Darius Bell and the Crystal Bees by Odo Hirsch Read Free Book Online

was busy, as if he had such weighty things on his mind and was constantly engaged in work of monumental importance, but he always seemed to have time if he felt like it.
    They went to the new library. It was a big, bare room on the first floor with three huge windows facing the back of the estate and bookcases lining the opposite wall. Most of the shelves in the bookcases were missing. Darius had no idea why the new library was called the new library, since it looked just as old as the old library, which was in another wing of the house. Neither of them had any books anyway. Presumably they had both housed books at some time in the past, when the Bells had possessed large and expensive collections that had since been sold. Or possibly they had been named libraries on the presumption that one day the Bells would possess such book collections, which they never had. In any case, Cyrus had brought in an old desk that he had found somewhere in the House and had taken over the new library once he had started studying engineering at the university. It was full of his engineering models, which stood on the desk and on the floor and on the few shelves that still remained.
    Now he leaned against the edge of the desk and folded his arms. ‘Well?’
    â€˜It’s about the honey,’ said Darius.
    Cyrus raised an eyebrow.
    â€˜I know why Mrs Simpson didn’t use any in the apple tart.’
    Cyrus stared at him for a moment, then shook his head in disbelief. ‘Did I mention that I was busy?’ He turned around and began to rummage through a couple of notebooks on his desk, as if to find the monument- ally important work from which Darius was keeping him. ‘Funny. I’m sure I did.’
    â€˜Cyrus, if you’d just listen to me—’
    â€˜Is there anything I said or did that even hinted that I cared why Mrs Simpson didn’t use any honey? Tell me, Darius, because if there is, I’d like to know so I can be sure not to do it again.’
    â€˜Cyrus, this is—’
    â€˜I mean it, Darius.’ Cyrus turned back to him. ‘Really! Why are you wasting my time?’
    â€˜I’m not wasting your time.’
    â€˜Telling me why Mrs Simpson didn’t use any honey isn’t wasting my time?’
    â€˜Just listen—’
    â€˜I’ve got better things to do,’ said Cyrus.
    â€˜Just let me—’
    â€˜I’ve heard enough.’
    â€˜No you haven’t! Cyrus, just listen! Listen!’
    Cyrus gave him an appraising look again. ‘All right,’ he said eventually, and he looked pointedly at his watch. ‘Start talking.’
    Darius took a deep breath. ‘The reason Mrs Simpson didn’t use any honey is that there are no bees.’
    Cyrus’s eyes narrowed. ‘What does that mean?’
    â€˜The hives are empty, Cyrus. The Deavers have checked every one. The bees are gone. They think they’ve died from some kind of disease.’
    â€˜When did this happen?’ asked Cyrus suspiciously.
    â€˜In the last couple of weeks. The first empty hive they found was the one in the pumpkin field. They thought it must have swarmed. Since then they’ve found that every other hive is empty. Apparently other beekeepers in the city have lost their bees as well.’
    Cyrus was silent. Darius could see that he still didn’t know whether to believe him.
    â€˜What are the Deavers going to do?’ asked Cyrus at last.
    â€˜Apparently they can rebuild the colonies, but not until next year. There won’t be any honey this summer. That’s why Mrs Simpson didn’t use any on the apple tart. She’s trying to make it last as long as she can.’
    Cyrus shrugged. ‘So, even if what you say is true, what you’re telling me is we won’t have any honey this year. It’s not a disaster. Might do us good to go without luxuries for once.’
    Darius knew who Cyrus meant by ‘us’. Their