offensive.”
She pouted. “By us, I assume you mean me.”
“You shall not wait for his lordship to call upon you but will take the initiative and go to him.”
“The devil I will! I know your loyalty rests with Julia, but I don’t intend to sacrifice myself to that odious man, not even for the sake of my best friend.” Repulsion gripped Katrina. “Besides, he’d know at once that I’m not his wife when he has me in his bed.”
Celia, locked in thought, took a moment to respond. “As soon as I hear his lordship’s man leave him for the night, you’ll go through to his room and surprise him in that nightgown. I’ve already arranged for a bottle of champagne to be placed in his room—”
“He hates champagne.”
“Yes, but you do not. In such circumstances he wouldn’t be averse to sharing a glass or two with you.”
“What good will that do, other than delay the inevitable?”
“Pour the drinks yourself and add a little of this to his.” Celia handed her a phial of brownish liquid.
“What is it?”
“Laudanum. I procured some from the stillroom as soon as I heard of my master’s arrival.”
“You want me to drug him?” Katrina wondered why, if Celia had already formulated a plan, she hadn’t said so straightaway. Surely she hadn’t hoped that Katrina would agree to share Dupont’s bed? She stared at the woman, trying to read her face, but her expression gave nothing away.
“Mixed with the champagne he won’t taste it, and if you distract him sufficiently he won’t notice that his drink is a different colour to yours. He’ll most likely drain the full glass in one go anyway. He usually does when he drinks champagne with my mistress.”
“I didn’t realise that he dislikes champagne and almost gave myself away.”
“He only likes to drink it in private with you, milady. He probably thought that you were being playful. Encouraging him even.”
Katrina nodded again, her face flooding with colour as she recalled his strange comment and leering expression when she’d handed him the glass.
“Given the amount of alcohol he’s already imbibed, this will knock him out long before you’re in danger of being defiled.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Laudanum works fast. He’ll sleep like a baby once it hits his system. We’ll put him to bed and he’ll be none the wiser. Since he has to leave at first light, he’ll discover evidence that you were in his chamber and assume he bedded you.”
Katrina sighed. “You make it all sound so simple.”
“You have to try it, ma’am, for my mistress’s sake. You owe her a great deal.”
Katrina looked up sharply. Celia went too far. She wanted to tell her that there were limits to any friendship but Celia seemed too implacably determined to entertain arguments.
“If the champagne and laudanum combined somehow fail to halt him, you can always crown him with the chamber pot. That would be equally effective but only do it as a last resort. He’d obviously remember what you’d done, and that would cause problems for my mistress.”
Katrina didn’t give a damn about her mistress and was angry with Celia for her single-mindedness. “It’s all right for you. You’re not the one who will shortly have to fend off the odious man.”
“Have courage, ma’am. Even the fiercest man is malleable when alone in a bedroom with a beautiful woman.”
“Celia, I just don’t know.” Katrina bit her lip, wondering if she had the strength of will to follow through with Celia’s plan. Did she even want to try? She was still furious with Julia for not warning her that her husband might put in an appearance. “Alone he’s bound to notice the differences between Julia and me. I think he already suspects.”
Celia tied a pretty cap over Katrina’s curls, completely covering the crown of her head, helping to disguise her hair. “Here, let’s rub some more of this healing balm into your hands. They look so much better already. Using this
She pouted. “By us, I assume you mean me.”
“You shall not wait for his lordship to call upon you but will take the initiative and go to him.”
“The devil I will! I know your loyalty rests with Julia, but I don’t intend to sacrifice myself to that odious man, not even for the sake of my best friend.” Repulsion gripped Katrina. “Besides, he’d know at once that I’m not his wife when he has me in his bed.”
Celia, locked in thought, took a moment to respond. “As soon as I hear his lordship’s man leave him for the night, you’ll go through to his room and surprise him in that nightgown. I’ve already arranged for a bottle of champagne to be placed in his room—”
“He hates champagne.”
“Yes, but you do not. In such circumstances he wouldn’t be averse to sharing a glass or two with you.”
“What good will that do, other than delay the inevitable?”
“Pour the drinks yourself and add a little of this to his.” Celia handed her a phial of brownish liquid.
“What is it?”
“Laudanum. I procured some from the stillroom as soon as I heard of my master’s arrival.”
“You want me to drug him?” Katrina wondered why, if Celia had already formulated a plan, she hadn’t said so straightaway. Surely she hadn’t hoped that Katrina would agree to share Dupont’s bed? She stared at the woman, trying to read her face, but her expression gave nothing away.
“Mixed with the champagne he won’t taste it, and if you distract him sufficiently he won’t notice that his drink is a different colour to yours. He’ll most likely drain the full glass in one go anyway. He usually does when he drinks champagne with my mistress.”
“I didn’t realise that he dislikes champagne and almost gave myself away.”
“He only likes to drink it in private with you, milady. He probably thought that you were being playful. Encouraging him even.”
Katrina nodded again, her face flooding with colour as she recalled his strange comment and leering expression when she’d handed him the glass.
“Given the amount of alcohol he’s already imbibed, this will knock him out long before you’re in danger of being defiled.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Laudanum works fast. He’ll sleep like a baby once it hits his system. We’ll put him to bed and he’ll be none the wiser. Since he has to leave at first light, he’ll discover evidence that you were in his chamber and assume he bedded you.”
Katrina sighed. “You make it all sound so simple.”
“You have to try it, ma’am, for my mistress’s sake. You owe her a great deal.”
Katrina looked up sharply. Celia went too far. She wanted to tell her that there were limits to any friendship but Celia seemed too implacably determined to entertain arguments.
“If the champagne and laudanum combined somehow fail to halt him, you can always crown him with the chamber pot. That would be equally effective but only do it as a last resort. He’d obviously remember what you’d done, and that would cause problems for my mistress.”
Katrina didn’t give a damn about her mistress and was angry with Celia for her single-mindedness. “It’s all right for you. You’re not the one who will shortly have to fend off the odious man.”
“Have courage, ma’am. Even the fiercest man is malleable when alone in a bedroom with a beautiful woman.”
“Celia, I just don’t know.” Katrina bit her lip, wondering if she had the strength of will to follow through with Celia’s plan. Did she even want to try? She was still furious with Julia for not warning her that her husband might put in an appearance. “Alone he’s bound to notice the differences between Julia and me. I think he already suspects.”
Celia tied a pretty cap over Katrina’s curls, completely covering the crown of her head, helping to disguise her hair. “Here, let’s rub some more of this healing balm into your hands. They look so much better already. Using this
Similar Books
