Page 69 of Anything But a Duke
“Is he the one?” he whispered. “The unwanted proposal you spoke of?”
“Yes.”
“Well, then I think I’m beholden to dislike him.”
Diana inhaled sharply and fought the tickle of laughter that bubbled up. When Aidan placed a hand on her lower back and guided her to an empty settee, she let the frustration of encountering Egerton go. He was no longer any concern of hers.
“The room is ready, my lady.” A servant waited on the threshold and directed them to a larger room across the hall.
Aidan followed close behind, almost protectively, and they took chairs side by side at the long, polished table that had been set out for the event.
“Oh, there are table cards,” Bess told the guests. “Please sit in the spot you were assigned.”
Diana’s stomach churned at the sight of Egerton’s card next to hers. Aidan’s, it seemed, was on the opposite side of the table next to Bess. That made sense. Diana had been clear in her note to her friend about the intentions for their visit.
Once everyone was seated, the lights were dimmed and every candle snuffed. Faces were cast in shadows, and Diana kept her gaze on Aidan’s.
In the darkness, someone moved toward the table with a light source. It was a glass bowl glowing with a greenish light that had a distinctive garlicky smell. Diana knew immediately how they’d created the illumination.
“Phosphorous?” Aidan mouthed at her from across the table.
She offered him a flash of a smile in return, and he grinned in triumph as if pleased to impress her with a bit of scientific knowledge. Someday she’d tell him about her experiments with phosphorescent illumination.
Her heartbeat ratcheted up. Someday. She was already planning a future with a man she was attempting to match to one of her friends. A friend who leaned over, whispered to him, and made him chuckle at whatever humorous quip she’d shared.
Bess had always been like that. Intellectually, they were fairly matched, but when it came to charm and socializing, Lady Elizabeth had always excelled.
“There are many spirits here tonight.” The lady who’d deposited the glowing bowl had taken a seat at the head of the table. She was petite, dark-haired, and garbed in black from head to toe.
“Prepare yourself for the fakery,” Egerton whispered too close to her cheek.
Diana eased away from him, and across from her, Aidan’s hand balled into a fist. He looked ready to climb across the table if Egerton gave her trouble.
“I am prepared for anything, Lord Egerton,” Diana quipped in reply.
She liked Aidan’s protectiveness far too much. Oddly, it gave her confidence to deal with Egerton without his interference.
“Samuel,” Miss Ives said softly, “the medium has directed us all to clasp hands.”
Diana hadn’t heard the woman’s directive, and the last thing she wanted was to hold on to Egerton, but when he extended his hand palm up, she took it gingerly. Thank goodness she was wearing gloves.
Across the table, Bess had Aidan’s hand clasped tightly too.
“Lady Elizabeth has asked to speak to her brother,” the medium intoned in an odd singsong voice. “We will ask the spirits to speak to us.”
The conjurer bowed her head, allowing the phosphorescent glow to cast her delicate-boned face in eerie shadows. “The brother says he misses you, Lady Elizabeth.”
Bess let out a whimper. “What else does he say?”
“That you should follow your heart, my lady.”
Bess turned her gaze shyly toward Aidan.
For a long while, the room filled with a strange tension. No one spoke. Diana wondered if anyone even breathed. They were all waiting, but she wasn’t certain what they were waiting for.
“Another spirit comes,” the medium said, her pitch rising.
Diana rolled her eyes in the semidarkness. She guessed that the medium would fabricate a dead family member for all of them. Nothing in her believed that the petite woman at the head of the table was truly speaking to spirits, but it didn’t matter.
