Page 55 of Lady Waldrey’s Gardening Almanac for Cultivating Scandal

“If you’d like, I can introduce you to the rest of them.”

“Yes, please,” Vera said quickly, before Candace could think of a polite way to demur.

After thick slabs of delicious chocolate cake, the baroness led them to a locked room near the back of the house. She rapped several times, and a key turned from the inside. An elderly maid bobbed a curtsy.

“How are they today, Elda?”

“Very well, my lady. Though Sheldon is a bit put out over the lack of sunshine.”

“Take a break for half an hour. Go get something to eat.”

“Thank you, my lady.”

Jacqueline led Candace and Vera into a small sitting room. Contrary to Candace’s fears about creeping, crawling things, the room looked quite normal. A leather sofa sat facing the cozy fire burning in the stone fireplace. The stone floor was bare of any rugs but perfectly clean.

The only signal that this room was a bit different from any other sitting room in England was the row of wooden bins pushed against the far wall. They were tipped onto their sides, and each was full of wood shavings that perfumed the air with a cedar scent.

The baroness gave a little trilling whistle, and several piles of sawdust shivered. Candace tried not to gasp as a grey mole emerged from one of the boxes, giving a little shake to displace the wood trimmings still upon its back.

“That’s Jeremiah. He’s harmless, but he doesn’t like to be picked up, so we just let him trundle about. You’re welcome to have a seat if you’d be more comfortable, but keep an alert eye when you’re walking. I’m not quite sure where Sheldon is, and he blends into the stones a bit.”

Candace ached to ask what Sheldon was, but couldn’t form the question politely in her mind.

Very carefully, Candace and Vera picked their way over to the sofa, but just as Candace was about to take a seat, Vera cried, “Wait!”

Candace jerked back. “What is it?”

“That’s not a throw pillow.” She pointed at a grey tuft that Candace had mistaken for a bit of fabric.

“Oh, Sheldon, you little rascal.” Jacqueline picked up the animal, which unfurled itself to reveal a pinkish stomach and two sleepy eyes above a little face.

“It’s a hedgehog,” Vera breathed.

“Would you like to pet him?” the baroness offered. “I’ve had him since he was a wee lad. He’s never hurt a fly. Well, that’s not precisely true, as he does eat insects, but you understand my meaning.”

She handed the prickly little tuft off to Vera, who took the animal gingerly and began cooing at it. Unnerved by her near miss, Candace searched the sofa twice before sitting slowly upon it, and wished there were a footstool she could use to pull her feet off the floor.

“You don’t have any snakes, do you?”

“Of course not. I’m not fond of snakes myself.”

Thank goodness for small mercies, Candace thought.

CHAPTER 17- CANDACE

From the Quentin Daily-

Dinner party or dark rite? Recently a dinner party took place with far too many candles on the table to be considered anything but an ancient ritual. Witnesses claim that offerings were scattered at the base of the candles—an entire goose, a suckling pig, and many sad vegetables! Some claim it was all innocence, but questions linger—was it supper or ceremony?

On their way back to the house, Candace turned from the window and asked Vera, “You truly enjoyed the baroness’ menagerie, didn’t you?”

“They’re very sweet.”

“I thought you might not like animals.”

“Because of Seamus?” Vera asked. At Candace’s nod, she continued, “A large dog on the street pushed me down once. Tore my skirts. It’s not that I don’t like dogs; it was just the size of him. The surprise of him.”

“I’m sorry. I’ve instructed James to keep him outside from now on.”