The solicitor raised a quizzical eyebrow. “I have two witnesses, Miss Daphne Ferguson and Mr. Valentine Carter, who claim you only took a few sips of champagne. Hardly drunk.”
“I’m very sensitive to alcohol.”
“I’m afraid that’s not enough. If you truly were incapacitated, then yes, the contract would be null. But as of now, there isn’t enough evidence to support your claim.” Mr. Simmons lifted his shoulders. “I’m here as the legal representative of the Scarlet Room and Lord Neville, and I’m afraid the contract is perfectly legal. Miss Winkworth does risk going to prison for a period between three and ten years, depending on what the judge decides.”
She drew in a breath that burned all its way down to her lungs. “No.”
“There’s a way out of the obligation, of course.” Mr. Simmons held up a hand. “Lord Neville is willing to withdraw his demand if Lord Ravenscroft renounces his title.”
She clamped a hand over her mouth.
“This is blackmailing.” Dr. York scoffed.
“Business, I’m afraid.” Mr. Simmons fished out another document from his infernal bag. “I have everything ready here. My lord, if you wish to read the document and inform your solicitor, we can arrange a meeting tomorrow with the barrister. The alternative is that Miss Winkworth honours the agreement. Lord Neville will be satisfied with any of the two outcomes.”
“I’d rather be involved in another shipwreck than ask Edith to honour something dishonourable.” Perry snatched the document from the solicitor’s hands. “I’ll talk with my solicitor.”
“No.” Edith stopped him by blocking his hand. “You can’t consider renouncing your title. I won’t allow you to ruin your life because of me.”
“You’re more important.” He gave her a sad smile. “You’re everything,” he whispered so low she was likely the only one who heard it.
She drew in a breath as she closed her fingers around his. “Don’t. Please.”
“Lord Ravenscroft?” Mr. Simmons prompted.
Dr. York scraped his chair back and shot up to his feet. “I must speak my mind,” he said. “I have something to say. The contract Miss Winkworth signed in the Scarlet Room isn’t valid.”
Everyone turned towards him. His firm voice and clenched fists were a shock for Edith.
“Yes?” Mr. Simmons asked when Dr. York didn’t say anything. The solicitor’s tone was that of someone losing his patience quickly. “What’s your evidence of the invalidity of the contract?”
Dr. York wiped his hands on his trousers. “It’s not valid because… I have a confession to make.”
Mr. Simmons exhaled and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Then please, do go on. We’re all ears.”
“What are you doing, mate?” Perry whispered.
“I was in the Scarlet Room that night. You may ask for evidence from its owner.” Dr. York pointed a finger at Edith. “I drugged Miss Winkworth before she signed the contract. She was unfit to plead at the time she signed that document.”
Dr. York’s attempt to save the situation was admirable, but surely, it was too ridiculous to be taken into account.
“That’s not true,” she said. “It’s absurd.”
“With what did you drug her?” Mr. Simmons asked.
Dr. York jutted out his chin. “I administered her a dose of two hundred milligrams of cocaine, fifty milligrams of opium, and twenty milligrams of an experimental substance called phomine right before she entered the Scarlet Room without her knowledge. While we were waiting in the anteroom in the dark, I approached her with a ready syringe and drugged her. As a consequence of the drugging, she became confused and drowsy, incapable of understanding what the contract entailed. The contract is invalid.”
Mr. Simmons narrowed his eyes to slits. “Why would you do such a thing?”
“Please. This is absurd,” Edith said.
Again, everyone turned their attention to Dr. York. Edith was genuinely curious to hear his answer.
He opened and closed his hands. “An experiment. I needed to test a new drug combination on a healthy young female of the same weight as Miss Winkworth. Opportunity met need in the Scarlet Room, and hey presto! I drugged her.”
“An experiment?” Mr. Simmons’s brow spiked with disbelief.
Perry rubbed his eyes, muttering something under his breath.
