Page 48 of The Bride Wore White

“That business of your last client dropping dead. Oh dear, I suppose that’s not quite the right way to put it, is it?” Mildred said, chuckling.

“No,” Prudence said. “It isn’t.”

“Oh dear, I have got this all muddled. I meant to say I followed the stories in the papers that appeared after the, uh,incidentin which you were involved several months ago.” Mildred glanced around and then leaned across the short space that separated the loungers. Her voice sank to a whisper. “The one in which the papers called you the Nightmare Psychic.”

“Oh,thatincident,” Prudence said, drumming her fingers on the cushion of the lounger. “It was unfortunate that Mr.Tapson suffered a stroke while visiting my reading room, but he certainly did not die there. He expired in the hospital. The reading had nothing to do with his death.”

At least I don’t think it did,she added silently.

“I never for a moment intended to imply otherwise.” Mildred cleared her throat and continued speaking in whispery tones. “Between you and me, no one mourned Thomas Tapson, not even his family. I’m sure his relatives were quietly relieved by the news of his death.”

Okay, this was getting interesting.

“Is that so?” Prudence said.

“There were rumors about him, you know.”

“No, I had no idea. What sort of rumors?”

“My brother and Tapson attended the same private school in San Francisco for a year. I remember that William and the other boys were absolutely terrified of Tapson. He tormented the younger children and did horrible things to small animals. The school authorities were finally forced to expel him after a rather mysterious fire in the gymnasium.”

“What happened to Tapson?”

“He more or less disappeared. We never saw much of the Tapson boy after that. We didn’t know he was back in the city until we saw the news of his death. Do you mind if I ask what you’ve beendoing since you left San Francisco? You vanished overnight, according to the papers.”

“I’ve been traveling,” Prudence said vaguely.

“According to the local paper, you are working for a private client here in Burning Cove. But do you still do outside readings? If so, I would love to book one. I have the most interesting dreams.”

“I’m a little busy at the moment.”

“But surely you could manage an outside reading?”

“I don’t think that will be possible.” Prudence drank some tea and set the cup and saucer on the table. “Readings are exhausting, and I feel I must save my energy for my private client.”

“I see.” Mildred’s tone chilled. “He must be paying you very well.”

“He is,” Prudence said.

Mildred narrowed her eyes. “You do realize that after you left San Francisco there was a great deal of, shall we say,speculationabout you in certain circles.”

“Is that right? I had no idea.”

“It was not the sort of talk that enhances a lady’s reputation,” Mildred said.

“In that case, I’m surprised you would want to take the risk of having a woman of doubtful virtue read your dreams—”

The swinging doors at the far end of the pool room crashed open. Every head turned to watch Clara Dover sweep into the room with the force of a petite hurricane. She was never less than an intimidating presence, Prudence reflected, but today, dressed in black from head to toe, Clara appeared even more menacing than usual.

“Where is the creature?” she demanded in a voice that rang off the tiled walls. “Where is the woman who murdered my son?”

The effect on the pool room was dramatic. Prudence realized that no one, including herself, was moving. Even the water in the three pools appeared to have gone still.

Prudence took a breath, sat up on the edge of the lounger, and stood. “Are you looking for me, Clara?”

Clara’s head swiveled until she located Prudence among the white-robed women. When she spotted her, she strode forward.

“How dare you?” Clara said in the voice of a woman who has come to pronounce doom. “I offered you the opportunity to become one of the Dovers of San Francisco. I chose you to be the mother of my grandchildren, the heirs to Dover Industries. How did you repay me? You murdered my son.”

---