Read Online Strong Spirits [Spirits 01] by Alice Duncan - Free Book Online

dear,” I said in a weak voice. “I hope it was nothing I—”
           “Nonsense,” Mrs. Kincaid said as sternly as she could, which wasn’t very. “You were wonderful, Daisy.”
           “Yes,” whispered Mrs. Lilley. I’d almost forgotten about her in the muted uproar then transpiring in the dining room. “Thank you so much.”
           I turned my head and blinked a couple of times at her, trying to convey my interest and also my state of trance-induced befuddlement. “Oh? What happened?”
           “I told you,” said Harold. “She fainted.”
           “She means during the séance, darling,” his fond mother said soothingly.
           “Ah.” Harold grinned at me, which was a definite improvement over the scowl he’d been directing floorwards at Medora. “Yes, indeedy, Mrs. Majesty. You were superb. In fact, you were better than that. You were absolutely magnificent. Called old Bartie right up, you did.”
           “Harold.” This time Mrs. Kincaid sounded as if she were issuing a warning. Since she was a kind, rather ineffectual disciplinarian, I’m sure Harold wasn’t frightened in the least, but I appreciated her trying to call a halt to his cynical enjoyment of my efforts at communing with the dear departed.
           “She’s coming around.”
           Thank God for Lieutenant Farrington and his interruption, because Harold had opened his mouth, I feared to spout more jolly comments. His friend’s words made him transfer his attention back to Medora.
           “Good,” said he. “Let’s heave her up onto her chair, old boy.” Intending to suit the action to the words, he reached for one of Medora’s more grabbable appendages.
           “For heaven’s sake, Harold. Don’t put her on the chair. She might fall out of it again.” Mrs. Kincaid left me in her sister’s care and hurried to her son’s side. “Please carry her into the back parlor. Thank you, Del.” She smiled sweetly at Lieutenant Farrington.
           Everyone but Mrs. Lilley and I trooped out of the room. Although I don’t generally press the point that talking to dead people is an exhausting business, that’s part of the performance, so I didn’t dare perk up right away. I was glad Mrs. Lilley seemed satisfied with my work or the evening might have been a complete disaster.
           “Are you all right, Mrs. Majesty?” she asked tenderly. Nice woman. I truly hoped my act would help her cope with her devastating loss.
           “I’m . . . fine,” I said with just a jot of breathlessness.
           “Are you well enough to stand, or would you like me to bring you something first? Tea? Water?”
           This was getting ridiculous. I wasn’t the one with the problem here; it was Mrs. Lilley. Yet here she was, trying to help me. I decided I’d acted faint for long enough. “I’m fine. Thank you so much for your concern. Sometimes it takes me a little while to recover from a trance, but I’m feeling quite fine now.” I turned to her and took her hand. “Did your son come through, Mrs. Lilley? I had hoped to be able to find him for you, through Rolly.” It was my custom to pretend to recall nothing from one of my séances, once I was under the spell of my control.
           Her smile was as radiant as a woman who looked like a wraith could produce. “Yes, dear. My darling Bartholomew came through. He sounded just like himself, too.”
           Well, that was a wonder. I pressed her hand. “I’m so glad.”
           “You’re really a marvel, Mrs. Majesty. You ought to be so proud of the usefulness of your work.”
           I wished Billy could have been there to hear her. He probably wouldn’t have believed it anyway. But there was no use fretting over what couldn’t be. Besides, the party seemed to be getting away from me, so I stood up, making sure I held on to the table for support. Not that