Laurie Brown

by Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake

  “Those are the names of the people we want to contact,” Estelle said, leaning forward to look at Dev.

  “Silence,” Madame X said, her voice booming. She held one of the papers to the candle and then used it to light the others in the dish. As the paper flared up, the aroma of spicy incense filled the air.

  Madame adjusted her robes and settled into a comfortable position. She placed her hands on the table.“We begin.”

  During the few minutes of dead silence, Josie looked around in the dim light. Estelle sat with her eyes closed, apparently in a trance of her own. Honoria eagerly watched the gypsy. Dev tapped his fingers on the tabletop. Mrs. Binns’s fearful gaze darted around the room. Madame X began to moan and rock from side to side. She chanted in a foreign tongue.

  Suddenly, she stopped and called out,“Hear me, Amanu. Spirit guide, I command you to do my bidding. Come forward.”

  The candle sparked and flared and then settled to a glow that was even dimmer than before.

  “Amanu, can you hear me?”

  “Yes, my queen,” a distinctively male voice answered.

  Madame tipped her head to the right and turned slightly as if listening to a person standing to her left.

  Josie looked around but could not see anyone.

  “Have you established contact with the designated spirits?”

  “Yes, my queen,” the disembodied voice said.

  “Very good. I command you to appear and answer my questions.”

  “You risk much. Disbelievers have tainted the sacred ritual.”

  “It is my command.”

  “Yes, my queen.” After an audible sigh, he continued, “When you speak the beckoning enchantment, I will appear.”

  Madame mumbled something and fell forward onto the table.

  Dev started to rise but stopped when Estelle hissed,“Nobody move.”

  The table shook and the candle flared once more.

  Suddenly an extremely tall man rose up behind Madame’s chair. He was dressed in a simple monk’s robe that looked to be made of grayish green silk shot with silver threads. The cowl was raised, hiding most of his head, and what Josie could see of his face glowed greenish in the dim light.

  He placed luminescent hands on the back of her chair.“I will answer no questions for the unbelievers.” With a wide sweeping motion, he dismissed three-fifths of the table.“For you, dear lady,’ he said to Honoria,“Daniel sends the message that he is at peace, and he reminds you to wear the ruby necklace as a reminder of his regard.”

  “My wedding present,” Honoria said with tears in her eyes.“Only Daniel would know how special that necklace is to me.”

  Dev coughed and Josie knew he used it to cover a laugh.

  “Tell me more. Has Daniel reconciled with his father?”

  The man hesitated as if listening. “He will say only that he is at peace.”

  Honoria looked disappointed.

  “Daniel says he will persevere.”

  “Good. Send him my love.”

  The man slowly nodded.“It is done.”

  “What about Percy? Have you spoken to Percy?”

  “Your brother says to tell you he is whole and happy.”

  “Thank you.” By now the tears ran unchecked down Honoria’s cheeks. “I have been so worried he would miss his leg that was left at Waterloo.”

  “Physical limbs are not needed in the spiritual world.”

  “I know, but it’s good to hear it directly from him.”

  “So to speak,” Josie mumbled beneath her breath.

  “You!” The specter swung his long arm and pointed directly at her. “You do not belong here. You should return to where you came from, or else you will pay the consequences.”

  “What about Mabel?” Honoria asked. She laid her hand over Estelle’s.“Please tell her that her darling daughter and her dearest friend want to know she has found her ease at last.”

  The figure nodded. “Mabel says she is happy. And she reminds you of your girlhood promise.”

  “What promise is that?” Estelle asked with patently false innocence.

  “We always said our children would marry so we could share our grandchildren,” Honoria said.

  Josie figured Estelle had arranged the self-serving reminder with the gypsy in advance.

  “Ha!” Dev said.“If I refuse to listen to my living flesh and blood,why should I heed the word of a...”

  “You should heed this,” the so-called spirit boomed as he pointed his long bony finger at Dev. “Change your dissolute ways, or you will soon find a bad end.”

  “Now that sounds like my father.”

  The specter folded his arms and bowed his head. Then he slowly sank away from sight behind the gypsy’s chair. Madame X moaned and the table shook.The candle sputtered, and then it flared once again. Madame sat up and pulled her limp hands from the table.

  “That is all,” she said. “You may blow out the candle and light the lamps.”

  Honoria did the first and Dev accomplished the latter. Only when the room was again well lit did Josie notice that Mrs. Binns had fainted.While Josie dug in her reticule for the tiny vial of smelling salts, Estelle rushed to the head of the table to help Madame X stand. Dev moved to help, but she waved him away.

  “Madame will be disoriented and feeling vulnerable for the next few hours. She is used to me, so I must be the one to help her back to her room.”

  “My things,” Madame said, her voice a weak imitation of her usual commanding attitude. She slumped against her friend’s shoulder.

  Estelle motioned and Honoria gathered up the candle and bowl. “Please unlock the door,” Estelle said to Dev.

  Josie knelt beside her chaperone’s chair and waved the uncapped vial under her nose. Mrs. Binns jerked her head away from the sharp acrid odor.

  “What? What happened?” she said, bolting up to a ramrod-straight position and clutching the large cross she wore around her neck.

  “You fainted,” Josie said.

  “Nonsense. I never faint.”

  “Are you all right?” Honoria asked as she appropriated the chair next to her friend.

  “Of course. I’m fine.”

  Josie took the opportunity to surreptitiously check under the table. The single center post appeared to be made of solid wood, and the bottom of the tabletop was smooth and unmarred.

  “Did you hear? Wasn’t it wonderful?” Honoria gushed like a schoolgirl. “Before we only heard Amanu’s voice, but to actually have him make an appearance made it so much more real and exciting. We are so lucky.”

  “Humph. Hogwash. Nothing but hogwash,” Mrs. Binns said.

  “I agree,” Dev said, coming to stand behind his mother.

  She twisted around to look up at him.“How can you say that after witnessing Amanu’s appearance with your own eyes?”

  “I have seen spirits before, and that man was as alive as you or me,” Mrs. Binns said.

  Honoria whipped around. “How could a man have come in? The door was locked, and we were all mere feet away.”

  “I don’t know how it was done, but there’s a trick involved. I’m sure of it.”

  “Then why did you faint?” Honoria asked, folding her arms and giving her friend a superior stare. “Mmm?”

  “I did not faint. Last I remember all was dark and quiet. I might have dozed for a moment,” Mrs.

  Binns finally admitted.

  Honoria looked to the ceiling as if appealing for divine help in understanding and shook her head. “I can’t believe you slept through the most momentous...”

  “That’s putting a bit of gilding on it, don’t you think?” Mrs. Binns said.

  “Amanu revealing secrets from the other side of the veil is momentous.”

  “He revealed nothing you didn’t already know.”

  “Well, I am satisfied with the results, and next time...”

  “Not another one,” Dev said with a groan.

  “Josie didn’t get to speak to her fathe
r,” Hono-ria reminded him.

  “You do not know the powers you are conjuring,” Mrs. Binns said.

  Josie rose from her position on the floor wedged between the chairs. As the older women continued to argue, Dev stepped around them, moved the empty chair, and offered Josie his hand.

  As he pulled her to her feet, she realized he’d cleverly arranged the furniture so she had to either step away from her chaperone and thus toward him or trip over the chair.With another deft move he guided her to a position where his body blocked off the rest of the room.

  “My offer still stands,” he whispered. “The garden is lovely in moonlight.”

  “What was that you said?” Mrs. Binns asked his back.

  Josie smiled as she sidestepped him and took the long route around the table. “He said, it must be late considering we started at midnight.”

  “I am quite exhausted by all the excitement,” Honoria said as she stood.

  “We shall bid you good-night.” Mrs. Binns also rose.

  “Until the morrow,” Dev said. His gaze did not leave Josie’s eyes even as he bowed formally.

  His look promised...

  Upstairs, Josie found the ghost waiting in the sitting room.

  “What happened?” he asked immediately.

  She noticed he seemed paler than usual, but she could not ask him about his manifestation without giving his presence away.

  “You must tell me everything I missed,” Mrs. Binns said. She settled on the brocade sofa and indicated the nearest chair.

  Rather than sit in Deverell’s lap, Josie took the straight-backed chair by the small writing desk.“I’d like to take a few notes,” she said in explanation, taking out a sheet of paper and a stub of pencil. “While it’s still fresh in my mind.” She described the séance in detail, ending with her admittance that she didn’t know how it had been done.

  “A green glow, you say?” Mrs. Binns said, tapping her finger on her chin. “Probably some form of phosphorus rubbed into the skin.”

  “Not only is that extremely dangerous,” Josie said.“It leaves the problem of how a green-glowing man wearing a monk’s robe got through a locked door and into the library without being noticed.”

  “A secret passageway,” Mrs. Binns guessed.

  Josie glanced at Deverell.

  “Not in the library,” he said.“There once was a priest hole connected to the fireplace, but Father had it bricked over after a maid got stuck in there. Why she was there I never heard, but her howling sounded as if all the banshees of Ireland had come to Castle Waite to roost.”

  “These old castles always have secret panels and hidden hallways,” Mrs. Binns mused.

  “There are some,” Deverell said to Josie. “We used to play in them as children despite strict instructions to the contrary. Most go from one bedroom to another. None lead to the library.Was the door locked?”

  “Did you feel any air movement or a draft?” Mrs. Binns asked.

  “Yes. No,” Josie answered. She was getting confused listening to two conversations at the same time. “No drafts.”

  “We’ll have to ask Honoria about the secret passages tomorrow, or rather later today.” She slapped her hands on her knees and stood.“We’d best call for help getting undressed so the maids can get some rest.”

  Deverell waited until Dora had finished and exited before scratching on Josie’s door. She called for him to enter from her position propped up on a mound of pillows, her book in her lap, and a lone lamp burning on the nightstand.

  “I told Dora I must read for a bit before I can fall asleep.”

  “I will not stay long,” he said, taking a seat by the window. He nearly faded into the tapestry fabric of the chair.

  She was worried about him. The longer they stayed, the weaker he became. She leaned forward. “Are you okay?”

  “I must conserve my energy.”

  “I’m sorry,” she said. “I’ve failed.”

  He shrugged. “The gypsy is smarter than we gave her credit for. You shall have to try again. Tomorrow night if possible.”

  “The ball...”

  “I am not inexhaustible. I risk fading into nothingness so you can dance the night away with...” He paused when Josie recoiled at his sharp tone.

  “I only mentioned the ball because it will make arranging a séance for tomorrow difficult if not impossible,” she said, blinking rapidly.

  “My apologies,” he said with a formal slant of his head. “I should not have taken my annoyance out on you. I know you’re doing the best you can.”

  She sniffled.

  He rose to give her a handkerchief from the dresser. “I did not intend to make you cry.”

  To his surprise she shook her head and chuckled. “These tears aren’t due to anything you said. These are tears of frustration. I’m not used to being outsmarted.”

  He sat on the edge of the bed, his presence barely making a dent in the fluffy feather comforter.

  “You will succeed next time,” he said. “If you can convince Honoria to hold the séance without Dev, I can be there to help.”

  “Arranging another one on short notice will be difficult enough even if I ask Dev to talk to his mother for me.” Heaven only knew what she would have to promise him this time.

  Which reminded her, because she’d failed and therefore would not be leaving, she would have to meet Dev in the morning.

  “Every cloud has a silver lining,” Deverell said.

  Luckily he could not read her thoughts because she doubted he would see her walking in the garden with Dev as a bonus. Did she? What would it be like? Would he kiss her again? One of those smoldering, consuming kisses that had made her want to climb up his chest and wrap her legs around his waist.

  “You can enlist him to help you.”

  “What? Who? Sorry,my mind must have drifted off there for a minute.” Off to fantasy land.

  Deverell stood. “I will let you get your rest.”

  “No, no. I’m not tired.What did you say?”

  “If you confide in Dev that you do not believe 182 the gypsy is a true medium, he can help you discover how she produces the apparition.”

  “Good idea.”

  “Perhaps you can think of some ways to set up traps that will reveal what she does.”

  “That sounds good, too. What did you have in mind?” She sighed.“I miss my equipment.”

  And long hot showers. And deodorant, toothpaste, peanut butter, her computer, her iPod, tissues, chocolate-chip-cookie-dough ice cream...

  “We’ll think of something after you have had a chance to rest. Now go to sleep. You will need to be alert tomorrow.”

  Wasn’t that the truth! She would be meeting Dev.

  Deverell faded away, and she knew when his presence left the room.

  But she could not sleep. She needed to think about ways to trap the gypsy. First, she would check for secret panels. Even if Deverell said there were none, that would be the most logical explanation for the fake apparition’s appearance. Perhaps she could use some of Mrs. Binns’s finest silk thread to string across the floor. Broken threads would identify direction of movement.

  She gathered a few things she might find useful and tied them into the handkerchief.What else? Of course she would examine the furniture for places large enough to conceal a man taller than Dev.

  Which brought her back to thoughts of meeting him in the morning.

  When she did finally drift into slumber, her erotic dreams seemed to carry dire warnings. She woke at dawn more exhausted than before she’d slept, the covers twisted and tossed.

  She dragged herself out of bed and rang for Dora. Breakfast, and Dev, awaited.

  Eleven

  JOSIE WAS GRATEFUL WHEN DORA ARRIVED NOT only with hot water but also with a pot of strong aromatic coffee. The maid fairly danced around the room, humming as she opened the drapes and laid out Josie’s clothes for the day.

  “You’re quite chipper this morning,” Josie grumbled, jealous of h
er energy.The maid couldn’t have gotten any more sleep than she had.

  “Big doings today. More guests arriving.” She giggled. “And other things.”

  “Like what?”

  “Oh, this and that,” she said, being evasive, and then she giggled again.

  “What is making you so happy this morning?” Josie asked as she stepped behind the screen to wash. She could stand to hear a bit of good news for a change.“Tell me.”

  “For one, I no longer have to help Sadie see to Lady Wingate. And is she miffed at being moved. Oops, I shouldn’t be gossiping. Mrs. Osman will have my head.”

  “Nonsense. I asked a direct question and therefore you should answer.Why would Lady Wingate have to move?”

  “It’s the numbers. With all the new arrivals expected, guests have to share their suites. Lady Wingate has been moved in with her husband.And the Cracklebury sisters are now in her old room. Poor Sadie will be run ragged. She has to do for them and Countess LaFoyn and Madame X.”

  Josie donned her chemise and then took a seat at the dressing table to put on her stockings and soft leather shoes, which felt more like slippers. Giving Dora permission to speak freely was like opening the floodgates.

  “But don’t you worry, miss.You won’t have to move. His lordship gave specific instructions you were not to be disturbed and...” Dora covered her mouth as if to keep a secret from escaping.

  “And?” What was Dev up to? It was not like him to interfere with the running of the house.

  “Just...other things.”

  “Dora?” Josie let her voice carry an implied and totally false warning.

  “Well...he told Mrs. Osman I shouldn’t have so many extra duties that your wishes are neglected,” Dora said as she cinched up Josie’s corset.“You are my first pri...pri...”

  “Priority?”

  “That’s it.”

  When Dora did not elaborate, Josie asked her directly,“What else?”

  “Oh, miss. Don’t make me spoil the surprise.”

  “Isn’t your duty to see I’m properly prepared for every activity?”

  “Yes...” There was a bit of hesitation in the maid’s voice as if she already knew she would lose this argument.