Surrender Amanda Quick

by Surrender (lit)

  opium-poppy production in England. He

  has obtained a very high-quality product,

  indeed."

  How exciting," Victoria said. You

  should feel quite proud of yourself, Sir

  Alfred."

  Sir Alfred blushed modestly.

  And doctor Thornby over there has been

  experimenting with various tinctures and

  decoctions that combine alcohol and other

  ingredients such as liquorice, rhubarb, and

  camomile."

  It was doctor Thornby's turn to be flushed

  with pride.

  Fascinating," Victoria murmured, examining

  the various glasses. My aunt and

  I have attended many medical lectures

  on such matters. Have you had much

  success?"

  As you know, doctor Thornby began

  with barely contained enthusiasm, the

  combination of alcohol and opium in

  laudanum is quite effective for pain relief

  but tends to make the sufferer extremely

  drowsy. This is fine for certain ailments

  but not for more chronic problems such as

  gout or rheumatic pains or certain, ahem,

  women's ailments. Something is needed

  for these which brings relief but does not

  induce sleep."

  You want a pain-relieving concoction

  that will allow the sufferer to go about his

  daily routine," Victoria said with a quick

  nod of understanding. Very important

  research. Very important, indeed."

  The farmers and laborers in my area of

  the country have achieved some success on

  their own through trial and error," remarked

  a plump gentleman in the corner. They've

  developed some excellent remedies."

  The problem," said another, is lack of

  standardization and analysis. Every family

  has its own remedies of course, but

  each recipe has been handed down for

  generations and is the result of tradition

  and folklore rather than proper scientific

  principles and study. Every housewife has

  her particular recipe for cough syrup, for

  example, but no two mixtures are quite

  the same."

  Obviously there are several aspects of

  the problem to be studied," Victoria noted.

  Quite true." doctor Thornby approached

  the table. But there is only one scientific

  approach to the problem. We must conduct

  an experiment and take careful notes.

  Each of these glasses contains a particular

  remedy. Our goal today is to see which

  of them creates an immediately soothing

  effect without bringing on sleep."

  What about the actual relief of pain?"

  Victoria asked with deep interest. How

  will you measure that? I am not, myself,

  suffering even a headache at the moment."

  We will have to do that in a second

  phase of the experiment," the vicar con

  ceded. Difficult to find five or ten people

  all having an attack of the gout or a

  headache at the same time, I'm afraid."

  As it happens," misses Worth said

  helpfully, I have a touch of rheumatic

  pain this afternoon."

  And my gout's been flaring up," another

  member of the group offered.

  I have been suffering from toothache all

  day," declared an elderly gentleman.

  I do believe I have a headache," Lady

  Alice volunteered.

  The vicar brightened, as did doctor Thornby

  and Sir Alfred.

  Excellent, excellent. We may be able to

  accomplish both phases of the experiment

  today." Sir Alfred's glance was both shy

  and distinctly hopeful as he looked at

  Victoria. Understand you have an interest

  in this sort of thing, Lady stone vale.

  Would you care to join us in our testing

  or would you prefer to observe?"

  Heavens, it is always far more interesting

  to participate in an experiment than to

  merely observe it. I should greatly enjoy

  helping you test your concoctions. It should

  prove most enlightening."

  Sir Alfred was much flattered, as was

  everyone else in the room. doctor Thornby

  stepped forward to take charge again. Now

  then, I shall put the notebook here on the

  table and each of us must write a clear,

  concise description of our sensations as we

  proceed from glass to glass. I propose we

  each start with straight brandy first and

  record our reactions to it before we move

  on to the various tonic mixtures."

  Yes, of course," the vicar exclaimed. We

  need to be able to judge the differences

  between the pure spirits and the spirits

  infused with other ingredients. Very clever

  of you, Thornby."

  Victoria frowned consideringly as a

  thought struck her. Might it not be

  best if at least one of us stayed with

  the pure spirits for the entire experiment?

  That way the reactions of those using the

  various concoctions can be judged against

  the use of spirits alone at every point."

  There were several immediate nods of

  approval.

  Brilliant idea, your ladyship," Sir Alfred

  said. You are obviously quite conversant

  with such scientific investigation tech

  niques."

  I have had some experience," Victoria

  admitted modestly. As it was my idea and

  as I have no particular physical complaint

  to alleviate this afternoon, I shall volunteer

  to stick with the spirits alone."

  Very helpful of you, Lady stone vale.

  Very helpful, indeed," doctor Thornby said.

  Let us begin." He graciously extended a

  glass of brandy to Victoria.

  Lucas was appalled at the sight that

  greeted him that afternoon when he

  returned from a visit to one of his

  tenants. A very unsteady Victoria was

  being assisted up the front steps by her

  maid and two very concerned footmen.

  Lucas threw his horse's reins at the groom

  and hurried forward.

  My God, what is the matter here? Are

  you ill, Vicky?" He peered at her with deep

  concern.

  Oh, hello, Lucas." She turned a beatific

  smile upon him and nearly lost her balance

  in the process. Did you enjoy being a

  cautious, conservative prig all day? I have

  spent my time this afternoon in a far more

  useful fashion. I have been conducting a

  little ." She paused to burp discreetly. A

  little experiment."

  A spicy cloud of brandy fumes wafted

  past Lucas's nose. He glared at the anxious

  maid as the truth dawned on him. I will take care of

  her ladyship," he announced

  in a voice laced with steel.

  Yes, my lord. I'll run have cook prepare

  some nice tea for her ladyship."

  Don't bother," Lucas growled as he

  caught Victoria around the waist.

  He got her past the anxious gazes of the

  butler, two more footmen, and a couple

  of hou
semaids, and finally, he got her up

  the stairs and into bed. As she sprawled

  gracefully back on her pillows, Victoria

  smiled once more and regarded him with

  a dreamy gaze.

  Lucas, dear, you really must learn not

  to look so frightfully menacing. You do

  have a nasty habit of glaring, you know."

  What the devil have you been drinking?"

  She frowned. Let me see. Brandy, for

  the most part, I believe. Did I explain

  about the experiment?"

  Not precisely, but we can go into the

  details later."

  Oh, dear, does that mean another

  lecture?"

  Yes, I am afraid it does, Vicky," Lucas

  said grimly. I will tolerate a great deal

  from you, my dear, but I will not have

  you coming home foxed in the middle of

  the afternoon, and that is final."

  I believe you will have to read me the

  lecture later, Lucas. I do not feel very well

  at the moment." Victoria turned on her

  side and grabbed wildly for the chamber

  pot under the bed.

  Lucas sighed and held her head. She was

  right. The lecture would have to wait.

  As it turned out, the lecture was put

  off until the following morning. Victoria

  tried to avoid it entirely by waking late

  and announcing she would take tea in her

  room. But a maid arrived shortly after nine

  with a request from Lucas that his wife

  attend him in his library at ten.

  Victoria briefly considered the odds of

  getting out of the nasty business altogether

  by claiming to be still indisposed from the

  effects of the scientific experiment but the

  pragmatic side of her nature interfered.

  May as well get the thing over and done,

  she told herself as she got slowly out of

  bed. She scowled as a faint headache flared

  behind her eyes. At least her stomach was

  stable again. When her maid appeared with

  tea, Victoria drank the entire pot and felt

  somewhat better.

  She chose the brightest yellow and white

  morning gown in her wardrobe and dressed

  as carefully as if she were going out for a

  formal visit before she headed reluctantly

  downstairs.

  Lucas rose from behind his wide desk,

  scanning her face carefully as she entered

  the room.

  Please sit down, Vicky. I must admit

  you are looking none the worse for wear.

  I congratulate you on your excellent

  constitution. I know several men who

  would be in a much less viable condition

  after the sort of experiment" you engaged

  in yesterday afternoon."

  Scientific progress exacts a certain toll,"

  Victoria said with dignity as she sat down.

  I am proud that I have made some small

  contribution to the welfare of mankind."

  A contribution to the welfare of man

  kind?" Lucas's mouth twitched. Is that

  what you call it? You came home

  thoroughly cup-shot in the middle of

  the day and you tell me it was all in

  the name of intellectual inquiry?"

  I have done far more risky things in

  the name of intellectual inquiry," Victoria

  retorted meaningfully. Only consider the

  fact that I am married to a man who will

  not even let me spend my own money as I

  see fit. And all because I fell victim to the

  dangers of another sort of experiment."

  His mouth hardened into a grim line.

  Do not try to deflect me by hurling old

  accusations. It is your behavior yesterday

  that is under consideration here. What,

  precisely, were you doing at the vicar's?"

  Sampling medicinal drafts in order to

  log their various effects," Victoria informed

  him, her chin at a haughty angle. Just

  let him dare to find fault with such a

  pure, scientific investigation, she thought

  wrathfully.

  And those medicinal drafts were all

  based on brandy?"

  No, of course not. Some of the herbs

  were dissolved in ale and not a few were

  infused with sherry and claret. We were

  not certain which spirits mixed best with

  the herbs, you see."

  Good Lord. How many glasses of this

  experiment did you drink?"

  Victoria massaged her temples. The

  headache was getting worse. I do not

  remember precisely, but I am sure it is all

  carefully recorded in doctor Thornby's book

  of experiments."

  The vicar and his wife were involved

  in this?"

  Well, actually, I fear misses Worth dozed

  off quite early on," Victoria said placatingly.

  And the vicar had a rather large dose of

  one of the concoctions and went into a

  corner to sit facing the wall for the duration

  of the experiment."

  I dread to ask what concoctions you

  swallowed."

  Victoria brightened. Oh, I stuck with

  pure spirits the entire time, Lucas. Mine

  was the standard by which the effects of

  the other mixtures were judged. It was a

  very important part of the experiment."

  Lucas swore softly and fell silent. The

  ticking of the tall clock grew very loud in

  the room. Victoria began to get restless.

  I fear I shall have to lay down yet

  another rule for you, madam," Lucas said

  at last.

  I was afraid of that." She wanted to

  fight back but her head was hurting too

  much. She could not seem to generate

  any enthusiasm for the conflict. She just

  wanted to retreat to her bed and lie

  down.

  Lucas ignored her morose expression,

  but his voice was surprisingly gentle when

  he explained the new rule. Henceforth,

  you will not engage in any further scientific

  experiments without my approval. Is that

  quite clear?"

  As usual, you have made yourself

  excruciatingly clear, my lord." Victoria

  rose, her head high. Marriage is a rather

  dull business for a female, is it not? No

  adventuring, no intellectual inquiry, no

  freedom to spend one's money as one

  sees fit. I wonder how women survive it

  for a lifetime without expiring from sheer

  boredom."

  She got up and went out the door.

  Lucas lay in bed that night and watched

  the moon through his window. There

  had been no sound from Victoria's room

  since something large and heavy had been

  dragged in front of the connecting door an

  hour ago.

  He had listened to her barricade herself

  in her bedchamber with some annoyance.

  He did not like the idea of her pushing

  heavy objects around unaided. At the very

  least, she should have asked a servant to

  do the job. But she had no doubt been

  too embarrassed to have a footman or

  her maid participate in the small act of

  defiance.

 
On the other hand, the show of spirit

  was a good sign, he told himself. She was

  obviously feeling much better than she had

  that morning. Things were getting back to

  normal.

  Normal, that is, if life with Vicky could

  ever be termed such.

  Lucas shoved aside the covers and got

  to his feet.

  The strategist in him knew that there

  had been no way to avoid the recent

  confrontations. Some battles were unavoidable,

  and when those arose, a man could

  do nothing except hunker down and fight.

  Victoria had still not fully accepted

  the marriage. She was an independent,

  headstrong creature who had been allowed

  free rein for too long. Her own intelligence,

  her gentle instincts, and her desire not to

  jeopardize her aunt's position in Society

  had acted as controls until he had come

  along.

  But now Lucas knew she saw him as the

  one who stood in her way, the one who

  threatened her independence. She was torn

  between her feelings for him and her anger

  at being trapped in the marriage.

  Lucas remembered all the males who had

  danced attendance on her in London, and

  groaned. She was accustomed to keeping

  men in their place, accustomed to being

  the one in command.

  But he sensed, even if she did not, that

  one of the reasons she had been initially

  fascinated with him was the very fact that

  she could not be quite certain of her

  ability to control him. She was a strong

  woman who needed a man who was even

  stronger.

  Having found him, she could not resist

  testing him.

  He was sorry open warfare had broken

  out. But Lucas knew that now that the

  battle lines had been drawn, he could not

  give in and allow Victoria her own way or

  there would be hell to pay in the future.

  Life had changed drastically for both of

  them. He had to make her understand

  that. They had future generations to think

  about now, not just their own lives. An

  estate such as stone vale was meant to be

  held in trust for one's descendants. It was

  or

  an investment in the future, not just the

  present.

  Those descendants would carry Victoria's

  blood as well as his own, Lucas told

  himself. She had as large a stake in

  this land as he did. Neither of them

  could continue to go on in the rather

  reckless fashion they had indulged before

  the marriage.

  Good God. He really was starting to

  sound quite priggish.

  For all either of them knew, the next

  generation of Colebrooks might be on its