“Eve, open your mouth.” Darius put the tablet to her lips and said more forcefully, “Open your mouth.”
With her eyes pinched closed and her breathing ragged, she did. He slipped the pill inside.
“Chew it.” After her jaw started to move and she made a face, he raised the glass to her lips. She choked on the water. For a second, Darius was afraid she might pass out, but the coughing spasm passed. He signaled the woman helping to let Eve lie back.
He held her hand, not sure what else he could do. Joe stood beside him, and his proximity brought comfort. Darius didn’t realize at first that the bodyguard still had a firm hold on Graham.
“What’s with him?”
“I’m wondering if he put anything in that drink he gave Eve and his grandfather.”
“I did nothing. We drank it too, remember?” Graham cried, struggling again. “And we’re fine.”
“Och, but we have the glasses, Mr. Graham,” Mrs. Campbell said. “I’m sure the police will be very interested in testing them.”
Darius jumped to his feet and spun around, towering over the man. “Were youtryingto kill her? Did you happen to take a couple of shots at her earlier today?” He leaned closer until his nose was almost touching Graham’s. “You’d better pray she doesn’t die.”
“She needs you to be positive.” Joe’s quiet voice and calm hand on Darius’s shoulder steadied him.
“Where’s Mr. Stewart?” Darius asked.
“Mr. Alan is with him,” Mrs. Campbell said. “Mr. Stewart said he feels fine but wants to know if Miss Stewart is well.”
“Attempted murder, Graham. You’d better hope neither of them dies.” Joe added softly, “They might have abolished the death penalty in Scotland but life in prison would be no vacation.”
Graham’s face blanched, and his eyes filled with tears. “I didn’t do anything.”
If Eve hadn’t had another spasm of pain, Darius might have felt sorry for the pathetic man. He turned back to her and wiped her brow.
She opened her eyes and met his gaze, her lips moving like she was trying to say something. Darius moved his ear to her mouth.
“Dad,” she breathed.
Yes. She’d want her father notified.
“Mrs. Campbell, are you still here?” Darius called.
“Aye,” she said from behind him.
“I don’t know if Miss Stewart brought her phone down with her. Can you have someone check the dining room and her room?”
“Aye.” She hurried off, already calling out instructions.
“Is Miss Stewart going to be all right?”
Darius glanced at the doorway where an older man stood, a few other guests waiting in the entry.
“We won’t know until a doctor can see her.”
“Our prayers are with her,” the man said. “Archie’s been excited to meet her, and it must be breaking his heart that this happened.”
Mrs. Campbell returned and bent over to whisper in Darius’s ear, “An ambulance is on the way, sir.”
A maid hurried in the room and handed Darius Eve’s phone. Fortunately, she hadn’t locked it. He looked through her contacts and dialed her father.
“Evie, is everything all right?” her father’s voice came loudly over the phone.
“Mr. Stewart, this is Darius Dimitriou, and I’m afraid everything isnotall right.”
