“Go on,” Danielle said.
Delilah forced herself to take a deep breath. “I climbed up to the top of the mattress, leaned over, and tipped the vial.”
“What vial?” Lucy asked, frowning.
Delilah ignored her. “I let one drop fall on each eye. At least I thought it was his eyes. It was difficult to tell in the darkness.”
“You tried to blind someone?” Derek scratched his head.
“If it was so dark, how did you discover it was the wrong room?” Danielle prompted, worry lines creasing the sides of her mouth.
“Because after I did it, he rolled over into the moonlight and… it was Thomas,” Delilah finished miserably.
“You tried to blind Thomas?” Lucy chimed.
“She didn’t try to blind anyone,” Danielle replied, as if the entire story made perfect sense. “She was applying the Elixir of Cupid to his eyes.”
“Elixir of Cupid?” Lucy dropped to her backside and blinked at the fireplace.
Danielle nodded and turned to face Lucy. “Yes, it’s a special perfume that’s purported to make the person you use it on fall in love with you.”
“Love potion,” Lucy breathed, a wondrous expression on her face. “Why didn’t you tell me, Delilah?”
Delilah rushed back over to where Lucy sat, kneeled down, and grasped the duchess’s hand. “I assumed you’d think I was mad.”
“I don’t think that at all,” Lucy said, climbing to her feet with Delilah’s help. “I’ve heard talk of the potion before. I just didn’t know it actually existed.”
“I got it from a Roma woman in London who Danielle knows,” Delilah explained.
Lucy sighed. “Danielle knows all the most interesting people.”
Derek eyed the lot of them as if they’d lost their minds.
Delilah turned to Danielle. “I’m sorry. I know you wanted me to keep all of this a secret, but it spiraled out of control.”
Danielle stood too and hugged Delilah. “It’s all right. I understand. You need help now that you’ve made a mistake. I can only guess how frightened you were when you discovered you were in the wrong room.”
Lucy gave Danielle an accusing glare before placing her fists on her hips. “If you knew there was a love potion out there all these years, why didn’t you tell me?”
The hint of a smile touched Danielle’s lips. “I thought you’d think I was mad too. Delilah seemed interested and open to it.”
“You’re all missing the point!” Delilah raised her voice. “The deed is done, and I’ve administered the potion to the wrong duke.”
“Did Thomas wake up?” Danielle asked.
“No.” Delilah shook her head. “As soon as I realized it was him, I left the room as quickly as I could.”
“And you’re certain the potion touched his eyes?” Danielle added.
“As certain as I can be.” Delilah slumped back down on the chair. “What am I supposed to do? Please tell me the potion has an antidote.”
Danielle bit the tip of her fingernail and winced. “The truth is I don’t know. I never asked Madame Rosa about an antidote. I never thought of anyone needing such a thing.”
Delilah groaned and slapped her palm against her forehead. “Leave it to me to botch something as simple as magic.”
“Don’t worry, dear.” Lucy patted her arm. “I’ve little doubt magic is exceedingly complicated.”
Danielle paced away. “We’ll have to go back to London and speak with Madame Rosa.”
