Page 63 of An Arranged Marriage with a Cruel Earl
“He tried to kill Grandma, too. He and Lydia. They have been poisoning her slowly. Or, that wicked creature who sets himself up as a physician has. Wainwright. He has been giving her poison in her tea.” His expression was a mix of disgust and rage.
“No!” Emmeline gaped. “They’ve poisoned Lady Rilendale?” She took Andrew’s hand, horror draining her of strength.
“No,” Andrew reassured her. “They tried, but she knew from the first moment they began. She has been throwing the tea out of the window.” His lips lifted in the corner, a smile of love blossoming on his face. “She wondered if she has been poisoning the trees with it.”
Emmeline giggled. The comment was typical of the older lady.
“Is she all right?” she asked at once.
Andrew smiled fondly. “She is well. Trust you to be more concerned about her than you are about yourself. You just escaped a tunnel, you know.”
Emmeline laughed; a small, shaky giggle.
“I suppose,” she agreed.
“Quite so,” Andrew replied. “Now, we have work to do. Grandma told me something else. She needs me to find some journals. I’ll tell you about it later—first, I want you to go upstairs and get warm and change into some dry clothes. You’ll catch a fever running around like that.” He frowned.
Emmeline shook her head. “I am staying with you,” she said firmly.
Andrew drew a breath, about to argue, but then he sighed.
“All right. But I insist that you wear my coat. Here,” he added, shrugging out of it and dropping it over her shoulders.
“Thank you,” Emmeline murmured. She gathered it around her shoulders and held it close. It was a fine wool weave, and thick, and with it on she was instantly warmer.
Andrew glanced at her with concern. “I should make you go and get into bed,” he said gently. “But I agree—you're safer here with me. Now, let’s look for these books of my uncle’s. We need to find them soon, before the cousins do.”
Emmeline nodded and followed him to the bookshelf, ready to start looking.
