When Madame Ophelia was seated at one of the chairs clustered around the central table, she nodded her thanks to him and gave the girls a suspicious glance. “I will trust you this once, but do not blame me if your lack of faith makes it impossible for me to contact the spirits.”

Mrs. Vanderslice was on her feet again, and she gave both Elizabeth and Anna a warning glare.

“If you have trouble, it won’t be because of us,” Elizabeth said as sweetly as she could manage. “I’m very anxious to hear from the spirits.”

“So am I,” Anna insisted.

“And so am I,” said Norman Lindhurst, “if they can tell me what horse to bet on at Belmont.”

That earned him a swat from his wife and a frown from Madame Ophelia.

“Maybe it’s Mr. Lindhurst’s skepticism you were feeling,” Elizabeth couldn’t resist saying.

“He is always making the jokes,” Madame Ophelia said. “Do not believe him.”

“Are you feeling all right now?” Mrs. Lindhurst asked her. “Do you think you are up to doing a sitting?”

Madame Ophelia heaved a great, weary sigh, but she said, “I cannot disappoint so many of you. I will try my best.”

They heard the front door opening and someone called, “Madame Ophelia?” in a rather urgent tone. Then a young woman appeared in the doorway, stopping short when she saw everyone standing around. “What’s going on?”

“Madame Ophelia fainted,” Mrs. Lindhurst said.

Now that her eyes were accustomed to the dimness, Elizabeth could see that Mrs. Lindhurst was a woman of about fifty, dressed in a conservative but expensive outfit. She had never been a beauty, and life had obviously caused her to scowl far too often, if the lines on her face were any indication.

“Fainted?” the young woman echoed in alarm. “Madame, are you all right?”

“I am fine,” she snapped. “Everyone must leave here while I prepare. Persephone, take care of everyone.”

“Of course, Madame,” the young woman who apparently bore the unlikely name of Persephone said. She looked to be no older than twenty, and her fashionable gown complemented her lithe figure. She was also apparently Madame’s assistant.

Persephone proceeded to escort everyone back into the front room, where she managed to collect their fees without the slightest awkwardness. “I’ll just go check to see if Madame is ready for you yet,” she said when she had finished.

When Persephone had closed the door behind her, Mrs. Lindhurst said to Mrs. Vanderslice, “You never should have brought so many new people all at once. You know how she is.”

“I only invited my daughter,” Mrs. Vanderslice said in dismay.

“It’s my fault,” Anna confessed. “I knew how excited Elizabeth would be to attend a séance.”

“And I insisted on coming along when Elizabeth told me about it,” Mother Bates said. “I hope we didn’t ruin everything.”