章 11: The Tea Incident
Azielle saw the headline while she was in her room, lying on the bed with her own copy of the newspaper. She shook her head in disappointment and sighed.
"This child..." She looked up at the ceiling. "Dominic, I'm counting on you." She coughed as she lit her smoking pipe, took a puff, and coughed again.
Evangeline's carriage arrived home. After getting down from the carriage, she walked into the building and saw Dominic standing in the living room. She already knew what he was going to confront her about.
"I know why you're here. I don't have time to have a conversation with you," she said as she walked past him. He stopped her by holding her hand, and she gasped.
"You don't know how this will hurt your grandmother," he told Evangeline. She scoffed and removed her hand from his grip.
"She brought it on herself by letting you take over everything and making you my matrilocal husband!" she replied with annoyance, insulting Dominic's dignity. She took a deep breath and paused for a moment. She knew he was right about how her grandmother would feel, but she didn't care. "Don't meddle in my business. I know what you're up to, and you'll get exposed soon, criminal." After making that accusation, she walked away as the servants started gossiping in the room, having heard the news as well.
Dominic clenched his fists at the word "matrilocal husband." He sighed with relief, placed his hands in his pockets, and watched as Richard walked past him, following Evangeline. Seeing this, Dominic felt an urge to punch him in the face.
Caleb walked up to Dominic. "Sir, you have a meeting tonight. I'll prepare the vehicle."
"Good. I'll be on my way soon." He gestured for Caleb to leave and gritted his teeth so hard that his mouth bled a little. He quickly wiped it away to avoid causing panic among the servants, took a deep breath, and left the living room.
Evangeline was accompanied by the servants to her room while Richard stood at the door. The servants removed Evangeline's coat, and she sat on the sofa in the room. Another servant approached her and placed a tray with a tea set on the table where she sat.
"Thank you... You all can leave. Call Richard in," she said. The servants nodded and left, delivering Evangeline's message to Richard. Richard entered the room, closed the door, and saw Evangeline sipping her tea. He walked towards her and sat beside her.
"Ugh... I can't believe it. How dare he!" Evangeline tightened her grip on the teacup handle.
"If it's... a... an affair, so what?" she stammered, beginning to feel dizzy and having difficulty breathing. She gasped for breath. "I don't feel good." She held her head as the teacup fell from her hand, making Richard worried.
"Evangeline, are you alright?!... Evangeline!" he shouted. He held her as she fainted, her skin pale and looking helpless in his arms, with red patches resembling acne on her skin and neck.
"Someone help!" His voice alerted the guards and some passing servants, who barged into the room just in time.
"My lady, are you alright?... Call Master Dominic!" one of the servants said.
"Unfortunately, he went to a meeting," the servant behind her replied while she fidgeted. "I'll call Magdalene." She ran hurriedly out of the bedroom to fetch Magdalene.
Magdalene heard the news and returned to the bedroom with the servant. "What happened?" she asked Richard.
"She was drinking tea, then got dizzy and fainted," Richard tried to explain. Magdalene saw the red patches on her neck and placed her two fingers on the side of Evangeline's neck.
"Call the physician and also tell the jewelers that they can't come today," Magdalene ordered a servant. The servant nodded and left.
Richard carried Evangeline to the bed.
Magdalene turned to the tea set, picked up the teapot, opened the lid, and saw a teabag inside. She removed it, squeezed a little liquid from the teabag, and tasted it. "Peach?!" she said in surprise, dropping the teabag on the floor.
"Who did this?!" she asked the servants in an intimidating tone as they fell to their knees, pleading their innocence. "We don't know, Madam Magdalene."
"Who served the lady peach tea? Do they not know she's allergic to peaches?!"
She ordered the guards to take Evangeline's attendants who had served her tea for interrogation until Dominic arrived.
After the physician arrived and went to Evangeline's room, they explained what had happened. He walked to Evangeline's unconscious body, checked her pulse, and said, "It's an allergy, and she hasn't been taking her medicine." He placed her hand back where it was.
"The lady will be down for a week, but she'll get better. Also, I need to prescribe these for her to get rid of the allergy. You're lucky she didn't die; it's also food poisoning as well." The physician wrote a list of drugs on a paper and handed it to Magdalene. "Get these drugs, and she'll be fine. I know she's a stubborn girl; persuade her to take her medications." He stood up, carrying his portfolio, and left the room.
Magdalene ordered an investigation to be conducted in the house to find the culprit.
Dominic heard the news of the incident and clenched his fingers while he was in the conference room. After the meeting, he arrived home and rushed to Evangeline's room. He saw Richard standing at the door and looked at him with a deadly stare, which didn't make Richard flinch. Dominic walked inside and found Magdalene sobbing and holding Evangeline's hand.
Magdalene saw Dominic and greeted him while she wiped her tears. Dominic nodded and saw Evangeline's helpless state. He brushed her cheek; he was broken but didn't show it. He was emotionless and neutral on the outside. He turned to Magdalene.
"Interrogate Evangeline's attendants and punish them. At the same time, an investigation should be conducted. I'll find reliable attendants to replace those who couldn't do their job well. Also, keep this from Azielle; she must not know about this for her health's sake."
Magdalene nodded and replied, "Yes, sir... The physician prescribed some drugs for the lady." She informed him about the physician's visit.
"Good... Get them as soon as possible," Dominic replied and turned away from Magdalene.
"If it's you, Richard, or whoever it is, I won't spare you, and anyone related to you won't be spared," Dominic said to himself in his thoughts, raising his clenched hand and waving it away. He walked out of the room, glaring at Richard again. Richard avoided his gaze as Dominic walked towards the office.
Richard entered the bedroom, closing the doors to join Magdalene at Evangeline's bed.
~CHAPTER END~
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