seemed more at ease with him gone.
"You must forgive our uncle," Jack said. "He's unused to company."
"I do hope we haven't put him out by coming unannounced," Mrs. Beaufort said.
"Not at all." Jack grinned. "It does him good to have unannounced company once in a while."
"We didn't dare wait another moment," Mr. Culvert said. "Not with a demon on the loose."
"Tell us how you came to know about demons," Jack said.
"I'm a demonologist," Mr. Culvert explained with an air of self-assurance that had been lacking until that point. "My father was one before me. He built up a collection of books on the subject, many of which I've studied over the years."
"You can usually find George with his nose buried in a book in his library," Mrs. Beaufort said with a teasing smile. "It's his favorite place."
"I brought some with me," Mr. Culvert went on. "They're in the landau. Langley, can you describe the demon to me?"
Sylvia groaned in protest.
"Perhaps we shouldn't discuss it at the table," Mrs. Beaufort suggested.
Mr. Culvert frowned. "Why not?"
"George," she scolded.
He pushed his glasses up his nose and shrugged. "Later then, but we shouldn't waste too much time."
"It needn't be a waste," I said. "We'd like to get to know you better."
"Indeed," said Samuel. "Miss Moreau, tell us about Victoria. I cannot imagine living on the bottom of the world."
"Tell me," Sylvia said, "how does everyone not fall off?"
Jack gave a wry laugh. "It's called gravity, Syl."
Miss Moreau told us about her life in the city of Melbourne. I was completely fascinated. It was so different to England. I knew instantly that I'd like to visit it one day, until she told me it was hotter there than here.
The conversation eventually came around to Mrs. Beaufort and her aunt's supernatural ability. I admit I'd been skeptical that they could see spirits, but meeting them changed my mind. Both women were far too honest and good to make up stories of that nature and neither profited from their talent anyway.
"So tell us," Samuel said, a mischievous smile on his lips, "can you see any spirits here at Frakingham?"
"Samuel!" Sylvia cried. "Do you have to?"
"It's quite all right," Mrs. Beaufort said. "We've encountered none."
"Yet," Miss Moreau added. "Although the ruins we saw on the way in look promising."
That earned her a sharp glare from her niece. When the others fell into conversation around us, I leaned closer to Miss Moreau. "Please tell me if you do see any," I whispered. "I would love to find out more about the people who once lived here."
"Do you think they may be connected to the demon?" she asked, her big brown eyes widening even further.
"Yes and no. If they do have anything to do with the demon, then we all need to know, particularly Mr. Culvert of course, but I'm fascinated by the notion of spirits nevertheless. This place should have one or two. There have been people living on this site for centuries. I would love to take you to the abbey ruins, but it's off limits thanks to the demon."
"You're not appalled by the idea of spirits and mediums?" she asked. "Or frightened?"
"Not at all. I find it interesting." I bit my lip. "I'm sorry. You must think me terribly bad-mannered. I didn't mean to imply you're a curiosity."
Miss Moreau smiled. "I didn't take it that way." She glanced at Sylvia. "I'm not so sure your friend likes dining with spirit mediums, however."
"Don't mind her. She likes things to be easily explained."
"That must make life difficult for her."
I grinned then felt positively awful. Sylvia may not be clever or open-minded, but she was my friend and very sweet. Most of the time.
"Cara," Mrs. Beaufort said, breaking off her conversation with Jack and Samuel, "do you remember the name of the new teacher we employed at the school? I've quite forgotten, and she said she knew Mr. Langley here."
"She did?" I blurted out then bit my lip when everyone looked at me.
Jack's eyes twinkled. Damn him.
"Miss Charity Evans," Miss
"You must forgive our uncle," Jack said. "He's unused to company."
"I do hope we haven't put him out by coming unannounced," Mrs. Beaufort said.
"Not at all." Jack grinned. "It does him good to have unannounced company once in a while."
"We didn't dare wait another moment," Mr. Culvert said. "Not with a demon on the loose."
"Tell us how you came to know about demons," Jack said.
"I'm a demonologist," Mr. Culvert explained with an air of self-assurance that had been lacking until that point. "My father was one before me. He built up a collection of books on the subject, many of which I've studied over the years."
"You can usually find George with his nose buried in a book in his library," Mrs. Beaufort said with a teasing smile. "It's his favorite place."
"I brought some with me," Mr. Culvert went on. "They're in the landau. Langley, can you describe the demon to me?"
Sylvia groaned in protest.
"Perhaps we shouldn't discuss it at the table," Mrs. Beaufort suggested.
Mr. Culvert frowned. "Why not?"
"George," she scolded.
He pushed his glasses up his nose and shrugged. "Later then, but we shouldn't waste too much time."
"It needn't be a waste," I said. "We'd like to get to know you better."
"Indeed," said Samuel. "Miss Moreau, tell us about Victoria. I cannot imagine living on the bottom of the world."
"Tell me," Sylvia said, "how does everyone not fall off?"
Jack gave a wry laugh. "It's called gravity, Syl."
Miss Moreau told us about her life in the city of Melbourne. I was completely fascinated. It was so different to England. I knew instantly that I'd like to visit it one day, until she told me it was hotter there than here.
The conversation eventually came around to Mrs. Beaufort and her aunt's supernatural ability. I admit I'd been skeptical that they could see spirits, but meeting them changed my mind. Both women were far too honest and good to make up stories of that nature and neither profited from their talent anyway.
"So tell us," Samuel said, a mischievous smile on his lips, "can you see any spirits here at Frakingham?"
"Samuel!" Sylvia cried. "Do you have to?"
"It's quite all right," Mrs. Beaufort said. "We've encountered none."
"Yet," Miss Moreau added. "Although the ruins we saw on the way in look promising."
That earned her a sharp glare from her niece. When the others fell into conversation around us, I leaned closer to Miss Moreau. "Please tell me if you do see any," I whispered. "I would love to find out more about the people who once lived here."
"Do you think they may be connected to the demon?" she asked, her big brown eyes widening even further.
"Yes and no. If they do have anything to do with the demon, then we all need to know, particularly Mr. Culvert of course, but I'm fascinated by the notion of spirits nevertheless. This place should have one or two. There have been people living on this site for centuries. I would love to take you to the abbey ruins, but it's off limits thanks to the demon."
"You're not appalled by the idea of spirits and mediums?" she asked. "Or frightened?"
"Not at all. I find it interesting." I bit my lip. "I'm sorry. You must think me terribly bad-mannered. I didn't mean to imply you're a curiosity."
Miss Moreau smiled. "I didn't take it that way." She glanced at Sylvia. "I'm not so sure your friend likes dining with spirit mediums, however."
"Don't mind her. She likes things to be easily explained."
"That must make life difficult for her."
I grinned then felt positively awful. Sylvia may not be clever or open-minded, but she was my friend and very sweet. Most of the time.
"Cara," Mrs. Beaufort said, breaking off her conversation with Jack and Samuel, "do you remember the name of the new teacher we employed at the school? I've quite forgotten, and she said she knew Mr. Langley here."
"She did?" I blurted out then bit my lip when everyone looked at me.
Jack's eyes twinkled. Damn him.
"Miss Charity Evans," Miss
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