Some of the heat went out of her, as an innate curiosity took hold. She found herself thirsty for any information about Teddy from the war. “Knew of him? How do you mean?”
“Lady Arlington, your husband is, in soldiers’ circles, something of a legend.” His lips twitched. “But if you tell him I said so, I’ll deny it to my last breath.”
She resisted the urge to smile at the man, though it was hard. Especially as pride over Teddy’s evident accolades swelled within her. “Go on.”
“He’s a hero. He was known for his valor, his courage, and to befrank, his mad daring. He, an officer, was regularly said to go into the hairiest situations to rescue troops. Sometimes, his antics saved scores of men, sometimes, just one.”
“I see.” Georgina wasn’t sure how to feel about this. So many emotions swirled through her. Pride for his courage. Fear that he could have died. And anger, for his foolhardy actions. She blinked back tears and nodded for Danvers to go on.
“So when I saw him, a seeming drunkard, my sympathies went out to him. Then I noted his pupils.”
She folded her arms over his chest as a cold chill danced up her spine. “I never noticed anything odd about his pupils.”
“Yes, well, you weren’t ever in war time, were you, milady? You don’t know the signs that a man’s been fed drugs.”
She began to understand where he was going, and she softened toward his cause—wrong though he was. And there would still be consequences. “Mr. Danvers, the fact you witnessed some horrid things on the battlefield does not excuse your decision to keep vital medicine from my husband when I expressly told you he needed that tincture for his recovery.”
“Are you so sure he did?” he asked her in his calm, dignified manner.
She took instant umbrage. “I was told so by the doctor.”
“I see.” He lifted the bag and sniffed its contents, then made a face. “I can’t speak to whatever physician you hired, but I can speak to certain drugs and their effects, thanks to my experience in the field. I can tell you what is prominent within this concoction is something calledhenbane. It’s got many uses as a sedative and pain reducer. In sufficient doses it also causes hallucinations, nightmares, gaps in memory. Continued use is not recommended. Too much ingested can lead to death.”
“Death!” she burst out. “I’m sure you must be mistaken.”
“I’m not. Madam, it speaks well to Lord Arlington that he did notprefer his mental faculties addled. I understand he has lost his memories thanks to a head injury. I submit to you that taking this particular medicine would not have helped him to recover them, and may have had dire consequences with continued ingestion. Do you know the physician who prescribed this poison?”
“Poison?” Her knees went wobbly and she grasped the edge of the nearest worktable. “It’s not. It’s medicine. He…needs it.”
“Does he? Is he not more himself this last week? Are not his memories slowly returning? His nightmares receding? My word may mean little to you at this point, but I vow to you, I have kept my eye on Lord Arlington, specifically looking for any sign of him being a danger to himself—or you—and aside from a small tendency towards arrogance, have seen nothing to indicate he poses a menace.
“Madam, I understand if you choose to send me off without a reference, and will go this very night. But I must beseech you not to resume poisoning Lord Arlington, your wedded husband, with this so-called tisane. He deserves better.”
She closed her eyes, briefly. “Henbane, you say.”
“Aye.”
“Used for the treatment of wounded soldiers?”
“When laudanum became scarce, milady.”
And she’d nearly forced Teddy to take it. He’d tried to tell her how much he hated it. And hadn’t he been improving day by day—no thanks to her, of course. But thanks to this man—this dear man she realized now—who’d risked his own neck, his own security, out of respect for a man he’d never met, and whose prowess on the battlefield had earned his respect, Teddy would heal and be restored.
“Please see this destroyed, Mr. Danvers.” She picked up the bag and shoved it toward the butler, then started, somewhat unsteadily, from the kitchen.
“Do you need assistance, ma’am?”
“No,” she replied, drawing herself upright with effort.
“And shall I depart tonight, or on the morrow?” he asked, quietly.
She paused, then glanced back at him, meeting his dark gaze. “You shall not depart, Mr. Danvers. You have performed a great service for this household. However, if, in future, you see a compelling need to countermand one of my, or my h—” She broke off, aghast as a horrific realization dawned.
She’d been going to say,or her husband’s directives, but Teddy wasn’t her husband. Not really.
But she’d claimed he was, her lie necessitated by the need to assure herself he took the medicine. Medicine he hadn’t actually needed. She hadn’t needed to lie. She swallowed.
Suddenly, it was all too much to bear.
