Pinch of Arsenic

Chapter 10

Inside the parlor, Lord Rutherford expressed his concern for Lavinia's tardiness. All the guests also voiced similar unease.

Eleanor, the lady's maid, spoke up from her corner and offered to find Lavinia to make sure she hadn't drifted to the kitchens to get more food.

As the maid left the parlor, she did wonder where exactly her lady went. It wasn't common for her to be away so long with other guests in the house.

The last thing Eleanor expected to see was Lavinia tangled with the detective in a passionate kiss.

"My lady!" she shrieked.

Lavinia leaped away as if burned with fire while Ansel went rigid.

"My, what a night! You said you needed to leave, right, Mr. Linton? I'll get the door for you!"

Lavinia swung the door open.

"I- thank you."

Before closing the door, she left a sliver open to softly whisper, "Good night."

"Good night, my lady," he returned, dazed and warm inside, and she closed the door.

Behind the shut door, Lavinia squealed and danced around the less than amused maid.

"Young lady!" Eleanor scolded, a hand on her hip, "You can't do that!"

Nothing could sour Lavinia's mood, "People kiss a thousand times before even marrying! This is no different."

"They don't kiss in the middle of the hall," the maid whispered harshly, "your guests are waiting for you."

"I suppose I have to go back."

Eleanor fixed a few stray hairs and for the rest of the night, any conversation went in through one ear and out the other.

Similarly, Ansel gloried in the short lived kiss. He congratulated himself for being the one to kiss her, although she had been the one to brave the waters and confess. He still couldn't believe it. She loved him! She somehow loved him. Strange how three words could make him the happiest man alive.

He could have skipped to the carriage had his sister not been present. He wanted to keep the kiss to himself for the ride. Rebecca would ruin the moment should she know.

However, she had already fully prepared to talk about Lavinia. As soon as he climbed on, she began to scold him.

"Are you mad, Ansel? I understand that you have feelings for Lady Lavinia, but you didn't have to stare at her all night, especially with Lord Rutherford right there."

"I wasn't staring at her all night," he defended with a sigh.

"Anyways, what did she want to talk about?"

"She just wanted to tell me what happened to her aunt. It was too sensitive for a letter."

"Oh."

Rebecca jumped from subject to subject, however, she seemed to return to that of Lord Rutherford. If he didn't know his sister better, he could assume Rebecca fancied the lord, but he knew her well enough to know she would never set sights on a person of such high status, unlike him.

The next morning, Rebecca continued prattling on about the magical dinner.

"I hope if she has another party, she invites you so that I can go." she said at breakfast.

Their father had his nose stuck in his newspaper, and Ansel felt obligated to tell his sister about the kiss.

"I need to tell you something," he said in a low voice.