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chapter had to begin and end
with a Startling Incident.
The time constraints placed on Caroline were such that she was usually obliged to begin research and
make notes on her next novel while finishing off the last few episodes of the current one.
A few hundred words later she put down her pen and studied what she had written.
No doubt about it, the character of Edmund Drake was at last starting to take shape. Just in the nick of
time, too, she thought. Drake had been a shadowy figure until now but he was due to take center stage in
the remaining chapters.
SIX
Two days later Caroline sat in the last row of the lecture hall and watched the stage as the gas lights
were lowered in a dramatic fashion.
The room was plunged into deep gloom. The only area that remained well lit was the empty stage. There
a single lamp glowed with a ghostly light, illuminating a table and chair. The sparse crowd hushed in
anticipation.
Caroline noted that she had almost the entire row of chairs to herself. It seemed that Irene Toller had
been over-shadowed one last time by her dead rival. Here at Wintersett House, the news of Elizabeth
Delmont's murder had captured the interest of everyone involved in psychical re-search. The halls and
corridors of the aging mansion hummed with speculation and gossip. With so much excitement going on,
very few people had elected to attend Irene Toller's demonstration of spirit writing.
The abrupt, theatrical darkening of the room had a disturbing effect on Caroline's senses. It was as
though invisible fingers had brushed the nape of her neck. An unnerving awareness feathered her nerves.
She could literally feel an unseen presence closing in upon her.
"Good afternoon, Mrs. Fordyce," the man who had called himself Adam Grove said very softly from a
point just behind her right shoulder. "This is certainly a coincidence of amazing, one might even say
metaphysical. pro-portions. Would you mind if I took the seat next to yours?"
She started so violently it was all she could do not to leap out of the chair. Indeed, she was barely able
to stifle a small shriek.
"Mr. Grove" Breathless from the shock he had just given her and thoroughly annoyed by her own
reaction, she gave him a repressing glare. The effect was no doubt lost on him due to the shadows here at
the back of the room. "What on earth are you doing here?"
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
"The same thing you are, I suspect" He moved in front of her, obviously aiming for the neighboring seat
although she had not invited him to take it. "Thought it might prove instructive to observe Irene Toller's
demonstration of spirit writing."
"You followed me," she accused, whisking her skirts out of his path.
"No, as a matter of fact, I did not." He lowered himself into the chair beside her. "But somehow I am not
unduly surprised to discover that our paths have crossed again."
"I do not converse with strange gentlemen to whom I have not been properly introduced," she said in her
iciest tones.
"Right, I forgot." He settled comfortably into the seat.
"I did not give you my real name when I called on you the other morning, did I?"
"In point of fact, you deceived me, sir."
"Yes, well, all I can say is that I thought it was for your own good at the time. But since fate has taken a
hand in this affair, I may as well introduce myself properly. Adam Hardesty, at your service."
"Why should I assume that you are telling me the truth this time?"
"I shall be happy to offer proof of my identity, if you re-quire it."
She ignored that. "You came here today because you found out that Mrs. Toller may have had a motive
for murdering Mrs. Delmont, didn't you?"
"You evidently heard the same rumors."
"The rivalry between the two is common knowledge here at Wintersett House."
"I expect that it was curiosity that led you to pursue the matter." He shook his head. "Has no one ever
warned you of the dangers of
with a Startling Incident.
The time constraints placed on Caroline were such that she was usually obliged to begin research and
make notes on her next novel while finishing off the last few episodes of the current one.
A few hundred words later she put down her pen and studied what she had written.
No doubt about it, the character of Edmund Drake was at last starting to take shape. Just in the nick of
time, too, she thought. Drake had been a shadowy figure until now but he was due to take center stage in
the remaining chapters.
SIX
Two days later Caroline sat in the last row of the lecture hall and watched the stage as the gas lights
were lowered in a dramatic fashion.
The room was plunged into deep gloom. The only area that remained well lit was the empty stage. There
a single lamp glowed with a ghostly light, illuminating a table and chair. The sparse crowd hushed in
anticipation.
Caroline noted that she had almost the entire row of chairs to herself. It seemed that Irene Toller had
been over-shadowed one last time by her dead rival. Here at Wintersett House, the news of Elizabeth
Delmont's murder had captured the interest of everyone involved in psychical re-search. The halls and
corridors of the aging mansion hummed with speculation and gossip. With so much excitement going on,
very few people had elected to attend Irene Toller's demonstration of spirit writing.
The abrupt, theatrical darkening of the room had a disturbing effect on Caroline's senses. It was as
though invisible fingers had brushed the nape of her neck. An unnerving awareness feathered her nerves.
She could literally feel an unseen presence closing in upon her.
"Good afternoon, Mrs. Fordyce," the man who had called himself Adam Grove said very softly from a
point just behind her right shoulder. "This is certainly a coincidence of amazing, one might even say
metaphysical. pro-portions. Would you mind if I took the seat next to yours?"
She started so violently it was all she could do not to leap out of the chair. Indeed, she was barely able
to stifle a small shriek.
"Mr. Grove" Breathless from the shock he had just given her and thoroughly annoyed by her own
reaction, she gave him a repressing glare. The effect was no doubt lost on him due to the shadows here at
the back of the room. "What on earth are you doing here?"
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
"The same thing you are, I suspect" He moved in front of her, obviously aiming for the neighboring seat
although she had not invited him to take it. "Thought it might prove instructive to observe Irene Toller's
demonstration of spirit writing."
"You followed me," she accused, whisking her skirts out of his path.
"No, as a matter of fact, I did not." He lowered himself into the chair beside her. "But somehow I am not
unduly surprised to discover that our paths have crossed again."
"I do not converse with strange gentlemen to whom I have not been properly introduced," she said in her
iciest tones.
"Right, I forgot." He settled comfortably into the seat.
"I did not give you my real name when I called on you the other morning, did I?"
"In point of fact, you deceived me, sir."
"Yes, well, all I can say is that I thought it was for your own good at the time. But since fate has taken a
hand in this affair, I may as well introduce myself properly. Adam Hardesty, at your service."
"Why should I assume that you are telling me the truth this time?"
"I shall be happy to offer proof of my identity, if you re-quire it."
She ignored that. "You came here today because you found out that Mrs. Toller may have had a motive
for murdering Mrs. Delmont, didn't you?"
"You evidently heard the same rumors."
"The rivalry between the two is common knowledge here at Wintersett House."
"I expect that it was curiosity that led you to pursue the matter." He shook his head. "Has no one ever
warned you of the dangers of
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