A Season for Scandal (a deliciously romantic mystery story for fans of Bridgerton) by Laura Wood

Author:Laura Wood [Wood, Laura]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Scholastic
Published: 2024-02-14T18:30:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

We all stared at him for a moment, words still dying on Mrs Lavigne’s lips, cutlery suspended in the air.

“Are you quite well?” Oliver cried, running to Helene’s side. She cringed back, eyes wide. “Beth, get in here!”

Beth appeared in the doorway, breathless. “Whatever is the matter?” she asked.

“Does this have strawberries in it?” Oliver demanded, gesturing at the table.

“Strawberries?” Beth looked blank and then her own face paled. “Oh, goodness, yes, I didn’t think. I…” Her eyes darted to Helene.

In an instant, Oliver had Helene on her feet. “Did you eat this?” he demanded, still holding her by her arm.

“Y-yes,” she murmured, clearly frightened. Her eyes moved to her father, her mother, then to me.

“Mr Lockhart,” I said gently, rounding the table. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

His gaze swung to mine, and I saw nothing but blind panic there. “We must call the doctor,” he croaked.

“Why?” Mrs Lavigne demanded, her voice high. “What has happened?”

Helene made a sound of realization, her eyes widening. “Strawberries,” she whispered. “S-strawberries made me ill.”

“What?” Mr Lavigne snapped, clearly riled.

“Eating strawberries makes Ellen very unwell,” Oliver snapped, equally sharp. “Last time, her throat swelled up so much she could hardly breathe. The doctor said…”

There was a beat then, a moment when everyone absorbed these words. A moment when all eyes turned to Helene who – apart from looking shaken by Oliver’s outburst – showed no signs of ill effect at all.

“Helene has not had a reaction to strawberries for many years,” Mr Lavigne said quietly, breaking the silence.

“She outgrew it,” Mrs Lavigne added quickly. “It happens often with children.”

Oliver seemed to realize he was still gripping Helene’s arm. “I apologize,” he said stiffly, taking a step back, and then another. “I didn’t mean to… I only thought…”

“An understandable moment of concern for your sister,” Mrs Finch said soothingly.

“Commendable, really,” Mrs Lavigne said, though her face was still pale, and she regarded Oliver warily.

“Yes, well.” Oliver’s eyes wandered over the rest of us. His hand went to his necktie, and he tugged at it as though it was strangling him. “I think that’s enough excitement for one night. If you’ll excuse me.”

And with that, he gave us a curt nod, swung on his heel and strode from the room before anyone could say a word.

“Well,” Mrs Lavigne said, after another frozen moment in which we all stood perfectly still. “I suppose we should all retire for the evening. It has been a long day of travelling for Miss Bloom and Mrs Finch.”

“Yes, yes.” Mr Lavigne exhaled loudly, his rigid posture finally relaxing. “We have been thoughtless indeed, making demands on your company. It is no wonder emotions are running high.”

Helene stood, watching the door where Oliver had left, gripping the back of the chair with her hand, and I saw that her knuckles were raised and white.

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