Owd it go last night? Tom asked as she unlocked the door and they went inside.
He went around raising the shades on the windows while Olivia walked over to her desk. Not well at all, Im afraid. She described as briefly as she could the contretemps that had arisen at the séance the night before, spoiling her plans.
Tom reacted with appropriate shock and dismay. Thats orrible, miss. Wot are you goin to do now?
Forget Mrs. Terhune, Im afraid. It wasnt even a paying case. I am just so incensed at her foisting those obvious daguerrotypes off as ghosts. Anyone can see that they are flat.
Anyone except her followers, Tom pointed out.
I know. I suppose I should let them be deceived, if they are so foolish. Olivia sighed.
Theres some as are born marks, miss, and thats the truth. He came over and perched on the edge of her desk. I guess well ave to start lookin into somethin else, wot do you say?
Id love to, Olivia admitted, glancing over her tidily arranged desk. The only problem is, I havent any cases.
The business, never robust, had trickled down to almost nothing in the past year. Olivia had spent much of her time conducting investigations on her own, compiling evidence of the tricks used by the mediums.
Youre never thinkin of givin up, are you, miss? Tom looked faintly horrified.
No. I wont give up. I cannot stand to think of these people fleecing the bereaved, taking advantage of people at their most vulnerable.... It is just that I am at something of a standstill. We have no new cases. I have done research until Im not sure what to look into anymore. I cannot force my way into peoples homes and say, Look here, let me prove to you that that man is lying when he says he can communicate with your dead mother or husband or whoever.
Well, look on the bright side. We might get a new customer any time now. Until then, well just make do.
Yes. Of course, youre right. She gave him a smile. I shall get to work writing up my experiences last night, and we can close that file.
She pulled out a sheet of paper and dipped her pen in the inkwell, then settled down to do as she had said. She found it rather difficult, however, to put into words what had happened the night before without it sounding completely foolish and unscientific. No matter how she couched it, she could not get around the fact that Lord St. Leger had grabbed her arm, and she had screamed, and they had wound up getting thrown out of the séance.
Olivia had finally finished sweating through the report and was tucking the file away in a cabinet marked Closed when there was the sound of footsteps on the stairs. She could not help glancing up expectantly, waiting for the steps to stop outside their door, even though she knew that there were two other offices on this floor and more above it, and the odds were the steps would not stop here. Indeed, hardly anyone ever came here, except members of her family now and then.
There was a sharp rap at the door, and Olivia jumped, startled. She glanced over at Tom, who nodded at her with a grin before he jumped up and walked over to open the door. He pulled it open to reveal a tall man standing in the hall. The man looked at Tom, somewhat surprised, then past him into the office, his gaze coming to rest on Olivia.
Olivia simply stared at him, stunned. She had never expected to see this man again. Excitement leaped in her stomach, even as the rest of her seemed frozen. Her reaction annoyed her. She swallowed and forced her legs to move, propelling her up and toward the door.
Lord St. Leger, she said, pleased that her voice came out cool and calm. What a surprise. Please, do come in.
St. Leger took off his hat and stepped past Tom, who was regarding him with great interest. He stopped and glanced around the office somewhat awkwardly. I...um...
Are you in need of some investigating, sir? Tom jumped in, reaching to take Lord St. Legers hat and hang it on the rack by the door. Youve come to the right place, then. Theres none better than us for tracking down those psychic phenomena.
Are there any others? St. Leger asked, faintly surprised.
Well, um... Tom looked abashed, but quickly recovered. No, youre right. Were not only the best at it, were the only.
Lord St. Leger, please, sit down. Olivia gestured toward the chair beside her desk, ready for a customer to sit down and spill out his problem. She cast Tom a quelling look.
Her assistant cocked an eyebrow but hung back, sitting down at his desk and pretending to be busy sorting papers.
Lord St. Leger went to the chair Olivia had indicated, politely waiting for her to take her seat behind the desk before he sat down. Olivia looked at him, waiting. He looked at her, then away, then cleared his throat. An awkward silence stretched between them. Across the room, Tom moved restively in his seat.
Finally Olivia said, Is there some way that I can be of assistance to you, my lord?
I He looked at her and sighed. Frankly, I dont know. Lady Ol
I prefer Miss Moreland, Olivia said. His eyes, she thought, were really a most extraordinary color, even brighter here in the well-lit room than they had been last night. Silveror perhaps pewter was a closer color.
Miss Moreland, he repeated. II am afraid that we got off on the wrong foot last night.
You might say that, if you consider seizing me and accusing me of being a charlatan and later calling me mad getting off on the wrong foot.
Faint color stained his cheekbones, and he looked abashed. I did not meanI was simply surprised when I realized who you were, and the phrase popped out. It was something I had heard over the years, and, well, in my surprise, I didnt think. I apologize sincerely, and I assure you that I do not think that youor your familyis insane. I am sure no one does. It is merely aa silly appellation.
Olivia continued to gaze at him coolly, and finally he went on. I apologize, too, for accusing you of being Mrs. Terhunes assistant. However, you have to admit that there were circumstances that made it seem that you were. His eyes flashed as he said, The scene at the séance was not entirely my fault.
When Olivia did not answer, he sighed and stood up. I can see I am wasting my time here.
No! No, wait. Olivia popped up, too, and extended a hand as if to detain him, then blushed and let it fall to her side. I accept your apology. What is it that you want? What can we do for you?
He hesitated, then sat back down. Im not surewell, what exactly is it that you do here?
We investigate the occurrence of certain odd and inexplicable events.
Ghosts? he asked with an ironic undertone.
I have never been called upon to investigate ghosts, my lord. In general, it is the people who call themselves mediums and their practices which I have investigated.
Like Mrs. Terhune last night.
Precisely.
Why?
Because I dislike fraud, my lord, and I find it reprehensible that someone deceives people, often those grieving for a dead loved one, by pretending that he or she can communicate with the dead, in particular those departed loved ones.
Then you dont believe they can communicate with the spirits from beyond?
I have never found one yet who did, Olivia returned crisply. None of them have offered proof that satisfied me.