Chapter 18

eighteen

“ P awn to E4,” Jo called out from a raised platform as she overlooked the life-size chess board Mr. Tippett had created with painted wooden squares laid upon the grass.

Trudy bent with laughter as Patrick Fitzpatrick moved forward, a felt hat upon his head with a sphere at the top designed to look like a chess pawn. All around her, other players were bedecked in similar hats representing their positions. Crenelated turrets for the rooks, pointy-tipped domes for the bishops, crowns for the kings and queens. And on either side of her, knights Harlan Callaghan and his brother Clancy, with knit, stuffed horse heads above their own, attempted to prance yet remain within the confines of their designated squares.

“An interesting first move, my love,” Chase said sitting in the chair next to his wife on the platform. “I call pawn to C5.”

“Also interesting,” she responded, leaning forward in her seat as much as her rounded belly would allow. Next to her on a tiny, tufted stool, Poppy watched half-heartedly while trying to entice Sir Chester VonWhiskerton to chase a goose feather she’d found on the ground.

As the two opponents surveyed the board and called out their moves, Trudy stood next to Alex, him in a paper maché crown and her wearing a rather lovely—and authentic—tiara provided by Mrs. Roebuck, the cost of which could have funded a medical clinic for a year.

“I feel rather regal,” Alex said, smiling over at her. “I think I might wear this all the time.”

“It’s quite majestic,” Trudy replied, “Although, unlike mine, I suspect the jewels on your crown may be paste and the gold is most certainly gilded.”

“A shame.” He shook his head, making the crown wobble. “And here I was so certain it was worth a mint.”

“I think this tiara is. Perhaps I’ll forget to return it.”

“There you are, my boy,” Mr. Plank called out as he approached. “I have some new designs for you to consider when you have the time. I think you’ll be impressed.”

Alex nodded at him. “Excellent. I look forward to seeing them. I have some thoughts for you as well. Perhaps I can stop by your office later this afternoon? Before dinner?” He gestured to his surroundings. “As you can see, I’m somewhat occupied at the moment, ruling my fiefdom.”

“With a lovely queen by your side, I see,” Mr. Plank said, bowing to Trudy.

“Don’t let him dupe you, Mr. Plank. ’Tis I who rules this queendom.”

The men’s humor was evident as Mr. Plank responded, “I don’t doubt that for a moment, Dr. Hart. And thank you for seeing to Mrs. Culpepper’s issue. Without her in the kitchen there’d be no fanciful accoutrements to the evening meal.”

“My pleasure, Mr. Plank.”

“Rook to C5,” Chase called out.

“I’ll leave you to it, then,” Hugo said, turning to leave. “But Alex, when you come to my office, be sure to bring your brother.”

Alex tipped his crown at Mr. Plank as the long-legged gentleman strode away.

“Designs?” Trudy couldn’t resist asking. “Is Mr. Plank adding to the hotel?”

“Something like that but I fear I am currently sworn to secrecy. As soon as I’m able, I’ll tell you all about his latest endeavor.”

“Intriguing,” she said. “But before you meet with Mr. Plank, do you suppose we could take a moment once this game is finished and exchange our findings?” She lowered her voice for him alone and said, “My interaction with Mr. Gibson was most interesting.”

He nodded, and whispered back, “As was my encounter with Miss Watson, not to mention the subsequent conversation I had with Daisy.”

“Oh?” she said at his arched brow before glancing over at his sister. Daisy was queen for the opposing team and waved as she caught Trudy’s eye.

Trudy waved back as Alex added, “She has the most interesting notion about me requiring a séance to relieve me of a tethered spirit.”

“Oh, dear.” Her gaze moved from Daisy to Alex.

“Were you aware of this?” he asked.

“I was aware of her opinions. I didn’t bother to mention anything to you because that’s all it was. Her notions, not something suggested by anyone else.”

He nodded. “Nonetheless, I was compelled to bring her into my confidence. She knows our plans and would like to help.”

“You don’t seem eager for it.”

“Her intentions are good, but as you may have noticed she’s a bit excitable. I expressed our need for confidentiality and prudence but her association with a certain individual gives me pause.”

“Lorna?” Trudy mouthed her name, and he nodded.

“That same individual came up during my discussion with Mr. Gibson, but I’ll tell you more later.”

“Knight to B3,” Jo said causing Harlan to give a whoop of excitement.

He trotted to his new square, then turned back to grin at Lucy with merriment, causing her inevitable blush.

“Yonder knight seems on a quest,” Alex murmured.

“Yes, he does, doesn’t he.”

It did seem Mr. Callaghan had been appearing with some increasing regularity lately, but whether or not Lucy was pleased about it was yet to be revealed. Trudy had questioned her sister about this a few days ago, and while Lucy had remained evasive, there was a sparkle in her eye.

Of course, if there was a romance brewing, Breezy would not approve. Harlan Callaghan was a hotel employee, apparently born on this island with little interest in leaving it. Hardly a society match, but as Trudy observed Lucy’s slow smile at Harlan, she wondered if Breezy’s opinion would matter much, and she hoped it wouldn’t.

Meanwhile, Coco, in true Coco fashion, had recovered unscathed from her heartbreak over Alex’s rejection, as well as Ellis’s scavenger hunt chicanery. At present, she was wearing a bishop’s hat, and a making doe eyes at both Patrick Fitzpatrick as well as rook Andrew Bentley, a young engineer working for the Edison Illuminating Company in Detroit. Trudy wasn’t sure whether she should be concerned or relived by this current turn of events, and oh, how she wished her parents would arrive.

Dear Mother and Father,

For better or worse, Coco is once again on the hunt for a husband while Lucy is not so much on the hunt as she is the willing quarry. Poppy continues to enchant everyone with her precociousness, and Asher has formed an odd sort of kinship with Aunt Breezy. Possibly because nothing she says offends him, while nothing he does fails to offend her.

As for me? I’m standing next to a king and trying ever so hard not to notice how damnably handsome he is—even while wearing a paper maché crown.

“Shall we adjourn to the gazebo?” Alex asked Trudy once the chess match had ended in victory for Jo and all the players began to wander off for tea or other activities. Daisy was quick to join them as they walked the garden path leading to the wisteria-covered pavilion.

“I have some theories,” his sister said excitedly before they’d even sat down on the delicate benches.

“Perhaps we should review what transpired with Mr. Gibson and Miss Watson first,” Trudy said. “It may impact your views.”

Daisy nodded. “Very well, but they are excellent theories.”

“I’m sure they are,” Alex said, sitting down next to Trudy. “But let’s hear about Mr. Gibson first.”

Trudy glanced at Daisy and said, “Perhaps you should go first, Alex. What did you learn from Miss Watson?”

He shook his head in disappointment. “Unfortunately, not much that was useful. She did say a powerful spirit could move objects but that everything around it would likely show signs of the attempt, and that to pin a brooch inside a coat would potentially rend the fabric. She didn’t find it inconceivable, just unlikely. Of course, she also said anything is possible if a spirit’s will and emotions are strong enough.”

“Speaking of emotions,” Daisy added with a dramatic whisper, “she also said Alex had built a fortress around his.”

“Daisy,” Alex said tersely. “Must you be so exasperating?”

“I’m just trying to move things along,” she said. “It’s nearly teatime.”

“If you’ve someplace to be, please don’t let us keep you,” he said.

“Did you learn anything else, Alex?” Trudy interjected in an obvious attempt to keep things harmonious between him and his bothersome little sister.

“Miss Watson said I was free to visit her with more questions if I so chose.”

“After he’s lowered his defenses,” Daisy whispered with a grin.

He ignored her and spoke to Trudy instead. “So, then? Mr. Gibson?”

Trudy hesitated and stole another glance at his sister making Alex even more curious about what the clairvoyant had said.

“Daisy, come sit down, please,” Trudy said, patting the spot beside her on the bench. His sister complied and he wondered why she could be so agreeable with everyone except him.

“I know you’re close with Lorna,” Trudy said quietly. “And I know your brother has shared with you how imperative it is we keep this between the three of us, but I want to make sure you understand just how essential that is.”

“I do,” Daisy said, all hint of amusement gone from her expression. “Honestly, I do. I only want to help.”

“Very well.” Trudy looked over at Alex. “Mr. Gibson is of the opinion that phantoms can move any number of things within the confines of a space but doubts they could make physical items appear in new locations. But more importantly, I think, is what he said about Lorna.”

“Lorna?” Daisy said with surprise and Alex felt a strange twist in his gut, which grew more extreme as Trudy shared Mr. Gibson’s concern about powerful forces trapping Lorna in a complex web.

“Amazing,” Daisy said, eyes round with both fascination and concern as Trudy finished speaking. “That goes along perfectly with my theory.”

Alex felt certain he did not want to ask, and yet he did. “What theory is that?”

Daisy leaned toward them. “I told Trudy weeks ago I thought Isabella was the angry spirit trying to communicate through Lorna at Mr. Gibson’s demonstration but now I feel more confident than ever … I think Isabella is influencing Lorna’s actions, too.”

“Influencing her actions?” That twist in his gut did a full spin.

“Yes. If what Mr. Gibson says is true, it’s possible Lorna is placing those things for you to find, Alex, but she doesn’t even realize she’s doing it because it’s Izzy pulling her puppet strings.”

“That can’t be, Daisy,” Trudy said somberly. “Are you suggesting that Isabella is… possessing Lorna?”

“No, not possessing, exactly. Isabella isn’t with her all the time. She’s just making Lorna do things occasionally without her being aware. It’s as if Lorna is sleepwalking.”

“Sleepwalking,” Trudy said, looking back at Alex. “Or hypnotized.”