Page 43 of A Whisper and a Curse

“It sounds as though the society headquarters is almost like a club,” Hadrian observed.

“That could be,” Mrs. Langdon replied. “But you would likely know more about that, my lord. Ladies do not have as many opportunities to belong to a club as gentlemen such as yourself.”

Tilda wondered if most of the patrons were women and if the society was providing a much-needed place for them to gather. When they visited the society next, she would further her inquiries into their operations. She addressed Mrs. Langdon. “May I ask about your experience with Mrs. Frost? I am investigating her murder.”

Mrs. Langdon nodded. “Lady Ravenhurst’s note said you were conducting an investigation. I am happy to be of assistance. I visited the society to inquire about attending a séance and spoke with Mrs. Frost. I explained that I wished to speak with my father. He died a few years ago, and my mother thinks he sold a painting that she loved.” Mrs. Langdon lowered her voice. “He didn’t like it much.” She laughed softly. “My mother said he wouldn’t let her hang it in the house.”

“Did you want to ask him if he sold the painting?” Hadrian asked.

“Yes, and Mrs. Frost was eager to help. Whilst she wasn’t successful at the first séance, Mrs. Frost was able to contact him straightaway at the second.” Mrs. Langdon smiled widely. “It was astonishing.”

Tilda noted that, once again, the medium was not successful at the first séance. It seemed the clients were then encouraged to return and even become patrons. “How were you convinced it was him?”

Mrs. Langdon’s expression grew animated. “Let me explain from the beginning. I’m sure you know how séances start since you’ve attended one. Mrs. Frost asked to speak with the spirit realm. We very quickly felt a cool breeze. It was most disquieting. She then asked if John Tabor—he is her spirit guide—was present. He rapped three times to say he was. Was healso present at your séance?” Mrs. Langdon looked from Tilda to Hadrian and back to Tilda again. “Mrs. Frost said he is usually her guide.”

“He was there, yes,” Tilda replied. “However, he wasn’t able to help us much. It sounds as though you had the opposite experience.”

“At the second séance, yes. Right away, he tapped out my father’s name—Adam.”

Hadrian kept his features notably blank. “How did he do that?”

“There was one tap for the first letter of the alphabet, then a pause, then four taps, and so on. Mrs. Frost said John Tabor was saying that he was with someone called Adam.”

“That was all?” A bit of doubt crept into Hadrian’s voice, and Tilda shot him a quelling look. She didn’t want Mrs. Langdon to be put off by him.

“No, no. The table began to move quite violently then. Mrs. Frost closed her eyes tightly and bade us all to focus on the energy moving between us.” Mrs. Langdon’s eyes closed as she recounted the tale. “My father was glad to see me and pleased that I was wearing the yellow topaz necklace he’d given me. I knew right then that my father was there. I could feel his presence. The air grew warm, and I swear I could smell the scent he always wore.”

Hadrian looked over at Tilda in disbelief. Tilda narrowed her eyes at him before returning her attention to Mrs. Langdon. The woman was smiling as she opened her eyes.

“Had Mrs. Frost asked you to bring something that your father had given you?” Tilda asked, thinking of how she’d done that with Lady Ravenhurst, who’d brought her son’s letter. That could very well explain how the medium knew about the necklace.

“Yes, but I didn’t tell her what it was,” Mrs. Langdon said, which surprised Tilda, since Lady Ravenhurst had given the letter from Gabriel to Mrs. Frost. “She could not have known the necklace I was wearing was a gift from my father. But that wasn’t the only thing that confirmed my father’s presence. He asked if I was still attending the Henley Royal Regatta without him.” Mrs. Langdon sniffed. “He took me to the very first one almost thirty years ago. It was the year before I wed. We went together every year since, except when I had a newborn babe and couldn’t attend.”

That was still something others might have known.

Mrs. Langdon smiled again. “My father recounted how, since I wasn’t able to attend the regatta, he took me to Temple Island a few months later, after my confinement, and we sailed a small boat together.” She giggled. “It is one of my fondest memories.”

Memories … Tilda snapped her gaze to Hadrian. Again, she suspected that Mrs. Frost possessed the same ability as he did. “I don’t suppose you were holding Mrs. Frost’s hand?” Tilda asked Mrs. Langdon.

“No, those seated around the séance table must be in male-female order. Did you not notice that at your séance? I was seated near her—there was a gentleman between us. Mr. Montrose was his name.”

Tilda found it interesting that Montrose was always seated next to the medium conducting the séance. At least with both Mrs. Frost and Mr. Hawkins. And, in the cases of Mrs. Langdon and Lady Ravenhurst, they’d sat on his other side. Perhaps Montrose also had the ability to see others’ memories. Her curiosity about Montrose grew. “Was he at all of the séances you attended?”

Mrs. Langdon thought for a moment. “He was.”

“What happened with your search for the painting?” Hadrian asked.

“Papa didn’t sell the painting,” Mrs. Langdon said with a light laugh. “He insisted my mother moved it somewhere in the house and simply can’t find it.”

Tilda wondered how Mrs. Frost had learned the painting hadn’t been sold. Unless she really had spoken to Mrs. Langdon’s father. “Did he not know where you might find it?”

Mrs. Langdon shook her head. “He could only confirm that he hadn’t sold it. I’m afraid it remains lost for now.”

It was notable to Tilda that no one could prove or disprove that since the painting was still missing. “I’m sorry you weren’t able to find the painting,” she said. “If you learned all that in the second séance, why did you attend two more?”

“Because it was such fun! Each week, Mrs. Frost spoke to my father and relayed what he said. It was like being with him again.” Mrs. Langdon’s shoulders jumped up as she smiled warmly.

Hadrian leaned forward slightly. “Your father said a great deal. How long did it take for all that information to be rapped out?”