Velvet (21 page)

‘I’m happy I was able to be of help,’ Madame said. When the audience grew quieter, she tore open the envelope and read out the woman’s question: ‘
Did my aunt mean me to have her emerald pendant?
’

This received more clapping and an amount of cheering.

The next question Madame answered was from a gentleman who didn’t know whether to propose to his young lady or not, and then came one from a woman who suspected that a member of her family was stealing from her. As the evening went on, Velvet continued to lead the approbation, but could not stop thinking about the first questioner. It was certainly very puzzling and very odd.

It was some days before she plucked up the courage to ask George if it was just a coincidence that the same young woman had started the questions on two occasions.

George hesitated for some time before he answered. ‘Yes,’ he said, ‘probably just a coincidence.’

‘But wasn’t it strange that she didn’t admit to having asked a question before? Especially as Madame specifically asked her if she had.’

‘Oh well, perhaps she thought she would only be allowed to ask one thing.’

‘And how could it happen that she was the very first to be answered once more?’

George shrugged. ‘Who knows, who knows,’ he said dismissively. ‘Madame will probably explain it to you some time.’

Velvet, sure that there must be more to it than she’d been told, couldn’t bring herself to question George any further in case he became cross – and she certainly didn’t dare to ask Madame anything. Besides, it had already occurred to her that she might not want to find out the truth about Madame. She decided, therefore, that she must put the matter out of her mind.

Madame Savoya's Third Private Sitting with ‘Mrs Lilac'

 

 

T
he usual greetings and salutations having been exchanged, Mrs Lilac sat down opposite Madame and permitted George to administer the rug.

‘How have you been faring, my dear Mrs Lilac?' Madame asked.

‘I've been very well, considering,' replied Mrs Lilac. ‘And I'm feeling somewhat easier in my mind since I've been able to speak to Mother through you.' She looked around her a little fearfully, as if she thought that lady was lurking nearby, hidden somewhere. ‘It suits me to come here to speak to her rather than have you . . .' she laughed nervously ‘. . . spirit her up at home, so to speak.'

Madame nodded. ‘She was a strong woman, your mother. Nothing daunted her, did it? Not even death.'

‘Not even death,' Mrs Lilac echoed. She lowered her voice. ‘I do adore her jewellery, but I'm only wearing a little cheap amethyst brooch today because wearing the larger stuff seems to really set her off.'

‘Ah, yes, the jewellery,' Madame said, and a look flashed between her and George. ‘If you don't mind, I won't discuss your mother's jewellery with you. I know she's adamant that you shouldn't keep it, but I'd rather not be involved in your decision either way.'

‘That's really gracious of you,' said Mrs Lilac. ‘It's been a difficult task trying to make a decision about it. So
very
valuable, you see. I think – hope – that she'll be happy with what I've decided.'

Madame waited for Mrs Lilac to continue speaking and then, when she did not, closed her eyes briefly. ‘Do you wish me to go into trance now?'

‘Please do.' Mrs Lilac's expression was nervous, that of someone who was putting a brave face on things.

Madame closed her eyes and seemed to speak to several people before getting through to Mrs Lilac's mother. At one time she said, ‘I'm so sorry. You're not the lady whose daughter I have here. Please allow her mother through . . .'

Mrs Lilac swallowed. ‘I do hope she won't be in a bad mood.'

‘If she is, you can rely on Madame to treat her with the utmost delicacy,' George whispered.

Another few moments went by and then a stern voice said, ‘Fuss and bother, fuss and bother! Is that you, Esther?'

‘It is, Mother,' Mrs Lilac answered up quickly.

‘What do you want this time?'

‘Just to converse with you, Mother,' Mrs Lilac quavered, ‘and to know that you're quite well.'

‘There is no well-being over here. You're either here, or you're not.
Well
doesn't come into it.'

‘I hope you're content, then. And I want to tell you what I've decided to do about your jewellery.'

There came a sniff. ‘I see you're not wearing anything valuable today.'

‘No. I've taken to heart what you told me about its magnetism pulling me to the Other Side, and so I've stopped wearing it. It's all in your big leather jewellery case at home.'

‘Good. I'm very glad to hear it.'

‘And I've made up my mind to do what you've asked me to do: I will give it all away. Apart from the sapphire necklace, that is. I'm rather fond of that.'

‘The sapphire necklace! Sapphires have the strongest magnetism of all. Utterly lethal, they are.'

Mrs Lilac sighed. ‘Do you want me to give away everything, then? Every single piece of jewellery that you owned?'

‘Well, there's not much point in half measures. As I've told you before, jewels mean nothing in the world over here. It's the light from one's soul that is important, not tricking yourself out in gee-gaws.'

‘Yes, Mother.'

‘So, are you donating my jewels to the spiritualist church?'

‘No. I've thought long and hard about it, Mother, and I want the money raised from their sale to go to Runnymede, the nursing home where you spent your last months.'

There came a scream. ‘Not that place! Not that wicked prison you consigned me to. It's a hellhole!'

‘Such language, Mother!' said Mrs Lilac. ‘Runnymede is a perfectly pleasant place. They were very patient with you when you used to go wandering about, and didn't even mind too much when you threw your meals across the room. They need the money to build a sun room and –'

‘Oh!' The exclamation was from Madame and a pause followed. ‘I'm afraid your mother's gone, Mrs Lilac,' she said then. ‘She just disappeared.'

‘What?'

Madame looked about her in a bemused manner. ‘Was there an exchange of ideas between you? She seemed most displeased.'

‘A slight disagreement, certainly,' George said.

Mrs Lilac sighed, looking defeated. ‘I suppose it was my fault, telling her I was giving all the proceeds from her jewellery to Runnymede.' She looked from Madame to George imploringly. ‘I know she wanted the money to go to the church, but spiritualism is such a new thing for me, and Runnymede has been going for years and is badly in need of funding, so I thought that would be the sensible thing to do.' Here she broke down and Madame handed her a lace-edged handkerchief. After a moment she said, ‘Can you get her back again, please?'

Madame said, ‘I don't know. I'm very tired now – your mother has such a strong character that it exhausts me when she comes through.'

‘But if Madame can get her back, what would you say?' George asked. ‘How would you improve the situation?'

‘Oh, I'll let her have her own way,' Mrs Lilac said, a look of patient resignation on her face. ‘She was selfish all her life and seems likely to continue to be so after death. I don't know why I thought things might change.'

‘So do you intend to follow your mother's wishes and give the jewellery into the care of the church?' Madame asked, choosing her words carefully.

Mrs Lilac shrugged. ‘If I'm not able to wear the jewellery because of the magnetism then it doesn't really matter what happens to it, and if that's what she wants . . .'

There was a pause. ‘Shall I advise you on how to proceed, in that case?' Madame enquired.

Mrs Lilac sighed and nodded, a defeated woman.

‘I'll speak to your mother – I'll do my absolute best to get through to her – and tell her of your change of heart, whilst George here helps you draw up a legal Deed of Transfer. You'll then be able to pass all your mother's wealth to the church, with me as a go-between.'

‘Very well,' Mrs Lilac said. ‘And I suppose they may as well have the sapphires, too – and even this little amethyst.' She unpinned the purple brooch, put it on the small table and gave a sigh. ‘Then do you think she'll be pleased with what I've done?'

‘My dear Mrs Lilac, I'm sure that she will,' Madame said, and she gave Mrs Lilac's hand a comforting squeeze.

Chapter Thirteen

In Which Two Young Ladies Attend a Séance

Velvet caught Lizzie’s eye and gave her the trace of a smile. What a night
this
was turning out to be. Not only were they the youngest – and perhaps the prettiest – girls in the room, but they had been toasted with champagne by two well-dressed young gentlemen who seemed very keen to further their acquaintance. And, Velvet thought, even though she was mad about George, it did a girl the power of good to know that when one raised one’s eyes there was a gentleman standing opposite, all ready to give her a flirtatious wink.

Velvet and Lizzie were attending an evening of mediumship at the villa of Mrs Eusapia Palladino, who had rented a house in Chelsea for the season. Madame Savoya, anxious to know what her rival was up to, had asked Velvet to attend and suggested that she take a friend with her. Together they were to act the part of two young ladies attending their first séance – and as long as they acted modestly and kept their voices down, Velvet hoped they could pass as such.

It was mostly, she thought, those at the very peak of sophisticated society who attended Mrs Palladino’s evenings. Hardly anyone behaved as if they were bereaved, and the evening of mediumship seemed born less of a desire to contact the Other Side and more of a wish for a congenial evening of gossip. Whilst waiting to go into the main room, Velvet and Lizzie heard several scandalous rumours about the new king and his mistresses, some fears voiced about the Whitechapel Murderer and whether he might, even now, strike again, and the latest news on the utterly amazing feats of Harry Houdini.

Lizzie had been eager to come with her and even more eager to borrow one of Velvet’s outfits for the occasion. That afternoon, Madame and George both being busy at an accountant’s office, the two girls had had a high time trying on gowns and hats and mantles in Velvet’s room. Velvet had ended up in her clover-pink outfit; Lizzie was wearing watered silk in a pretty pale green.

The first thing Velvet had wanted to do on meeting her friend that afternoon was to dispel any awkwardness about the situation regarding Charlie. Once Lizzie had been taken on a tour of Darkling Villa and gasped admiringly at everything, Velvet began discreetly with ‘I know you’re probably walking out regularly with Charlie now, but –’

Lizzie had interrupted her with a sigh. ‘We’re not really,’ she said. ‘In fact, not at all. Since he moved to his new beat I’ve hardly seen him.’

Velvet stopped, surprised. She’d been about to say, in as open and generous a way as possible, that – as far as she was concerned – it was quite all right for Lizzie to continue seeing Charlie and she shouldn’t feel in the least bit bad about it.

‘I don’t know why he doesn’t visit now,’ Lizzie continued with another sigh. ‘Pa says it’s because he’s doing shift work, but Ma says he only ever came round to talk about you.’

‘Oh!’ said Velvet. She realised she should have felt irritated by this news but, strangely, only felt pleased.

‘Have you not seen him either?’

Velvet shook her head. ‘Hardly. Apart from when he came round to see George.’

‘That’s what you wanted, though, isn’t it? For him to leave you alone?’

After a moment, Velvet nodded. ‘It
is
what I wanted. Although I hoped we could remain friends.’

‘George, though! What a catch for a girl. Has he declared himself?’

Velvet hesitated another moment. ‘Not exactly, but I think he loves me.’ She bit her lip. She wasn’t sure of this; how was a girl supposed to know without being told? She loved him, of course. Yes, she was almost certain that she loved him.

‘There! We are both unsure about these young men, aren’t we?’ Lizzie said. Then she added (for she had just read a desperately sad love story in a magazine), ‘The path to love is a stony one, is it not?’

‘It is,’ Velvet agreed, and then looked at Lizzie trying on a fur hood back to front so that it covered her face, and they both dissolved into giggles.

When Eusapia Palladino entered the room where the séance was to be held, Velvet knew that Madame would be pleased to have it confirmed that her rival was no beauty, but a sturdy, rather homely-faced woman. She was dressed in one of that season’s newest fashions – a gown with huge lace-bedecked puffed sleeves – which unfortunately made her look even more sturdy. She took her place at a large round table and gestured for everyone – fourteen people in total – to join her.