The Right Reasons

Chapter Fifteen

Arabella could barely control her sobs as she watched the young doctor flitted from his medical bag to the unconscious duchess. She sad by the bed, gently squeezing her pale hand. Delilah stood in the corner, going unnoticed for the moment. Jasper was aggravatingly pacing across the hardwood flooring. His leather boots seemed to echo with every step. "Do you have leeches?"

Her sniffles abruptly stopped. "Leeches?" she squeaked out.

"Leeches," he confirmed, "for blood letting."

Another uncontrollable sob broke out of her chest. Jasper growled and began to shout. "Delilah, take her out!" At this, she began sob harder. Arabella was numb to everything except Delilah's claw-like nails roughing digging into her arms and Delilah yanked out Arabella of her chair. Delilah looked smug as she dragged Arabella out of the room.

"So pathetic," she scoffed before dropping her outside the door like a sack of potatoes.

When Arabella finally stopped crying enough to see properly, she managed to take a seat across the hall. It wasn't long before the heavy wooden door creaked open. Arabella jumped up in anticipation. And promptly slumped into her seat as Delilah exited. "The doctor claimed that I was 'in his way'," she scoffed, "Can you believe this outrage? I was simply trying to comfort Jasper."

Arabella could barely imagine it. Delilah clinging to Jasper's arm as he tried to assist the doctor.

After a few minutes of Delilah's useless pouting and complaining, Arabella snapped, "With you close your bloody mouth?"

Delilah's frown was instantly replaced with a grating smirk. She grasped, pretending to be offended. "Why, does it bother you?"

Arabella put on her brightest debutante smile and sighed. "Not as much as you bother me as a whole."

Delilah chuckled, looking smug. "Good."

"Why have you been so smug of late?" Arabella asked, honestly curious.

"Let us just say that something I've been waiting for has finally come to pass," she replied, moving to the mirror and readjusting the large broach to pull her neckline lower. She fluffed her hair and pinched her cheeks before turning swiftly. "My plans are so close to becoming fulfilled," she laughed and almost giddily rushed off. Something was off and Arabella was certain Delilah was somehow the cause of it.

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Jasper stopped pacing and promptly shoved Delilah off of his arm. "Get out," he growled. She gulped and chuckled. "Sweetheart, you don't mean that," she replied nervously.

Jasper set his jaw and tried his hardest not to slap her. While he did not think her mad as Arabella did, she was dancing on his nerves. "Do you honestly think I would allow you to be in the way after I sent the woman I love out?"

She blanched like she had the first time she had heard that he had married. "L-love...?"

Before she could dramatically faint, he used the opportunity to push her out of the door.

"Now that the womenfolk have left the room, I would like to discuss her condition," the young doctor said, gently placing his tools in his bag.

"Of course, at once."

"She's been poisoned."

"Poisoned?" Jasper could hardly believe it. The Duchess had no known enemies. She was kind to everyone and was a role model woman.

"With belladonna. It is more commonly known as 'deadly nightshade'. It is a very common poison because it grows in the form of a berry. Has she shown any dizziness or sensitivity to light?"

"Yes. She also been very fatigued for the past few months."

"Hmm," the doctor replied, scratching his dark hair, "Fatigue is not a common symptom. Perchance she's been more slowly poisoned with another poison. Possibly in tea? The belladonna was used to create a more drastic effect."

Jasper leaned onto the dresser. "The poisoner became impatient," he concluded.

"My findings exactly. If you would not mind my intrusion, I would like to stay and observe her."

Jasper cleared his throat. "No, of course not. I'll invite a few other acquaintances to investigate as well. Please do not tell Duchess Arabella or Miss Bullard about the true nature of her condition."

"Of course."

"I will make arrangements for your stay."

Jasper sighed, running his hands through his hair. He walked to his mother's side as the doctor left the room.

"Mother... I'm sorry for not protecting you."

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Hey! On time update! I think some of you know who it is... BTW sorry for the shortness...

I ALSO MADE IT TO 101 FOLLOWERS! THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH!