The Medium (Emily Chambers Spirit Medium Trilogy #1) by C.J. Archer

said.
    "You think
someone threatened her and if she refused to take the book then..." I
couldn't finish the sentence. It was too horrible to contemplate the things
that could befall a poor girl like Maree if she fell into the clutches of an
unscrupulous player.
    "I suppose,"
George said. He pursed his lips together in thought then shrugged one shoulder.
"But she's not likely to tell us anything now."
    "Probably
not. George, you mentioned a school to Maree just now. Are you referring to the
North London School for Domestic Service?"
    He nodded. "Many
of our junior staff come from there. Why?"
    "No
particular reason. My sister is going there to find a maid today, that's all."
    "It has a
good reputation and we've never had a problem with any of the servants from
there. Until now," he added with a grunt of disgust.
    Jacob narrowed
his eyes at George. "Emily, what's say you and I continue the interview
without our friend here?"
    My thoughts
exactly. "I think it's time we leave," I said to George. "I have
another séance to conduct this afternoon with my sister." It was the truth.
Celia and I did have an appointment to keep, but not for another hour if my
pocket watch was anything to go by.
    George rang for
his footman who showed me out. Jacob disappeared then reappeared when I reached
the street corner.
    "I'll watch
the main door while you go down to the basement," he said. There was a
lightness about his step that hadn't been there before, and although he wasn't
smiling, I suspected he was controlling it.
    "You're
enjoying this, aren't you?"
    "George
Culvert deserves us going behind his back to speak to his servants."
    "That's not
fair, Jacob. I quite like him. Most of the time." Although a gentleman
couldn't be expected to treat his servants the way he treated his guests, it
had come as something of a shock to see him turn from meek to master when the
interrogation began. I'd not have expected it from him. Jacob on the other hand
seemed like exactly the sort to order people about, no matter their station.
    Jacob regarded
me with a raised eyebrow. "You can't possibly like him. He's strange. Who
chooses to study demonology for pity's sake?"
    "Who
chooses to see ghosts?"
    Two finely
dressed women I hadn't seen approaching quickened their steps as they passed by
and lowered their parasols to avoid making eye contact. They must have heard me
speaking to Jacob, or rather, to myself. At least they were too scared to give
me odd looks.
    I checked that
no one else was within earshot then muttered, "Let's go. And don’t say
anything to me unless it's vitally important to my conversation with Maree. You're
very off-putting at times."
    "I am?"
He grinned. Dazzled by his beautiful smile, my irritation disappeared and I
grinned back.
    We walked side
by side to the Culvert house once more. Jacob took the steps up to the main
door then vanished. I suppose he'd reappeared on the other side where he could
keep a closer watch. I descended the other stairs that led down to the basement
entrance used by the servants, not the Culverts themselves. I knocked on the
door and a maid answered.
    "Hello, I
went to the North London School for Domestic Service with Maree Finch. Is she
here? I need to speak to her."
    It was a bold
lie and the maid, a middle-aged matronly woman in white cap and apron, looked
suspicious. "You friends wiv her?" she asked. I nodded. "Didn’t
fink the likes o’ her had friends."
    "Yes, well,
can I see her? I’ll be brief," I added when she began to shake her head. "It’s
about…the passing of a favorite teacher."
    The maid heaved
a sigh and asked me, grudgingly, to wait while she fetched her.
    Jacob came in
behind me as Maree emerged from one of the rooms off the narrow hallway, her
hands buried in her apron again. She took one look at me and burst into tears.
    "Leave me
be! I dunno nothin'!" she cried. She backed away as I stepped forward.
    "It's all
right, Maree. I'm not going to hurt you. Please, just tell the truth