Page 59 of A Whisper and a Curse

“I confess we heard of you at the spiritualism society,” Tilda said somewhat apologetically. “Someone mentioned you were disgruntled.”

He fixed his gaze on Hadrian. “Are you a patron? They only want your money. Your set is captivated by spiritualism, but they are a racket.”

“I am not a patron.” Hadrian twisted his lips into a brief smirk. “I gravely doubt their ability to move objects or levitate, let alone speak with the dead.”

Eldred slapped his palm on the arm of his chair. “You’re wrong about that last one. They absolutely can speak with the dead.”

“How are you so certain?” Tilda asked.

“Because I was blackmailed by someone who knew something that no one could know,” he declared with outrage. Settling back in his chair, he continued in a more measured tone. “I received a letter the week before last about something that happened twenty years ago. The only other person who knew of it died nearly ten years ago. There is absolutely no way anyone could have known what to write in that letter unless they spoke with a dead man. That means Ward had to have been the blackmailer.”

“You think Ward communicated with this dead person who knew your secret?” Hadrian asked.

“It’s the only thing that makes sense,” Eldred insisted. “My former colleague is dead, and he would not have told anyone what we did. The consequences would have been far too great.Even if he decided to unburden himself on his deathbed, why wouldn’t anything have come of it until now—nearly a decade after his demise?” Eldred shook his head firmly. “The only explanation is that Ward is behind the blackmail.”

“Is it not at all possible that your colleague confided in someone?” If no one possessed the same power as Hadrian, or one similar, there would have to be another explanation. Perhaps they needed to determine if the society made inquiries about the people for whom they conducted seances. Tilda could envision someone like herself working for the society in order to collect information about people that could be used in séances.

“I would be shocked if he did,” Eldred replied firmly. “And again, why wouldn’t the truth have surfaced before now?”

“Can you tell us about the séance you attended?” Tilda asked.

“There were two. My sister heard about the society and wanted to contact our mother. She’d died a few months earlier and my sister … well, she missed her terribly. I agreed to attend a séance with her, even though I suspected it was merely a performance.”

“That was kind of you,” Hadrian said.

“At Ward’s request, my sister brought a cameo that had belonged to my mother. He said that having an item associated with the person we were trying to contact helped the spirit find us. However, our mother did not appear at that first séance. I was certain it was a swindle, except they did not charge a fee.” He pursed his lips. “Of course, they did for the second time, which they insisted would be successful. I didn’t want to return, but my sister was so upset that I could not refuse her.

“Ward asked me to also bring something. He hoped two items would allow our mother to hear my sister’s call. My sister brought several things, whilst I brought a silver dish that I’d given to our mother many years ago. Ward contacted our mother, and she spoke through him. It was most disconcerting.However, I was convinced she was speaking. She said she’d cherished that dish more than anything. It was how she knew I’d become a success.” His face flushed, and Tilda presumed he was feeling a rush of emotion for his departed mother.

“That is very sweet,” Tilda said softly. “Pardon my question, but did Ward touch you or your sister before or during the séance?”

Eldred shrugged. “I shook the man’s hand when we arrived.”

“Did you or your sister sit next to him?” Hadrian asked.

“No, there was a man between Ward and my sister.”

Tilda wondered if that was Montrose. She and Hadrian exchanged a quick glance before she asked, “Do you recall his name or what he looked like?”

Eldred’s brow creased as he thought for a moment. “I don’t remember his name, but he was Scottish. He had red hair and a red mustache to go with his nearly unintelligible accent.”

That didn’t sound like Montrose at all.

“Why didn’t you attend a third séance?” Tilda imagined Ward would have invited them, especially if Eldred’s sister was so eager to speak with their mother.

“My sister wanted to, but I refused to pay to continue, and she does not have the funds. She understood. Then, after several weeks went by, I received a letter extorting me to pay two hundred pounds to a grocer in Bedfordbury or a damaging event from my past would be exposed.”

“Exposed to whom?” Hadrian asked. “The police?”

“The letter was not explicit. I didn’t care because I could not imagine what proof the blackmailer would have. What he referred to happened twenty years ago, and there were no witnesses to it except myself and my deceased colleague.”

“So you assume that Ward somehow received information from this dead person and used it to blackmail you. That seems rather skeptical, doesn’t it?” Hadrian mused.

“I tell you that is precisely what happened! That silver dish … it was part of that … event from the past. I have to think Ward used it to contact my deceased colleague.” Eldred scowled. “I should not have brought it. You see, Ward had to be the blackmailer.”

“That is why you confronted him,” Tilda said. “Why did you choose to do it during a séance?”

“I didn’t actually. That was a coincidence.”