Read Online A Catered Birthday Party by Isis Crawford - Free Book Online Page B

said. “Because I distinctly remember Annabel telling me she’d given the staff the day off for Trudy’s birthday party.”
    Richard gave a snort of disgust. “Annabel likes…liked to play the part of the English country lady. She was fixated on the idea actually. Not that it’s any of your business, but we don’t have any staff. We have people coming in as needed.”
    “Like the tooth brusher for Trudy,” Libby said.
    Richard frowned and rubbed his hands together. It was obvious from the expression on his face that he found the topic of Trudy and the tooth brusher distasteful.
    “I came in to see whether you two are all right. I thought maybe you were having trouble finding your way back,” he told the girls, ignoring Libby’s last comment.
    “You have such a magnificent house,” Bernie gushed. “I’d love to see it.”
    Richard gave her a look that suggested she had a better chance of seeing the inside of the private vault of the queen of England. Instead of replying he just grunted and stood there with his arms crossed over his chest while Libby and Bernie unwrapped the food they’d brought and set it up on platters. When they were done he escorted them into the sunroom, where everyone else was sitting.
    Interesting, Bernie thought. Most people would have taken five minutes and given them a quick house tour. Clearly he found the idea distasteful. Why? Was it them? Was there something he wanted to hide? Or did he just have an overdeveloped sense of privacy? Or all three?
    “I found them,” he announced to the room as the other pugs ran over to sniff Bernie’s and Libby’s feet.
    Libby put Trudy down. She expected her to run over to the other dogs, but she stayed at Libby’s side.
    “Good,” Joyce said. “We were afraid you’d lost your way.”
    “Spiritually or spatially?” Bernie quipped.
    No one replied, which, Libby reflected, might be a good thing, considering the possibilities. Then she lost her train of thought as she contemplated the room she was standing in. It was truly spectacular. The walls and the ceiling were made of glass panels joined together with copper strips. It was like being outside, only better because the center of the room was filled with five extremely large potted palms that towered over everything.
    Various types of ferns lined the periphery. The floor was ornately laid in a complex pattern of blue and white mosaic tiles, while the furniture was wicker with sky blue cushions. She felt as if she’d been transported to a solarium in an English country estate.
    “This is wonderful,” Libby commented as she thought of all the English mysteries she’d read as a girl. All that was missing was a white-gloved butler serving tea and scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam.
    Richard shrugged. “Annabel insisted we build this after we came back from England. I don’t know why. She called it her folly, and it certainly is. It takes an enormous amount of gas to heat this thing.”
    Bree picked up Rudolph. “She certainly had a vision of how she wanted things to be.”
    Bernie unbuttoned her cardigan. It was almost oppressively warm in here, but she supposed it had to be for the palms.
    “I wouldn’t know I was in Longely being here,” Bernie said.
    “I believe that was the general idea,” Joyce said dryly. “Anyway, you’re here and that’s the important thing.”
    “Yes,” Joanna agreed. “It’s easy to lose your way in a house like this.”
    “Not if you’re careful,” Ramona chimed in.
    Joyce lifted an eyebrow.
    “What’s that supposed to mean?” Melissa demanded.
    “Nothing,” Ramona said. “Absolutely nothing.”
    I’m missing something here , Bernie thought as she listened to the conversation. She didn’t know what these people were talking about, but it definitely wasn’t about the house’s floor plan. She could see from the expressions on Bree’s and Libby’s faces that they didn’t think so either.
    “Now that you’re both here,”