What is that? Emma asked, as Lucy's sobs began to subside a little. Laudanum, Steven answered. He got Lucy to her feet and helped her as far as the doorway, where a maid was waiting to collect her mistress. Does she take a lot of that? Emma asked, looking at the bottle distastefully. Steven sighed and set it aside. She's been using it ever since I've known her, he said, screwing the lid back onto the bottle. Obviously, being married to my brother is no field of daisies. His
Emma inquired about a substance as she observed Lucy beginning to calm down from her crying. Steven identified it as laudanum and assisted Lucy to the doorway, where a maid was ready to help her. Emma expressed her disgust towards the bottle and questioned its usage.
Steven explained that Lucy had been relying on laudanum for a long time, reflecting the challenges of her marriage to his brother. It was evident that Lucy's situation was far from easy, as Steven remarked about the difficulties of her life.