Page 41 of Four Promises to Love

Owen narrowed his eyes slightly. The other men were less subtle in expressing their skepticism.

“Spiritual miasma, eh?” Lord Ethan turned to his lady. “And here I thought our house was quite spotless. Will you take the housekeeper to task, pet, or shall I?”

“Do stop teasing,” Xenia chided. “This is serious business, darling.”

Lord Ethan’s response was an ill-concealed snort.

“I have felt the miasma myself.” Gigi came to Finn’s rescue. “When I first came here, I too experienced strong emotions.”

“I wager I may take some credit for that,” Grantley said with a smirk.

“You did have a way of grating upon my nerves.” Gigi giggled when His Grace took his revenge by tugging on the dangling raven curl by her cheek. “However, I am referring to a phenomenon within this manor. To me, it feels like a magnifying glass for emotions: one feels things here more acutely.”

“I agree,” Evie said.

She smiled at the earl, who lifted her hand and kissed it.

Sensing an opening, Finn took it. “Beyond the veil, emotions have a purity not found in the everyday. When spirits cross over into our world, they bring with them that intensity of feeling. Those with keen sensibilities can feel that force—that touch of the mystical.”

“I think that applies to me,” Gigi breathed.

“To me and Evie as well.” Xenia cleared her throat. “Seraphina, do you think it is possible that the three of us have accessed the emotions and memories of Rosalinda?”

“It is possible, yes,” Finn said. “When spirits have unfinished business, they may choose to linger and make their energetic presence felt. They create a tear in the veil, through which we in the mortal realm can, temporarily, experience the other side.”

“My wife tells me you have the ability to speak with the dead,” Manderly said.

His politely neutral manner likely served him well as a politician.

“I can facilitate such communications, yes,” Finn said with a regal nod. “Under specific circumstances, my abilities allow the spirits to speak through me.”

“According to my lady, you believe Rosalinda spoke to you in visions and brought you here.” Lord Ethan arched a dark brow. “For what purpose?”

“One can never be certain of a spirit’s intentions. But I believe Rose wishes me to uncover secrets.”

“What kind of secrets?” Manderly asked.

“The kind that keep a soul from finding peace.”

At her reply, fraught silence filled the drawing room. The only sound came from Tansy, who was slurping tea to wash down the heap of sandwiches she’d consumed.

“Is that what we can expect at today’s performance?” Grantley’s tone conveyed that he was no fool, nor would he suffer one readily. “Will we witness you chatting with Rosalinda and Bloody Thom?”

“I will not be conducting a sitting today, Your Grace.”

With satisfaction, Finn saw the confused looks. A good scheme involved subverting expectations and keeping the marks off balance.

“Oh.” Xenia’s disappointment was evident. “May I ask why not?”

You have them hooked. Reel them in.

“A séance must be properly planned,” Finn said smoothly. “In order for the spirits to grace us with their presence, we must first ensure that the environment is suitable. The dead are notoriously picky. I must first examine the manor and gather what I term ‘impressions’—sensory clues left by the spirits that will help me to determine the best room, lighting, and even temperature for the sitting. My assistants will be taking measurements as well, using a spirit rod and other equipment I calibrated for this purpose.”

“I had no idea a séance involved such complexity,” Evie murmured.

“They are far from simple,” Finn said.

“What about Mrs. Elmwood?” Owen asked.