Haunted Hearts

6

Rufus stared at Roderick sitting across from him at his desk and repeated, "She wrote a list about me?"

"Shall I recite your five flaws again?" Roderick replied with a chuckle.

"No," Rufus scoffed. "Once was enough." He sighed and shook his head, "She's perceptive, your sister."

"I did warn you."

"No, you told me she could discern a deception better than a pig could sniff out truffles."

Roderick grinned and lifted his shoulders in a shrug, "And in your case, she did."

Rufus relaxed in his chair and crossed his left ankle on his right knee. "Ah, yes, flaw number one."

"What exactly did you lie about?" Roderick quietly asked. "She only mentioned a little of what transpired with Madame Calvert toward you and Lord Emerson."

Memories of last night flashed within Rufus's mind, bringing with them the feeling of the room closing in. He wanted to escape, to go somewhere far away from the living and dead, if such a place existed. But not for forever, just long enough to remember what it was like to be an ordinary person.

Instead, he remained stuck in his study with Roderick and two new ghosts who'd made an appearance early this morning but refused to tell him their names or what brought them to his door.

Judging by the quality cut to their clothing, both men were well-to-do; however, something about them made him believe it was doubtful they belonged to the ton.

Bankers or tradesmen, he thought as he watched them. And until they started talking, Rufus could only imagine what might have happened for them to end up deceased and wandering the confines of his study.

All he could do was hope and pray they weren't planning on becoming permanent fixtures. He flicked one last glance at them pacing near the window, then returned his attention to Roderick and answered his question. "Your sister inquired if there had been any truth to the whole spectacle, and I told her she'd managed one or two lucky guesses."

Roderick studied him in silence, then clucked his tongue and shook his head, "No, it would have had to have been more than that for Elphi to accuse you of lying."

After a moment, Rufus reluctantly added, "I may or may not have said that I believed Madame Calvert was nothing more than an actress hired for the night."

"There it is," Roderick laughed. "Elphi is damned perceptive, isn't she? I don't know how she does it."

She was a damned nuisance, is what she was, Rufus silently corrected, and he was already regretting taking on her case.

"So, tell me then," Roderick said as he leaned forward in his chair, his gaze focused on Rufus, "do you think this Madame Calvert was a bonafide spiritualist? Elphi said she mentioned the boating accident."

Rufus swallowed. Yes, he thought she was. But he couldn't tell that to Roderick anymore than he could admit it outright to Elphi. "Someone could have told her."

"We are the only two people alive in all of England who knew about it."

"That we know of."

Roderick arched a brow.

Rufus arched one back. "Lady Sanham also supposedly didn't share our identities with her, but Madame Calvert knew mine, Lady Hickling, and Lord Emerson's as though she'd known us all her life."

"What else?"

"Nothing worth mentioning," Rufus murmured, "utter dribble."

"Such as?"