The Duke's Bed Warmer

Chapter 111: Evelyn???

The sewing circle was buzzing with movement the next day. The timeline for second shipment was approaching soon and they still had lots to do. Evelyn, as usual, came to Alina with her morning tea.

Alina sipped the tea but it tasted bitter today. She stopped and put the cup down.

Something is wrong with the tea.

"Where is Evelyn?" she asked as she looked around.

"She has some work in the kitchen. She’ll join us later." Lady Brennan replied.

She pushed the cup away and returned to work.

But soon, she felt nauseous.

"You look pale," Marguerite said.

"I’m fine."

"Here, drink it!" Marguerite handed her a water bottle.

She drank water but the nausea only got worse. She immediately excused herself and stepped outside to vomit behind the garden wall.

Nothing came up but her body was trying to push out something.

Within an hour, the cramps began. She couldn’t stand anymore and felt feverish. She made it to her room with the help of Lady Brennan and Marguerite and lay down on the bed. Soon, the shivering started as she felt cold.

Austin came running to her room as soon as Mr. Harrington informed him. He opened the door and found her curled on the bed, pale and shivering. She had covered herself with the blanket but it wasn’t helping.

"Alina..."

She opened her eyes slowly and looked at him. Her vision had become blurry.

"The tea," she whispered.

He sat beside her and touched her forehead to check her fever. She was burning.

"Who brought you the tea?" he asked.

"Evelyn."

"Evelyn?" he asked, surprised. "Isn’t she your friend?"

She nodded.

"Maybe it was an accident," she whispered. "I only had one sip because it tasted bitter."

"One sip did this?"

"One sip. If I’d had the full cup..." She didn’t finish.

Austin stood and stepped outside the room. He spoke to someone in the corridor. After a few minutes, he returned, sat closer to her and wrapped his hands against hers.

Soon, the physician arrived and examined Alina. He asked few questions like what had she eaten, what had she drunk, and when had the symptoms started.

"One sip may have saved your life," the physician said. "It’s mild poisoning. Since you took only one sip, it won’t affect you but a full cup would have been fatal."

Austin’s hands tightened around her hand.

"Treatment?" he asked.

"Fluids and rest for three days. The body will process the toxin naturally."

The physician then left.

The kitchen was quieter than usual. Most of the staff had been dismissed early under Harrington’s orders.

Evelyn stood in the center of the kitchen. Her hands were clasped tightly in front of her.

"Miss Evelyn," Harrington said. "You brought Miss Ashworth her morning tea today."

"Yes, sir," she replied.

"Was there anything unusual about it?"

"No, sir."

"Think carefully before you answer."

"It was the same as always. I made it myself in the main kitchen," she replied.

Harrington took a step forward.

"The tea had traces of a botanical toxin."

Evelyn’s eyes widened.

"That’s not possible," she said. "There must be a mistake."

"There is no mistake."

"I would never..." She stopped. "I would never harm Alina."

"You made the tea and served her yourself."

"Yes, but..."

"The honey jar in the kitchen contained the highest concentration of the toxin," Harrington cut in.

"The... honey?" she muttered.

"Yes."

"I didn’t..." She shook her head. "I checked the honey. I tasted it this morning before I prepared the tea."

"You tasted it?"

"Yes."

"And you are fine?"

"Yes. See?" she gestured at herself.

Harrington watched her carefully.

"When did you prepare the tea?"

"Just after the breakfast."

"Did you leave it unattended at any point?"

"No. I... only for a moment. When I went to fetch the cups from the drying rack but that was just for a minute."

"A minute is enough," Harrington said.

Then a servant stepped forward.

"Sir," he said to Harrington. "We found something."

Harrington turned.

"What?"

He held out a small cloth pouch.

"We found it under Evelyn’s locker."

Evelyn’s head snapped towards it.

"What is that?"

Harrington took the pouch and opened it. Inside were dark, crushed, dried leaves. Evelyn took a step forward and saw the leaves.

"I’ve never seen them before."

"It was in your locker,"

"I didn’t put it there!" she shouted.

"Then who did?"

"I don’t know!" Her voice broke. "But not me!"

Evelyn shook her head again.

"I’ve served Alina tea every morning," she said. "I...I’m her friend."

"Confine her to servants’ quarters," he said to the guards, nearby. "No contact with the outside staff.

"You’re locking me up?"

"We don’t have any other option,"

Two guards stepped forward. Evelyn didn’t resist. She just stood there looking at Harrington.

"Someone wants to frame me," she shouted, a second later.

But he didn’t answer. Then she was taken away.

Harrington looked at the pouch , then at the door Evelyn had disappeared through.

"Too obvious," he murmured.

Meanwhile, Alina’s fever didn’t go. Alina drifted in and out of sleep. Austin didn’t leave her for even a second. He sat on the bed beside her with his back against the headboard while her head rested on his thigh because the shivering was worse when she was lying flat and the angle of leaning against him reduced the cramping.

He put his hand on her hair and caressed it softly.

"Austin

"I’m here."

"Evelyn can’t do this. She is my friend. I know her."

"Harrington is investigating. We’ll know soon."

"I think Audrey is behind this," she said.

Austin sighed.

"I know Audrey has been hostile to you these days and has done some unforgivable things. But I can’t accuse her without proof," he said. "But if we do find proof against her then... the engagement will end tonight," he said.

"I’ll send her home to her father with the evidence. Before I was going to end it through negotiation and diplomacy but if she had really stooped so low. If she really poisoned the woman I..."

He stopped.

"The woman you what?" she asked.

He looked at her and put his other hand on her hand.

"Sleep," he said. "The toxin needs to process."

"You’re avoiding the question."

"I’m...delaying the question for the time when you’re not feverish."

She smiled and closed her eyes. Eventually, she fell asleep but he didn’t. He sat on the bed all night in the same position.

Her breathing remained steady and her fever broke around three in the morning. She stirred and opened her eyes. Her vision was clear now and she felt better.

"You didn’t sleep?" she asked.

"Someone needed to watch you."