The Sans Pareil Mystery (The Detective Lavender Mysteries Book 2) by Karen Charlton

assorted furniture. There were tables littered with discarded paintbrushes, tubes of oil paints, rags and glasses of water. Flowers and platters of fruit were scattered about the tiled floor.
    Lady Caroline was cleaning brushes in front of the easel when they entered the orangery. A plain, green turban held back her unruly red hair and a simple, paint-splattered, dun-coloured pinafore protected her white muslin dress.
    ‘Detective Lavender!’ she exclaimed, graciously. ‘What a pleasure to see you again so soon – and your charming constable.’
    Two young men sat on the mismatched daybeds and chaises longues amongst discarded fans and ostrich feathers. They glanced up when the maid announced Lavender and Woods’ arrival. Lavender recognised the foppish Henry Duddles but the other young man, who wore a black velvet yarmulke on his dark head, was unknown to him.
    ‘You know Duddles, of course?’ she continued. ‘This is Solomon Rothschild, my nephew. Will you take tea with us? You can tell me how you came across that black eye. I’m sure that you weren’t so colourful when we met last night at the theatre.’
    Lavender nodded to the other men and swallowed hard before he began. ‘Unfortunately, Lady Caroline, I’m the bearer of terrible news.’
    The smile faded from her face. ‘Oh?’
    ‘I think you need to sit down.’
    ‘What has happened?’ She remained standing by the easel, her eyes narrowed with concern and her back rigid. He had no alternative but to continue.
    ‘We have recovered the dead body of a young woman and I’m sad to tell you that we believe it to be your stepdaughter, April Clare.’
    For a split second there was absolute silence in the studio. Lady Caroline took a sharp breath and Lavender saw her eyes widen with horror. A second later, she staggered and fell against the easel in front of her, which crashed to the ground. He leapt forward and managed to catch her before she fell on top of the shattered easel and canvas. Both young men jumped to their feet but it was Rothschild who helped him lead the half-conscious woman towards a pale yellow chaise longue. Duddles hopped from one foot to the other wailing. ‘Caro? Caro!’ he shrieked. ‘Help! Someone! She’s dying!’
    ‘Find some smelling salts,’ Lavender instructed him sharply.
    ‘Stay calm, fellah,’ said Woods.
    Lady Caroline raised her head. ‘No. No smelling salts. I’m fine,’ she whispered. ‘Oh, what a terrible thing to happen! Poor April!’
    Solomon sat down beside her on the silk daybed and put his arm around her shoulders. Lavender handed Lady Caroline his own handkerchief and sent Woods to find the maid and organise some sweet tea.
    After a few minutes, Lady Caroline made a determined effort to stop crying. She turned her pale face towards Lavender and demanded to know what had happened to her stepdaughter.
    ‘Perhaps you should lie down for a while,’ suggested Duddles.
    ‘Do stop fussing, Henry,’ she snapped. ‘I need to know about poor April.’
    Briefly, Lavender told her the facts. Unfortunately, there was no way to soften the horror of how they had discovered April Clare’s body. Caroline recoiled, sank back into her seat and sobbed again. But when the tea arrived, sipping the beverage seemed to calm her.
    Lavender took her hand in his. ‘You have to believe me, Lady Caroline,’ he said. ‘I had no idea April Divine, the actress, was connected to you when I met you last night at the theatre.’
    ‘I do believe you,’ she said, and sighed. ‘I was the one who insisted she used a stage name.’
    ‘Can you tell me more about her?’ he asked.
    Lady Caroline dabbed her eyes. Lavender saw the pain in them. ‘April always was a wild girl, charming – but wild,’ she said eventually. ‘She dreamed of a theatrical career from a young age. Of course, while her father was alive this was impossible; the daughters of barons do not become actresses. But there was nothing I could do to stop her going