It was only a matter of time, thought Mina, before everyone she knew, perhaps everyone in Brighton, took leave of their senses and saw ghosts everywhere. Spectres would stroll freely down the marine parade, drive past in carriages, crowd on to the piers, and even sit down to dine with the living.
With no will to try and investigate the source of her mother’s new madness, Mina directed her attention instead to the more tangible fact that her vulnerable parent was being drawn into Miss Eustace’s grasp, if only so that she might hand over two guineas or even more for an evening of private revelations and dubious visions. Eager to make some progress, and seizing on the clues revealed by Mrs Phipps, Mina quickly secured an interview with that lady’s nephew.
Mr Ronald Phipps was a minor variety of the profession of solicitor, a young gentleman dedicated to making his way in the world through hard work, study and maintaining a spotless reputation. The newest and most junior partner in a larger firm, he occupied an office barely larger than a cupboard and sat behind a small desk, which he had made his own by having everything on it arranged as if by a foot rule. Not having an attractive face, he had compensated for this disadvantage by a dignified bearing and the exercise of perfect grooming.
‘Thank you for agreeing to see me,’ said Mina, perching awkwardly on a chair and wishing she had brought her wedge-shaped cushion with her. ‘I wish to speak to you on the subject of Miss Eustace the spirit medium.’
Deep distrustful furrows appeared on the brow of young Mr Phipps. ‘I sincerely hope that you have not come here in order to arrange for the transfer of finances to that person,’ he said, sternly. ‘If you have, then not only am I unwilling to assist you but I must warn you in the strongest possible terms against such a course of action.’
‘I can assure you,’ said Mina, hardly able to conceal her delight that she had discovered another ally, ‘that I have no intention of transferring a single farthing to Miss Eustace. But I assume from your comments that other clients have come to you with that request.’
‘I cannot discuss the private affairs of others,’ he said, with some small softening of his expression, ‘only your own, but I am relieved that you have no wish to allow Miss Eustace to command your purse. How may I help you?’
‘It is my belief,’ said Mina, ‘that Miss Eustace is a fraud, exercising her profession in order to dupe the bereaved out of their fortunes. I admit that there are many things she does which I cannot explain, but these are surely just conjuring tricks made to appear as if performed by supernatural means.’
His eyebrows jumped almost to his hairline. ‘I cannot of course comment, except to say that you would do well not to make your opinions public unless you can prove that what you say is true,’ he said.
‘That is my intention,’ said Mina, ‘and I am assembling information for that very purpose. Your aunt recently called to take tea with my mother and I gathered from what she said that you warned her against Miss Eustace on the grounds that she had been involved in some scandal in London but under another name. I was hoping that you might be able to enlighten me on the circumstances. How did you come by this knowledge, and do you believe it to be trustworthy? Did you learn what other name Miss Eustace has been known under?’
‘Ah,’ he said, nodding, ‘I am afraid this is a little awkward. I do know the origin of this story and I was obliged to warn my aunt before she did anything unwise, but it was in the strictest confidence, as there was no proof. I had not anticipated that she would tell her friends.’
Mr Phipps, thought Mina, while a professional man, was very young in experience or he would have known that this would happen with little if any delay. ‘From whom did you hear the story?’ she asked. ‘You must have given it some credence or you would not have passed it on.’
‘That is the difficulty,’ he said. ‘I heard it from an elderly client who I am not at liberty to name. She told me that she had been to one of Miss Eustace’s séances, and was sure that she recognised the lady as a medium she had consulted in London some two or three years previously. Unfortunately she was unable to recall the London medium’s name but she felt sure that it was not Eustace.’
‘What was the nature of the scandal?’
He hesitated.
‘I promise that I will not spread any slanders to the gossips of Brighton,’ said Mina. ‘I am making these enquiries for the protection of my own family but will not act upon any information until I have proof.’
He gave her request some thought. ‘Very well,’ he said, at last. ‘On that understanding I can advise you that there was a rumour, but a rumour only, that Miss Eustace had found herself in prison, and that this was connected in some way with her séances. You must appreciate of course that there is a significant possibility that my client was mistaken.’
‘I would very much like to interview this lady,’ said Mina. ‘Can you arrange it?’
He shook his head, regretfully. ‘That is impossible, I am afraid.’
‘Has she passed away?’ asked Mina.
‘My client is eighty-six and after a recent fit has become quite moribund,’ said Mr Phipps. ‘She is not expected to live long.’
‘Did she confide this story in anyone other than yourself?’ asked Mina.
‘Not as far as I have been able to discover. I am sorry but I have no further information.’
Mina, after extracting a promise from Mr Phipps that he would let her know at once if he should learn anything more, was obliged to depart disappointed. Even if the story was true, and this was far from certain, how could she confirm it? She had no date and no name. Supposing she read every copy of The Times for the last three years and found a story of a medium who had been sent to prison, how could she even prove that it was the same woman, since the name was different? It was not as if The Times carried portraits.
From Mr Phipps’s office she went to Dr Hamid’s baths, where she learned that he was occupied with a patient. Anna, she was told, was at home looking after her sister. Mina waited in the vestibule, and before long Dr Hamid appeared and greeted her. They went into his office to speak, and he sank heavily into his chair looking weary and worried.
‘Eliza is still very weak,’ he said. ‘Her lungs are badly affected, and Anna is constantly by her side. She speaks of you often, and says how much she would like to see you but she is afraid that she will make you ill, too, and dares not allow a visit.’
‘I am very touched by her concern,’ said Mina. ‘Please do reassure her that I am well, and say that I will visit her as soon as she feels strong enough. And if you could let Miss Anna Hamid know that I have been most diligent with the exercises and already feel some benefit.’
‘I shall certainly do so,’ he said.
‘I have some news of Miss Eustace,’ said Mina, ‘although what I might do with it I am unsure. It was told to me in the strictest confidence and I promised faithfully not to spread it to idle gossips. I do not, however, count you as such.’
He smiled and poured some mineral water for them both. ‘I, too, have news, but please let me know yours first.’
Mina told him of Mrs Phipps’s revelations and the visit to her nephew. ‘All I can do is keep my eyes and ears open and hope to learn more,’ she said.
‘That may not prove to be necessary,’ he said. ‘Miss Eustace resumed her séances last night and although I chose not to go, a patient of mine did, and he has just regaled me with all the circumstances. We may not see that lady again.’
‘I am delighted to hear it,’ exclaimed Mina. ‘Tell me everything!’
‘You understand of course that I do not normally discuss my patients, however, in this instance …’
‘I will be the very soul of discretion. And of course I need to know nothing as to the reasons he consulted you, or what treatment he received, only what he has to say about Miss Eustace.’
‘I think he is intending to make the matter public with a letter to the newspapers, and there were others present too, so what I am about to tell you is no secret,’ said Dr Hamid. ‘You will just hear it a little before the town does. The gentleman’s name was Mr Jordan. I am not sure if you are acquainted with him? He has a habit of rattling his watch.’
‘Oh, yes,’ said Mina, ‘I have met him only once, when he attended Mr Bradley’s first healing circle at our house. He made comments of a sceptical nature, I recall, and was not invited back.’
‘Mr Jordan informed me that he is a very determined opponent of all things supernatural, and had been trying for some time to gain admission to one of Miss Eustace’s séances without success, as his opinions were too well known,’ said Dr Hamid. ‘He has a friend, however, his business partner Mr Conroy who is a devoted believer, indeed the two men enjoy nothing more than arguing about the subject at some length. It appears that Mr Jordan made a wager with Mr Conroy that if he could only gain admission to one of Miss Eustace’s séances he could prove her to be a fraud, and Mr Conroy obtained a ticket for himself and for Mr Jordan who he introduced as his brother.’
‘How wonderful! How admirable!’ said Mina.
‘There was, I think you must admit, some element of fraud in Mr Jordan’s proceedings,’ said Dr Hamid, carefully.
‘I excuse him,’ said Mina. ‘But what occurred?’
‘The deception was complete. No one present recognised Mr Jordan for who he was and so he was admitted. He decided to bide his time, and to begin with he simply observed the table tipping and other phenomena, and then Miss Eustace retired to her chair behind the curtains. Mr Jordan and Mr Conroy volunteered to tie her securely, which enabled him to observe the arrangements closely. The ropes provided were thick and the lady’s wrists very slight, and he felt sure that it was impossible to tie her tightly enough to secure her, and she was therefore perfectly able to free herself if she wished. The curtains were drawn and very soon afterwards the figure of Phoebe emerged. As she passed by him, Mr Jordan quickly snatched his hands from the grasp of the ladies on either side, and before anyone could prevent him, he rose up, seized the form of Phoebe in his arms, and pulled aside the veils that covered her face. To everyone’s great astonishment – at least I feel we may exempt Mr Jordan from that emotion – Phoebe proved to be none other than Miss Eustace wearing little more than her undershift and enfolded in some brightly glowing draperies. Of course Professor Gaskin and Mr Clee leaped forward at once and tore Mr Jordan from the lady by main force, and she had no alternative but to run behind the curtains and hide. As you may imagine the meeting ended in some disarray. Mr Jordan tried to address the other sitters, but he was prevented from doing so, ejected from the house and told never to return. Mr Conroy, although he had had no warning of what his friend intended to do, was deemed to be a part of the conspiracy, and also found himself persona non grata on the pavement very soon afterwards. I am not at all sure if the two gentlemen remain on speaking terms.’
Mina laughed until she was breathless. ‘Oh I wish I had been there to see it! So Miss Eustace is no more?’
‘We may hope,’ said Dr Hamid, more cheerfully, despite his other concerns, ‘that we have seen the last of that lady, at least in Brighton. I imagine that Professor and Mrs Gaskin are now very disappointed in her and will retreat back to London, sadder and wiser for their experience.’
‘Of course there is nothing to prevent Miss Eustace going to another town and promoting herself under another name and finding more dupes, but that is not something I am able to concern myself with,’ said Mina, regretfully.
‘You cannot be everywhere and be a guardian to the world,’ said Dr Hamid. ‘We must do all we can to protect our loved ones, keep a careful watch for our friends, and help those in need of charity, but that is all that can be expected of us.’
Mina was obliged to agree. She knew that her mother had not been at the previous night’s interrupted séance, but had a ticket for that very evening. It was now, she thought, certain that the planned event would not take place. She decided not to mention to her mother that she knew of Miss Eustace’s downfall. She was curious to know whether the news had spread to the faithful who had not witnessed it, and if so, what the town gossips were saying. Her mother, on learning the truth, would no doubt inform her that she had always had her suspicions, and deride the idea that she had been taken in. Mina, who did not want to cause an upset, but simply hoped to lay the unhealthy fashion to rest, determined to use her mother’s reaction as the cue for her own response.
Mina returned home to spend half an hour in her room with a new purchase, a pair of dumb-bells. There was as yet no visible difference in her shoulders, but she was confident that that would come as she gained in strength. She emerged to find her mother locked in close enclave with the two widowed sisters, Mrs Mowbray and Mrs Peasgood, who had in all probability arrived carrying the awful news. When Mina joined them, she was greeted with calm politeness and all the conversation was of the weather. The ladies soon departed to make another call, and Mina’s mother said that she was tired and took a short nap.
To Mina’s increasing surprise nothing was said on the subject of Miss Eustace either at luncheon or at tea. She surmised that her mother did not wish to admit that she had been made a fool of, and, under the impression that Mina knew nothing about it, had therefore decided to drop the subject entirely. Any discomfort would soon pass, and Mina looked forward to daily life returning to something resembling normality. Later that day however, Mina was surprised to see her mother preparing to go out and found that she, together with Mrs Bettinson, Miss Whinstone and Mrs Parchment were all going to a séance at the Gaskins’ apartments.
‘Is that still to happen?’ Mina asked cautiously. ‘When I went to the baths this morning I overheard someone say that all future séances had been cancelled. In fact one person advised me that Miss Eustace and Professor and Mrs Gaskin were to leave Brighton. Are you to see another spirit medium?’
‘You would do well not to listen to ignorant talk,’ said her mother, tying her bonnet. ‘They will not be leaving and Miss Eustace will be conducting a séance this very night. We are promised something extraordinary, but the conditions must be exactly right. It is open only to a select few. If you had been more co-operative you might have been of that number, but I am afraid there is no hope for you.’
‘Then the rumour about the incident provoked by Mr Jordan is false?’ asked Mina. ‘It was such a curious story that I could not give it any credit.’
‘There was an incident of sorts, although it might better be termed an outrage,’ said her mother, angrily.
‘Surely not!’ said Mina. ‘Were Mrs Mowbray and Mrs Peasgood there? What did they say?’
Louisa favoured the hall mirror with an admiring glance. ‘If you must know, Mr Jordan, who is a highly unpleasant person, obtained entry to the séance by giving a false name. He then nearly killed Miss Eustace by committing a grievous assault on her spirit guide Phoebe. Everyone there was most disgusted by his behaviour and of course he was made to leave. It also seems, and I find this astonishing, that Mr Conroy, who has always appeared to be such a sensible gentleman, actually abetted him in this. Professor Gaskin said that Mr Jordan, who may not be in his right mind, suffers from a hatred of all things spiritual. Such is his intolerance that he is unable to see or even refuses to see what is obvious to others.’
‘I was told,’ said Mina, ‘that Mr Jordan actually claimed that Phoebe was simply Miss Eustace in disguise.’
‘Well, that is exactly what such a man would say! I am sure it was nothing of the sort!’ said her mother. The carriage arrived with the other ladies and she departed.