Harriett (23 page)

“
That’s alright then,” Babette grumbled.

“
The woman who pawned it was a middle aged lady with grey
hair. I got a description, but it is fairly nondescript. There were
no distinguishable features. Nothing to indicate that there was
anything memorable about her. She simply appeared, did the
transaction and disappeared again.”

“
Records show that the person who sold it got two shillings
and six pence for it,” Mark added quietly

“
Good Lord, that’s not much,” Babette murmured.

“
It isn’t what it is worth that is important,” Harriett
protested. “It is the memories it holds that makes it priceless to
me.”

“
So it was stolen on the night of the séance by someone we
accepted into our home, and pawned several miles away for two
shillings and six pence?” Babette’s voice trembled with anger. “How
despicable.”

“
I agree. I think it was taken when the stool was knocked over
upstairs. I need you both to think carefully about that night,
especially about whose faces you saw in the darkness. Was anyone
missing?” He turned toward Harriett. “Do you think that Hugo could
have remembered that someone had been missing from the table at
some point during the evening?”

“
I am not sure. He may have done, but hadn’t wanted to discuss
it in the street.”

“
Is he likely to have discussed it with anyone
else?”

Harriett
blew out her cheeks. “Hugo liked to talk but when I saw him, he was
distinctly uncomfortable about something and was cagey, as though
raising it was something he was not happy about. If he did talk to
anyone about it, they would have been someone he trusted enough to
feel he could confide in.”

“
Someone local and someone he considered a friend?” Mark
suspected it was that same person who had poisoned him.

Silence
settled over them for a minute.

“
Do you think that the ‘H’ in the reading referred to
Hugo?”

Mark
mentally winced at Babette’s question. He knew it was inevitable
that someone would ask the question but hated to answer it. He
didn’t want to frighten Harriett unduly but, right now, couldn’t be
sure if the murderer was done selecting victims. He had to do
everything within his power to make sure that she was safe from
harm. If that meant making her a little bit unnerved so that she
took extra precautions while she went about her business, then so
be it.

“
I cannot be certain. Because of that, we have to warn
everyone who was at that séance who has an ‘H’ in their first name
or surname that they need to be extra vigilant.” He turned hard
eyes on Harriett. “Under no circumstances must you go to that
séance tonight. You are not to go out alone in the dark, and don’t
answer the door unless you know who is on the other
side.”

Harriett
gasped at the force behind his words. His gaze was so fierce that
it unnerved her a little. Why was he being so forceful? It was as
though he didn’t like her very much, and that thought made her want
to cry again. She lifted her chin she merely stared back at
him.

“
I am going to the séance tonight. If only to try to prompt my
memory into remembering anything I may have forgotten. I am also
going to be watching everyone there like a hawk. Nobody is going to
leave that room without me knowing about it. If I do remember
anything then I shall of course send word for you at the earliest
opportunity, but I am definitely going.”

Mark
groaned at the determination in her gaze and knew that any further
objection would be met with stubborn resistance he was in no
position to challenge. He wasn’t sure whether to curse with
frustration or applaud her defiance. She was clearly determined not
to allow even a murderer to hinder her, even with the possibility
that she may be the next victim hanging over her head.

“
What are you going to tell everyone about Hugo?” Isaac asked
and glanced from Mark to Harriett. He knew that Mark planned to
attend the séance tonight, but that was before Hugo’s unexpected
demise. Did he still plan to go?

“
I think that the meeting needs to go ahead but, before
everyone starts, I will make an announcement to the group and let
everyone decide if they wish to continue. For now, it would help if
the death wasn’t broadcast. People will obviously become aware over
the course of time, especially when the haberdashery remains shut,
but it will at least buy us a day or so.”

“
I understand that your mother is going to join us, Mark,”
Babette announced as she placed her tea-cup back into its
saucer.

Mark
choked on this tea at that and turned his horrified gaze toward the
woman seated opposite. “You what?”

“
Your mother is coming apparently. I spoke to Miss Haversham
this afternoon and she said that she had seen your mother in Great
Tipton. Your mother was quite interested in our séance and asked
about what had happened. She invited herself along.”

Mark
stared blankly at her for several moments and flicked a dark look
at Harriett. “Good heavens above.”

Despite
her difficult day, Harriett felt her lips quirk at the disgust on
Mark’s face. He was clearly shocked and struggling to find
something suitable to say. She decided to spare him a few moments
to rein his temper in and turned to Isaac.

“
Do you know when I can have my brooch back?”

“
We need it for evidence at the moment. As soon as this
investigation is concluded, we will hand it back to you. Until
then, we will keep it safe, I promise.”

Harriett
nodded. Leaving it with the police was about the safest place in
the county. She wondered if she could move into the station too
because despite the fact that she was still hale and hearty, she
was deeply shaken at the thought that the murderer may intend to
target everyone at the séance with an ‘H’ in their name. She knew
that Mark hadn’t mentioned it to spare her worries, but the hard
glare he had given her when he had instructed her to be extra
careful spoke volumes. She had no intention of taking ridiculous
risks with her life, but she was adamant that she would not sit at
home like some frightened rabbit and wait for the murderer to
appear at her door one day. Life had to continue. After all, who
was to say that Hugo hadn’t been the intended victim and, now that
he had died, there would be no further deaths other than those of
natural causes?

Mark
rubbed a weary hand down his face. He still needed to explain to
Harriett about Alice and the tea shop at Great Tipton. Now though,
it looked like he not only had to find the right time to discuss
the matter with Harriett, but had to contend with his mother’s
curiosity about séances at the same time. The last thing he wanted
was for his mother to be embroiled in the sinister goings on at the
Tipton Hollow Psychic Circle, but he knew that if he stomped over
to her house and demanded that she not get involved in his
investigation, he would be blatantly ignored.

He could
only hope that she wouldn’t get wind of his rather personal
interest in Harriett.

CHAPTER
TWELVE

The
second meeting of the Tipton Hollow Psychic Circle was held that
same evening. Harriett sat in Beatrice’s sitting room and listened
to the new arrivals in the hallway. Her heart lurched at the sound
of Mark’s husky rumble along with the unfamiliar voice of someone
new. It appeared that Mark’s mother had arrived.

“
Good Lord, it is like a wake in here,” Miss Haversham
muttered as she stalked into the room.

Mr
Bentwhistle, Harriett, Babette, Tuppence, Constance and Mrs
Dalrymple were already in attendance, along with Madame Humphries
and Miss Hepplethwaite, who were already seated at the table,
ostensibly to prepare for their communication.

“
Good evening, Miss Haversham, I take it that you are
well?”

“
Very well, Harriett, thank you for asking,” Miss Haversham
replied as she perched on the edge of a dining chair and placed her
bag primly in her lap.

“
Good evening, everyone,” a rather splendidly dressed lady
called as she appeared in the doorway in a flurry of frills and
ruffles. “I am Henrietta Bosville,” she smiled widely at nobody in
particular and waited for Mark to join her.

“
Glad you can join us,” Mr Bentwhistle murmured quietly as he
rose and waved to a seat beside Babette. Harriett wasn’t aware of
Henrietta taking the pro-offered seat. Her entire being was locked
on the latest arrival: Mark. Just the sight of him in the doorway
had a visible effect on the people within the room, and the
previously tense and nervous atmosphere eased as soon as he crossed
the threshold.

“
Please take a seat, Inspector, it is a pleasure to have you
here,” Madame called from the head of the table. “I am just
preparing and shall be ready by the time everyone gets
here.”

Mark
nodded to her and quickly took a seat beside Harriett. It was
somewhat of a relief to sit down. The sitting room was rather on
the small side. Everyone was crammed into the chairs that were
shoved into every nook and cranny to such an extent that when he
sat, he felt as though he was on Harriett’s knee. He was acutely
aware of the soft material of her skirts against his thigh and
shifted uncomfortably at the surge of awareness that swept through
him.

“
How are you tonight, Harriett?” Mark murmured as he eyed the
dark shadows beneath her eyes. There were so many things he wanted
to discuss with her, to say to her, and explain to her, that he
suddenly didn’t know where to begin, other than to wish that they
were somewhere else, far away from Tipton Hollow, and especially
the ridiculous Psychic Circle.

“
I am fine, thank you,” Harriett breathed. She was strangely
stunned that he had only sat beside her yet she had already started
to tremble. A warm flutter deep inside began to build and warmed
her entire being with molten awareness. She hated it. The mental
image of him in the coffee shop, holding the hand of the beautiful
woman swam into her vision and it was enough for her to slam the
lid back down on the feelings that started to grow within her. It
was foolish to think that someone like Mark would be interested in
her; a tea shop worker, when he had such a beautiful woman whom he
clearly adored.

“
No ill effects?”

Harriett
shook her head but couldn’t bring herself to think too closely
about what had happened that very same afternoon. “I am fine,” she
replied softly, acutely aware of just how closely he studied her,
and just how unnerved he made her feel.

Mark
studied her with a frown. She was so very pale and didn’t look as
though she had rested at all since he had last seen her. He cast a
questioning glance at Babette, only for her to offer him nothing
more than a small smile. He inwardly groaned at the keen interest
in his mother’s gaze as it flew from him to Harriett, then back to
him again. It made him wish he had remained at home. Still, he was
here for the sake of the investigation. He wanted to see if the
presence of the police at the séance would put a stop to any
further threats. He smiled his thanks at Beatrice and took the
pro-offered drink off her. After he had studied the glass
carefully, he took a tentative sip, relieved when nothing more
salubrious than brandy settled warmly in his stomach.

Eloisa
and Miss Smethwick arrived minutes later and completed the circle.
They had no sooner taken a seat than silence settled over the
group. Mark could only call it an expectant silence. There was a
strange undercurrent of tension which, if he was honest, was
unsurprising given that there had been a murder at the last meeting
and one of the members of the circle had been murdered
since.

He
sighed and knew from the furtive looks that were being exchanged
that word had gotten out about Mr Montague’s murder, in spite of
his best efforts. Although he had been busy with David Woods and
both murder cases, he was acutely aware of just how quickly gossip
spread and inwardly groaned at the thought of the questions that
would be raised.

Mark
coughed loudly and flicked his glass several times. Everyone turned
to stare at him.

“
Madame Humphries? Miss Hepplethwaite? If you would care to
join us?” He watched the ladies look at each other before they
nervously moved to stand behind Mr Bentwhistle’s chair.

“
I am afraid that I have some rather sad news. I don’t know
how many of you may have already heard the gossip, but I think you
should know that earlier today Hugo Montague passed away
unexpectedly in his store.”

Various
gasps and cries of protest broke the silence.

“
Was it murder?” Miss Smethwick demanded. Her small eyes were
locked on Mark.

Mark
couldn’t lie. “The death is being treated as suspicious, yes.” He
lifted his hands to quieten the group when they began to fire a
rapid succession of questions at him.

“
I think you need to decide if the séance should continue.
Because of the warnings that were given at the last meeting, you
should all consider the wisdom of conducting the séances on today,
the saddest of all days.” He glanced around the room and met a sea
of shocked and horrified faces.