Delilah wanted to curl into a ball and disappear. She turned to Lucy. “Did you say Branville got some of the potion too?”
“Yes,” Lucy continued. “Lavinia bought his silence with two drops of it.”
“If he was supposed to keep silent about it,” Jane said flatly, “how do you know about it, Lucy?”
“That was my next question as well,” Cass said softly.
“I’m not finished with my story yet,” Lucy declared.“Unfortunately, last night’s antics didn’t end with that particular transaction.”
Jane rested her chin on her propped-up elbow. “Oh, please, do continue.”
A headache pounded in Delilah’s skull, but she forced herself to listen as Lucy continued.
Lucy folded her hands in front of her on the tabletop. “So as I said, Lavinia was sneaking around, trying to use the potion on Berwick when Branville found her. Then Branville attempted to use some of it on Lady Rebecca, who woke up in the middle of the thing and demanded to know what Branville was doing in her bedchamber.”
“Oh, no! I don’t blame her.” Cass shook her head. “That must have been terribly frightening for her.”
“Yes, well,” Lucy continued, “Branville apologized profusely and told her what he was about. She told him she’d keep quiet about the incident if he gave her the potion so she might try to use it on Thomas.”
“No,” Delilah whimpered. Had the entire household gone mad? At one time, she’d thought no one would believe her if she claimed to have a love potion. Now, she realized half the company had been eager to use it without so much as a whit of proof that it actually worked.
“Yes,” Lucy replied gravely. “However, when Rebecca asked one of the maids the location of Thomas’s room, she ended up finding the Duke of Branville again instead, a fact which still baffles me. Then she came in search of me to ask the location of Thomas’s room, and I was the one who put an end to the entire debacle.”
“That has to be one of the most ridiculous tales I’ve ever heard.” Jane pushed her spectacles up her nose again. “And I’ve heard a great many.”
“I agree,” Cass added. “But it is ever so entertaining.”
“When did this happen, Lucy?” The sinking feeling in the pit of Delilah’s stomach hadn’t abated.
“Not an hour after I sent you back to your room after your own debacle,” Lucy replied, taking another bite of toast.
“I wish I’d never heard of that potion,” Delilah said miserably. “Did any of it appear to work on any of them?”
“We’re not entirely certain any of them actually had a chance to use it,” Lucy replied.
“And Madame Rosa warned that it could only be used once, by one person,” Danielle added.
“I assume none of them knew that, or they wouldn’t have been gallivanting around the house last night,” Jane pointed out.
“I tried to tell Lavinia,” Delilah replied. “She seemed to think Madame Rosa only said that to increase her sales.”
Danielle placed a hand on Delilah’s shoulder. “I’m sorry, Delilah. I never would have mentioned the perfume to you had I known this much trouble would result.”
Delilah smiled and patted the Frenchwoman’s hand. “It’s not your fault, Danielle. I should have followed the rules. Not doing so was bound to cause trouble. I simply had no idea it would be like this.”
“Wait a moment,” Jane said, munching on a teacake. “Sono oneactually managed to administer the potion to anyone else’s eyelids?”
“One person did,” Lucy replied with a nod. “Our Delilah here.”
“You sprinkled it on Branville?” Cass asked. “But I thought he found Lavinia and—”
“No.” Delilah squeezed her eyes shut. “I didn’t sprinkle it on Branville. Imeantto sprinkle it on Branville.”
Jane’s eyes went wide. She slapped her palm against her cheek. “If you didn’t sprinkle it on Branville, then who—”
“Thomas,” Lucy finished. “She accidentally sprinkled it on Thomas.”
Danielle stood. “Which is why Delilah and I must leave for London immediately. We need to find Madame Rosa and ask after the antidote.”
