Page 36 of A Whisper and a Curse

“How did you become acquainted?” Tilda asked.

“Through Lysander. I attended a séance at his house—what became the headquarters of the society—and met him and Deborah that evening. Cyril was also there.”

Tilda would record everything in her notebook later. “Was Mrs. Frost already a medium?”

“Yes,” Hawkins replied. “After the séance that night, Lysander told me he sensed that I would be able to communicate with the spirit realm. He’d already recruited Cyril to train as a medium, and the three of them convinced me to do the same. We formed the society soon thereafter.”

“What did Mallory sense within you?” Hadrian asked.

Hawkins shrugged. “I’m not sure. He has a gift for identifying sensitive people. That is how he found Deborah. And Cyril too. We all trained together, and after working with Lysander a short while, we were able to speak with those on the other side.” The medium smiled, but there was a sadness in it. “It has been most illuminating and gratifying. I am grateful that I met Lysander and the others.”

“You hold séances here, is that correct?” Tilda asked.

“I do.”

“A friend of my grandmother’s—Mrs. Richardson—attended one recently,” Tilda said. “You communicated with her deceased dog, if you recall.”

“I do indeed,” Hawkins said with enthusiasm. “Mrs. Richardson is a delightful woman.”

“When is your next séance?” Tilda clasped her hands in her lap. “I ask because we attended Mrs. Frost’s the other night and had planned to return next Monday. However, that will not be possible.”

“I am conducting one Friday. The Duchess of Chester has asked me to try to contact Cyril in the spirit realm.”

“If you are in need of another female guest, I should like to attend,” Tilda offered.

“I would need another male guest to balance you. We require a certain and equal number of men and women.”

“We learned that the other night,” Hadrian said. “I would be happy to come as well. We also learned that guests are arranged by gender around the table. Do you ever stray from that rule and seat men and women next to the same sex?”

“On occasion, yes.” Hawkins gestured with his hand. “It all depends on the energy that will be assembled. Sometimes modifications must be made.”

Tilda was glad Hadrian had asked that question. She pressed on regarding Mrs. Frost. “How would you describe Mrs. Frost as a medium? What was her specialty?”

“Specialty?” Hawkins blinked. “What do you mean?”

“I understand some mediums are skilled at moving objects or levitating,” Tilda said. “Did Mrs. Frost have a particular ability?”

“She was exceptionally gifted at communing with the spirit realm.” Hawkins frowned sadly. “Her talent will be missed.”

Tilda met the medium’s gaze. “If you can think of anything that will help the police find the killer, that would be most helpful.”

Hawkins’s eye twitched. He looked away for a moment and seemed to be thinking.

“Has something occurred to you?” Tilda prodded.

The medium slid his gaze toward them. “There was a medium who used to work with Lysander Mallory, but they fell out. Lysander said it was because the man was jealous of his burgeoning popularity. After Lysander started the society, the man—Roger Grenville was his name—said he would warn people against it.”

“Did you meet Grenville?” Hadrian asked, his expression intensely focused on the medium.

Hawkins nodded. “Several times, though I didn’t come to know him well. He was older than Lysander, perhaps fifteen years, and supposedly a gifted medium. I never saw him practice. I can only say that he was most disagreeable. He insulted Lysander quite soundly. He left London not long after we founded the society. I suppose he was a founding member who abdicated his place.”

“Do you know where he went?” Tilda hoped it wasn’t far. She wanted to speak with him.

“Lysander believed he returned to his former home in Swindon.” Hawkins cocked his head. “That’s near Wroughton where Deborah was from. I hadn’t realized that. What a coincidence.”

“Indeed.” Tilda’s mind worked. This disgruntled medium was from near where Mrs. Frost came from. Had he known her?

“We met a gentleman called Montrose at Mrs. Frost’s séance,” Hadrian said. “Would you happen to know where we could find him?”