Page 16 of A Whisper and a Curse

The medium put her palm flat on the table, and the rocking stopped. As the table stilled, Mrs. Frost took a deep breath. “John Tabor has gone. He says tonight is not the time to speak with Gabriel or anyone else.” Her lids lowered as her mouth dipped into a sad frown. “I do apologize. I think Cyril Ward’s demise today has interrupted the connection to the spirit realm. At least, for me. You may release each other’s hands. The séance is concluded.”

Tilda noted that Hadrian had clasped his hands together and set them in his lap beneath the table. His gaze was focused on his mother. She looked, as he’d feared, disappointed.

Mrs. Frost stood and walked around the table to Lady Ravenhurst’s chair. The countess turned her head as the medium bent down to speak softly to her. As Lady Ravenhurst nodded, Hadrian abruptly rose and moved to join them. Tilda followed.

“I’d be happy to try again next week,” the countess was saying as Tilda arrived at her chair.

“I’m so glad,” Mrs. Frost replied with a smile. “Again, I am sorry tonight wasn’t successful. Sometimes that happens.”

Lady Ravenhurst’s disappointment from just a few moments ago seemed to have disappeared. Now, her features were eager, her eyes bright. “I am sorry to hear of the loss of your colleague.”

“Would you like to go home, Mother?” Hadrian asked. His tone was cool, but his eyes were angry. And they kept drifting toward Mrs. Frost. Tilda wondered if he’d seen something more when holding her hand.

“We still have dinner, my lord,” Mrs. Frost said. “I do hope you will stay. Here comes Henry with wine.” She drifted awaybefore Tilda could ask any questions, such as who John Tabor was.

Hadrian held his mother’s chair whilst she stood. The countess turned to her son. “I’d like some wine. And dinner too, of course.”

Tilda noted Hadrian clenching his jaw. She sidled closer to him as his mother turned toward the young butler, who approached them with a tray of glasses filled with wine. “Did you see something when you touched Mrs. Frost during the séance?”

“Yes. The man on her other side spoke to her during a séance—not this one, the man was dressed differently. I couldn’t hear what he said, of course, which is damnably frustrating.” He could never hear anything when he saw others’ memories. “But his lips were moving. I’m glad my mother wants to stay because I plan to touch him next.”

CHAPTER 5

Hadrian wasn’t happy that his mother was disappointed—he’d seen her downcast expression as the medium had ended the séance. But he’d expected nothing different. Apparently, they’d have to go through this again in a week. Unless he could talk his mother out of it. Or prove that this was a fraud.

“I saw the man speaking to Mrs. Frost tonight too,” Tilda said. “Perhaps he has a particular energy that supports Mrs. Frost’s connection to the spirit realm,” Tilda suggested.

Hadrian gave her a look of exasperation. “Don’t tell me you’ve bought into this nonsense.”

She pursed her lips. “I am keeping an open mind because I am conducting an investigation.”

The man who’d been seated next to Mrs. Frost was at least five years older than Hadrian, with gold-rimmed spectacles and a thick, dark beard and mustache. “Pardon me for a moment,” he murmured to Tilda before walking to the windows where the man had moved following the séance.

“Good evening,” Hadrian said. “I’m Ravenhurst.” Before he could extend his hand to the man, the butler arrived with a tray of wine.

“Balthasar Montrose,” the spectacled man replied. “Wine?”

“Yes, thank you.”

Montrose picked up a glass and handed it to Hadrian, as if Hadrian couldn’t have helped himself. But he was immensely glad he hadn’t had the chance.

The moment Hadrian took the glass, he saw a vision. He immediately recognized the parlor at the London Spiritualism Society. There were several people present, all seated. Mrs. Frost was there, perched on a chair. A gentleman stood near the hearth, his body angled away from them. He rose from the floor, appearing to levitate. Everyone applauded. Then he turned toward them and did it again, this time showing them how he’d achieved the illusion.

The medium angled one foot forward with the other slightly behind. He rose on the front of his foot, elevating himself whilst lifting his back foot from the floor. The trick was achieved by the medium’s stance, which gave the audience a perspective that made it look as though the man was levitating.

The vision faded, and a sharp pain stabbed through Hadrian’s temple. He’d known they were frauds. However, he couldn’t prove it using his godforsaken gift. He needed to find a way to expose them. Perhaps he could do that at next week’s séance.

“You broke the circle of magnetism when you stopped holding hands with those next to you.” Montrose spoke with a Welsh accent. He eyed Hadrian with curiosity. “Why did you do that?”

“I found the table movement distracting. It … surprised me.” He returned the man’s intense perusal. “Did I ruin the séance?”

Montrose shrugged. “Impossible to say. But now you know what to expect, and you can retain your composure next time.” He offered Hadrian a bland smile.

The man’s superiority prompted Hadrian’s irritation, which only made his head throb more. He hadn’t lost his composure. Taking a deep breath, he reminded himself they were investigating the medium. He sipped his wine. “How do you know Mrs. Frost?”

“I have long been a supporter,” Montrose replied. “She invites me to many of her séances due to my sensitive energy.”

“Your magnetism?” Hadrian asked, careful to keep his tone free of sarcasm. At Montrose’s nod, he continued, “Are you a member of the London Spiritualism Society?”