“Fifteen minutes?” Princess Charlotte turned to us again. “You do want to know who killed poor Cedric?”

“I want to know who tried to kill me,” Irene said. “I’ll come.”

I hesitated, not really wanting to follow, but half intrigued after what had happened last time. Belinda was standing beside me. “Are you going to this séance? I think it will be ripping fun. Do you think Cedric’s spirit will really make an appearance?”

“You weren’t here for the last one,” I said. “It was really quite creepy. The Ouija board spelled out ‘death’ and we heard ghostly laughter.”

Darcy gave me a sharp look. “Do you think someone was playing games with you?”

“You mean it was entirely coincidence that a real death occurred the next day?”

Darcy smiled. “Let’s just say I don’t believe in spirits.”

“So you won’t come and see for yourself?”

“I didn’t say that. As Belinda said, it might be ripping fun.”

It seemed that everyone else was equally curious to see whether Cedric’s spirit would put in an appearance. We all made our way down the corridor to Lady Hortense’s sitting room, site of the last séance. The heavy drapes were closed and the piano covered with a black drape. Chairs were arranged around a small table also draped with a black cloth. A lone, black candle stood on it, along with the Ouija board.

Princess Charlotte was already seated at the table. Her black-lace shawl was now over her head, hanging down around her face. She motioned for us to join her. We sat. I noticed that Belinda had an expectant smile on her face. Irene looked tense. I could understand that. I’m sure I would have felt equally expectant and scared if I thought that my attacker might be revealed.

“Please turn out the light,” Charlotte said. Darcy got up to do so and the room was plunged into near darkness with just the one flickering candle. I hadn’t noticed before but the storm had picked up again. I could hear the wind sighing through the chimney, adding to the atmosphere in the room. I could feel my heart thumping loudly.

“Hold hands,” Charlotte instructed.

We did. It was comforting to feel Darcy’s hand squeezing mine. On the other side of me, Belinda was trembling a little now.

“Oh spirits who have gone beyond, we call upon you now,” Charlotte said in dramatic tones. “We call upon you to right a wrong, to bring us to truth.” A long silence, and I could almost imagine that I heard distant whispering. “Spirits, we call upon you to find our murdered nephew, Cedric, and bring him to us.” Another long silence, then she said, “I sense a presence. Cedric—are you out there? Can you hear us?”

No voice answered but a big gust of wind came down the chimney, making the candle flicker alarmingly.

“Speak to us, Cedric.”