Teatime Pastries and Punishments by Leighann Dobbs

Author:Leighann Dobbs
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Leighann Dobbs Publishing

Chapter 9

The competition tent was curiously empty, considering the judging would happen in an hour. Maybe the contestants were all resting. As such, it wasn’t too hard to spot Derek Keswick. He was standing at a table, hands hovering a few inches above a brilliant-blue potted orchid.

As they approached, the ladies heard him chanting a mantra.

“Ohmmmm. Ohmmmm. Ohmmmm.”

Ida coughed, and Derek’s eyes flew open, his hands dropping to his sides.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to disturb you.” Ida sounded sincere, but Elspeth knew she actually had meant to disturb him.

Derek frowned. “Can I help you?”

“We were just coming to look at the orchids. We heard there was a contest, and some very rare species are to be exhibited.” Elspeth looked around the tent and did her best to appear confused. “But I thought this was Sir John’s table. I heard he always wins.”

“It is his table.” Derek looked suspicious of them.

“Well, then what are you doing here?” Ida asked. Elspeth was learning that the other woman could be a bit blunt. She always did it in the most charming way, though, kind of like a manipulative Betty White.

“I’m giving the plants spiritual fertilizer.” Derek hovered his hands over the top of the flower again and closed his eyes, apparently dismissing them.

Ida wouldn’t be so easily dismissed, though. “So this is Sir John’s table. We were afraid his flowers wouldn’t be shown, considering the… you know… accident.”

Derek’s eyes flew open again, his hands still hovering. “His widow is showing the orchids. This win was very important to Sir John, and she wanted to carry on.”

“That’s lovely,” Ida said.

Elspeth noticed Ida kept glancing at the table next to them. Was that Kenneth Fairlane’s table? There were only two other competitors in the tent, and both were women, so Fairlane wasn’t here. She’d like to get a look at his tools. Perhaps after they were done interrogating Derek.

“Were you close to Sir John?” Elspeth asked.

Derek raised his hands above the plant again. “Not really.”

“The wife, then? Celia?” Ida pushed. “I did hear you were good friends.”

The way she accentuated the word “friends” and leaned in toward Derek had him frowning again.

“I don’t know if you would say that.” He waved his hands over the plant.

“Maybe John didn’t like that you were friends,” Ida persisted.

Derek’s lips quirked in a lopsided smile that made him look handsome. Elspeth wondered why he was smiling, given Ida’s accusatory tone. “If you’re trying to insinuate that I have an inappropriate relationship with my client, I can assure you that’s not the case.”

“Client?” Elspeth and Ida said at the same time then glanced at each other.

“Indeed. I do spiritual work on both plants and humans.” Derek closed his eyes again. “Now, if you ladies will excuse me.”

“So you were treating Celia Hastings?” Ida asked.

Derek gave an exasperated sigh and let his hands drop loudly to his sides. “That’s what I just said, didn’t I?”

“For what?” Elspeth asked.

“Sorry, I don’t give out that sort of information about my clients.” Derek was no longer smiling, and Elspeth got the impression they’d worn out their welcome.

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