Free An Heir of Uncertainty by Alyssa Everett

him gray. He fell asleep at night thinking Harriet would have done a better job with her.
    Beside him, Freddie was giving Miss Douglass a puzzled look. “Why do you call him Colonel Vaughan?”
    Win tensed. He’d forgotten to warn his brother about that detail. “You know very well I was in the army, Freddie. We were just speaking of it.”
    “Yes, but no one calls you ‘Colonel.’”
    “Some people do.” Win did his best to sound offhand, though he wanted to kick himself. That would teach him to put on airs. Now he must look like a pompous ass. Thank you, Freddie.
    Across from him, the countess heaved a tension-laden sigh.
    Keen to abandon the topic of his military rank, Win asked, “Are you certain you’re well, ma’am? You’re very quiet.”
    “You must excuse my sister,” Miss Douglass said before Lady Radbourne could reply. “I suffered an attack of my lung complaint last night and she was up with me most of the night, waiting for Dr. Strickland.”
    So the doctor had been here, had he? A vague and unexpected stir of jealousy ran through Win. If, as Mr. Channing believed, Strickland really was the father of Lady Radbourne’s baby, Miss Douglass’s condition certainly made a convenient excuse for his late-night calls.
    “I trust the attack wasn’t serious,” Win said, a trifle stiffly.
    “Serious enough,” Lady Radbourne said. “But if I seem out of sorts this morning, it has nothing to do with Cassandra. You see, I was nearly poisoned yesterday.”
    Win blinked. He must have heard her wrong. “Poisoned?”
    “Lina,” Miss Douglass said in the same instant, her brow puckering in consternation, “do you really think it’s wise to mention the tea when Dr. Strickland thinks—”
    “Either Colonel Vaughan had nothing to do with the incident and will no doubt share our wish to identify the guilty party,” Lady Radbourne said, sitting with her back very straight, “or he’s responsible, in which case he already knows about it and mentioning it can make no difference.”
    Win didn’t like the sound of guilty party , especially in conjunction with Lady Radbourne’s earlier use of the word poisoned. “What exactly happened here?”
    She met his gaze, a spark of challenge in her green eyes. “Someone—someone who was in this house yesterday—substituted an herb called pennyroyal for the tea in our caddy. For any woman in a delicate condition, drinking pennyroyal tea can bring on miscarriage.”
    Win was torn between horror and outrage—and, for the moment at least, outrage won. “And you think I had something to do with it?”
    “I don’t know what to think, but you must admit my baby is the only obstacle standing between you and an earldom.”
    “Yes, but—but—” Win was so shocked and so offended he could do little better than splutter.
    “Win’s never poisoned anyone, at least not that I’m aware,” Freddie said in the same tone of unruffled amiability he’d used when greeting the ladies.
    Despite Win’s indignation, Lady Radbourne refused to retreat. “You did have sufficient opportunity. You were in the house yesterday, searching the interior while my sister and I waited outside.”
    “Yes, to help you. ” He could scarcely believe she was serious. “I entered the house for your sake, to assure it was safe.”
    Miss Douglass rushed to smooth matters over. “What he says is true, Lina. And the colonel was with you when you discovered the door had been forced open.”
    “I’m taking that into consideration. I’ll admit it’s to Colonel Vaughan’s credit.”
    “Thank God for small favors,” Win said, his sense of affront building. Now he could see what Mr. Channing meant about the countess being as bold as brass. She was accusing him of trying to poison her, right to his face and without the slightest hint of compunction.
    “I’m not accusing you,” Lady Radbourne said as if she could read his mind, “merely pointing out that you’re not only new to the