He will only bleed Peter and make him weaker. What he needs is to have a clean bed and some ginger tea to settle his belly.” She stepped around him. “Maggie, would you allow Peter to rest in your bed while his is changed?”
“Yes. I just want him to get better.”
For the first time since entering the room, his wife smiled. “Don’t worry. Peter is going to be fine.”
She sounded so sure that he found some of his own worry dissipating. “What do we need to do?”
She turned toward him. “If you don’t mind, could you bring Peter over to Maggie’s bed? Leave all his bedding behind. Beacham, please have a maid sent up to clean the floor and the bedding. Also, have Mrs. Torbett send up some ginger tea with a bit of ground cinnamon as well as sugar.”
“At once, my lady.” Beacham turned on his heel and strode out in haste.
Darius pulled down the quilt from Peter and lifted his son in his arms. His heart skipped a beat at how light Peter was, and how warm. Quickly, he walked to Maggie’s bed, where Eleanor had pulled back the cover. He laid his son down carefully as if he could break, then stepped aside as his wife covered Peter to his neck.
She pushed Peter’s hair away from his forehead. “We will have you feeling better in due course, but only if you do as I say. Will you do that?”
He nodded.
“Good.” She straightened. “Now, Anna, show me where the ipecac sherry is kept.”
The nursemaid gave a start before looking at Darius for permission.
He remained unmoving. The sooner the nursemaid understood that Eleanor was to be obeyed, the better.
“Anna?” Eleanor’s hands had found her hips, and she looked none too pleased.
“It’s over here, my lady.” The nursemaid walked to a cabinet and opened it.
Eleanor’s purposeful stride brought her across the room in a trice. Immediately, she took a bottle. Then she uncorked another bottle and sniffed. Recorking it, she took that one too. She read the writing on two others, leaving them where they were beforetaking another off the shelf. Turning, she scanned the room then strode to the chamber pot and proceeded to empty the contents of all three bottles.
