Pinch of Arsenic

Chapter 2

He exited and the sun had just begun to set. Now, he had to somehow get to Lavinia. He slinked to the back of the expansive house to possibly find her bedroom window. There was no difference between any of the windows.

Ansel assumed the window with closed black drapes was her parent's room. Before he could guess which room was Lavinia's, she opened her window to feel the wind.

He thanked his luck, "Lady Lavinia."

She looked down from the second floor balcony and exclaimed, "Mr. Linton! What are you doing here?"

"Mr. Jarvis dismissed us, and I had to pretend to leave."

"Oh, I see." She was confused because she knew it was too early for dinner to have ended. Either way, she did not want anyone seeing him.

"Is there a way for you to climb up?" she asked.

"I can try."

Ansel had the gift of height for the endeavor but not much else. He stepped on a protruding brick and from there, he could grip the edge of the balcony. However, his lanky frame didn't have the strength to pull him up.

"I know there's a ladder somewhere," Lavinia suggested and pulled her robe tight with the strong wind.

Ansel's pride could not afford such a blow, so he just managed to pull himself over the railing. He panted with the exertion.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

"Yeah, just a little winded."

She ushered the detective inside and shut her windows.

"How did your duties end so early?" asked Lavinia.

Ansel explained in great detail how her Uncle Henry spoke poorly of her. He also added how her Aunt Emilia had been the one to call for privacy.

"Financially, the baroness is not in the best of places, am I correct?"

Lavinia sat on the edge of her bed, "I suppose you could say so, yes. We learned my uncle was not very wise with money when he passed two years ago and left her in heaps of debt. I know it's terrible to speak ill of the dead, but my father had to help her because of the sheer quantity my uncle owed. She's very prideful, so she doesn't like to talk about it."

"These last few months, have you also helped her financially?"

"Mm-mhm." Lavinia noticed Ansel still stood by the window. "You can sit down, if you'd like."

"Oh," he paused, "of course."

As he sat in a big, green armchair, he explained how he suspected a servant had been of aid to whoever wanted Lavinia dead. If the poison was powdered on only her slice of banoffee pie, someone must have put it on as the dishes came out. Ansel did not suspect the cook since she was the one who thought it could be poisoned, but she was not free from doubt.

Smoothing down the silk fabric of her robe, she sighed. "I suppose I should tell you that my Uncle Emmett is also in debt. He tried to start his own business a few years ago, and it failed. He's paving away at that debt now."

"Thank you for telling me."

"So anyone could have done it?" Lavinia frowned; she did not like knowing someone wanted her dead and that a servant most likely helped.

"Unfortunately, yes. I know you want to keep this a secret, but I feel it is most intuitive to barricade everyone in this house, and I can interrogate everyone."

"I know," she sighed, "but I fear that if I make it known, many will leave. I also don't want it to seem as if I'm pointing fingers."

Before Ansel could interject, she added, "If it comes down to it, I'll let you."