“Why does it hurt much more after you apply the ointment than before?” Andrew asks suspiciously.
“Have you ever heard that bitter medications cause faster healing?” Gabrielle asks, “This is the same. The more it hurts when I apply, the more it helps you recover. “
Gabrielle speaks with such quiet confidence, she almost believes her own words. If she didn’t know that she’d added salt to his ointment, she would think that what she said is true. Ever since seeing her scheming look in the snake room, Andrew has felt a growing suspicion, but she still seems quite innocent. He recalls the girlish, cross-eyed look she gave the snake, and he releases her hand and allows her to treat the sutures.
The back parlor smells strongly of chicken soup and Mrs. Florence Bamford covers her nose with distaste. This pungent smell is her least favorite, and she can’t help but feel that Leilani is intentionally antagonizing her. She feels incredibly agitated. She meant to discipline Leilani, but now she’s catering to the woman’s every whim.
The maids bring her her favorite tea and she inhales the delicate smell, trying to clear the smell of the soup from her nose.
“What if she doesn’t leave?” Leonie wails.
“She will,” Mrs. Florence Bamford says grimly, “I’ll make her beg to leave.”
“Who’s leaving?” Leilani asks languorously as she enters the room, “Do you think I’ll leave as soon as I’ve been given my soup?”
“Do you want to stay until the baby is born?” Mrs. Florence Bamford asks.
“I’ll consider it, provided I get chicken soup every day,” Leilani says with a smirk, “I told you it wouldn’t be so easy to get rid of me, and as it turns out, I kind of like this place. If we spend more time together, Mrs. Bamford you might even grow used to my presence and take a liking to me. Then you won’t let me leave.”
“You crazy woman! Who wants to see you every day?” Mrs. Bamford snarls, “Get out of here after your chicken soup.”
“Sorry, I suddenly lost my appetite again,” Leilani says, “You know how it is during pregnancy.”
Leilani can afford to miss the soup—she made sure to eat a large sandwich in the main house. Besides, she doesn’t trust them to not slip anything into her soup. Leonie stands and approaches Leilani. Instead of flying into a rage, she puts on her most winsome face.
“Leilani, they have been cooking this for you for a long time,” Leonie says sweetly, “The least you can do is have some. It’s been a long time since you’ve had a nutritious meal, and pregnant women need good, nourishing food. Even if you don’t it for yourself, you should think about the baby.”
Leonie takes a bowl of chicken soup from a maid and tries to hand it to Leilani.
“It’s too rich, and I’m afraid it’ll be too much for my weakened digestion,” Leilani says artfully, “How about you drink it considering you’ve lost so much weight for a birthday celebration?”
Leilani wants to see if Leonie will drink it or if she’ll refuse. A refusal could possibly be indicated that the soup has been tampered with.
“My situation is less pressing than yours,” Leonie demurs.
She pushes the bowl towards Leilani, but Leilani waves it away. The broad sweep of her arm knocks the bowl from Leonie’s hand and the hot liquid slops over the edge and lands on Mrs. Florence Bamford’s hand. Shocked, Florence spills her hot tea.
“You’re nothing but trouble, Leilani!” Mrs. Bamford screams.
“It’s not entirely my fault,” Leilani says, “Miss Summers helped.”
Maids swarm to Mrs. Florence Bamford to dry and clean her.
“It wasn’t me! It was Leilani!” Leonie wails.
She hurries to help the maids wipe the chicken soup and tea.
“Get out,” Mrs. Florence Bamford screams, “I don’t want to look at you ever again.”
“I can’t do that,” Leilani says with a laugh, “You went through great trouble to bring me here and it turns out, I have deep feelings for this place. If you throw me out, it might upset me. I could become ill, and that would be detrimental to the baby.”
Leilani casually sits on the sofa.
“Fine, if you refuse to leave, prepare to live with the consequences!” Mrs. Bamford says in a breathless rage.
Leonie strokes the older woman’s back and whispers something into her ear. Mrs. Florence Bamford nods and Leonie summons Maureen.
“Mrs. Bamford’s in the mood for music,” she informs the maid.
Maureen summons the house band and asks them to play as poorly and as loudly as possible. Chaotic, atonal music quickly fills the house, destroying the quiet serenity of the night. Mrs. Bamford leaves to change into her nightgown and returns to sit in her rocking chair. She nods as if she’s enjoying the finest concerts all over the world.
Leonie looks provokingly at Leilani. She knows that pregnant women are normally quite sensitive to noise. If Leilani remains unbothered by the music, it could mean she’s not really pregnant. Leilani lies on the couch and forks a slice of apple from a tray. Before she eats it, she offers it to Florence.
“Come on, Mrs. Bamford, have some apples,” she said sweetly, “They say the elderly can’t stand such noise. Chewing this can help reduce the pressure on the eardrums.”
“I don’t want your apples!” Florence says, knocking the fork out of Leilani’s hand.
Leonie smiles smugly, but Leilani seems unperturbed.
“Don’t you think this music is a bit similar to a funeral dirge?” Leilani asks, “If an outsider heard this, they might think someone old in our family had died. I wonder who would request such miserable music? It seems like a bad omen.”
Leilani knows that Florence Bamford is quite sensitive and superstitions about death. She looks challengingly at Leonie.
“Tell them to stop playing and get them out of here!” Florence screams.
Leonie is so angry that she almost rips her dress.
“Don’t you throw wild accusations!” Leonie wails, “She twists everything! Mrs. Bamford, get her out of here! She’ll only drive wedges between us.”
Leilani smiles.
“My stomach feels odd,” Leilani says, ostentatiously placing her hand on her stomach, “I have to retire if you’ll excuse me.”
She stands up and walks toward the maid’s room they have assigned her. She turns the door handle, but she finds that it won’t open. She tries again, but the door doesn’t budge.
“It seems to be locked from inside, somehow,” Leilani says, feigning regret.
She returns to the dressing room and nods at Leonie and Mrs. Florence Bamford.
“It seems I can’t get into my room, Mrs. Bamford,” Leilani says, “I’m afraid I’ll have to share with you tonight.”
“What?” Mrs. Florence Bamford asks with horror, “What do you mean?”
Leilani smiles and leaves the room to go upstairs.
“Mrs. Bamford, I think she means to stay in the same room as you tonight,” Maureen explains.
Mrs. Florence Bamford leaps to her feet.
“Stop!” she screams.
Leilani turned around and looked into the room through the doorway. She flashes a scheming smile.
“Mrs. Bamford do you want to accompany me back to the room now?” she asks.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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