Wait Until Midnight by Amanda Quick Page B

to use it on the occasions when he elected not to walk to his destination. "As it happens I am very eager to discuss the psychical talents of one particular individual."
    . "And who might that person be?" she asked, looking quite wary.
    "Why, you, of course, Mrs. Fordyce. I cannot wait to hear all of the details concerning the demonstration of psychical powers that you gave at Mrs. Hughes's tea"
    Durward Reed waited until the pair had disappeared through the front doors of Wintersett House before he turned back to his companion.
    He did not care for Julian Elsworth. With his aristocratic airs, cold intelligence and strange psychical talents, the man made him nervous. There were times when he was convinced that Elsworth privately held him in contempt. But there was no denying that, with his entrée into Society, Elsworth had brought a great deal of important attention and credibility to Wintersett House.
    "The more Mrs. Fordyce denies her own gifts, the more I am convinced that she does indeed possess them," Durward mused aloud. "I must find a way to overcome her natural, entirely proper feminine qualms and convince her that she could make a tremendous contribution to the field of psychical research."
    Elsworth shrugged. "She makes her living as a writer, not a medium. If you want to gain her attention, I suggest you offer her a contract for one of her novels."
    Durward was briefly struck dumb by the cleverness of the suggestion.
    "Good lord, man," he said when he could find his voice, "that is a brilliant notion. If I published her next book in New Dawn, I could attract an enormous number of new readers and a great deal of attention to the field. I must give this some close thought."
    Inspired, he rushed off toward his office to ponder the details of the plan that was already taking shape in his mind.
    No doubt about it, Elsworth was an enormous asset, even if he was decidedly unnerving.
    EIGHT
    "It was all a great misunderstanding," Caroline said, looking both annoyed and resigned. "My so-called demonstration of psychical powers was meant to be nothing more than an amusing entertainment for Mrs. Hughes and her guests."
    "An entertainment?"
    "My aunts play cards with Mrs. Hughes and her friends several times a week. They asked me to stage the performance as a surprise. Emma and Milly were aware that in the course of my recent research, I had learned some of the tricks used by those who profess to possess psychical powers. They thought the ladies would enjoy a demonstration of how the practitioners achieve their effects."
    "Mrs. Hughes, I gather, took your parlor tricks seriously?"
    "I'm afraid so," she said. "It transpired that she has friends who are active in the Society for Psychical Investigations. One of them, in turn, spoke with a correspondent for the Flying Intelligencer." She widened her hands, palms up. "One thing led to another and the next thing I knew there was an item in the paper. It was all rather awkward, to say the least."
    "Typical sensation journalism. Very few facts embedded amid a vast amount of melodramatic fiction."
    She wrinkled her nose. "I will admit that at times the press does not always report events with the accuracy one would like." She broke off, glancing around with an air of abrupt concern. "Where are we going? I must return to Corley Lane . I have several more pages to complete today."
    "I will see you home in my carriage, Mrs. Fordyce."
    "Oh" She hesitated, looking taken aback, as though the notion of allowing him to escort her back to Corley Lane had disconcerted her.
    Across the way, his coachman, Ned, saw them approaching. He jumped down from the box to open the door of the vehicle.
    Caroline appeared to come to a decision. When they reached the far side of the street, she halted near the carnage.
    "Thank you, Mr. Hardesty, but I took a hackney cab to Wintersett House today. I intend to return home in the same manner."
    Her unwillingness to get into his carriage annoyed him more than he