The House Party

Chapter 5

“Girls, girls, girls,” Rupert leaned in from archway, his sandy hair falling down his face fetchingly, “You’re all hiding in here when the men have prepared a feast for the ladies. We went hunting this morning.”

After a moment of silence there was an eruption of chatter. Elizabeth glared at her brother for interrupting their well woven plans. The other girls seem to have taken up the invitation seriously and were now all lining up to depart into the informal dining room.

Annalise pulled her friend’s arm and led her to a sofa which was facing the buffet laid out on the dining table. Adam cajoled the two women from their resting position and handed them their plates. After feeding herself to her heart’s content Elizabeth forgot her anger and disappointment.

“Has anyone gotten close to solving the clues for the puzzle,” Rose asked the full room as the dessert was being laid out on the small tables in front of the lounging party.

The young men had dragged up the dining chairs next to the sofas to make the conversation easier. If an older occupant of the house passed by the room they would have been appalled by the lack of propriety.

“I couldn’t possibly brown to what the puzzle means,” Annalise admitted, abashed.

“I won’t until I know what reward is up for grabs,” Elizabeth declared. She handled the plates instinctively acting the hostess to her brother’s party.

“That’s half of the game,” Rupert challenged, “To get the reward you must know what it is.”

“You could give us a clue?” Annalise smiled at him. Her eyes darted on Montgomery for a moment before steeling herself against his censure. The brooding man barely gave her a glance.

Annalise sliced a piece of  strawberry cake and placed it on her willow pattern plate, mindful of the crumbs. She was about to reach for a fork in the serving platter when Montgomery came up from behind and plucked the cake on her plate and took it for himself. He gave her a slow smile before taking a bite.

“Surely your overwhelming hunger for dessert hasn’t led you to bypass the knife,” The blonde started at his abrupt motions. She glared at the man for his impertinence. In front of a older hostess he wouldn’t have dared to act thus for every house in London would have heard this tale by the end of the day.

“Forgive me for remembering you get asthma from the strawberries,” Montgomery drawled. The other women staring at the situation all giggled and whispered at what seemed to be a chivalrous act.

“I never have been. You’re recalling incorrectly,” Annalise replied loftily.

“I have never been wrong,” Montgomery raised his brow at her.

“Your confidence is misguided,” The girl’s smile was bitter but she conceded defeat and placed her plate on the side table.

“Both of you never ate the strawberry desserts no matter how much everyone insisted,” Montgomery declared, “I recently read Slater’s work on how certain items can induce hay fever and made the connection.”

“Marion was sensitive to strawberries. They never sat right in her stomach. I just never wanted her to feel bad so I would decline along with her,” The blonde answered.

Annalise could feel a strange sort of rage enveloping her body in waves. There was something about Montgomery that made her feel so insignificant. His worst blows were those he performed unwittingly.

His brow strained as if remembering the past. To needle out any lies about her recounting which exasperated her further.

With pursed lips Annalise ascended from her seat in search for a drink. She picked a strawberry contraption deliberately and took a soothing sip. Montgomery was only a feet away and she decided to be completely wild.