Once Upon a Castle - Jill Gregory [96]
To pass the time, Felicity picked up the dusty family history of the Falcons and began to read. Hours passed. Suddenly she glanced up in astonishment. The book fell from her nerveless fingers. She raced to the window. Where was Gareth? Why had he not come to her? It was essential that she share this news with him. What she had just read changed everything here at Falcon’s Lair.
She was shocked to see that darkness covered the land. It had to be past midnight. All of the household had retired for the night. She would share her news with Gareth later. Right now, it was time to put her plan into motion.
Peering cautiously around her door, she slipped down the hall and into Lord Falcon’s room. The old man lay deep in sleep. It took her several minutes to rouse him. Even when his eyes finally opened, she couldn’t be certain that her words were reaching his consciousness.
“Lord Falcon, I’ve found the antidote to Ian’s drug. It was in my father’s notes.” She struggled to lift his head. “You must drink this.”
In his confusion he tried to wave her away and nearly spilled the contents of the vial. With her heart thudding, she held it to the old man’s lips. At the first taste he made a face and tried to turn away.
“I know it tastes vile, but you must drink all of it,” she urged. “Do it for your old friend Rob.”
When he emptied the vial, she lowered his head to the pillow. “I wish I could stay by your side,” she whispered as she smoothed the blanket over him, “but there’s no time to waste. I must get the antidote to William.”
She hesitated for a moment, wishing he would say something that would set her mind at ease. But he stared mutely, then closed his eyes.
She struggled against a growing feeling of dread as she hurried along the darkened hallway toward William’s suite. Inside, she found him tossing and turning, fighting the demons that came to him in sleep.
“William,” she whispered fiercely, touching a hand to his shoulder.
At once he swung out a fist, barely missing her.
“William,” she said again in a louder voice, “I bring you word from Diana.”
At the mention of that name he went very still.
Felicity took a deep breath and reminded herself that the lie was for his own good. “Diana has said that if you love her you will drink this. All of it,” she added as she lifted the vial to his lips.
Without a word of protest he did as he was told.
Felicity dropped the empty vial into her pocket and touched a hand to his cheek in a gesture of tenderness. “Rest now, William. I pray you are soon removed from this nightmare and reunited with your true love.”
As she turned, she was shocked to see two menacing figures in the doorway.
“So. It’s as you suspected, Ian. Our houseguest refused to heed my warning.” Honora advanced on Felicity. “We’d hoped your absence today meant that you were packing to return to America. But that was too much to hope for. Now you’ll have to pay for your meddling.”
“What…do you think you can do to me?” Felicity took a step backward and found herself trapped against the wall.
“What can we do?” Ian laughed, and Honora followed suit. “Miss Andrews, you’re going to disappear. Never to be seen again.”
In the glow of candlelight, Felicity saw a cloth in his hand. Too late, she realized what he intended. He pinned her and held the cloth to her face until she breathed deeply. The sickly odor made her head swim. Though she was not unconscious, she no longer had the will to fight.
Felicity could feel the drug taking effect. Her mind seemed separated from her body. When Ian lifted her in his arms and descended the stairs, she felt herself drifting. She heard the door to the castle being opened and closed. A cold, dark mist swirled before her eyes, and she wondered why she was being carried outside. She felt the wet brush of tree branches as she was being carried through the