Stolen by the Rebel King
Chapter 289: Beware Drusilla I

Chapter 289: Beware Drusilla I

Daphne took the offered drink to be polite but made no move to take even the smallest sip. She had grown wary of strange men handing her drinks after the mess with Jean Nott. Admittedly, Jean Nott did not poison her and it was her husband who tried to fake illness, but there was wisdom in avoiding drinks from strangers.

Duke Lanperouge’s smile flickered at her actions, and he offered her the other glass.

"If it pleases Your Highness, you can have the other one. I can even drain the glass in front of you to prove it’s not poisoned."

"Why do you assume I think it’s poisoned?" Daphne asked, slightly amused. "I could simply be holding onto the drink for later."

Duke Lanperouge laughed sheepishly, attracting the eyes of more than one interested woman. Daphne could admit that he was a handsome man, but he could not hold a candle to Atticus. He downed the glass in his hand in one easy gulp and waved the server for another one.

"Perhaps so, but I would be remiss as a host if I didn’t get all my guests to try even a sip of Xahan’s infamous whiskey. If you like, I’ll even save an entire cask for King Atticus to peruse later."

Daphne’s lips curled up in a wry smile. "That’s kind of you."

At his imploring eye, she took a cautious sniff. There was a faint hint of sweetness wafting off the drink. She then took a very tiny sip, and her eyes widened at the taste. It was surprisingly bitter, a sharp contrast to the floral sweetness she smelled.

It was interesting, but Daphne wasn’t a fan. She quickly returned the glass to Duke Lanperouge, who chuckled in defeat.

"I guess you’re not a fan. I might have better luck with King Atticus. Where is your dear husband?"

"He went to the restroom a while ago," Daphne said, not liking the glint in his eye. "He’ll be back shortly."

"But I just came back from the restroom." Now, Duke Lanperouge simply looked confused, a furrow between his brows as he gazed at Daphne. "There was no one else there."

"Maybe Atticus went to a different restroom," Daphne retorted evenly, even as her fingers tightened their hold on her glass. A faint feeling of uneasiness reared its ugly head. Duke Lanperouge could be lying, but Atticus had been gone for a strangely long time. "This lake house is huge. It surely has more than one."

"Perhaps," the Duke agreed. "Your mother made sure my guests wouldn’t need to wait long to answer nature’s call."

Nonetheless, Daphne had the sense that he was simply humoring her. Since there were more than enough restrooms, Atticus shouldn’t be gone for so long! Daphne half-wondered if he had found himself stuck on the privy.

"Before he returns, would you mind honoring me with a dance?" Duke Lanperouge asked, setting down his glass to offer her an outstretched hand.

Daphne could hear murmurs grow around them as she stared down at his empty hand, but Duke Lanperouge seemed unfazed.

"Your Highness?"

Daphne gave one last fleeting look at the entrance; she half-expected Atticus to finally appear, summoned by his protective instincts and storming towards her in a fit of possessiveness, but sadly, she was disappointed.

Atticus still had not shown up. The hallway was disappointingly bare.

As such, she gave Duke Lanperouge a resigned smile and put her glass of wine on the table, giving him her hand.

"It would be my pleasure," she said.

The swell of violins filled the air, and they were off. Unlike her first heady dance with Atticus where Daphne was terrified of making a single misstep, now she moved with confidence and grace benefiting a queen. Her dress flared as she spun elegantly, attracting the eyes of the guests.

However, Daphne wasn’t pleased. The demure smile she pasted on her face didn’t reach her eyes, and she made sure that there was at least an arm’s distance between her and the duke at all times.

If there was anything that could be misinterpreted as affection for the duke, Drusilla would sink her grubby little hands into it like a beggar with their last coin and make sure everyone knew it. Daphne wasn’t a fool; she caught Drusilla’s eyes following her every move as she twirled around the dance floor.

At the end of her first dance with Atticus, he had pulled her towards him so that their bodies were pressed close together. Duke Lanperouge tried to take similar liberties, but Daphne hurriedly stepped back and pried herself free, inwardly smirking at the look of disappointment that crossed his face.

That man had been eyeing her cleavage as they danced. His eyes met her chest more than he met her own eyes.

"Thank you for the dance, Duke Lanperouge," Daphne said politely.

"Would it be too much to ask for another?" he asked hopefully.

Daphne shook her head and laughed.

"I’m afraid so. I find myself tired and thirsty after this dance," Daphne said, and Duke Lanperouge took the hint, easily escorting her back to her table where the drinks were placed.

Unfortunately, that was also where Drusilla was waiting.

"Sister Daphne, Duke Lanperouge, that was a marvelous dance," Drusilla praised effusively, clasping her hands in front of her bosom. It drew attention to her own neckline, and Daphne internally snorted at the way Duke Lanperouge’s eyes focused on Drusilla’s curves.

She grabbed her wine glass, ready to chug down the bitter whiskey to quench her thirst.

But before she could even take a gulp, a mild foul stench hit her nose. Daphne’s nose wrinkled as she took another careful sniff, just to make sure she wasn’t imagining things. Was it possible for whiskey to spoil this fast in open air?

True enough, gone was the faint hint of sweetness from before. The glass of whiskey smelled faintly sour.

Yet, it smelled vaguely familiar. Daphne closed her eyes as she took another sniff, trying to place it while Drusilla and the duke chattered pleasantly between themselves. The more she sniffed, the more she felt like her body was overheating in a way that wasn’t caused by the dance.

A shudder went down Daphne’s spine as she recalled that familiar sensation.

She had finally realized what was inside her drink.

It was an aphrodisiac!