Snowbound Fairy Christmas

by Hunt, Brenda

  Dr. Mead knelt down beside him and grabbed Dulcey wrist. He could feel a faint pulse. “She’s alive, my lord.”

  Nate looked at him in disbelief and then hope. Oh, please let it be so, he prayed. He couldn’t think, he could only feel.

  “Let’s get her up to her room. I need to examine her more closely,” ordered Dr. Meade.

  Worth and Dr. Mead helped him up. He refused to let Dulcey go. Dulcey was alive. “Please, Worth see to --------.” He couldn’t finish the sentence.

  “Of course. See to Lady Dulcey,” replied Worth, as he watched his dear friend leave with his new bride in his arms. Damn how could this be happening? Who could have done such a thing?

  Slowly, he turned to everyone and commanded in pure ducal manner, “No one leaves this house until I have talked with everyone.” He slowly looked over every person in attendance, eyeing each of them as a possible murderer. He was going to find out who did this dastardly deed, if he had to torture every person here.

  His eyes came to rest on the Countess for a moment. Why did he look for her first? She had just left the head table just moments before and was standing next to the Reverend. She had been nowhere close to Dulcey. Yet still, he considered her.

  A tall thin man with balding hair approached him. “Your Grace, I am George Burrows, the local magistrate. How can I help?”

  He eyed the magistrate and pushed the Countess to the back of his mind for the moment. She had been nowhere near Dulcey. Worth nodded. He took him aside. “We need to talk to everyone. It appears Lady Dulcey has been poisoned. I believe it was someone in this room and I intend to find out who it is?”

  Mr. Burrows nodded. He was of the same frame of mind. But he could think of no one from the area who would wish Lady Dulcey harm. He looked carefully over everyone in attendance. He could see no one here looking the least bit suspicious. He knew everyone here from the town and surrounding area. There was no one here who held the least bit of animosity against Lady Dulcey. She had helped each and every one of them at some time or another. All he saw was concern on their faces.

  “Evers, would you see to it that everyone remains here as we talk with each and every one separately in Lord Beckham study,” instructed the Duke. In the few days he was here, he had come to know Evers was the pulse of this place. Nothing ever happened here without his knowledge except this, damn it.

  “Of course, your Grace,” replied Evers. No one would leave until the Duke said so. He nodded to Thomas and Henry who stationed themselves at the two outer doors.

  “Well, Mr. Barrows let us begin.”

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Nate carried Dulcey in his arms, following where Dr. Meade and Peggy led. She felt so lifeless in his arms. Every beat of his heart hurt as though someone had it in a tight grip. Her face lay against his chest, much too pale. He couldn’t think. All he could do was feel this pain consuming him.

  He laid her carefully on her bed. Peggy had turned the covers down. Dr. Meade removed some vials from his bag and began mixing.

  “We need to make her empty her stomach, in hopes, we can get her to get rid of the poison,” explained Dr. Meade. “Hold her head up, my lord. We need to get this down her.”

  Nate nodded as he held her head as the doctor poured the liquid into her mouth. It appeared to Nate that most of it was running down her chin. “Swallow, love. Please, swallow. Dr. Meade is here. He says you need to swallow this. We need to get this down you.” He pleaded.

  Dr. Meade continued to pour. He hoped some of it was getting down. It was the recipe Grammy Digby had instructed him with. Oh, how he wished she was here.

  Dulcey began to cough and empty the content of her stomach. Peggy had the basin ready.

  “Hold her head up and to the side my lord. We don’t want her to swallow it back again,” instructed Dr. Meade.

  Nate held her as the doctor instructed, wiping her face with the cool cloth Peggy handed him. When at last it seemed, she had emptied all within her stomach, she collapsed in his arms again. Nate raised his eyes to the doctor in question.

  Dr. Meade felt her pulse. It was not as weak as it was at first, not as strong as he would have liked it to be but it was an improvement. Her breathing appeared less shallow.

  “All we can do now, my lord, is hope and pray we were able to get enough of the poison out of her. Now is the hard part, waiting. I just wish I knew what type of poison was used. I would have a better idea of what more I

  need to do.”

  Nate nodded unable to trust his voice. He could not lose Dulcey. No, he could not even bear the thought of it. It felt like there was this iron fist in his chest squeezing his heart. Every beat of his heart hurt, every breath was difficult. This was not happening. It had to be a bad dream. He was bound to wake up soon and all of this would not have happened. He felt so lost.

  “My lord,” said Peggy, “let me change her into her night shift and get her out of her wedding dress. She’ll be more comfortable.”

  Nate nodded again and began undoing the buttons. He had teased her earlier about enjoying undoing every button. It seemed like a lifetime ago. His hands shook.

  Peggy put her hand on his. “I can do this, my lord.”

  “No, I will help,” replied Nate as he continued with the buttons. He needed to be doing something.

  Together, he and Peggy removed her bridal dress and chemise. Carefully, they put her nightdress on. Nate concentrated on the task and tried desperately not let anything enter his mind except getting Dulcey comfortable. But now with that done, he looked to Dr. Meade.

  “I wish I could tell you more, but I just don’t know. She is resting. We have done all we can at the moment. I know this is not what you wish to hear, my lord. All we can do now is wait and pray.” Dr. Meade wished he could tell him more. This was something Dulcey would have handled. She knew more about these things.

  Nate pushed his hands through his hair in frustration. “Who would do this?” asked Nate.

  “I can’t imagine anyone in the area wanting to do harm to Lady Dulcey. She is very well liked,” explained Dr. Meade. He was at a loss. It did not make sense to him either.

  “Dr. Meade, is right, my lord. Lady Dulcey has helped everyone about,” said Peggy. She shook her head in confusion.

  “Have there been any strangers in the area?” asked Nate. All he could think of was the story Lord James had written concerning Dulcey parents’ death. Could it be possible that vicar had finally found her?

  Both shook their heads and answered, “No.”

  “Why?” asked Dr. Meade.

  Nate went on to explain what Lord James had written concerning the death of Dulcey's parents.

  Dr. Meade shook his head. “No, my lord. There have been no strangers here in the area that I know of. The only new people are you, my lord, and your mother and your staff.”

  Nate shook his head. Perhaps, it was someone nobody noticed.

  “Perhaps, Lord Beckham you, would like to go downstairs and talk with his grace. He may have found something out by now,” suggested Dr. Meade.

  Nate shook his head. “No, I am not leaving Dulcey’s side till she wakes up. I trust Worth implicitly. No, I am not leaving. I trust no one else to protect her.” But then, he had not been able to protect her before. He had not known there was a threat, he told himself. Now he did. No one would get to her except through him.

  “Please, Dr. Meade, go downstairs and talk with his grace. Let me know, as soon as he has found anything. Thank you for your help, Peggy. I may need it again.”

  “Of course, my lord. I am my lady’s maid. I will stay here with you, my lord. I can go back and forth for you,” suggested Peggy. She was like his lordship. She was hesitant to leave Lady Dulcey’s side.

  Nate nodded. Yes, that would help.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  The Duke of Worthingston and Mr. Barrows began slowly questioning the guests one at a time. Worth put Simmons, Bennings and Evers in charge of making sure no one left till they were c
leared. The more Worth questioned, the more he grew to realize how many of these people Dulcey had helped in some manner and how much, so many of them cared about her. It was like looking for the needle in a haystack.

  Evers stopped the Duke. “Your Grace, I think you should talk with Mary, Mary Stewart.”

  “Who is this Mary?” asked the Duke.

  “Mary works at the tavern in the village. She knows Lady Dulcey. She says she may have seen something. She doesn’t know if it’s important.”

  “Then bring her to me, Evers. If she knows something I need to talk with her,” demanded Worth. It had been over two hours and he was losing patience. He had discovered nothing.

  Mary followed Evers into the study. She made a small curtsey. “Yer, grace.”

  Worth looked her over. He had seen many a tavern maid in his life. Mary stood before him, bright red hair with warm brown eyes, big breasted and big hips as typical as any he had ever met. He was certain she knew how to please a man in the bed. Hair of red, he thought, then shook his head. Maybe Dulcey had gotten this red hair mixed up with what would happen to her.

  “You’ve told Evers you may know something,” questioned Worth.

  Mary nodded. “Don’t know how important it is, yer grace? But I’ve been rememberin’ somethin’. It didn’t sit right with me. There was this woman, she was prowlin’ by the glasses. Kind of ‘minded me of the big tom in the kitchen. I watched her but when she saw me watchin’ she walked away. Ain’t never seen her before. Didn’t see her again. Does that help ye, yer grace, cause Miss, Lady Dulcey she’s always been kind to me, she has,” she explained hoping this was of some help.

  Worth nodded. “Describe her to me, Mary.”

  Mary blew out a breath. “I believe she be one of us.”

  Worth looked at her in question.

  “Not nobility like yer grace. One of the servants. Her clothes be dark, her hair gray, pulled back, dark tiny eyes, big hawk nose----“

  “That’s Leta, the Countess’s maid,” interrupted Evers. “She’s been saying some cruel things about Lady Dulcey since she’s been here, same things we’ve heard the Countess say. I warned her several of times about it. She stopped coming downstairs. She’s been staying in her room or the Countess’s since Lord Beckham brought Lady Dulcey back.”

  Worth narrowed his eyes in anger. The Countess! Why was he not surprised? He firmly believed, she was in a way responsible for Caroline’s miscarriage that led to her death. Now, possibly this. Yes, this needed further investigation.

  “Evers, bring her to me. Mary, I would like you to stay, please. Can you sit in this chair?” He turned the chair so the back faced the door. The maid would not see Mary when she came in. “Once I have begun to talk to her, I will come and stand next to chair. I need you to peek around the chair and tap me, if she is the one you saw.”

  Mary nodded, “Of course, yer grace.” She sat down in the chair just as Evers brought Leta in.

  Leta glanced about her nervously. She knew she would be questioned but Lady Shefley said not to worry. She was worried. What if-----

  Worth studied her through narrowed eyes. She met them only for a moment then looked quickly away. How devoted was she to the Countess, he wondered.

  “You are Leta, the Countess’s maid?” he asked.

  “Yes, your Grace.”

  “I’ll ask you, like I have everyone else. Where were you when Lady Dulcey collapsed?”

  Leta continued to look down at her feet. She could answer that question. “I was near the Countess.”

  Worth walked over to the chair Mary sat in and stood beside it, hiding Mary from view.

  “And where exactly was that?” he asked.

  Leta continued to stare at her feet. She had gone straight to the Countess’s side. “We were by the fireplace by the vicar.”

  Mary had peeked around the chair and tapped the Duke on the side of his leg. She smiled. From that small tap, she could feel the hard muscle of his leg. Ah, she wouldn’t mind getting to know the Duke a lot better.

  “You weren’t by the table that held the glasses at any time tonight?” Worth questioned.

  “No, your grace. I stayed by the Countess’s side all night. She was not feeling well.”

  Worth nodded. “So you were never by the glasses of champagne at any time?”

  “No, your grace.” She shifted nervously on her feet.

  Mr. Barrows watched her and didn’t like her nervousness. He felt she was hiding something.

  “So if Miss Stewart here said, she saw you by the glasses, moments before Lady Dulcey took her glass, she would be lying,” stated Worth as he offered Mary his hand and aided her to her feet and face Leta.

  Leta looked up and met Mary’s eyes. Her eyes widened with fear. She was certain---

  “Do you still say that you were never at the table with the glasses?” asked Worth

  “I----I may have. I don’t remember,” she answered with a stutter. “The Countess will tell you, I was at her side.”

  “Evers, would you have the Countess come in here as well. We need to straighten this out, who was where.”

  Lady Shefley entered the study. She did not care for this room. This was where that letter was read. How her son could believe that letter and as such, marry this witch woman was beyond her. And now this. Hadn’t she told him time and time again, he was putting them in danger. But no, he would not listen to her. That woman had bewitched him. Of that, she was certain.

  She did not care that Worth was in charge of the interrogation. She and Worth did not see things in the same way. Why was he wanting to speak with her? She had not poisoned Dulcey but she would not be opposed to the possibility of Dulcey’s demise.

  Leta, her maid, was in the room. Leta was getting old but she had been with her since she was a child and knew her likes and dislikes. She could not dismiss her. Leta was devoted to her.

  “What is Leta doing here?” she demanded. She looked at Worth directly. She then noticed another woman in the room. Who was this woman? Some servant from the looks of her.

  “Leta was seen by the glasses just prior to Lady Dulcey’s collapse. She says she has been by your side.” He watched the Countess’s face closely. He also watched Leta’s face as well.

  The Countess let out a breath of annoyance. “Leta was by my side once I left the table.”

  “She did not get you a glass of champagne?”

  The Countess shrugged. “No, I do not drink champagne.”

  “So, if Miss Stewart saw Leta by the glasses, she would not be getting a glass for you?” asked Worth watching Leta’s reaction closely.

  The Countess pursed her lips in displeasure. “Who is this Miss Stewart, you speak of?”

  “Miss Stewart, this is the Dowager Countess of Shefley. Did you or did you not see her maid, Leta near the table where Lady Dulcey took her glass of champagne?”

  Mary looked at the Countess and then at Leta. If they were behind the poisoning of Lady Dulcey, she was not about to back down. “Yes, yer grace. I saw this woman at that table.”

  Leta shifted under Mary’s gaze.

  Worth noticed the shift.

  “Again, who is this woman that accuses my maid?” demanded the Countess. She eyed the woman. She was not a servant of Brandanlyn. She must be a servant from somewhere about here. She should have not been a part of this, attending this wedding. But then, this Dulcey woman associated with all this low class of people.

  Worth ignored the Countess. “Are you certain, Miss Stewart?”

  Mary nodded, “Aye, yer grace. She be there and then she be gone.”

  “What do you say now Leta?” addressed Worth. He did not like the way Leta shifted when confronted by Mary. He had seen that nervousness before, when working for the war department. It usually meant guilt.

  Leta looked nervously to the Countess. The Countess would protect her.

  “You have not answered my question, Leta? Were you at the table? Were you the one that poisoned Lady Dulcey? I
need your answer,” commanded Worth. He was tired of this game.

  “You will stop this at once Worthingston. You will not berate my maid in this manner. I don’t know this woman who accuses her so. It could possibly be her and she wants you to think otherwise.” The Countess had had enough of this.

  Worth narrowed his eyes. “No, perhaps Leta is doing this under your direction. It is no secret that you do not like Lady Dulcey. Perhaps you are behind this,” accused Worth.

  Lady Shefley blew out a breath in anger. “Do not be absurd. She is a witch. Her parents were burned. I tried to tell Nathaniel that we were all in danger. This just proves it.”

  Magistrate Barrows replied angrily. “Lady Dulcey is well loved in this area. No one believes she is a witch. We will not stand for this story to be bandied about. We care for her. It appears you do not. So perhaps his Grace may be on to something.”

  Lady Shefley bristled in indignation. “I beg your pardon. Who are you to accuse me? I am the Countess Shefley. I will not be talked to in this manner.” She turned to walk out but Magistrate Barrows put himself between the Countess and the door.

  “We have not finished questioning you or your maid,” stated Worth in no uncertain terms. He felt like there was more here than either woman was telling.

  “I will not be interrogated any further.” She looked daggers at first Barrows and then turned to Worthingston. “I am leaving now!”

  “No, Countess, you are not. I am determined to get to the bottom of this and I am beginning to think you are involved somehow. You will not leave until I find out whether you are or not.” All the memories, of all the complaints Carolyn had told him, came to mind. He had no qualms believing this woman was capable of such a thing. He was going to find out, if they had to stay here all night.

  The Countess narrowed her eyes. The Duke was not about to hold her prisoner and question her like she was some low class servant. How dare he? Duke or not, she was not going to allow him to continue questioning her or Leta because of what this woman said, whoever this woman was.