Page 12 of The Peculiar Incident at Thistlewick House

By the following day, Carl had garnered much of the information Edward needed about Emma’s childhood, her marriage and the circumstances surrounding her illness.

A bit of chit-chat over dinner in the kitchens, some harmless flirting with the aged housekeeper and a late-night tipple with Wright where Carl had slipped the fellow half a bottle of rum.

Between them, Edward was happy they would be able to convince Barnabas that they’d summoned his wife.

The evening of the séance arrived and Edward was unusually anxious.

He much preferred conducting such summonings in his own home.

For a start, there was a sliding panel in the back wall that enabled Carl to slip in and out of the room when necessary, usually to snuff out or reignite candles, and there were long lengths of rubber tubing running under the floorboards where they manipulated the temperature.

It was icy cold when the spirits appeared, and connected to the range when the meeting was coming to an end to warm the room once more.

But there were still things they could do to convince Barnabas that his wife was communicating from the Other Side.

Edward remembered that Emma wore lavender because he couldn’t smell that particular flower without thoughts of her flitting through his head.

As part of the letter he’d sent home requesting Carl to join him in Thistlewick, he’d instructed Delphine to make a candle with lavender oil in the wax.

Once lit, and an inch down into burning, the aroma would fill the room.

And their combined research had uncovered several little-known facts about her past that would reassure his cousin she really was present.

The housemaid confided that she’d heard her mistress cry out for a ‘Zella’ during her illness and, after the shock of seeing herself in the dressing table mirror, Mrs Shaw had lain curled up on the bed, crying for her mummy.

Edward asked Mrs Drayton to sit in on the séance, as she’d witnessed the so-called manifestation by Esfir.

Besides, women were prone to heightened emotions and generally happier to volunteer information when he communicated with the spirit world, or at least unintentionally indicate if he was on the right track, adding to his credibility.

And Dr Appleby had announced his intention to bring Lord Felthorpe along.

Barnabas was delighted, as he’d been nervous that he would be judged by his peers for his wild claims – Thistlewick Tye was simply not a place for this sort of nonsense.

But even if they were there to mock, Edward knew he could put on a good show, and had converted many a sceptic in his time. He saw it as a challenge.

He’d met Lord Felthorpe briefly at the funeral and knew from his cousin that the Felthorpe family had lived in the huge house on the Cromer Road for generations.

The current baron owned much of the land thereabouts, but had never married, so there was no heir.

Now in his sixties, you could tell he’d been quite the presence in his younger days.

Still retaining all the bearing and authority of wealth, he could pass for much younger, with his handsome, dark eyes, despite his thick silver hair.

‘As close as the members of the committee are to the Reverend Fallow, no one has dared mention the séance to him,’ Barnabas confided.

‘He is a fervent Christian, and his sermons can be quite intimidating. Terribly old-fashioned ideas and won’t move with the times.

It’s almost as if he was born a hundred years too late.

But, generally, he supports what the doctor and Lord Felthorpe are trying to achieve, and I can honestly say that I’ve never known a community so prepared to help out its own.

The farmers encourage gleaning to feed the hungry, and when a family is struggling, for whatever reason, we all pull together to see them through the storm.

Everyone has been so kind to me after Emma’s death and, even though I’ll happily surrender my house to you, I’m not prepared to leave the village. ’

Edward’s dream had long been to lead an isolated life, away from prying eyes and unwanted interference, so he was immediately suspicious.

People were generally judgemental and selfish creatures, so he found it difficult to believe the good people of Thistlewick were that altruistic.

There must be something in it for them, he decided, forgetting that, for many, faith was its own reward.

Carl had helped to prepare the drawing room that evening but, with no sliding panels or pipes to manipulate, he would remain in the corner, on hand to dim the lamps and assist with the ghostly illusions.

This was still Mr Shaw’s house, so it was Wright who distributed the sherries to the four gentlemen, as Mrs Drayton stood quietly in the corner, clearly feeling out of place, and casting anxious glances at them all.

‘The doctor informs me you’re looking for a smaller property,’ Lord Felthorpe said to Barnabas, as they gathered around the chenille-covered dining table and Wright pulled out a chair for the housekeeper.

‘I’ll happily sell you one of the cottages by the church, but am curious as to why you would give up Thistlewick House.

I hope there is nothing nefarious afoot. ’ He gave Edward the side-eye.

‘Not a bit of it,’ Barnabas assured him. ‘I’m ashamed to admit that I did my cousin here a great wrong in our youth and hope God will look kindly upon my gesture of atonement.’

Lord Felthorpe nodded. ‘It is never too late to repent your sins, Shaw.’ He patted Barnabas’s shoulder.

‘We all stray from the path sometimes. And talking of straying, let me be clear that my presence here tonight is in no way condoning a practice that I consider dangerously close to the dark arts.’

Edward wondered why the man was here if he was so adamant that communicating with the dead was unacceptable.

‘There is nothing nefarious about my gift. Rest assured, I’m not about to summon the Devil. I largely speak with good Christian folk who simply have unfinished business in this world.’

‘But there is evil at play,’ Barnabas interjected, banging his fist on the table as he slid into his seat. ‘Emma was possessed by the spirit of a little girl, and it was she who administered the overdose.’

‘Are you here to perform some kind of exorcism, Mr Blackmore?’ Lord Felthorpe asked. ‘You say communicating with the dead is a gift of yours, so banish this wicked spirit. Send her to the afterlife and leave us in peace.’

‘I’m not qualified to exorcise,’ Edward said. ‘Besides, do you not think we should discover who we’re dealing with first?’

After issuing the usual instructions to link hands, and for the assembled guests to focus their thoughts on Mrs Shaw, Edward confirmed that Emma had, indeed, joined them.

At that exact moment, the tall pillar candle on the sideboard extinguished itself – or rather, the fine black wire Carl had attached to the top of the wick was pulled sharply to dip it into the melted wax and put out the flame.

Mrs Drayton gasped and his man was far enough away to be assumed innocent.

Edward closed his eyes and concentrated on the information they’d gathered and how best to present the necessary facts. He shook his head from side to side, as if to clear his head.

‘She has joined us, Barnabas,’ he said and allowed himself a dramatic pause. ‘Yes, yes,’ he repeated, as though he were having a conversation with her.

‘What’s she saying?’ his cousin demanded.

The words that came from Edward’s lips in these situations could make or break a man and he allowed himself to enjoy the moment. If Barnabas continued to push him, tonight he would break a man.

‘Don’t distress yourself, Emma. I forgive him,’ he whispered into the air.

‘What? What?’ Barnabas’s tone became increasingly impatient.

‘Must we go over old ground, cousin? Emma should not be feeling guilty for the way you treated me.’

There was an uncomfortable silence as his cousin undoubtedly felt the scrutiny of those gathered around the table, followed by a moment of realisation as the smell of lavender hit his nostrils.

‘My God, she really is here. I can smell her perfume. Emma?’ His voice became a reverent whisper, before he turned back to Edward.

‘Tell me what she said. Is this about the damn inheritance? For pity’s sake, man, it was your father’s decision, and you must tell her that I’m going to make amends.

That I’m passing the house over to you.’

The doctor raised a surprised eyebrow but said nothing.

‘Calm yourself, man. She knows about our arrangement and says it’s the right thing to do.’ He paused, feeling some satisfaction at his cousin’s embarrassment.

Edward then put his research to good use and had Emma talk to the room fondly of her childhood memories in Thistlewick, as well as recalling incidents from her marriage that Carl had garnered from staff and villagers.

An hour spent with Dr Appleby’s confused father, whom Carl had found wandering around the village, had proved particularly useful, especially as the senile old man had no qualms betraying the confidences of his former patients.

Edward employed a more serious but gentle tone. ‘And she will always love you for your understanding about losing the baby, and the complications that followed.’

Mrs Drayton gasped and the doctor exchanged a horrified look with Lord Felthorpe. They may both have claimed to be non-believers but Edward knew they were impressed.

‘I didn’t know Emma had lost a child,’ Lord Felthorpe interjected.

‘Sweet Lord… she really is here with us.’ Mrs Drayton sniffed. ‘I may have doubted you before, Mr Blackmore, but that was not common knowledge.’

All eyes were on Barnabas, who again struggled to contain his emotions and merely shook his head to indicate that he couldn’t bring himself to speak for a moment.

‘Let her know that I never blamed her, that I miss her terribly and don’t know how I will go on without her…’

‘She says not to mourn her and instead look for reasons to be happy. Know that she will always be with you, whether you sense her presence or not.’ Edward had decided to be kind and he noticed his cousin’s tense shoulders relax.

Edward then asked Emma to tell them the truth of her passing but, after a suitable pause, he expressed that she didn’t know.

‘How can she not know?’ Confusion flashed across Barnabas’s face.

‘Because, as you so correctly surmised, her mind was invaded by another. The soul of a child – she has few recollections of anything after the height of her fever.’

‘Then contact the dead girl.’ Barnabas was angry now. ‘Summon her and find out why she killed my wife.’

‘That’s not how it works, cousin, and you know that.

Emma has come to us this night to confirm that her passing was not done by her own hand, and because she wished to give you comfort.

She loves you and will rejoice the day you finally join her in the heavens, but the child is not in the room and I cannot make her appear if she doesn’t want to make contact. ’

‘Damn this.’

‘But there is another spirit… a woman of advanced years called Margaret.’ Edward did not meet Dr Appleby’s eye and instead chose to misdirect his attentions to Mrs Drayton. ‘A relative of yours?’ He feigned ignorance as the housekeeper shook her head.

‘She is asking for forgiveness… something about a foolish indiscretion?’

Still the doctor said nothing but his body language was telling – he was biting at his lip and his frame was rigid.

Both the housekeeper and Lord Felthorpe cast fleeting glances at him but neither said anything.

Everyone around the table, including Barnabas, must know Margaret had been his mother and that she’d passed away eight years previously.

The doctor shrugged. ‘Very common name.’

‘She cannot move on until she has the forgiveness she seeks…’

With everyone linking hands, poor Dr Appleby could not move to mop his brow, but even in the dim light, Edward could see tiny beads of perspiration glinting on his forehead.

Whether he truly believed in spirit communication or not, he was certainly uncomfortable that the brief affair his mother had conducted with her brother-in-law might come out.

Carl had done his work well and it had certainly been fortuitous that his path had crossed with the old doctor’s.

Edward let the pause become increasingly uncomfortable before delivering his final line.

‘She is sad there is no one present prepared to talk to her but will come again. I’m losing her now.’ He paused. ‘I think… is she humming “By the Sad Sea Waves”?’ Dr Appleby almost choked on his tongue but still volunteered nothing. ‘And now she has gone.’

Edward concluded the séance in his usual manner and the guests retired to the drawing room of Thistlewick House, where he expected them all to emphatically reject his claim that Mrs Shaw had been possessed, but everyone was strangely contemplative.

He could also tell from the doctor’s face that he’d hooked another fish.