"No!" A multiplicity of children"s voices issued from my mouth and began to chant the same round of names I had been mumbling for days.
Shocked witless only for a moment, the doctor then raised the scissors he held, hoping to silence the rising din with a stab wound to my heart.
A short, sharp burst of energy shot forth from my restrained body. The force of the charge knocked the doctor to the floor as my hair flew out around my head.
"You are possessed!" Horrified, Rosen scrambled to his feet, but before he could make for the tower door an unseen force took hold of him and guided him to the desk. The doctor took up a pen and began to draw a map, which took some time to complete. "What is this?" he cried. On another piece of paper he scribbled a few words that distressed him even more. "No! Don"t kill me. I shall die soon enough!" The force controlling the doctor slowly swirled into a powerful whirlwind that set Rosen spinning-faster and faster.
As surgical instruments began to vibrate around the surgery, beginning to be sucked into the whirlwind, Damian decided it was time for us to depart the tower. You have visitors, You have visitors, he informed me as we pa.s.sed through the tower door. he informed me as we pa.s.sed through the tower door.
I do? do? The news raised my spirits, but it did not abate my concern. The news raised my spirits, but it did not abate my concern. They"re going to kill him, aren"t they? They"re going to kill him, aren"t they? In my heart I could feel the hatred and fear emanating from all sides. In my heart I could feel the hatred and fear emanating from all sides. It is not the right resolution. Until his dis-ease is corrected, death will not make him repent. It is not the right resolution. Until his dis-ease is corrected, death will not make him repent.
My death brought about my repentance, death brought about my repentance, Damian pointed out as we descended the stairs. I Damian pointed out as we descended the stairs. I had to find a way out of my torment and so will he. You shall be of far more benefit to this world, Miss Granville, and so it was right that you were spared from this man. had to find a way out of my torment and so will he. You shall be of far more benefit to this world, Miss Granville, and so it was right that you were spared from this man. Do Do not question why the Almighty saw fit for you to render this service to those unhappy ghosts today, but know that your soul is as free of blame as it ever was. not question why the Almighty saw fit for you to render this service to those unhappy ghosts today, but know that your soul is as free of blame as it ever was.
I was delighted to encounter my father, Nanny Beat, Lord Cavandish, and a n.o.ble lady, on the stairway, trying to force their way past an asylum guard.
Who is the lady with my father? I pointed to the unfamiliar woman, for her light-body was more beautiful and developed than any other person I"d ever encountered. I pointed to the unfamiliar woman, for her light-body was more beautiful and developed than any other person I"d ever encountered.
That is my aunt, the Dowager Countess Cavandish, my guide was pleased to impart. my guide was pleased to impart. She is one of the most acclaimed psychics in Europe and your future tutor. She is one of the most acclaimed psychics in Europe and your future tutor.
Really? I forgot my woes, overjoyed by the prospect of meeting another psychic, let alone being tutored by one. I forgot my woes, overjoyed by the prospect of meeting another psychic, let alone being tutored by one.
"You can"t go up to the doctor"s surgery unannounced." The guard spread his arms wide to block the stairway.
"Does Dr Rosen have something to hide?" the stately Dowager Countess queried.
"Surgery is sometimes a b.l.o.o.d.y business and no place for ladies." ladies." The large guard leered down at them, and his vantage point on the stairs made him seem more imposing. The large guard leered down at them, and his vantage point on the stairs made him seem more imposing.
"There had better not be any blood," threatened my father. "That"s my daughter Rosen has up there."
The men again tried to push their way past the guard, without success.
"Have it your way." Father punched the huge fellow in the jaw. A punch to the stomach and another to the back of his head sent the guard flying.
"Good show, Granville," Lord Cavandish commented, protecting the ladies as the guard fell down the stairs. "Your boxing days at Oxford weren"t entirely wasted."
"Pardon the spectacle." Father made haste to the tower and entered.
By the time the rest of the party reached the tower door, my father had returned to the doorway to block it. "Ladies, I would advise you to go no further."
Nanny Beat gasped, fit for tears. "Mistress Ashlee?"
"I"ll let you know." My father"s even tone cautioned her to be calm.
Lord Cavandish followed my father inside, as did the Dowager Countess Cavandish, whereby my father felt he must insist.
"My dear woman-"
"Whatever is in there, Lord Granville, I can a.s.sure you I have seen infinitely worse," the Dowager Countess said briskly. "I believe my line of work makes me more qualified to deal with the macabre than either of you two gentlemen."
"My aunt has a valid point," said Lord Cavandish, supporting his aunt"s plea, even as he looked over his shoulder at the dead man lying on the floor with all manner of surgical instruments extruding from his body. "Kings and dukes have consulted Aunt Charlotte on many delicate matters. It might be advisable to do the same in this instance."
My father relented, opening the door only wide enough for the Dowager Countess to enter and then closed it behind them, leaving Nanny Beat to pace in the dim stairwell.
What has happened? I very much wanted to hug my poor Nanny and rea.s.sure her. I very much wanted to hug my poor Nanny and rea.s.sure her.
All is well, advised my celestial guardian. advised my celestial guardian. You"ll see. You"ll see.
I awoke to see many worried faces lighten in relief; even my father seemed pleased to see me. He asked me how I was feeling. Did I remember anything?
"I remember being taken to Dr Rosen"s tower," I replied, rather more unshaken than everyone had expected. My father seemed broken by this news.
"Can you tell us what happened after that, Miss Granville?" A new face was looming over the top of those of my father, Nanny Beat and Lord Cavandish.
"This is Constable Forester," my father explained. "He is here to investigate what took place in Dr Rosen"s surgery this afternoon."
The constable"s presence was most comforting to me and to the troubled spirits still hovering close by, waiting for an end to their plight; here was someone willing and able to investigate this tragedy.
I related to the constable how I had been taken to the tower and strapped to a table-just as if I"d been conscious the entire time. "Dr Rosen had been threatening to give me a private private consultation, ever since we met." consultation, ever since we met."
"And did he examine you?" the constable asked.
"No." My reply brought much joy to my gathered friends. "The news of his imminent death had Dr Rosen preoccupied. He was consumed with fear for his eternal soul." I did as I"d been taught was best-I lied. It was surprising how easily the fabrication fell out of my mouth, almost as if it had been scripted and rehea.r.s.ed. "The doctor said that he had an unnatural obsession with children and that he had murdered any of his patients who resisted his advances."
My audience gasped and their faces became pale and shocked again, but not the constable.
"Do you have any proof to substantiate these grave allegations?"
"Indeed." The ghostly children had left a psychic memory, an impression in my mind, to let me know where the evidence lay. "Dr Rosen left a map of the asylum graveyard."
The young constable held up a piece of paper upon which there were drawn many squares, some crossed through and some not.
I nodded. "The Xs mark where Dr Rosen"s victims lie. You"ll find all of them have a broken neck. Check the medical records, for that was not their reported cause of death."
"What happened after the doctor confessed to you?" The constable was having trouble digesting my explanation. How to avoid the evident conclusion that the doctor had butchered himself in a fit of madness?
"Dr Rosen made me take some medication and I fell asleep," I concluded neatly.
The constable thought over my words.
"Well, thank you for your a.s.sistance, Miss Granville." He scratched his cheek as he considered the nightmarish investigation he was facing and how it might best be avoided. "Lord Suffolk, if I could have a word with you outside." My father agreed and followed Forester into the corridor.
I had been placed in one of the asylum"s private rooms, which was much more presentable than the one I"d spent the past few days in.
"I was so worried, Mistress." Nanny finally got to express her relief at my good health, and caressed my hand affectionately.
"How did you get papa to come?" As Nanny was the only one who cared if I lived or died, I a.s.sumed it must have been her prompting that brought my father to my rescue, though I couldn"t imagine how.
"Not I." Nanny motioned to Lord Cavandish, who was standing close by.
I smiled as the Earl of Derby came forward and bowed graciously to me, then knelt at my bedside and took my hand in his.
"My dear Miss Granville. I am completely in your debt for the lives of my family and the future of my peerage. After rescuing my family, I returned to Suffolk to thank you in person, only to discover that you had been punished for your actions on my behalf. Upon realising his error, your father agreed to accompany me at once to see to your release."
My smile broadened as I noticed the heaviness had lifted from the earl"s heart. "You also have your brother to thank for your deliverance, my lord, for it was only his persistent desire to make amends that has removed the knife from your heart."
"It is true," he conceded. "However, my brother had a great deal of help from you. And I fully intend to reward you." The earl stood. "May I introduce my aunt, the Dowager Countess Cavandish."
And so it was that I met the most important influence on my young life.
"It is an honour..." I attempted to raise myself, but could not.
"Relax, my dear Miss Granville." There was a trace of some European accent in her velvet voice. "You have had a big big day." day."
"But I have so much I want to ask you," I appealed. "The late Damian Cavandish told me that you were the greatest psychic on the Continent."
My claim drew laughter from the Dowager Countess. "What a delight you are, child," she said, and clasped her hands over her heart.
"It"s true," I insisted. "He said that you were to be my tutor."
The Dowager Countess Cavandish suppressed her delight. "Would that please you?"
"It would be a dream come true, but-" I looked at Nanny Beat.
"Your servant would remain in your service, of course." The countess addressed our unspoken fear. "You would both have to move to Neith Manor, the Cavandish estate in Dumfries, of course. My nephew has persuaded me against returning to Europe, and has offered me our Dumfries residence to attend to the education of his daughter, Miss Susan Cavandish. In grat.i.tude for your service, Lord Cavandish wishes to offer you the same education as his own daughter, who is only a year younger than yourself."
Another child my own age to a.s.sociate with! I could hardly contain my delight. When I further considered the Dowager Countess" credentials, I could not believe fortune would favour me so. "Papa will never agree."
"Miss Granville, our meeting is no coincidence," the lady told me. "Rest your troubled mind, child...leave the convincing to me."
As I suspected, Father would not accept Lord Cavandish"s gift, even at the risk of offending the earl. Besides being an expert in psychic learning, the Dowager Countess Cavandish knew Greek, Latin, French, Italian and even a little Hebrew. She was knowledgeable in mathematics, history, natural sciences and geography and she was very cultured when it came to the social graces such as dancing and music, both vocal and instrumental. Not to mention that she was a d.a.m.n fine shot, although the Dowager Countess Cavandish preferred to hunt game than fox. Under different circ.u.mstances my father would have paid handsomely for such a private tutor for his daughter, but he was a stubborn man.
Once I had returned home to Suffolk, however, the Dowager Countess Cavandish and the Earl of Derby visited our manor to appeal my father"s decision. As fate would have it, Constable Forester arrived that same day to report to my father the findings of his investigation. As Father"s guests had been intimately involved with the incident, it seemed fitting that they remain present to hear the constable"s brief.
"It is the opinion of our undertaker that all the wounds suffered by Dr Rosen were so angled as to have been self-inflicted," Forester said. "Dr Rosen"s personal physician confirmed that the old man was indeed dying. As the surgery tower is guarded and alternative access is impossible, we are satisfied with the Honourable Miss Granville"s account of the facts. We find suicide is the probable cause of death in this instance. The case is now closed, and I shall take up no more of your time. I bid you all a good day." The constable retreated to the door.
"One moment, Constable Forester." The Dowager Countess Cavandish stood up to pursue the conversation, causing the gentlemen in her company to also rise to their feet. "What is being done to investigate the cause cause of Dr Rosen"s suicide?" of Dr Rosen"s suicide?"
The constable drew a deep breath; he"d obviously hoped to avoid that topic. "In order to exhume a body I must first have the family"s permission. I do not feel it proper to add to the grief of these families by explaining that we suspect their child was indecently abused and murdered! The doctor can do no more harm, so I think it better that this case is closed."
All at once, there was knocking coming from everywhere: the walls, furniture, windows and floor. An invisible angry mob had stormed the room and their protest was deafening. The twin doors to the sitting room burst open wide and I stood motionless in the hall. The hammering stopped dead.
"You tell them!" I demanded of the constable, storming into the room to argue against his decision. "You tell those lords and ladies that they abandoned their problem children to an existence of torment!" I was bordering on the hysterical. I couldn"t control the angry words spouting from my mouth. "You tell them how their children were raped and murdered by that disgusting pervert! Their deaths were never questioned, only welcomed by all involved."
My father didn"t care what I"d been through; he wasn"t going to tolerate such vulgar talk from his daughter. "That"s quite enough!" He grabbed my shoulder, only to receive an electric shock upon contact, which cast him clear across the room.
"What the...?" Constable Forester backed away from me as I turned my wrathful gaze back to him.
"Miss Granville, you are being used," Lady Cavandish intervened. "Serving as a psychic channel can be most beneficial to others, but it is hardly a worthwhile practice if the service proves to be to your own detriment. You have done all you can for these children-"
"No, the truth will be buried!" I protested.
"If the constable does not see fit to investigate, then you and I shall write an article to every major publication in the country, advising them of the whole affair." The countess glanced at the constable to note whether he was concerned at the threat. "But I shall only a.s.sist these children if they first agree to vacate your presence and leave you in peace. They may pester me, if they so wish," she concluded with a smile, which I eventually returned.
Waves of energy began to disperse from my body, one for every child, and these could only have been seen by the naked eye as wee bursts of air that left my hair and clothes billowing. As the last of the ent.i.ties departed my form I felt substantially weakened. My knees went from beneath me and I collapsed to the floor.
Lord Cavandish, having a.s.sisted my father back to his feet, quickly came forward to scoop my body up and place it on the lounge. I hadn"t blacked out, but I allowed my eyelids to droop so that the adults would not think me conscious enough to overhear their discussion.
"So," Lady Cavandish queried Forester, "what are your intentions, constable? Are you going to pursue this matter, or shall I?"
"Perhaps suicide was a rather hasty diagnosis, judging from what I have just witnessed," Forester retorted. Lord Cavandish did not take kindly to the constable"s inference.
"Are you implying that this extraordinary young woman was responsible for Dr Rosen"s death?" The lord approached the constable to obtain an answer.
"All things considered, I must concede the possibility," Forester affirmed.
"If you choose to take that route, when the road to justice is so clearly laid out before you, then I a.s.sure you that I shall take this matter straight to His Majesty, the King! So, you had best make sure that you have your facts in order."
The constable found it hard to keep the grin from his face, for King George IV was notorious for shirking his royal duty in favour of drink and women, and was immensely unpopular in the House of Lords. "I feel sure His Royal Highness would not concern himself with such an obscure matter as this." The constable let the lord know he was not to be bullied.
"Think again," Lord Cavandish snapped. "There is nothing His Majesty abhors more than injustice and bloodshed! And I can a.s.sure you, Constable Forester, that His Highness will not take kindly to learning that an investigation into the horrid deaths of so many innocents has been neglected in favour of the persecution of yet another innocent!"
"There is a very simple way to resolve whether or not this investigation is worth pursuing." Countess Cavandish stepped in to avert the unpleasantness. "Have you spoken with the other children at the asylum who were in Dr Rosen"s care?"
"Those children are in an asylum for a reason," the constable pointed out. "Their testimonies are hardly permissible."
"You already know the simple truth of the matter and still you would ignore it."
"There is nothing simple about the truth of this matter." The constable was determined to get his own way. "The only chance I see to ensure that the Honourable Miss Granville is not implicated in the murder of Dr Rosen is if this case remains closed." closed."
"Agreed." My father was fed up with the entire affair. What other people chose to do with their offspring was entirely their business and not his burden to bear. "I thank you for taking the time to deliver your findings to this house, Constable Forester."
The constable nodded to confirm they had an understanding. "I shall see myself out. Good day."
LESSON 3.
FRIENDSHIP.
"Oh, my G.o.d! This is so tragic." Susan sat on my bed, her attention absorbed in one of my old diaries. "So the whole ugly affair was just forgotten?"