Page 39 of A Whisper and a Curse (Raven & Wren #3)

Teague held up the book. “This diary was in your office. Miss Wren and Lord Ravenhurst recognize the handwriting within as matching that of the note Miss Wren received two days ago. I am confident that when I view it next to the letter I have at Scotland Yard, I will see that both were written by the same hand. Given the nature of your threat, it seems you are likely responsible for the deaths of the three mediums.”

“I am not!” Mallory shouted. Others in the room also called out. A few of them stood and gestured wildly as they spoke.

“Silence!” Teague glowered at everyone as they closed their mouths. Mallory looked as though he might continue, but Teague took a step toward him. “Do not, Mr. Mallory. Unless you are going to explain yourself.”

Mallory took a deep breath, but his face remained red, and his eyes were dark and almost feral. “I did write that note, but not for the reasons you think.”

The society members began talking again, defending Mallory, but also shooting him looks of concern. Miss Dryden and Mrs. Griswold moved to stand on either side of Mallory, but he did not seem to notice. His attention was fixed on Teague—and Tilda and Hadrian.

“Explain,” Teague said crisply.

“I didn’t want Miss Wren nosing about the society anymore,” Mallory said.

“Why not?” Teague demanded.

“We have … secrets that should not be disclosed.”

“Such as how you use tables with hollow pedestals?” Hadrian asked harshly. “Or tricks to pretend you are levitating? Or that your name is really Thaddeus Vale?”

Mallory’s gaze snapped to Hadrian, then narrowed almost malevolently. “Many of our members and the people we serve have secrets they don’t wish to have publicized, my lord. I should think you of all people would understand that.”

Tilda’s breath caught. That wasn’t exactly a threat, but it seemed clear to her that Mallory was communicating that he was aware of Hadrian’s deepest secret.

He knew of Hadrian’s ability and could expose him.

She looked at Hadrian and saw the tight set of his jaw, as well as the erratic pulse in his neck.

Edging closer, she brushed her gloved hand against his.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Teague snapped.

“I believe he’s referring to the fact that Hadrian’s mother recently attended a séance for the purpose of speaking to her dead son,” Tilda replied quickly.

She’d wanted to add that Mallory was also using the secrets he just mentioned to extort people, but she didn’t dare.

She wasn’t sure if Mallory would actually expose Hadrian’s secret, but she wasn’t going to take the risk.

Hadrian and Mallory held each other’s gazes whilst Tilda held her breath. After a long moment, Mallory nodded.

“You mention secrets, Mr. Mallory,” Teague said. “Does that include the ones you used to blackmail people who attended your séances?”

This was met with more gasps from others in the library. Mallory’s color faded as his eyes darkened with worry.

“I’m arresting you for breaking the peace. And I may add extortion, as well as murder, to the charge since you certainly implied that you killed the mediums.”

“I wanted to frighten Miss Wren!” Mallory cried, his eyes becoming wild once more. “I wouldn’t kill my own mediums, my friends . Why would I do that?”

Tilda decided it was time to wade into the fray to support Teague. “It’s possible you were jealous of your mediums and the attention they received, particularly from important people such as the Duchess of Chester. You were quick to align yourself with her after Cyril Ward’s death.”

“Of course I was. Her Grace is our largest benefactor.” Mallory shook his head, his lips pursing. “More importantly, she was devastated by Cyril’s death—as we all are. I sought to provide comfort.”

“Or you were swooping in to take advantage of her in a time of grief, and when Hawkins won her support, you killed him too,” Hadrian said.

A few of the members gasped.

Mrs. Griswold clasped Mallory’s hand. “He would never do that.”

“He didn’t kill Victor or Cyril.” Miss Dryden clutched Mallory’s arm. “Or Deborah.”

Tilda noted the two women’s staunch defense of Mallory and wondered if either of them was the woman Grenville had mentioned.

Was Mallory involved with one of them? Or, looking at how they clung to him, perhaps both?

“Mrs. Frost expressed a desire to leave the society.” Tilda met Mallory’s gaze.

“She was also your former lover. Perhaps you grew angry with her or were concerned she would expose the secrets of your society. I don’t think it’s a stretch of the imagination to believe you would kill her.

” She said the last in an effort to push Mallory so she could see his reaction.

Was he still as volatile as he once was?

Mallory did not disappoint. He pulled away from the women flanking him and took a step toward Tilda. “Watch yourself, Miss Wren. You don’t know me or what I am capable of.”

Hadrian put himself in front of Tilda, and for the barest moment, she worried he was going to launch himself at the medium. “ You watch yourself, Mallory.”

“Don’t threaten me, Ravenhurst,” Mallory growled. “If I am exposed, so are you.”

There could be no mistaking what he meant. And Hadrian knew it. He grabbed Mallory by the lapel of his coat. Mallory swung his arm and hit Hadrian in the cheek.

Tilda rushed forward and clasped Hadrian’s arm—the one that was holding Mallory. “Hadrian, step away!”

Teague and the constable were there in an instant and separated the two men. “Put him in irons,” Teague directed, his head moving toward Mallory to indicate he meant him and not Hadrian.

Mallory fought as the constable turned on him, and it took him and Teague to wrestle him into the manacles that clasped around his wrists. Mallory’s face was bright red, and he was breathing loudly and erratically, his chest heaving.

Tilda kept a hold on Hadrian, not because she thought she could stop him if he wanted to go after Mallory again, but because she hoped to soothe him.

“He isn’t going to say anything,” Tilda whispered.

“Not unless we do first, and there’s no reason to.

He’s done plenty wrong without exposing his ability and how he uses it to defraud people. ”

Hadrian turned to face her. “I don’t know how I feel about keeping quiet on that matter in order to protect myself.” His expression darkened and then flattened, as if a veil had passed over him to mask his emotions.

Two more constables had entered the library and now joined the third, who was holding onto Mallory.

“Put him in the wagon,” Teague said. “I’ll be out shortly, and we’ll take him to Scotland Yard.”

“I need my gloves,” Mallory demanded. Did he still rely on them to keep the visions at bay?

Miss Dryden stepped forward. “I’ll fetch them.”

Mallory’s expression calmed slightly as he regarded her. “Thank you, Isidora.”

She hastened from the library.

“Go on then,” Teague said. “Miss Dryden can meet you in the entrance hall. If she takes too long, do not wait.”

The constables took Mallory away.

Mrs. Griswold advanced on Teague, her eyes flashing. “You can’t arrest Lysander. He didn’t do anything wrong.”

“I would argue he’s done plenty wrong,” Teague said.

He looked around at the rest of the members, all of whom were now standing.

“If any of you would come forward to share what you know about Mr. Mallory, particularly with regard to his blackmailing schemes and his relationships with the other mediums, especially those who were killed, the Metropolitan Police would greatly appreciate it. Even if we’ve questioned you before, we will be doing so again.

A pair of constables will return shortly.

” He gave them all a meaningful stare before turning to Tilda and Hadrian.

The detective inspector addressed them in a low tone. “I would ask that you not stay here.” He looked at Hadrian in particular. “I suggest you go home and have a brandy.”

“Inspector, we can’t lose Lysander too,” Mrs. Griswold cried. “The society needs him!”

Miss Dryden returned to the library. “Lysander is innocent!”

The members began shouting and talking loudly over one another. Teague stalked from the library.

“Come, Hadrian.” Tilda took his arm and pulled him toward the door. Thankfully, he moved along with her.

They left the house and watched the police wagon depart. Two of the constables returned to the house, passing Tilda and Hadrian.

Tilda turned to look at Hadrian’s face. She lifted her hand to his reddened cheek. “Does it hurt?”

“A little,” he said.

Tilda brushed her fingertips over his flesh. “A brandy would probably not come amiss.”

He held her gaze. “I apologize for losing my composure. It was not well done of me.”

“I understand why you did, and I do not think any less of you.” On the contrary, she was moved in a way she could not describe that he would fight so fiercely to protect her.

He’d done so before, even putting himself into harm’s way and suffering the consequences.

How could she ever have doubted that they would no longer be friends after that silly kiss?

Surely this demonstrated how strong their bond was.

It would not be diminished by a lapse in judgement.

It was a long, electric moment before Tilda blinked. She pulled her hand back. “Let’s get you home.”

“You first,” he said with a faint smile.

They returned to Hadrian’s coach. After climbing inside, Tilda sat on the forward-facing seat and scooted over to make room for Hadrian. “Sit with me, please.”

Hadrian hesitated only slightly before settling next to her. She realized they’d sat together in the gig in Swindon, their bodies grazing one another. But having him beside her here where he’d kissed her not too terribly long ago sent a flash of awareness through her.

That was normal, she decided. They’d put the kiss behind them, but it was still in the recent past. Of course she would still think of it. In time, the memory would fade.

A small voice in the back of her mind said it would not.

She ignored that voice.

As the coach began moving, she turned her head toward him. “I don’t think you need to worry about Mallory exposing your secret. He doesn’t want anyone to know about him either.”

“I hate that he knows,” Hadrian said acidly. “It’s like an axe hanging over my neck that can drop at any time.”

“Will anyone believe him though?” Tilda was trying hard to be rational.

“I’d rather not find out.”

“Then we’ll make sure he knows that you’ve no intention of exposing him. Provided he makes the same promise.”

Hadrian folded his arms across his chest. “I’m not sure we can trust him. The man is likely a murderer.”

Likely, but not certainly. Whilst the motives Tilda had offered were reasonable, they needed more proof. “I am still bothered by the fact that he would kill the very mediums he trained in the society he worked so hard to build.”

Hadrian’s eyes lit, but not with the same fire he’d displayed earlier. “You saw how he reacted. I don’t think we can discount his volatility or that he may even possess a violent nature.” Hadrian uncrossed his arms and smoothed his hand over his cheek.

Tilda recalled what she’d seen in the ledger from Mallory’s office. “Did you notice the name Joslin in the diary when I showed it to you?”

“I did not.” Hadrian turned slightly toward her, his expression shifting to one of interest. “Wasn’t he someone who went to one of Mrs. Frost’s séances?”

“Yes. Mrs. Langdon mentioned him,” Tilda replied. “I think we should call on him tomorrow and try to determine why his name was listed in Mallory’s diary.”

“You are nothing if not thorough,” Hadrian remarked.

“Nothing is more important than the truth,” she said firmly. “Even if we don’t like it.”