"What Mary means is that everyone has a lively interest in what happens at Mayfair." William was about to burst into laughter at the expression on Mary's face. She was furious, and she didn't hide it well.
"There are some very interesting things happening here, William. Very interesting. Night rides. Ghostly appearances. Undiagnosed illnesses." Clarissa's voice cut across the other conversations, bringing the room to a full silence.
"Remember, gossip is always twisted." William's composure did not slip a notch. He poured more wine for Mary. "The sole is delicious, Mary. Why aren't you eating?"
With the entire focus of the table turned on her, Mary lifted a forkful to her mouth. She'd intended not to eat anything. Her suspicions that William was being fed something in the evening meal made her reluctant to eat since she'd insisted on trading her plate for his once they'd been served. She looked around the table. Dr. Sloan was watching her with reserved interest. Darren was openly curious. Chancey was unusually quiet, but her bright eyes were taking in every nuance of the tension-filled meal. Sophie was mortified, and Mrs. Daugherty was so busy with her food that she was paying minimal attention, looking up only when the silence became stretched.
"Mary?" William was watching her more with curiosity than anything else.
She took the food, chewed and swallowed. "Delicious." She looked around the table. "Abby is a wonderful cook. Darren, I understand you were about in the darkness last night, also."
Darren stopped chewing. "Uh, yes. I…" He gave his mother a nervous look. "I stopped by to visit Miss Sophie."
Mary felt a moment of shame. Darren had come courting Sophie and had lost his nerve at the last moment. And now she'd drawn attention to his awkwardness. Judging from Clarissa's glare, Darren would pay for his show of independence, too.
"I think Abby is the best cook in Scotland," Sophie said, fumbling for something to say into the awkward silence that had dropped over the table. "I think I've gained weight since I've been here. All of those scones and breads and puddings."
The conversation stalled awkwardly again.
"Since we've been talking about the strange incidents at Mayfair, I have a surprise for you," Clarissa said, "as I promised." The look she gave Darren was inscrutable.
Instantly Mary knew she would not like the surprise.
"I've arranged for a world-class medium to visit tonight." Clarissa's smile was that of a very satisfied carnivore. "Since the stories we've been hearing about midnight rides, ghosts roaming the hallways, and strange behavior are only gossip, Madame Sianna will simply declare Mayfair free and clear of all spirits. That's assuming Mayfair is free and clear."
Mary couldn't believe her ears. A medium? At Mayfair? A chill ran along the bare skin of her arms.
"Madame who?" William was amused, and his humor bumped the conversation over another dead silence.
"See-anna." Clarissa pronounced the name in a tone that meant she was serious. "She's from Hungary. Very well respected. Members of the royal families all over the continent use her."
"And how were we so lucky to have her in Kelso tonight?" Once again, humor prickled William's tone.
"We're so lucky because I requested her to attend. She was interested in all the stories that have been floating around about Mayfair suddenly being haunted."
"And what stories are those?" The humor was gone from William's voice. "I don't have to ask who's been telling them around."
"Don't be foolish, William. You can't go riding all over the countryside at night and not expect someone to see you. If you've forgotten, you almost gave poor old Rycroft a heart attack the night you jumped the wall in front of his car. Lucky for you Blaze is such an excellent jumper and not easily frightened. And I hear you and your lovely fiancée— " she gave Mary a tight smile "— were out for a little ride last evening. Is this going to be a family tradition?"
"I see Mary has improved her riding skills considerably," Chancey said dryly under her breath but loud enough for all to hear.
William laughed. "Possibly. But it has nothing to do with ghosts."
"Then you shouldn't mind a little entertainment from Madame Sianna. If there's nothing to hide at Mayfair, then there's nothing she can…discover."
Mary sensed William's anger, but he covered it well.
"What's a little harmless party entertainment?" He looked around the table. "Dr. Sloan, if we discover any bodies, you can tell us if they're dead or alive."
"My specialty," the doctor said. He gave Clarissa a disapproving look and returned to his plate. "Dabbling in the occult can be an entertaining pastime, as long as no one takes it seriously. I'd hate to see anyone make a fool of themselves."
"No need to worry on my account," Clarissa said brightly. "Now, Madame Sianna will be here at nine. I think we should gather where we can have a comfortable place to sit and allow our minds to open to the possibilities."
"The library," Mary said instantly.
"How about Lisette's turret room?" Clarissa countered. "If it's ghosts we're hunting, wouldn't it be better to go to the source of the vile history of Mayfair and Slaytor MacEachern?"
"That room hasn't been used in years," William declared.
"All the better," Clarissa said. Her victory was written on her face. "So glad I thought of it. I hesitated to suggest it, since William isn't exactly thrilled with the idea of my little adventure, but it's all in fun, isn't it, William?"
William shrugged. "The turret is fine. Just remember, though, Clarissa, whatever you stir up becomes your problem." At the look of sudden panic that crossed her face, he grinned.
The anticipation of the coming séance dulled everyone's appetite for the delicious apple pie that Abby had baked. Instead, they took their coffees and after-dinner drinks to the turret to set up the room for the arrival of Madame Sianna.
While William, Darren and several of the servants were putting a table and enough chairs in the room and laying a fire, Mary saw her opportunity to catch Dr. Sloan alone. Motioning him to follow her out into the hall, she found one of the hundreds of alcoves that lined the old stone walls and stepped into it with the doctor for a moment's privacy.
The limited time made her blunt. "I found a prescription for Nembutal you'd given Abby."
"Yes?" Dr. Sloan raised one eyebrow.
Mary took a breath. "We've discussed that fact that William has been acting…peculiar."
"And you're wondering if he could be taking a drug?"
Mary nodded.
"Wouldn't you know if he was taking anything, Mary?" The question was gently put, but it implied so much.
"I would, if he knew. What if someone's giving it to him?"
"For what purpose?" Dr. Sloan was visibly shocked at the idea.
"I don't know," Mary had to admit. "It's just that I found the drug, and it was hidden in the pantry. It would be so easy…"
"For someone like Abby to drug her employer?"
"I know it sounds ludicrous. But I have some port. It might contain something. Is there any way we could test it?"
Dr. Sloan looked into Mary's eyes. "You're serious, aren't you?"
"If it is something like that, it would mean William is…not sick. It would be a simple matter of finding out who was doing it and why."
"Much preferable to considering that your fiancé suffers from psychotic personality changes." He nodded as he spoke. "I can send the port to a lab that specializes in chemicals and poisons." He tilted his head as he looked at Mary. "So that's why you changed plates with him and were reluctant to eat."
"I'd be willing to eat the stuff if it would prove that William is reacting to a drug."
Dr. Sloan put his hand on Mary's shoulder. "I'll check the port, and I should have William's tests back early Monday morning. I'll check them thoroughly before he's scheduled to show up at the hospital." His fingers tightened on her shoulder. "Don't put too much faith in this idea, Mary. I can't believe anyone would try to hurt William. As far as Nembutal goes, it's never been known
to create a psychotic disorder. There's always a first time— some adverse reaction to a drug— but don't pin your heart on it."
"I know." She felt defeat sink into her soul. Dr. Sloan's arguments reinforced her own doubts. Who would hurt William? Abby? Hardly. Kevin? Before he'd even told William about the possibility of his heritage? Not likely. There wasn't anyone who would gain by making William believe he was one of his ancestors. Besides, if there was poisoning to be done, a fatal dose would be more useful. She wasn't a lawyer, but she realized that with William alive but institutionalized, Mayfair would be in a terrible limbo.
"Chin up, Mary," Dr. Sloan said. "We'll get to the bottom of this."
"We have to," she answered softly.
Footsteps coming down the hall made Mary pause. Loud exclamations of surprise and anticipation told her that Madame Sianna had arrived.
Chapter Ten
"What should we do to assist you, Madame Sianna?" Clarissa McLeod asked reverently. She looked across the table that had been placed in the center of the turret room at Madame Sianna's order. Darren looked away from her.
Mary watched the silent exchange of glances, her mind still reeling from the surprise of the tall, dark-haired woman who had taken instant command of the situation. Madame Sianna was striking, from her richly colored dress to her deep black eyes. If she was not a member of a traditional Gypsy family, she absolutely looked the part. Even down to the golden earrings that swung freely from her earlobes among her dark curls.
"It would help if you were quiet," Madame Sianna said matter-of-factly.
Mary sensed rather than heard William's amused reaction to that remark. She, too, grinned. When she caught his eye she could see that he was actually enjoying the entire evening. That made her feel considerably better. Even after her discouraging exchange with Dr. Sloan. She had been so certain she was on the right track. But the doctor was right. Who would want to make William ill? That was foolishness; no one would benefit from an illness.
She noticed that Familiar had slipped into the room. He was perched beside the fireplace, acting for all the world as if he didn't care what was going on. Mary knew better. The cat was watching the entire evening play out with an alertness that was belied by his casual pose. Good for Familiar! She was glad someone was as concerned as she was about what might happen next.
"Before we begin, I would like a moment outside alone." Madame Sianna rose. "Take this time to clear your minds of all distress, all worries. Prepare to welcome the past, those poor souls who have failed to find rest among the dead but who cannot return to the living." She strode across the room and closed the door behind her without a backward glance.
"Mary, why are you doing this?" Sophie's voice was low, her whisper urgent. She sat to Mary's right while William had taken the place to her left.
"Have I a choice?" she asked, careful to keep her frustration out of her voice.
"What if there is a ghost here? What if they really stir it up? They'll go home and we'll be here!"
Sophie's concerns echoed Mary's own. Since Dr. Sloan had burst her bubble about the Nembutal, she was back to the possibility of a real ghost. Even that was better than the alternative— William and some form of mental illness.
"This is one of Clarissa's many jokes," Mary said, soothing her friend even if she couldn't soothe her own worries. "This is some bag of tricks Clarissa has engineered. Clarissa and Chancey, judging from the way Our Lady of the Horse is acting." She nodded toward the tall blond woman who was on William's left. Laughing lightly, Chancey was leaning over to William to whisper something in his ear.
"She never gives up, does she?"
"Not until the vows are said."
"Oh, Mary." Sophie's voice was filled with sympathy. "If we can make it through the rest of this night, everything will be fine, you'll see."
"I believe you're right," Mary answered, wondering if she could possibly last for another hour or two.
"Madame Sianna asked us to be quiet and to prepare ourselves," Clarissa said. She was across the table, having taken the seat beside Madame Sianna. Darren was between her and Chancey, and he was staring across the table at Sophie. Mrs. Daugherty was taking in every aspect of the room, her gaze carefully avoiding the place where Madame Sianna would be sitting.
"I think we should be quiet, also," William said. Reaching under the table, he found Mary's fingers and squeezed them. "We want to give Madame every benefit of the doubt."
"Good." Clarissa smiled. "What shall you do if you discover Mayfair is haunted, William? Will you sell the estate? I don't believe Mary is quite up to living in a haunted castle."
"I don't believe I'm going to have to worry about that." William looked up as the door opened and Madame Sianna returned. She took her seat and ordered everyone's hands on the table, little fingers touching the person's on either side to make a circle as palms were placed flat on the surface.
"Maybe we should reconsider this." Mrs. Daugherty glanced around the circle. "I'm not sure this is going to be fun."
"Hush, Emelda," Clarissa ordered. "You have to experience different things before you pass judgment on them. Now, let Sianna continue."
"This is the unbroken circle," Madame Sianna began. "We are the living, the circle of life. Together we can call forth spirits from the other side."
Across the table, someone moved abruptly.
"Do not disturb the circle," Madame Sianna warned. "We can call the spirits back over to us only if we remain united in the endeavor. Should one single one of you betray us by breaking the unity of the circle, for any reason, the results could be grave."
Silence fell around the room. "Before we begin again, I am going to light a candle. Candles purify the air. They burn away the bad thoughts and deeds." She got up, went to the enormous bag she'd brought with her and extracted one large candle and several smaller ones.
"I can get someone to bring you more candles," Mary offered.
"These are blessed," Madame Sianna said. "You are generous to offer, but it is much better if we light the room with a brilliance that has already received special blessings. Sometimes the dead are difficult to see. They may be only a shadow, a glimmer of light, maybe even the touch of a chill that traverses lightly over the skin."
Mary felt such a chill as she listened to Madame Sianna. William was sitting beside her, perfectly fine. But the idea of a ghostly possession clung in her mind until she felt actual dread at what Madame Sianna was about to do.
Chancing a look at Sophie, Mary felt her heart drop to her stomach. Her friend was terrified. Totally erect, Sophie was staring into the large candle that Madame Sianna had placed in the center of the table. The skin across Sophie's face was tight with…anticipation? Mary couldn't actually call it fear. Not exactly. But it was almost as if Sophie felt something that no one else in the room felt.
"Now." Madame Sianna walked to the light switch and hit it, throwing the room into near darkness. Candles along the mantel and the windows and the single candle in the center of the table gave the only illumination. "We shall begin."
She resumed her seat, putting her hands on the table to complete the link of human flesh.
"There is someone here among us. A definite presence. He has been here for a long, long time. Someone filled with anger, yet weary. Someone who looks to the heart of his kinsman to see that all matters are worked out for the best. He has been dead a very long time, but he cannot rest. He cannot rest without finding, first, the woman who holds his heart— and wears his ring."
Even though Madame Sianna was a perfect hoax, Mary felt her stomach knot. The ring that had been left outside her bedroom was hanging around her neck by the chain that came with it. She'd never had a chance to talk to William about it. The urge to remove her hand from the table and touch the ring was almost overpowering.
"Do not break the circle," Madame Sianna intoned.
Mary gasped, and she felt Sophie stiffen on one side while William started forward in his chair on the other. She s
lipped her little fingers farther up their hands to indicate that she was fine. Both settled back into their chairs.
"This spirit is very strong." Madame Sianna's voice had changed. There was now a hint of concern in it. "He wants to come back. Even though he knows that it is not allowed, he is determined. There are things he did not finish, goals left unattained. These trouble him. He was a man of great wealth and power, and now he sees what he has built beginning to decay."
"How do you mean, decay?" Clarissa asked. Her voice, spoken into the dark quiet of the room, was as shattering as a slap.
Madame Sianna's voice was terse. "Please do not ask questions. As I learn more and more about this spirit, I will tell you. When you ask questions, you break my communication with the spirit. Often they won't come back."
"I— "
"Be silent. Concentrate. This is a very troubled spirit. He is so desperate, I sense that he would try anything. Possession, reincarnation. Even though he knows it would be stealing a soul and transplanting it with his own. He is a man torn by such battles." There was the sudden intake of her breath. "And he is very desperate. Desperate in his heart!" Her voice grew stronger and she began to speak faster. "This is a dangerous man. Barbaric, uncivilized." She exhaled rapidly. "He is also very determined. He will do whatever it takes to have his way. Whatever."
Mary felt as if the ring were burning into her skin. She knew it was just her imagination, heightened by the powerful suggestions Madame Sianna was making. Glancing at William, she tried to determine what he was thinking. Outwardly he seemed perfectly calm, even amused. Those expressions could be deceiving. She'd seen him change in a matter of a few moments.
"Shall we call this barbarian into our midst?" Madame Sianna asked. "He would make an appearance. He wants to tell us something. And he wants…to return."
Mary wanted no such thing. She didn't want Slaytor MacEachern called into the room. Not for any reason, and not even in jest. She started to break the circle, but she felt William's hand restrain her, signaling her not to interrupt.
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