Vexing the Viscount

king a noise before. Nelson would need to know about that. He wanted to speak, but his mouth couldn’t form the words. What the bloody hell was wrong with him?

He watched as she put black powder into the liquid and fear overcame him. What in God’s name was she giving him? Poison? She came closer to the bed with the glass in her hand.

“Are you truly awake yet? Or just dreaming with your eyes open?”

Why was she shouting at him? He tried to move his hands over his ears, but they seemed stuck in their position. Did she tie him down? She lifted his head to drink the potion. His damned body wouldn’t help him knock the glass out of her hand. The vile liquid seeped down his throat until he coughed.

“Shh,” she shouted. “There’s nothing more you can do but sleep. It will be over soon.”

His wise woman was really trying to kill him. And there was nothing he could do about it.

The next time he awoke, daylight filled the room and instead of the light burning his eyes, it felt nice. His head seemed clearer than the last time. Had her poison not worked on him? Scanning the room, he found her sitting in the wingback chair next to the bed, with her head in the crook, asleep. He tried to sit up until the weakness of his body forced him back down on his pillow.

“Can you hear me all right?” she whispered, blinking the sleep out of her eyes.

“You’ll hang for this,” he muttered.

“For saving your life? All right, if I must,” she said with a slight laugh.

“I saw you giving me that black liquid.” His voice sounded gravelly to his ears.

“Yes, charcoal to absorb the poison.” Her hand went to his forehead and then she smiled. “Your fever has broken. Can you see me?” She stared into his eyes with a frown. “Your eyes are still slightly dilated but they look much better.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Can you see me? The belladonna gave you temporary blindness.”

“Belladonna? Why would you give me that?” he asked as anger invaded his mind. How dare this woman try to poison him and then say she saved his life?

She had the gall to giggle at him. “I most certainly didn’t give you belladonna. Although, I’m afraid it may have come from my bag of herbs.”

If she hadn’t tried to poison him, then who had? “Who?” he whispered.

“We’re not certain yet. Nelson is looking into that while I take care of you.”

“I thought you didn’t enjoy caring for people any longer.”

She stared down at her hands for a long moment. The expression on her face seemed pained, as if she were reliving something she wanted to forget. “I wasn’t about to let you die, my lord.”

“Why not?”

She pressed her lips together, as if trying to formulate an answer. “There is nothing worse than watching a person die who is far too young.” She stood up and went to the basin to pour more water.

“How did you know it was belladonna poisoning?” he asked.

“You never forget it once you’ve seen it.”

He wondered what she meant by that. If only he felt like himself, then he might be able to sort through the hazy questions in his mind. “Can I eat something?” Far from the curious questions rolling through his mind, but he was hungry.

She turned away from the basin. “Of course. But I must start you on something easy, like broth. If that stays down then we’ll see about some toast.”

“I’m starving, woman.”

Her smile lit the room. “And that is an excellent sign. Let me get someone to bring up some broth.”

As she left the room, his mind tumbled through the questions. Who did this to him? Who wanted him dead?

She walked back into the room with a smile on her face. “Nelson is very happy to hear you are feeling better. You gave him quite a scare.”