Vow of Deception (The Ministry of Curiosities #9)(2)

"Quite true," I said. "Although I think Lincoln knows that about me. Seth, on the other hand…"

Alice stiffened. "Why are you looking at me, Charlie?"

"I…er…no reason."

We arrived at the room Alice and I were to share for the night. Hannah made sure the maids had set it up and the footmen had deposited our luggage before leaving us to change out of our traveling clothes into something prettier. Hannah had offered the use of a maid, since we'd not brought one, but we declined.

"What do you think of this house?" I asked Alice as I removed my jacket.

"It's quite forbidding on the outside, but I like it." She unpinned her hat and carefully placed the pin on the dressing table. "The abbey ruins down by the lake give it quite a spine-tingling feel, though."

"I thought the ruins added to the charm. Imagine being here in the midst of a storm with lightning cracking over the roof and black clouds closing in. What a commanding sight that must be. I can see why the locals call it Freak House." At her silence, I glanced up from my cuff buttons to see her staring at me.

"You have an appreciation for the dramatic," she said.

"It must be because I raise the dead. Although this place does tend to make one think of dark, stormy nights."

"And Lichfield doesn't?"

"Of course not. Lichfield is quite homely if one doesn't venture down into the dungeon."

She laughed. "Or the tower prison."

"It's not a prison anymore," I shot back. "Not until we capture something or someone worth imprisoning, that is. Now, stop disparaging my home and help me with this gown. It does up at the back."

Alice's cool, nimble fingers quickly had me out of the bodice. I put on my pale blue dress with the white trim and waist sash. Alice changed into a yellow gown embroidered with orange flowers. It was quite the thing this summer according to the latest edition of The Young Ladies Journal. Alice had brought it to Hertfordshire with her, after having it made last year before being sent to the School for Wayward Girls in Yorkshire. She was always ahead when it came to fashion. I, however, didn't care a whit for it. Sometimes I dreamed of leaving the house dressed in my training outfit of loose trousers and man's shirt. The sensation I would create was as much of a lure as the comfort.

We finished dressing and tugged on the bell pull. A moment later, a maid arrived to escort us to the drawing room. We passed through a maze of rooms and traversed staircases and galleries lined with gilt-framed paintings. I half expected the eyes of the men and women depicted in the gloomy portraits to follow me.

A flash of movement up the stairwell had me pausing mid-step. I caught sight of a very tall man with dark hair receding into a widow's peak. From his deathly pale face, I'd say he was a ghost that hadn't yet crossed to his afterlife, but the figure was gone from sight before I could get a proper look. Alice did not react.

The maid directed us into the drawing room, a large airy space filled with sturdy furniture and thick brocade curtains. Delicate china had been set out along with sandwiches and cake. The others stood upon our entry, and Hannah welcomed us. Jack asked the maid to leave and shut the door behind her. Alice twitched at the click of the latch.

Seth took her hand and directed her to sit with him on the sofa. He smiled gently and spoke quietly to her, as one would an elderly aunt. She nodded at whatever he said and seemed to buck up, although her fingers wouldn't stay still in her lap.

I sat on one of the other sofas and Lincoln joined me. "Have you noticed any hidden passages from your room?" he whispered.

I stared at him. "Honestly, Lincoln, only you would ask a question like that. No, I haven't found one."

"But you'll look?"

"Why? Planning to visit my room tonight and ravish me?"

"Only you would ask a question like that," he quipped.

I smiled and he smiled back—sort of. "You'd better behave yourself or the resident ghost might report you to the master of the house," I said.

"Ghost?" Gus echoed, proving we weren't being as quiet as we thought.

"What ghost?" Jack asked.

Hannah paused in pouring the tea and glanced at Gus. "There are no ghosts here. Cara and Emily have assured us."

"Mediums?" Lincoln asked.

Hannah nodded and continued pouring the tea. "And good friends, although we don't see them as often as we'd like. They live in London. Jack?"

She didn't have to say anything further. Jack seemed to know that she wanted him to hand out the teacups.

"Who thinks they saw a ghost?" he asked Gus.

Gus took great interest in the Oriental decorations on his teacup. "I must have misheard."

"I did," I piped up.

I felt rather than heard Lincoln groan beside me.

"You're a medium?" Hannah asked. Apparently mediums were so common to her that it didn't even warrant a glance in my direction.

"I'm a necromancer."

That got more of a reaction. She set down the teapot and studied me intently. Her husband handed me a cup and saucer but did not let it go immediately as he too eyed me.

Seth gave a slight shake of his head, warning me not to say too much. But Lincoln said nothing. He was leaving it up to me to tell the Langleys whatever I wanted about myself. I wondered what self-control it cost him to remain quiet.