Evermore (Emily Chambers Spirit Medium Trilogy #3)(24)

Sons only. Thank goodness. Blunt couldn't be trusted around girls.

"It's located in Wood Green on Lordship Lane." Her hand-twisting became more rapid. "Please don't mention that I told you where to find him."

"Of course," George said, soothing. "We wouldn't think of putting you in such an awkward position."

Her smile was one of relief.

"Thank you," I said. "You've been very helpful and it was good to see you. Lucy sends her regards. She was quite pleased to discover your whereabouts."

"Lucy? Oh, your maid. Yes, of course. How is she?"

"As cheerful as ever. She has even come to accept my work, in her own way."

"I'm pleased to hear it. She was a good girl."

We thanked her and left the house through the servants' entrance. "Success!" George said as we strolled to the carriage.

I looked back to the house and bit my lip. Something was troubling me, but I couldn't put my finger on what. Mrs. White had seemed perfectly lovely and had explained her lie about going to her sister. Perhaps it was her twisting fingers, or perhaps it was the fact that she'd not asked me how Lucy fared first.

I shook off my doubts. We'd got what we came for—an address for Blunt.

George gave the driver instructions to drive to the northern suburb of Wood Green then settled himself on the seat opposite me. "I wonder how Beaufort fared."

I looked out the window at number twelve again. The governess's room would be on one of the upper floors where the nursery, schoolroom, and children's rooms were located. There was no sign of him.

The coach rolled off. I was just about to ask George for his opinion on how best to confront Blunt when Jacob appeared. Indeed, 'appeared' may be too strong a word. He faded in and out and then disappeared altogether again.

"Jacob!" I called. "Jacob, are you there?" Oh God, no. Please come back to me. I pulled the window down and stuck my head out in the hope he'd navigated to somewhere nearby, but he was nowhere to be seen.

"Perhaps you shouldn't summon him," George said gently. "He may need to conserve energy."

I stared out the window and concentrated on stilling my rapidly beating heart. It didn't work.

Just as the carriage turned a corner, Jacob materialized beside me, albeit weakly. "You're here!" I said and threw my arms around him. It was like embracing a fog—his skin felt moist and no longer solid. My arms didn't go all the way through him like they would if I wasn't a medium, but he didn't feel altogether there.

"What's happening?" I asked, pulling away. I cupped his cheek and he turned to kiss my palm. "Jacob, answer me!"

He shook his head. "Can't." His voice was a rasping whisper. "Can't...stay." He disappeared completely, only to come back and utter, "Seymour." And then he was gone.

"Jacob! Jacob!" I turned to George and he caught both my trembling hands in his. "What if he doesn't come back? What if he...?" I swallowed the lump in my throat. "What if he's...?"

"Don't think that way, Em. He'll be fine. He's strong, remember? Perhaps he only needs to rest awhile."

I bit back tears. "We have to stop them. Whoever is doing this...they must be stopped."

He nodded. "Perhaps Blunt will provide an answer."

I doubted Blunt would simply 'provide' us with anything. We might need to use force and I wasn't sure George was the right man for the job.

"Do you think we could collect Theo?"

"Of course." He pulled the window down, held onto his hat, and called out new directions to the driver. "Let's hope Hyde is at home," he said, pulling the window up again.

"Jacob said 'Seymour' just now. Do you think he found a connection to Frederick Seymour in Mrs. White's room?"

"An interesting thought."

"But what possible connection could there be? She has no family. Perhaps he traveled elsewhere during his absence and found something." Whatever it was would have to wait until Jacob could visit us again.

If he were able.

"Don't worry, Emily," George said. "He'll return soon. The man can't leave you alone."

I appreciated his attempt to bolster my mood and said so. "You're a good friend, George. The best."

"As are you. You'd be an even better friend if you could say some nice things about me to Miss Beaufort." He looked out the window and waved his hand in dismissal. "Only if the right moment arises, that is. Don't trouble yourself otherwise."

"It would be no trouble, but I have a feeling she already knows what you're like anyway." I suddenly wanted to embrace him. Since that would be awkward beyond endurance, I simply sat in silence as we made our way to the Arbuthnots' house in Kensington.

***

Mr. Blunt kept us waiting in the visitors' drawing room of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys for much longer than politeness allowed. We'd given the servant Theo's name rather than mine or George's so that he wouldn't have us thrown out, yet after twenty minutes, I was beginning to think Blunt wasn't going to appear at all.

"Perhaps he saw our approach through a window and has decided to avoid us," George said.