Quick, Amanda by Wait Until Midnight Page A

look. Then, evidently dismissing him as unimportant, he turned to
    Caroline with a dazzlingly bright smile.
    "Mrs. Fordyce," Elsworth said. "A pleasure to see you again."
    "Mr. Elsworth." She gave him her gloved hand and then politely switched her attention to the shorter
    man. "Mr. Reed."
    She glanced speculatively at Adam. "Allow me to present Mr.—"
    "Grove," he said before she could decide what name to use. "Adam Grove."
    The two men nodded politely but it was clear that Caroline was the one who interested them.
    Reed's pale eyes were intense and serious behind the lenses of his eyeglasses. "Welcome back to
    Wintersett House. Have you returned to continue your literary re-search or have you finally decided to
    honor the Society with a demonstration of your own psychical powers?"
    Adam tightened his grip on Caroline's arm. Psychical powers? What the deuce was this about?
    Unobtrusively, she tried to free herself. He realized he was holding on to her as if she were in danger of
    being swept away by some invisible force. He quickly loosened his hand, but he did not release her. For
    some reason, everything in him was screaming at him to keep her as close as possible.
    Caroline smiled politely at Reed. "As I told you the other day, sir, the item in the press was incorrect
    regarding several of the particulars of my demonstration at the tea party."
    "But I spoke with Mrs. Hughes myself," Reed insisted. "She was very impressed by what she witnessed
    that day."
    "Please believe me when I tell you that I do not possess any gifts that would be of interest to the
    researchers of the Society," Caroline said.
    Reed's smile held a mix of understanding and approval. "Your natural delicacy of feeling becomes you,
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    Mrs. Fordyce, but there is no need for alarm. I would not dream of putting you on a public stage. Rest
    assured that the tests would be conducted in private according to the strictest standards of science."
    "I must decline," Caroline said firmly.
    Elsworth raised his winged brows. "I fear you are being far too modest, madam. According to the piece
    in the paper you were evidently able to read the minds of several of the ladies who were fortunate enough
    to be present at Mrs. Hughes's tea."
    "Unfortunately, I have nothing to demonstrate to the Society," she said, more forcefully this time.
    Reed nodded several times. "As you wish. I would not dream of trying to press you into doing something
    that would cause you discomfort." He paused and lowered his voice. "I expect you heard the tragic news
    of Elizabeth Delmont's death?"
    "Shocking," Caroline said.
    "We here at the Society are all quite stunned." Reed shook his head. "She was a medium of great talent."
    Elsworth glanced back toward the lecture hall where Irene Toller had given her demonstration. "Not
    everyone held that opinion."
    Adam's interest in the conversation went up a notch. "Yes, we did gain that impression from Mrs. Toller
    a few minutes ago."
    Reed grimaced. "I'm afraid there was some professional rivalry between Mrs. Toller and Mrs. Delmont.
    Powerful mediums are often quite jealous of each other's gifts."
    "She implied that dark forces from the Other Side were responsible for Mrs. Delmont's death," Caroline
    said neutrally.
    Elsworth looked pained. "According to the sensation press there were some peculiar elements about the
    murder that will no doubt sell a great many copies of the papers."
    "What sort of elements?" Adam asked with what he was fairly certain sounded like idle curiosity.
    Reed heaved a troubled sigh and lowered his voice. "There were reports that Delmont's séance room
    was turned entirely upside down as though by some powerful supernatural force. Furniture scattered
    about like so much kindling." He paused for effect. "They also noted that a mysterious pocket watch was
    found next to the body."
    "What is odd about a pocket watch?" Adam asked.
    "According to the