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.Their attention was drawn to a hundred marvels, and Lillian, much to her own surprise, found that she was enjoying the night immensely.She only thought of the Leaping Man every half hour or so.Bess adjusted Lillian’s feathered hat and linked her arm through hers.“Isn’t this better than reading a pamphlet on soils or mollusks or the history of the Hindus? Why must you always wear deep blue? You look as if you’re in mourning.How lovely you’d look in white.I know, quite impractical.You’re so beautiful, Lillian.Why must you ignore your appearance? Now your hat has gone quite floppy again.”“I’ve gone quite floppy in this heat.At least I didn’t wear a corset.You must be ready to faint.Although I must say you look rather pretty in all that pink, like a small party cake from Eisner’s bakery.”“No corset?” Bess’s blonde curls bobbed as she shook her head in frustration.“Didn’t Aileen dress you tonight? What am I to do with you?”Bess regaled Lillian with details of the coming circus, but Lillian only took in half of what she said.Several feet away, a young boy of no more than eight, dressed in near rags that hung limply on his thin torso, pretended to watch a shell game at a nearby table.He was giving quick glances at a gentleman whose senses were entirely focused on the chap running the game.I see you, little man.In a practiced nonchalant move, the urchin backed into the gentleman, apologized, and moved deftly behind a nearby tree.Lillian dashed after him and clamped onto his arm before he could flee.She squatted down and stared into his widened eyes.“Yes, miss?” He trembled, eyes darting about to plan his escape.Lillian held her palm out.The boy bit at his lip and dropped the watch and fob into her hand.“I am going to count.If you are not far from this park by the time I reach twenty, you shall certainly be sorry.Do you understand?” She kept a tight grip on the boy’s arm.“Lillian, surely you must report him,” Bess whispered, appearing from around the side of the tree.“Surely you know he is too young for prison, where he will no doubt live someday,” Lillian whispered back.Then, to the quivering boy she said, “One,” and he was off like a rabbit.Lillian handed the watch and fob to Bess with the instruction to return them to the owner before she spun to address the busy table with the shell game.She pushed her way directly to the front and picked up the thimblerigger’s three thimbles, creating a scene among his unsuspecting patrons.The thimblerigger’s face flushed scarlet in anger.“What are you thinking there? Give me those back.I have a business to run.”“Your business is a fraud.Your son is a shill and a pickpocket.I would encourage your customers to move along and enjoy the music.”Bess linked them arm in arm to pull Lillian away from the burly man.“That’s enough, Lil.We must hurry, or we’ll not have time for our psychic readings.” As they made their escape she added, “How did you know it was his son?”“How could you not know?”“You must be more discreet.Now that carnie is angry at you, and if your neighbors are about they’ll tell Addie or even the Jackal about your shenanigans.”“Stopping a theft is not shenanigans.The Jackal, as a lawyer, albeit a terrible one in my estimation, could not even argue that point.”They bought lemons with peppermint stick straws and strolled back to the medium’s tent.A patron emerged, and with no one else in line Bess steeled herself for her long-desired reading.“I shall wait here,” Lillian ventured.“No, please! What if she imparts terrible news? I would want you nearby.”Bess pulled at Lillian’s arm and drew back the tent flap.The cloying smell of candles and incense assaulted them as the contents of the darkened tent came into focus, and Bess cried out at the otherworldly images that danced on a screen set up on one side of the tent.“Bess, it’s a phantasmagoria, a projection, designed to instill fear and wonder.Ignore the images.” At the same time Lillian wondered how Mr.Conan Doyle could be so taken with this type of amusement.Surely he did not believe in anything but the here and now, as did Uncle Sherlock.She started at the astounding vision of Madam Pelosi and her ridiculous costume: a multicolored suit of varying fabrics, a tall black hat with a meshed veil pulled across her cheeks, enough kohl on her eyes for a wagon of gypsies.The woman was more frightful even than the phantasmagoria.Lillian took Bess’s hand.“I think we have made a mistake.”The medium smiled, bringing deep dimples to life.“What sort of mistake, Miss Holmes?” Then she patted the table in a merry fashion with her black lace gloves and gestured for them to sit.Bess tightened her grip on Lillian’s hand and whispered, “She knows your name, Lil!”“I would think that her friend Kitty Twamley is skilled at description.Is that not so, Madam Pelosi?”“Do call me Anna.My friends do, and my hope is that we shall become friends.Kitty described you both perfectly, which is her habit as she is an artist.”Lillian sighed and examined the counterfeit antiquities for sale on a display table and shelves above it.“Of course, Mr.Orleans said that you were both beautiful women of society.”“How generous,” Lillian mumbled.“Now, Miss Wheeler, since Miss Holmes is not a believer, I assume you are the one with questions for the spirit world?”Bess stepped forward and nodded eagerly [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]