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sort of clergyman whose reputation rested on your insight into the
Christian faith. Again the pity and contempt struggled in his face.
If you took to looking for answers from women who spit up eggs
and cheesecloth and tell you it s ghosts, I should think you d be
looking to go as far away from home as possible. Personally, I d want
it to be another country! I m not surprised he came and went by the
garden door, and wouldn t even tell Miss Lamont his name.
Suddenly it was tragically clear to Pitt. It answered all the
anomalies of secrecy, evasion, and why he was so frightened of any-
one guessing his identity that he would not even name those spirits
he wanted to find. It was tragic, yet so fallible and, with a little
imagination, easily understood. He was an old man left bereaved of
all things he had loved. The final blow of his wife s death had been
too much for his balance. Even the strongest have a dark night of
the soul somewhere in the long journey of life.
Tellman was watching him, waiting for his response.
173
SOUTHAMPTON ROW
I ll go to see him, Pitt said unhappily. What s his name, and
where in Teddington does he live?
Udney Road, just a few hundred yards from the railway sta-
tion. London and South West Line, that is.
And his name?
Francis Wray, Tellman replied, watching Pitt s eyes.
Pitt thought of the cartouche with its bent letter inside the circle,
like a reversed f. Now he understood more of Tellman s unhappiness
and why he could not cast it aside, much as he would prefer to. I
see, he acknowledged.
Tellman opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again. There
really was nothing to say that they did not both know already.
What have your men found on the other clients? Pitt asked
after a moment or two.
Nothing very much, Tellman replied dourly. All kinds of
people; about the only thing they have in common is enough
money and time to spend chasing after signs of those already dead.
Some of them are lonely, some confused and needing to feel their
husband or father still knows what s going on and loves them. His
voice was getting lower and lower. A lot of them are just inter-
ested, looking for a bit of excitement, want to be entertained. No-
body has a grudge worth doing something about.
Did you learn anything about the other ones who came
through the garden door from Cosmo Place?
No. There was a flicker of resentment in his eyes. Don t
know any way of finding them. Where would we begin?
About how much did Maude Lamont earn for this?
Tellman s eyes were wide. About four times as much as I do,
even with promotion!
Pitt knew exactly what Tellman would earn. He could imagine
the volume of business Maude Lamont could take if she worked
four or five days a week. That is still rather less than running that
house must have cost her, and maintaining a wardrobe like hers.
Blackmail? Tellman said without hesitation. His face tight-
ened to a mask of disgust. It isn t enough she dupes them, she has
174
ANNE PERRY
to make them pay for silence over their secrets? He was not look-
ing for any answer, he simply needed to find words for his bitter-
ness. There are some people who look to be murdered so hard it
makes you wonder how they escaped it before!
It doesn t make any difference to the fact that we must find out
who killed her, Pitt said quietly. The fact of murder cannot go
unanswered. I wish I could say that justice would always visit every
act fairly and apportion punishment or mercy as it was deserved. I
know it won t. It will be mistaken in both directions. But allowing
private vengeance, or escape from anything except threat to life,
would be the gateway to anarchy.
I know! Tellman said curtly, angry with Pitt for pointing out
to him the helplessness he already understood quite clearly, as if he
could not have found the words so easily to express it.
Anything more from the maid? Pitt ignored his tone.
Nothing helpful. Seems a sensible sort of woman on the whole,
but I think she may know more about those séances and how they
were rigged than she s telling us. Had to. She was the only one
close. All the other staff, cook and laundress and gardener, all
came in by the day and were gone before the private sessions ever
began.
Unless she was equally deceived? Pitt suggested.
She s a sensible woman, Tellman argued, his voice sharper as
he repeated himself. She wouldn t be taken in by tricks like pedals
and mirrors and oil of phosphorous, all that kind of thing.
Most of us have a tendency to believe what we want to, Pitt
replied. Especially if it matters very much. Sometimes the need is
so great we don t dare disbelieve, or it would break our dreams, and
without them we die. Sense has little to do with it. It is survival.
Tellman stared at him. He seemed on the point of arguing
again, then he changed his mind and remained silent. It obviously
had not occurred to him that Lena Forrest might also have doubts
and loves, people now dead who were woven into the meaning of
her life. He flushed very faintly at his omission, and Pitt liked him
the better for it.
175
SOUTHAMPTON ROW
Pitt stood up slowly. I ll go and see this Mr. Wray, he said.
Teddington! I suppose Maude Lamont was good enough to bring
someone all the way from Teddington to Southampton Row?
Tellman did not answer.
Pitt wasted no time thinking about how to approach the Reverend
Francis Wray when he should find him. It was going to be wretched
no matter what he said. It was best to do it before apprehension
made him clumsier and even more artificial.
He made his way to the railway station and enquired about the
best route to Teddington, and was told that he would have to
change trains, but that the next train to begin his journey was due
to leave in eleven minutes. He purchased a through ticket, thanked
the man, and went to get a newspaper from the vendor at the en-
trance. Most of the space was taken up with election issues and the
usual virulent cartoons. He did notice an advertisement for the up-
coming exhibition of costermongers ponies and donkeys to be held
at the People s Palace in Mile-End Road in a couple of weeks time.
On the platform with him were two elderly women and a family
obviously on a day out. The children were excited, hopping up and
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