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"Certainly," Maria
"Also…"
"Well?"
The lawyer coughed self-consciously. "That you be searched. Oh, not by me! Lady A
"It sounds most disagreeable," Maria
"Her seances? Never! Believe me, I would not ask you to go through another one solely to satisfy my curiosity; I only propose these means because I know you have not the strength to resist her demands. Those demands will not stop. Don't you realize that the a
Maria
"It is," Carlton agreed. For once his face and his voice were quite serious. "Wrong not to accept God's will; wrong to call those who are at peace back from their rest. Whether one believes that they come or not, the very demand is mistaken and harmful. Ah, I've had enough of this somber talk. Come, I will race you back to the road."
Maria
As the party assembled in the White Room that evening, Maria
Lady A
"That is that," she a
"Animals have no souls," the Duchess said.
"I am not convinced of that," Lady A
She stalked out of the room. The Duchess smiled apologetically at Maria
"She is such a strange mixture of child and woman. Thank you, my dear, for taking this so well."
"Candidly, it is a relief to me," Maria
"I don't blame you for being confused," she said. "Or for doubting your own powers. It is frightening at first, and I would not have pushed you as I have, but… There is a reason, Maria
"The a
She had no need to be more specific. For the tormented woman there was only one date in all history worthy of remembrance. "You know, then," the Duchess said.
"Mr. Carlton told me."
"Maria
"No, I didn't mean that. I know you need no reward. Forgive me."
"Of course. Please don't distress yourself."
There was a knock on the door – Carlton, impatiently demanding whether it took all night to tie a few ribbons and button half a dozen buttons.
The Duchess had accepted Carlton's suggestion of restraints. She had insisted on only one point: total darkness. It was well known, she said, that the vibrations of light were hurtful to the discarnates.
Maria
It would not do to think of the vicar now.
Carlton turned to the doctor, who had been watching morosely. "Would you like to test the fastenings, Gruffstone?"
"My dear boy, don't be ridiculous. You are sure the chair itself is firmly anchored?"
"I did not have the heart to ask that bolts be driven into this beautiful old flooring," Carlton replied. "But the chair is extremely heavy; I doubt that a slight woman like Miss Ransom could budge it. However, I intend to remove any doubts on that score by sitting here beside her." And he drew up a low stool with a petit-point floral scene and sat down at Maria
"Quite satisfactory," the doctor replied. "Er – Honoria?"
The Duchess was flushed with excitement. "Quite, quite," she said impatiently. "Get on with it, Horace. The lights, if you please – and draw that screen closer to the fire."
She took her place at the table, turning her chair slightly so as to face Maria
"Curse it," came his plaintive voice, from the darkness that followed the extinction of the last candle. "I can't see a thing, Honoria.
Can't we have just one light so I don't fall and break a limb?"
"Sit down there, where you are, and stop fussing," the Duchess said sharply.
Maria
The silence continued for a long time, so long that it was at last broken by the unmistakable sound of a soft snore. Carlton emitted a snicker of amusement, but he did not speak, and Lady A
"Quiet," the Duchess ordered.
A perfect fusillade of cracks replied. A creak from somewhere in the darkness was followed by A
"Really, A
"It came down on my foot," A
"Then tuck your feet under your chair. I warn you, one more word…"
But the apparitions did not seem to be inhibited by conversation. The cracks reverberated from all corners of the room, and others pieces of furniture began to creak and sway. At least Maria