Page 14 of Unforeseen Affairs
He squinted.
The man had a serene, self-effacing air about him, completely at odds with the flashy fabrics and fine cut of his clothing. He wore his hair somewhat long, down to his shoulders, but itwas as neat and tidy as his facial hair. Were Colin to spot him across a crowded railway station, his eyes would no doubt skate right over him, for he gave the impression of a not-so-serious man. Someone for a young lady to pine over, or perhaps for an elderly lady to dote upon, but not one to offer much in the way of conversation with a young, capable man such as himself. Perhaps he seemed a touch familiar, but these fashionable types often did, as they were often imitated.
Colin smiled apologetically at his mother.
“It’s quite alright, Mrs. Gearing. I make no boasts as to my abilities,” said Mr. Bass.
From the corner of his eye Colin caught a hint of movement. He glanced behind him.
Miss Sedley had entered the room alongside Mrs. Stone. Both were dressed head-to-toe in black, a striking and ominous sight. To add to the effect, both women pinned the group with cold, empty glares.
“But, I will allow,” Mr. Bass continued, raising his voice now so that nearly all in the room could hear, “that my skills in manifesting spirits and communing with the unknown are so well-regarded that I’ve held circles for counts in Italy, princes in Sweden, and innumerable other audiences both here and abroad,” he finished with a flourish.
“You’re a medium?” Colin turned to his mother, confused. “Mama?”
“Mr. Bass offered to demonstrate for us at quite the last moment,” Mrs. Gearing said guilelessly. “Who was I to refuse? I’m sure Mrs. Stone will be amenable to—”
“You!” A high-pitched, accusatory voice interrupted from behind them.
A hush fell over the room.
The petite Mrs. Stone made a beeline for Mr. Bass, and she stood before him in challenge, with Miss Sedley flanking her.
“Thaddeus Taggart Bass!” Mrs. Stone threw out the name as if each part were its own distinct insult. “How dare you beguile your way intomycircle, you odious blackguard?”
Across the room, Alice stifled an awkward giggle.
“Well met, Elsie,” said Mr. Bass coolly. “My goodness, it’s been an age, hasn’t it?”
“Mrs. Stone! So lovely for you to join us,” Mrs. Gearing said, gliding between the two mediums with her hands outstretched in the same manner as one deflating a brawl between lads in short pants. “Our circle really ought to be more promising with so many receptive individuals, don’t you agree?”
She guided the two closer together, and their voices quieted even as their postures and countenances betrayed the animosity simmering between them.
Colin had meant to listen for Mrs. Stone’s response, but his attention suddenly shifted to Miss Sedley, who remained a few strides behind the two mediums and his mother.
The room eased back into quiet conversation. Mr. Trenwith had returned and was smoothing a dark purple cloth over the large circular table at the end of the room. Some sort of oil was burning, or perhaps a candle, though the aroma was heavy and indulgent, unlike the usual faint hint of petroleum.
Miss Sedley looked more striking than when he had last seen her, done up in a black crepe gown, her black locks pinned back in elaborate fashion. Colin couldn’t help but study her, trying to determine what else was different. Her eyes seemed bigger, darker, and he couldn’t help but notice the line of her neck, and the way her jet earrings dangled from her small, delicate ears.
When she met his stare with a murderously cold expression, his heart skipped.
Oh no.She already knew him to be a vile sort, one who would throw foul language blithely about. And now his mother had gone and insulted Mrs. Stone, her mentor. That was it. He was afool born of fools, not a Gearing whose character was built upon integrity and honor. There was nothing playful or coy about this Miss Sedley; she was positively terrifying.
And yet, for some reason Colin couldn’t stop looking. He knew it was terribly rude. But the guilt and worry gnawed at his gut. If only he could make amends.
The urge to self-correct, to right the ship, fought valiantly within him. He ought to turn away and leave her be, and live with his humiliation forevermore. But for some reason he could not endure her scorn. He could not bear to be thought of so miserably.
He went over to her.
“I say, this is an awful bit of a blunder.”
Sir Colin Gearing smiled tentatively at her.
Charlotte did not respond. She looked back to Mrs. Stone, whose shoulders had slumped, the fight having gone out of her.
Drat.
How could this have happened? It had been nearly two years since Mrs. Stone had been asked to forfeit her membership in the quasi-respectable Society for Spectral Research—and that, of course, was unfair to begin with, the unintended consequence of speaking the truth and refusing to cow to persons in positions of authority. Why was she still finding herself usurped in this manner?
