"Where is Nannag?" he asked.
"There." Jessie pointed.
The healer approached with two more female servants carrying stoneware jugs.
"Make her drink this," Nannag said, handing one of the jugs to Jessie, while a maid set a wooden bucket on the floor.
"What is it?" Dirk asked.
"Vinegar and warm water. 'Twill make her vomit and expel the poison."
"Are you certain?" He didn't want to do anything to make her worse.
"Aye, somehow they got ahold of deadly nightshade," Nannag said.
Who else would use deadly nightshade but Maighread? Damn her. How had she poisoned Isobel and Aiden, of all people? Why would she poison her own son and her best friend's daughter? His cupbearer had not only tasted Dirk's food, but also Aiden's and Isobel's. Maybe he hadn't tasted the poison, or consumed enough to make him sick.
"Give Aiden some vinegar too," Dirk ordered, glancing his way and, when the crowd parted, seeing he was in the same shape as Isobel.
Nannag and a servant moved away as Dirk held Isobel's head up. She was talking nonsense and waving her hands about.
"Isobel, drink this." He held the jug near her mouth, but she turned her head this way and that, clutching onto her throat. "Jessie, make her drink it while I hold her still."
Jessie nodded, tears streaming down her face. Swiping them away, she poured some vinegar water into a mug.
"Isobel, drink. It will help," he said, holding her arms down and her head immobile against his shoulder. Saints, he could not lose her. He had told her true—she was the most important person to him. He had never felt as close to anyone, and he wanted her by his side the whole of his life.
She trembled all over. And though her eyes were normally dark brown, they were near completely black now, and her face scarlet. But her constricted breathing and gasping terrified him most.
"Don't let her get choked."
Jessie shook her head as she carefully allowed Isobel to drink the warm vinegar water from the mug.
Isobel got one sip down, grimacing and shaking her head. "Dirk," she rasped along with other words. "Too loud." She tried to move her hands up to her ears.
"Give her more," he told Jessie, his heart racing. Each moment the poison remained inside her, the more dangerous. "Her stomach has to be purged."
"Aye." Jessie held the cup to Isobel's lips, but she tried to turn her head away again.
"Damnation, Isobel, drink," he commanded in a harsh but low tone near her ear. "I can't lose you."
She shook her head, then accepted the vinegar, showing true effort this time to get the vile liquid down.
"Aye, drink a lot of it, lass. You have to vomit and get rid of the poison."
He could already hear Aiden vomiting behind him. Thank God. This gave him hope.
"We're getting married tomorrow, aye?" Dirk asked Isobel, praying they still could. His heart broke at the thought of losing her the day before she would become his wife.
She nodded, jerkily, and whispered, "Wedding."
"Well, then, you have to drink all this so you'll get better."
She accepted more of the horrid drink while Jessie administered it. Isobel nearly choked and started coughing. Dirk leaned her forward, over the bucket, hoping she'd vomit any minute. He didn't want to have to stick his finger down her throat.
She gagged and he leaned her closer to the bucket. She shook her head and started sobbing.
"Saints, Isobel. You have to vomit, now."
Hell, he'd never had to order anyone to vomit. But she did, finally. She retched and the vinegar water came back up along with half her meal. He and Jessie supported her while she clutched at her stomach. He held her head, the skin of her forehead still feverish.
Another bout of retching consumed her and she vomited twice more.
"That's good. Get all the poison out, Isobel," he said, relief helping him relax a bit.
"What the devil happened here?" Cyrus demanded, crouching at his elbow.
"Isobel and my brother were poisoned with deadly nightshade. It had to be in the food. Could you go make certain none of the kitchen servants leave the premises?"
"Aye, of course. Will she be well?" Cyrus asked, eying Isobel with much concern.
"I hope so, once all the poison leaves her system. Maybe you and Rebbie could question the servants."
"Indeed." Cyrus strode away. Dirk knew how the man was. He needed something to do, to take action during a crisis.
"How do you feel?" Dirk asked Isobel.
Her only response was a shake of her head.
"Get her some fresh water, Jessie, to rinse her mouth."
"Does your stomach hurt?" he asked.
"Nay," Isobel rasped.
"Is the nausea gone?"
She nodded.
He lifted her into his arms, praying she'd emptied her stomach and that none of the poison remained. He set her on a chair and Jessie gave her water to rinse her mouth.
Dirk turned to see how Aiden fared. His normally pale skin was just as red as Isobel's at the moment. "How is Aiden?" Dirk called to those helping him.
"A wee bit better," Nannag said, approaching and touching Isobel's forehead.
"Deadly nightshade, you said?" Dirk asked her.
"Aye. I've seen the effects before, many years ago. Two children ate some of the berries. The younger one died."
God's teeth! A renewed wave of fear crashed through him, making him realize how close he was to losing her.
"Will Isobel and Aiden recover?" He prayed silently with all his might that they would.
"I hope they will." Nannag gave a brief nod, her red kerch flapping over her white curls. "Since they've purged their stomachs. But their bodies absorbed some of the poison before we could get it out."
"Is there an herb or something you can give them to help?"
She shook her head, looking forlorn. "Nay, lad. We've done all we can."
He glanced at Isobel sitting on the chair, leaning on Jessie. She appeared near unconscious. Aching dread clutched at his stomach.
If Maighread had done this, he'd kill her.
"I'll take Isobel to her room," Dirk said. "Will you come up in a few moments and examine her again?"
"Aye," the healer said.
"Come, Isobel." Leaning down, he lifted her into his arms, wishing they were already married so he could take her to his room.
Her fingers clutched weakly at his collar and she pressed her face to his shoulder. Tears streamed from her closed eyes.
"Och. Don't cry, lass," he murmured.
Maneuvering up the narrow turnpike staircase with her wasn't easy. Once in her chamber, he laid her on the bed and covered her.
Beitris rushed forward. "What happened to her?"
Dirk explained the situation.
"Oh, heavens." Beitris burst into tears and touched Isobel's face. "She's burning up."
"Aye."
"I'll bathe her face." She rushed away to pour water from a pitcher into a bowl.
Dirk leaned forward and kissed Isobel's forehead.
"I thank you," she whispered, her voice raspy.
"You will be well, my sweet. Aye? Promise me."
"I promise," she whispered softly.
He wanted to lie beside her and hold her all night, whispering reassurances in her ear. Convincing her every moment that she had to recover, but Jessie entered the room along with Nannag and a female servant.