The Medium (Emily Chambers Spirit Medium Trilogy #1) by C.J. Archer Page B
Authors: C.J. Archer
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even. But certainly not everyone put him
up on a pedestal. I'm sure some would have preferred to drag him off it."
"I wasn't
on any bloody pedestal," Jacob said, drawing himself up to his full height.
I found that
hard to believe. I'd spent much of the previous night picturing him on one,
made of white marble and carved in the Roman style.
Jacob edged
toward Culvert, looking like he wanted to make his presence known in the most
dramatic way a ghost can. It was time to steer the conversation away from the
subject of Jacob before Culvert found the rug pulled out from under him, quite
literally.
"Perhaps it
wasn't Jacob who told me about your father's collection of books on demonology,
perhaps it was someone else." I hoped I sounded convincing but I suspect I
came across like a flighty female. "The fact of the matter is, I have an
interest in demons and I'm hoping you'll be kind enough to allow me to make use
of your library to further my studies."
Culvert pushed
his spectacles up his nose. "You're interested in demons?"
"Yes. It's
a natural extension from my other activities, don't you think?"
His mouth
twisted in thought. "I suppose so. Is there any demon in particular you
want to study?"
"Shape-shifting
demons."
He paused. "Well
that's a coincidence."
"Why?"
"A book on shape-shifting
demons was stolen from my library just last week."
CHAPTER 4
Jacob and I
exchanged glances. The coincidence was too close for my liking. One week a book
on demonology is stolen and the next a shape-shifting demon just happens to be
summoned from the Otherworld? Unlikely.
"Stolen!"
I said to Mr. Culvert. "By whom?"
George Culvert drummed
his fingers on his knee, sighed, drummed some more then finally answered me. "I'm
sad to say that it must have been one of the servants. I can see no other
explanation. No one enters during the day without Greggs the footman letting
them in and the house is locked up at night. It must have been someone who
lives here and since Mother and I do not need to steal it..." He sank back
into the chair, his shoulders slumped, his head bowed. He looked like a
deflated balloon. I knew what it was like to have a trusted servant steal from you.
Bella's predecessor had taken the payment from one of our séances before we'd
had a chance to put it away. Celia and I had been devastated when we saw the
money fall out of her apron pocket.
"Perhaps it
wasn’t a servant. The book could have been missing for some time," I said.
"Months even. If it's an obscure one and your library is large, you
wouldn't have noticed it. You probably had any number of people come into the
house in that time."
"Good
point," Jacob said with admiration.
Mr. Culvert
shook his head. "The missing book is large with a beautiful red leather
spine. It made quite a hole in my shelves and I noticed it missing immediately.
I questioned the servants of course, but none owned up to the theft. However
I'm quite certain it was one particular maid. She has been with us for only a
month, and as the newest member in the house, I'm afraid suspicion naturally
fell on her. Besides, the girl was very nervous when I questioned her."
"She's
still with you?" I asked.
He nodded. "I
couldn't dismiss her without evidence and I never found the book despite having
the housekeeper search the room the girl shares with two other maids."
"We'll
speak to her later," Jacob said.
I'd been
thinking the same thing but wasn't sure if involving George Culvert any more
than he already was would be a good idea. On the other hand, the more we spoke
to him, the more I liked him and thought he could be trusted with all the
information we knew. He might even prove helpful.
And I had a
feeling he wouldn't think I was mad for talking to a ghost.
Before I could
think further on the matter, he stood and offered me his hand. "Would you
like to come with me to the library, Miss Chambers? We might as well get
started on your research topic."
I took his hand
and heard a grunt
up on a pedestal. I'm sure some would have preferred to drag him off it."
"I wasn't
on any bloody pedestal," Jacob said, drawing himself up to his full height.
I found that
hard to believe. I'd spent much of the previous night picturing him on one,
made of white marble and carved in the Roman style.
Jacob edged
toward Culvert, looking like he wanted to make his presence known in the most
dramatic way a ghost can. It was time to steer the conversation away from the
subject of Jacob before Culvert found the rug pulled out from under him, quite
literally.
"Perhaps it
wasn't Jacob who told me about your father's collection of books on demonology,
perhaps it was someone else." I hoped I sounded convincing but I suspect I
came across like a flighty female. "The fact of the matter is, I have an
interest in demons and I'm hoping you'll be kind enough to allow me to make use
of your library to further my studies."
Culvert pushed
his spectacles up his nose. "You're interested in demons?"
"Yes. It's
a natural extension from my other activities, don't you think?"
His mouth
twisted in thought. "I suppose so. Is there any demon in particular you
want to study?"
"Shape-shifting
demons."
He paused. "Well
that's a coincidence."
"Why?"
"A book on shape-shifting
demons was stolen from my library just last week."
CHAPTER 4
Jacob and I
exchanged glances. The coincidence was too close for my liking. One week a book
on demonology is stolen and the next a shape-shifting demon just happens to be
summoned from the Otherworld? Unlikely.
"Stolen!"
I said to Mr. Culvert. "By whom?"
George Culvert drummed
his fingers on his knee, sighed, drummed some more then finally answered me. "I'm
sad to say that it must have been one of the servants. I can see no other
explanation. No one enters during the day without Greggs the footman letting
them in and the house is locked up at night. It must have been someone who
lives here and since Mother and I do not need to steal it..." He sank back
into the chair, his shoulders slumped, his head bowed. He looked like a
deflated balloon. I knew what it was like to have a trusted servant steal from you.
Bella's predecessor had taken the payment from one of our séances before we'd
had a chance to put it away. Celia and I had been devastated when we saw the
money fall out of her apron pocket.
"Perhaps it
wasn’t a servant. The book could have been missing for some time," I said.
"Months even. If it's an obscure one and your library is large, you
wouldn't have noticed it. You probably had any number of people come into the
house in that time."
"Good
point," Jacob said with admiration.
Mr. Culvert
shook his head. "The missing book is large with a beautiful red leather
spine. It made quite a hole in my shelves and I noticed it missing immediately.
I questioned the servants of course, but none owned up to the theft. However
I'm quite certain it was one particular maid. She has been with us for only a
month, and as the newest member in the house, I'm afraid suspicion naturally
fell on her. Besides, the girl was very nervous when I questioned her."
"She's
still with you?" I asked.
He nodded. "I
couldn't dismiss her without evidence and I never found the book despite having
the housekeeper search the room the girl shares with two other maids."
"We'll
speak to her later," Jacob said.
I'd been
thinking the same thing but wasn't sure if involving George Culvert any more
than he already was would be a good idea. On the other hand, the more we spoke
to him, the more I liked him and thought he could be trusted with all the
information we knew. He might even prove helpful.
And I had a
feeling he wouldn't think I was mad for talking to a ghost.
Before I could
think further on the matter, he stood and offered me his hand. "Would you
like to come with me to the library, Miss Chambers? We might as well get
started on your research topic."
I took his hand
and heard a grunt
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