Page 117 of A Whisper and a Curse

Tilda came dashing up the stairs. Her cheeks were lightly pink from her exertions. “A neighbor has gone to fetch a doctor and says he should be here soon. I’m surprised you didn’t move the captain to a bedroom.”

“Hell,” Hadrian swore. He looked down at Mallory. “Let’s pick him up.”

Hadrian took the captain’s legs as Mallory rose and carried his father’s shoulders.

“That way.” Mallory inclined his head behind Hadrian.

“You lead,” Hadrian said. Mallory moved to walk backward as they carried the captain into a bedchamber. They set him on the bed and Hadrian stepped back.

Tilda followed and stood at the foot of the bed. Suddenly, Mrs. Wilson appeared in the doorway carrying a tray with a bowl of water and some strips of cloth.

“Thank you for offering to help, Mrs. Wilson,” Tilda said warmly. “I encountered her a few houses away. She’d gone to fetch a constable. He’s downstairs assessing the situation. I told him Detective Inspector Teague would be here shortly.”

“I appreciate you telling me to take the back stairs, Miss Wren,” the housekeeper said with a gentle twitch of her shoulders.

Mrs. Wilson set the tray on a table and wet one of the cloths. Then she moved to the bed and dabbed at the captain’s brow.

Teague’s voice carried into the bedchamber. “Miss Wren? Ravenhurst?”

Tilda left the room, and Hadrian accompanied her. They encountered Teague near the staircase railing.

“Bloody hell, I am sorry to see this has happened again.” Teague’s frown was deep as he set his hands on his hips.

“But this is the last of the Levitation Killer,” Tilda said. “You have Mrs. Griswold, and Crocker has met his end.”

“Indeed,” Teague said. “I dispatched the constable who was stationed at the society headquarters to fetch Graythorpe. He’ll want to look at everything as part of his investigation ahead of the inquest. In the meantime, tell me what happened.”

“We’re not sure what happened to the constable who was supposed to be here, but it seems as though Crocker sent him away,” Tilda said. They hadn’t asked Crocker what he’d said to the man to make him leave.

Teague nodded. “I’ll find out what happened—and make sure that constable doesn’t make that kind of mistake again,” he added with a deep frown.

Hadrian and Tilda told the tale in turns. They each managed to sound somewhat unaffected as they recounted the most terrifying aspects of the events that had transpired. That was purposeful on Hadrian’s part, for he was now worried that his deeper feelings for Tilda were obvious to everyone. Was she also trying not to sound moved by what had happened?

Whilst they were speaking, the doctor arrived, and Tilda directed him into the bedchamber to tend to Captain Vale.

When Tilda and Hadrian finished, Teague asked where Mallory was.

“I’m here.” The medium came from the bedchamber and joined them. His gaze was wary as he regarded Teague.

“How is the captain?” Tilda asked.

“The doctor says he is lucky the knife did not damage any of his organs. He’s stitching him up now and has prescribed him to rest for a fortnight before returning home.”

“He’s welcome to recuperate at my house,” Hadrian offered.

Surprise flashed across Mallory’s features. “Thank you, my lord, but that won’t be necessary. I’ll take him to Cadogan Place. I need to close down the society. Unless I am in jail.” He sent an expectant look toward Teague.

“You likely will be for some period of time,” Teague replied. “Blackmail was not your only crime.”

Mallory dipped his head. “No, it was not.”

“What will happen with the society?” Tilda asked. “I imagine the Duchess of Chester will be despondent without it.”

“Iwill be despondent without it.” Mallory looked at Hadrian. “I only wanted to help people, and I was good at that, even if I didn’t always go about it in the right way. I believe I was meant to do good. It doesn’t make sense otherwise.”

Hadrian understood what Mallory was talking about. He saw the ability they both possessed as a gift that he could use, much as Hadrian employed his to assist Tilda with solving crimes. In some way, Hadrian could understand how Mallory had lost his way a bit, especially if he’d come from a place of desperation when he’d been so completely overwhelmed by his ability at first. Hadrian had to imagine Mallory had thought it was a curse, just as he had when he’d first become afflicted. The only way to make peace with—or sense of—feeling cursed was to try to find some positive way to accept it. Hadrian realized that he’d done that, mostly, and would continue to adapt in the best way that he could. He would hope for Mallory’s sake that he would do the same.

“I will hope you may find a way to actually do good when you are released from prison,” Teague said. “Now, excuse me whilst I deal with this.” He gestured toward the staircase.