The Royal Ghost

by Linda Stratmann

  Stefan bowed again, but in a manner that suggested he had only just begun to show what he could do. Taking a walking cane, he made passes over it with one hand, then, letting go of it, showed that not only could it stand by itself, but with more passes it could be made to dance, swaying from side to side on its point as he moved first one hand then the other in the air around it. He next took one of the metal rings and placed it over his head so that it rested on his shoulders. Some of the colourful paper streamers he crumpled into a ball, which he placed on the palm of his left hand. He then made circular passes over the paper ball with his right hand and it rose slowly into the air, wobbling a little, and floated gently between his palms without touching either. He smiled at the audience as if to say ‘I know what you are thinking, you believe the paper ball is suspended by a hidden thread’. He took the metal ring from around his neck and passed it back and forth around the ball, showing that it was unsupported. Putting the ring back around his neck, he made further movements above and below the ball with both hands, then with a snap of his fingers it dropped into one palm, and he stepped forward and tossed it into the audience. Enid caught it and showed it to Louisa, who agreed that it was merely crushed tissue paper. The metal ring was handed to Mr Hope, who passed it around so it could be seen that it was quite solid and unbroken.

  Stefan then brought forward what appeared to be a kind of nest made of many folded sheets of paper and placed it on the round table. Mr Hope rose to face the audience once more.

  ‘Ladies and gentlemen, you have all been asked to think of a question you wish to address to the magical divination device of Mystic Stefan. All questions must be capable of being answered by either a “yes” or a “no”. You may choose to ask your question aloud, or by writing it on a slip of paper and holding it to your forehead. The answer will be revealed on a paper within the device. So, I wonder, who dares ask their question first?’

  There was the usual reluctance of individuals to be the first to venture. Heads were turned to see who might be brave enough, but no one was.

  ‘Now please don’t be shy, I can assure you that no secrets will be revealed.’

  ‘I have a question,’ said Mina. In fact, she did not have a question, but was impatient to start this portion of the demonstration. ‘Please let me have some paper and I will write it down.’ Paper and pencil were provided and Mina tore off a piece, made some meaningless scribbles and folded it.

  ‘You will receive your answer on this paper,’ said Hope, showing Mina a blank square. He turned it over so everyone could see that it was clean and unmarked on both sides, then handed it to Stefan, who opened out the nest like a flower and dropped the little slip into its deepest recesses. Quickly and dexterously the papers were turned in on each other until the result was a tight round package. This he handed to Mr Hope who gave it to Mina. ‘Just place it on your lap, hold the paper with the question to your forehead, and the answer will be revealed.’

  Mina obeyed, and saw that Nellie was looking at the package with a smile. Stefan took up the wand once more and made some elaborate passes in Mina’s general direction with an expression of the most profound concentration. Something in his manner told Mina that everything else that had gone before was just a preparation for this moment. Had there been music provided it would have been mysterious, soft and evocative of strange things occurring.

  Hope then brought the package back to Stefan, who unwrapped it, extracted the previously blank paper and held it up to show that on it was written ‘No’. Mrs Peasgood and Mrs Mowbray glanced at Mina with expressions of great pity. They had doubtless assumed that she had asked if she would ever be cured, a question Mina had no need to ask as she already knew the answer.

  Mrs Mowbray, with a sly glance at Dr Hamid, her slip of paper already written, raised her hand. ‘I have a question.’ Another blank paper was provided and the elaborate process repeated.

  Mrs Peasgood was beginning to look worried. ‘Mr Hope, might I ask where the replies are coming from?’

  ‘Ah, that is a very great question, and one to which I am sure none of us here has the answer.’ Mr Hope seemed very satisfied with his own reply, which was more than Mrs Peasgood was.

  Mrs Mowbray’s paper read ‘No’, a response that she received with very ill grace.

  Mrs Peasgood declined to ask a question, so Nellie was next, receiving the answer ‘Yes.’

  Now that others had dared, Enid volunteered that she would like to ask a question, and also received the answer ‘Yes’, which she clearly found disappointing.

  Mr Hope rose to his feet. ‘I have a question,’ he announced, ‘a very important one, which I do not hesitate to ask aloud. Is Dr Livingstone alive?’

  There was a buzz of whispers around the room as he took the paper package into his hands and Mystic Stefan made his magical passes over it. When the package was unwrapped the slip of paper said ‘Yes’.

  Hope gave a little gasp of joy. ‘Oh then we may breathe again because the dear brave good man is alive and may yet be found and relieved! God and the spirits grant that this great work may be done!’

  Mystic Stefan, holding the paper nest, suddenly looked astonished, held it to his ear and shook it as if there was something new inside. Replacing it on the table, he folded back the inner petals, dipped his hand inside and took something out, not a paper but a small colourful object, which he offered to Hope. Mr Hope reached out and the object was dropped into his cupped hands. He stared momentarily dumbstruck at what lay before him. It was a cylindrical blue glass bead, of a similar kind to the ones Mina had seen on display at the Town Hall.

  When Hope regained his powers of speech there was an unmistakable sob in his voice. ‘Why, this is extraordinary! Miraculous! Not only is Livingstone alive but he has sent me this to say – what is it he can be saying? That he needs supplies, succour? Yes, that is it! Oh how I wish I could send it to him now! Food, medicines! The poor fellow must be in sore need.’

  Mina watched him carefully but if he was pretending he was doing it very well.

  Mystic Stefan merely smiled and stepped back. He took up his top hat, twirled it between his fingers by the brim and put it on, then with an expression of mock surprise, lifted it to reveal a cake. He put the cake on the table, then bowed to the audience and drew the curtains so they met in the middle.

  The audience applauded as vigorously as was thought polite.

  Mrs Peasgood rose to her feet. ‘I assume the performance is at an end?’ she asked, but Hope was clutching the bead in his fist with an expression of fierce determination. ‘Mr Hope?’

  He started. ‘Oh, yes, forgive me. It is over.’

  Mrs Peasgood rang for the maid. ‘Ladies and gentlemen, the evening’s entertainment is now complete and I am sure we would all like to thank Mr Hope for arranging it. Refreshments will be served in ten minutes.’

  While Enid and Louisa were concerned with Mr Hope and the bead, Richard took Mina by the arm and they went to talk to Nellie, who had risen and was making a tour of the room to show off her gown to the best advantage.

  ‘What do you think of Mystic Stefan?’ asked Mina.

  ‘He is a conjuror of some ability, but none of his tricks were new, and he was clearly working with little apparatus. Monsieur Baptiste could perform all of what we saw, but with more drama. Of course much of his work was more suitable for a stage than a drawing room. The rope trick for example, cutting in it half and then joining it up, he did that with a live chicken, removing its head and then restoring it whole.’

  ‘A live chicken? How can one do that?’ Richard exclaimed.

  Nellie smiled enigmatically. ‘Well, the secret is to start with two chickens.’

  ‘It is obvious to me that the device that answers questions is simply another conjuring trick,’ said Mina. ‘He must have the answers already hidden inside.’

  ‘Of course,’ agreed Nellie, ‘its method of operation lies in its construction and the way the papers are folded and unfolded.’
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br />   ‘Do the answers appear by chance? Or does Mystic Stefan decide if they are yes or no?’

  ‘The operator decides. Usually the questions are personal and secret so no one dares to say if the answers are right or wrong. In any case most people don’t know the right answer, because they ask about the future or the unknown. The general way of proceeding is to give the answer “yes” to any lady who is young and beautiful, since she always asks about romance, usually whether her admirer truly loves her and will be faithful.’

  ‘And if she is not young and beautiful?’

  ‘Then the answer is “no”, for the same reason. A gentleman generally asks about business and the answer given depends on how he is dressed.’

  ‘Enid was most unhappy with her answer,’ Mina observed. ‘She must have asked if Mr Inskip was alive and well. What was your question?’

  ‘I asked if Mystic Stefan was wearing a false beard,’ confided Nellie and they all laughed.

  ‘What about the bead he produced and gave to Mr Hope?’

  ‘Was that what it was? I did wonder.’

  ‘Yes, I think it was an African bead, they are used as currency there. I saw some displayed at the lecture.’

  Nellie nodded thoughtfully. ‘A sop to his patron perhaps. The bead was never in the paper of course, he palmed it and made it look as if it came from there.’

  ‘Is it unusual to pretend contact with the living?’ asked Richard.

  ‘Not at all, I have known mediums do as much when the person being enquired about is far away, especially as in this case, when they are in danger.’

  ‘I am very glad that we had no ghosts appear,’ said Mina. ‘I expect Mr Hope was too well acquainted with Mrs Peasgood’s opinions on that subject to risk giving offence and losing her good will. I was prepared for an event of some kind designed to turn me into a fervent spiritualist, but there was nothing of that description apart from the Livingstone message, which we can hardly treat as evidence unless the man is found and confirms sending it. But Mr Hope is a subtle man – he may simply be paving the way for wonders to come.’ She worried about it all the way home.

  Twenty-Four

  There was good news for Mina when she opened the next edition of the Gazette and saw that her letter had had the desired effect.

  ‘AN ENCOUNTER’: IS IT PLAGIARISED? asked the editor in a bold headline.

  All Brighton has been talking about this controversial book, indeed we might say all England. Just as we thought there was no more that could be said on the subject, we have a brand new sensation. When we first heard the news, we could hardly believe it but our enquiries have shown it to be true. We can now inform our readers that an action is being taken by a Brighton lady for damages against the authors of An Encounter. From what we have been able to discover, the lady, whose name is being carefully withheld, wrote a pamphlet many years ago about a ghostly sighting in the Royal Pavilion. Without commenting on the likelihood of such an event, we must point out that the lady in question is highly respectable, and of a pure and elevated character. Her work contained none of the questionable passages that have made An Encounter so notorious, and describes only seeing the shades of the Prince of Wales’ royal assembly and an entertainment consisting of music and a genteel and decorous dance. Nevertheless, the lady alleges that the authors of An Encounter have copied a material part of her publication, representing it as their own while adding the other less savoury portions which are quite unsuitable to be described in the press. Her legal representatives are demanding the immediate withdrawal and destruction of all copies of An Encounter, together with damages not only for the profits they have already made on it, but also to recompense their client for the great distress this situation has caused. The original book was created by a lady of refined and delicate taste, but she fears that those of her intimates who know of it may be under the impression that she is also the author of the subsequent volume. This anxiety has caused her much suffering, and she has asked not only for a public apology but substantial damages for the attack on her reputation. We do not know, but rumour has it that some thousands of pounds may be involved.

  Louisa read the article and gave a sharp snort of a laugh. ‘I knew it! These Bland sisters are wicked conniving women. Mr Hope was wrong to trust them.’

  ‘I am sure there is some mistake,’ said Enid, sulkily. ‘In any case, you can’t blame Mr Hope for being kind-hearted. He is very chivalrous towards ladies and likes to think of himself as their champion. He believes Miss Eustace is innocent and he means to prove it too.’

  ‘What nonsense!’ Louisa retorted. ‘Enid, you can know nothing of the matter. You were not in Brighton when she was here and have never met the woman.’

  ‘But —’

  ‘No! I forbid you to speak of it!’

  ‘You won’t forbid Mina,’ Enid went on, with a stubborn pout. ‘She thinks so too but won’t admit it.’

  Louisa turned to Mina, wide-eyed in astonishment. ‘Mina! Is this true?’

  Mina made an effort to remain calm. ‘It is not. Mr Hope would like it to be true, and I am afraid he has been carried away into telling people it is.’

  Louisa gave the newspaper an angry shake. ‘I trust you have undeceived him.’

  ‘I have tried, but it doesn’t take. Mr Hope believes he is right and encourages others in that view. Some more than most. He thinks it is only a matter of time before everyone agrees with him. One might as well tell the tide not to come in as expect him to change his mind.’

  Louisa’s expression hardened with new determination. ‘I see that I shall have to have a very firm word with him. He is an excellent man in many respects, but overconfidence is something he must learn to curb.’

  It was time for Mina to go for her steam bath and massage, which were more needed than ever as she had been both active and anxious of late. As she left the house she saw Enid and Anderson with the twins in their perambulator, marching down Montpelier Road towards the sea.

  Mina did not know what herbs Dr Hamid used in his therapeutic steam baths, only that there were several recipes depending on the condition being treated, and all of them were secret. Her treatment began when wrapped only in a sheet, she sat at rest in the tiled steam room, and as the hot mist enveloped her she closed her eyes and beads of scented moisture rolled down her face and body. Sometimes Mina drifted into a light sleep, in which her sore back and shoulders eased most deliciously, but today she was too concerned about the pressure being placed upon her to become fully relaxed. She wondered when Mr Hope had told Enid that she believed in Miss Eustace, and supposed it had been confided during the ‘willing game’ when they were alone together in the parlour. What else had he said? She didn’t like to think.

  Anna, of course, at once detected Mina’s tension during the massage that followed. She had not yet read the article in the Gazette, although her brother had and she was extremely gratified to learn from him that the disgusting book was to be withdrawn. ‘But as I understand it the earlier book was all about ghosts, too,’ she said. ‘So my ladies will protest that there is truth in it after all.’ She worked firmly and diligently at the knots in Mina’s muscles. ’Sometimes I wish I could massage their brains for them.’

  Her treatment concluded, Mina, feeling somewhat restored, went to see Dr Hamid, who admitted that he had found the article in the Gazette highly amusing.

  ‘Where the Brighton Gazette leads so the London daily papers will follow,’ she assured him, ‘not to mention Reynolds and Lloyds, and all the others that like a good scandal.’

  ‘I wonder how the Gazette came to hear of it?’ It was a question to which he seemed to neither need nor expect a reply. ‘Do you think the respectable lady author would approve of this article? I am not sure that she intended to have her private business advertised in the press.’

  ‘She seems to be biding her time but will, I think, be happy to admit to the first publication when she has received an apology about the second. I, however, am very curious
to know what Mr Hope will make of it, since he believes in the Misses Bland’s experience. Knowing his ways, I fear he will find some method of dismissing any truth that threatens to upset his beliefs. This plagiarism case has, however, come as something of a relief to me. Mr Hope has been pressing me to make this declaration, sometimes outright and sometimes more subtly, but however he does it I know what he is about. Now that it is public knowledge I can make use of it. It will give me an excuse to delay any decision.’

  Mina’s way home took her along the Marine Parade, and with the wind from the sea coming in cool and blustery, she decided to hire a cab. There were some days when high gusts threatened to carry her up into the air, skirts flapping, like a witch who had lost her broomstick, and consequently she could not leave the house unaccompanied, but that day she just needed to be careful. Most of the regular Brighton cab drivers knew her by sight and she never had to wait long to secure a vehicle. Within minutes a cab had drawn up beside her, and she was about to board it when she chanced to see Anderson and the twins on the other side of the road. There was no mistaking the unusual double perambulator, but Enid was not with them. Anderson looked dull and bored as usual, although she took her duties seriously, and made sure to give the twins equal attention. The babies, she had told the approving grandmother, were extraordinarily well behaved, and Mina had to agree that they were remarkably content and placid. Neither had yet threatened to produce a tooth, although that event was undoubtedly imminent, so the situation could well change. Louisa had given orders that her grandchildren were not to be pampered, and then proceeded to pamper them mercilessly.