Page 38 of A Whisper and a Curse

“Which he seemed to be regarding Montrose,” Hadrian noted.

“And perhaps the table,” Tilda said. “He did not seem inclined to discuss it with you. We should find the carpenter—Clifton—and pay him a visit.”

They fell silent for a few minutes, and Tilda noticed that Hadrian massaged his temple briefly.

“Does your head still hurt?” she asked.

“A bit. Rest assured, I am done for the day with touching people and things that are not in my house.”

“What about your mother?” Tilda didn’t think it likely that he saw visions when he touched her, since he didn’t seem to see them with people he knew well, such as those who lived and worked in his household. “Do you ever see anything when you touch her?”

“I do not.” He cocked his head and studied her a moment. “I haven’t ever seen anything when I’ve touched you either. Not that we’ve done a great deal of that.”

Tilda found it curious that he’d never seen anything. Perhaps they just hadn’t touched enough. “No, we haven’t,” she agreed.Immediately, she hoped he didn’t interpret that as an invitation. Nor did she want him to think that she found touching him distasteful.

“I wonder if it’s because I’ve come to know you fairly well,” he said, seeming to have moved past the touching, thankfully. “It does seem that the people and things most familiar to me do not provoke any sensations or visions.”

A few minutes later, Hadrian said they were nearing his mother’s house. He was looking out the window when his expression changed. His brows drew together sharply, and he frowned.

Now Tilda worried that their talk of touching had reinstated the awkwardness she’d thought they’d left behind. She sincerely hoped that was not the case.

They barely stopped before Hadrian bounded from the coach. He did not stop to help Tilda, and her wariness increased.

Leach hastened to offer her assistance. “My apologies, Miss Wren. I’m sure his lordship had good reason to abandon you like that.”

Tilda looked toward the house and immediately saw why Hadrian had leapt out of the coach. It wasn’t at all to do with her.

Ezra Clement stood in front of his mother’s door.

CHAPTER 9

Hadrian kept himself from lunging at Clement, but he raised his voice to stop the reporter from knocking on his mother’s door. “Clement, a word.”

Clement turned, his brown eyes glinting with surprise beneath the brim of his hat. “Lord Ravenhurst.”

“Are you shocked to see me here?” Hadrian didn’t bother disguising his irritation. “You must know this is my mother’s house. Why are you here?”

“That’s quite easily explained, my lord.” Clement shifted his weight. It was the only sign of nervousness he displayed.Ifit was nervousness.

“I’m waiting.” Hadrian saw Tilda approach. She stopped a few feet behind him, but she stepped to the side so she could watch the encounter.

“Another medium was murdered,” Clement announced rather importantly.

“Deborah Frost,” Hadrian clipped.

Clement’s eyes rounded briefly. “You already heard? Then you must know why I am here to speak with your mother.”

Hadrian glowered at him. “I do not.”

“That seems unlikely,” Clement said with a sardonic edge. “I spoke with Mrs. Frost’s housekeeper, and she told me that Lady Ravenhurst attended a séance at Mrs. Frost’s house the other evening. As did you,” he added as he returned Hadrian’s stare.

“I did as well,” Tilda said, moving to stand beside Hadrian.

“My mother is not part of any news story you are writing,” Hadrian growled. “Take yourself off.”

Clement pursed his lips at Hadrian. “Of course Lady Ravenhurst is part of the story. Our readers will want to know of the association between her and the latest deceased medium.”

The ‘latest,’ as if there were a succession and not just two. Although, two was bad enough. “You’re sensationalizing tragedy.” Hadrian stepped between Clement and the door. “Your readers won’t know of the association if you don’t tell them.”