Saturday, 7 January 1871
We came in to Goxhill very early this morning after taking a Special, since we missed the last scheduled train from Hull.
I was so weary that I went direct toward the room I have been using here for the past several visits, forgetting that I was traveling with my husband this time and would be given different quarters. The local Graves managed to divert me before I had got far and annoyed or embarrassed myself.
After rising this morning, we completed our Exercises and then had a companionable breakfast.
After breakfast, I had gone into one of the parlours to work with Edward. We were joined by Miss Whitnell, Mrs Cuthbert and Miss Chigwidgeon, and we continued our catching-up, trading news of London for news of Goxhill. The departure of Dr Wilson and the cloud of public suspicion he has left under has been a prime topic. I know that we will miss him, despite his peculiarities. His ingenuity and courage have helped us so many times.
As we all sat together, Sir Cosmo came in. He looked very somber, and gave us some quite nasty news.
Yesterday evening, just before we left Town, Sir Cosmo had gone to see Mr Wroth at the latter's invitation. Neither the invitation nor the interview were cordial, and hard words were exchanged. Sir Cosmo left him and hurried back so we could get to the train station.
After Sir Cosmo left, Mr Wroth was found dead, apparently by means of strychnine poisoning. Sir Cosmo is the primary suspect.
The good news is that Inspector MacGregor has been assigned to this case. Sir Anthony and Sir Sebastian thought it best to assign an Inspector who already has familiarity with the more secret undertakings of the League. However, this also means a great deal of solid evidence will be required to clear Sir Cosmo without the appearance of bias.
Inspector MacGregor had only just completed the inquest regarding the Pennifeather death (the case that Dr Wilson was suspected in) when he was called in on this one. He has already completed several interviews, and is expected to arrive here tomorrow. We all hope that we can clear Sir Cosmo completely before the wedding.
I feel somewhat at fault for the disagreement between Mr Wroth and Sir Cosmo. Mr Wroth, I have learned, had asked to sponsor my paper largely because he wanted to take the opposite side from Sir Cosmo. Sir Cosmo had allowed Mr Wroth to believe that he opposed my paper and my reading, just to get Mr Wroth to support me. Once Mr Wroth discovered that Sir Cosmo is actually my ally, he was very angry. Sir Cosmo meant well, but I find the whole thing ridiculous.
And now, the dispute has generated a very serious problem. Mr Wroth apparently wrote to Sir Cosmo with an ultimatum: resign his membership in the Naturalist Society or face Mr Wroth moving to have him ejected for unethical behaviour. To some eyes, this might seem like a motive for murder.
I have begun to wonder about this mysterious poisoning, and whether it is a deliberate attempt to frame Sir Cosmo. If so, is it related to the resurgence of stories in the Hornsea newspaper all about Sir Cosmo, the Letchworth Disaster, Marquis Dearingford, &c, all calculated to make Sir Cosmo look like a villain?
1) If someone wanted to kill Mr Wroth and get
away with it, they might set up an elaborate ruse to cast suspicion
on Sir Cosmo, as a convenient scapegoat with enough strange incidents
in his past to make him easy to tarnish.
Who might want to kill Wroth enough to go to this much trouble?
Who might be connected with Wroth and also have connexions with
the Hornsea Post?
2) If someone wants to destroy Sir Cosmo, starting
with his reputation, they might set up this same elaborate ruse,
killing Wroth for no reason other than to make Sir Cosmo look
guilty, and also inflaming local sentiment against him.
Who might want to do this and why?
-A personal grudge?
-A political effort to limit Sir Cosmo's influence in England?
-The effort of a foreign power to discredit Sir Cosmo and so disable
the League?
-A person who stands to gain wealth or stature by keeping Sir
Cosmo estranged from his Grandfather?
-A business rivalry?
We will certainly learn more when the Inspector arrives and can brief us on what he has learned in the Wroth case.
Sunday, 8 January 1871
(very early morning)
A hydra-like array of complications have reared ugly heads
As I was sitting up with Miss Chigwidgeon and the other ladies, I heard Edward's voice telling the resident Graves that he needed to see Sir Cosmo Urgently.
Now, I knew that Edward had gone out to drive the carriage for several of the party's gentlemen as they enjoyed uncouth pursuits in the taverns of Hornsea.. When I heard him come in, I did not hear the carriage. I went immediately to investigate. I slipped into Lord Greyminster's office, where Sir Cosmo had been meeting with his grandfather, right along with Edward.
Edward explained that he had rushed home on foot, leaving the carriage and George for the gentlemen. George was supposed to be guarding Edward, and there will be Words on that score, let me tell you. Edward's news was very serious indeed.
Edward had determined to investigate the Offices of the Hornsea Post, which has been printing such scandal-mongering stories about Sir Cosmo, especially referring back to the catastrophe of the Letchworth train.
When Edward arrived at the darkened offices (and no doubt broke in) he discovered the body of Mr Enoch Jokking, the owner and editor of the paper. The late Mr Jokking was face-down on the floor, surrounded by scattered type, which he had apparently been setting. Under the body was a proof copy of another article about Sir Cosmo. Edward noticed the distinctive odour of "ionised air," which we all associate with the etheric pulse weapons.
Edward carefully put the proof back and went out to find George. After reporting some of what he had seen to George, he ran back to the Manor, leaving George instructions to mind the carriage and the gentlemen.
Sir Cosmo suggested that we should call Mr Frazer in to take Edward's statement. He was, in fact, right at the door, having heard the word "evidence" in the air.
Just then, the carriage with our wayward gentlemen pulled up. I heard a great commotion as Salmalin and George carried an unconscious Mr O'Flaherty up the stairs. This was hardly convenient. I was not free to learn the details or give any opinion at the time, however.
Next we heard a knocking at the back entrance, and a police constable was shown in. This man breathlessly reported that there had been a murder, and asked would Mr Frazer come to assist at the scene.
I joined my husband in the carriage (we put Constable Oakes' bicycle atop the box and brought him along as well).
The Senior Constable, whose name is Boles, was not nearly so hasty as his assistant–he called this simply an unexplained death. Considering that there were no marks of violence on the body, he was wise to withhold judgement.
Despite the horrible circumstances, it was exciting to work on a case with Mr Frazer– our first opportunity to work side-by-side since our marriage. We carefully made observations and collected evidence at the scene.
In summary:
1) the lights were out, suggesting that the death occurred before
the daylight faded.
2) the odour described by Edward was fading but still detectable.
I agree that it smells like an electrical discharge such as the
Etheric weapons produce.
3) there was a monkey-like footprint in ink beside the body–Edward's,
of course.
4) Mr Frazer collected a few threads of black, which look like
crape, and a scrap of grey which looks like a bit of veiling.
This was in the print room, not in the office.
5) the body had scorch marks at wrists and ankles, but no other
evident wounds.
6) a Dr Walpole was called to the scene, and he said that the
rigour of the body suggested a time of death around 3 or 4 this
afternoon. Due to lack of obvious injury, his initial supposition
is apoplexy.
His examination of the body also revealed a pocket watch, which
had been stopped at 3:32–a likely time of death.
He will examine the body more closely and tell us more.
7) the proof sheet under the body was an interview with two unnamed widows about the Letchworth Disaster. Mr Frazer noted that the ink on the proof had not smudged onto the late Mr Jokking's shirtfront, so it must have been dry before it arrived there. It seems possible that the proof was planted there at sometime after death, possibly by the murderer.
I looked at the worktable and compared the handwritten story there with the proof and the scattered type. They appear consistent.
8) we examined the press, and Mr Frazer assessed
the ink there and
estimated how long it had been since the press was run. He could
not be more specific than "late afternoon".
Our interview with Mr Anson, Mr Jokking's assistant,
proved very informative.
1) Mr Jokking had sent Mr Anson home at 3:00 this afternoon, saying
that he would be having a private meeting.
2) Mr Anson did not recall any time in the recent past when a
woman in mourning has been in the press room, that would account
for the fibres Mr Frazer found—suggesting that they have
been left today after 3:00
3) Mr Anson further stated that the only woman in deep mourning
he has seen recently is a new patient of Sir Charles Fernly's—she
has come into town with her brother and one servant. She has not
been seen much since her arrival, and little is known about her.
4) Miss Farnsworth, Mr Jokking's part-time assistant, is also
his fiancée.
Constable Boles faced the sad task of informing Miss Farnsworth
of the sudden death of her fiancé. I volunteered to go
along, since such hard news is sometimes easier for a woman to
hear from another woman, even a stranger.
While we attended on Miss Farnsworth, I learned that Mr Jokking
had been encouraged in his rantings against Sir Cosmo by Mr Andrew
Earwig, who has a business-related grudge against Sir Cosmo.
Just as I was completing my questions, a very peculiar woman came to call. She was introduced as Mrs Andrew Earwig (pronounced "Aarhweeje"). I had heard about her from Mrs Cuthbert. She is a spiritualist and a self-proclaimed medium. She may be an actual medium, since she declared, upon hearing my name, that I must be the daughter-in-law of Sgt Robert Frazer, whom she had met outside.
This woman had learned of the death of Mr Jokking
and had come at once to offer condolences. I tried to determine
her opinion regarding Sir Cosmo, as we know that her husband is
Sir Cosmo's rival, but her extremely scatty behaviour was difficult
to penetrate.
Before much longer, both Mrs Earwig and I took our leave, leaving
Miss Farnsworth in the care of her mother. It was quite late.
Mr Frazer and I had the carriage to ourselves on the way back to the Manor, and we discussed our observations...
We carried all our information back to the Manor and laid it out before the rest of the group.
I should mention what had befallen our Mr O'Flaherty, who has since been revived by Mrs Cuthbert. While Edward had been discovering bodies and running to report them, Mr O'Flaherty had been engaged in a boxing match with a fighter from an encampment of vagabond Tinkers settled outside of Hornsea. One not terribly large Tinker with a tremendous reputation knocked Mr O'Flaherty out with only one blow.
What ever possessed the gentlemen to go out and engage in this sort of disreputable amusement? I should not be surprised, considering that this group consisted of Mr O'Flaherty, Sir Spencer, and Lt Wooster. If someone really wants to discredit our group, all they really have to do is follow these fellows about and record what they do.
This evening's outing has also resulted in the acquisition of a mongrel dog by Lt Wooster. It seems to have made its peace with Turgenov and Owen. I have attempted some communication with it, but I can't quite understand what it is trying to say.
Miss Whitnell and Mrs Cuthbert are going to attempt their ritual to view the occurrences of the day at the Hornsea Post offices.
I am entirely done in, and so Mr Frazer and I are preparing to retire.
Sunday, 8 January,1871
(early afternoon)
I suppose I knew this would happen, I just wasn't as prepared as I imagined. Now that it's happened, I find that I'm terrified. Even Benton said, "Already?"
I haven't told anyone other than Benton, but
I am sure that word is getting around. Anyone who looks at Mrs
Cuthbert can read it in her face. That's how I knew it. At breakfast,
today I looked down and realised that I was eating kippers-- and
they were delicious.
Mrs Cuthbert was looking at me when I stopped and examined my
fork. I caught her glance down to my abdomen. She smirked, and
I knew it.
I went quickly to my room. I looked at my calendar, even though I knew what it would tell me. I should have known that this was more than a usual variation. It's been several weeks.
I was pacing the room madly when Benton came up, concerned at my sudden departure from table. I asked him how much he weighed when he was born, but he didn't know. I asked him a number of questions, and he became increasingly perplexed. I finally just out and told him that we were going have a baby.
All this time, Turgenov just grinned at me with his tail thumping the floor. He seemed to find Benton's confusion amusing.
I heard the rest of the household leave for Services. Poor Benton must have watched me pacing for a couple of hours, because the next thing I knew, Mrs Cuthbert and Miss Whitnell had returned, and were tapping on the door to see if we were all right.
Mrs Cuthbert sent Mr Frazer downstairs to luncheon with Miss Whitnell and took a few moments to try to reassure me. She said that she would look after me, that everything would be fine. After a moment considering her particular abilities, I did find myself reassured enough to realise that I was terribly hungry.
It's early yet, and despite Mrs Cuthbert's assurances, I know that many things can go amiss, so I will attempt to keep this quiet. That may prove impossible, but I'll try. I will simply carry on in my usual way until I find I cannot.
Now that I have got that out, I have other items, of more general interest, to note here.
Inspector MacGregor arrived on the afternoon train.
I am almost certain that he knows about my Condition – he was listening to his late father with some evident confusion, then he looked at me with a certain amount of surprise. I should have realised that Sgt Frazer would not resist gloating, and that word would get round. I will have to ask Benton to ask him to keep it quiet for now. But more importantly...
The Inspector gave us a succinct report on the evidence in the Wroth case.
Wroth's body was found within a half-hour of Sir Cosmo's departure, inside the sitting room where Mr Wroth and Sir Cosmo had held their interview. The door to the room had been locked from the inside and had to be broken open by the household's servants.
The immediate diagnosis by the doctor was strychnine poisoning – the symptoms of which are easy to distinguish.
The widow and son of the late Mr Wroth were adamant that it must have been Sir Cosmo who committed the murder, so Inspector MacGregor began by interviewing them, and Mr Wroth's servants, and then proceeded to #18 Charles Street.
Once there, he spoke with Graves about when and how Sir Cosmo had gone to his meeting with Mr Wroth. Graves explained that Sir Cosmo had been obliged to call for a hansom cab, because the carriages were in the process of being loaded with our luggage for the trip here to Goxhill.
The Inspector next interviewed Mr Chadwick about the supplies of chemicals and poisons. Mr Chadwick had checked and found that one bottle was somewhat lower than it was at last inventory. When he learned that Sir Cosmo was suspected of poisoning someone with strychnine, he laughed and said that Sir Cosmo would never be so stupid, that he would have used one of the undetectable and untraceable compounds instead. The Inspector suggested to Mr Chadwick that he refrain from volunteering that comment to any other interviewers.
The Inspector made quite a number of inquiries in a very short time.
He checked with the cab driver who had taken Sir Cosmo to Mr Wroth's residence, but he had seen little of significance.
He asked around at the train station, presumably to verify our time of departure. A station employee said that he had recognised Sir Cosmo and had seen him throw something into a dustbin. I'm not sure why this employee found this noteworthy. Since Sir Cosmo had stepped away from us briefly to buy some newspapers, it is certainly possible that he could have done such a thing unnoticed by any of our party.
When Inspector MacGregor examined the contents of the dustbin, he found a syringe similar to the ones used in Sir Cosmo's laboratory.
I find this all very perplexing. This is not really incriminating evidence, not even circumstantially. There is no medical evidence to suggest that a syringe was used on Mr Wroth–Dr Giles told Inspector MacGregor that Mr Wroth seems to have ingested the poison with his tea. Also, the dustbin is in a public area, and quite a long time elapsed between Sir Cosmo's noted presence at the train station and the examination of the dustbin's contents– anyone could have put the syringe there, perhaps with no relevance to our case at all.
Yet, these disjointed facts are just the sort of thing that will enflame the public imagination and cause a public outcry against Sir Cosmo, even if we can factually disprove the suspicion.
The Inspector also interviewed Mr Scuddamore and some other naturalists in an attempt to understand the quarrel between Sir Cosmo and Mr Wroth.
The industrious Inspector boarded the train today, only to arrive in time lo learn of the untoward events in Hornsea.
We told the Inspector about the untimely death of Mr Enoch Jokking. He was quick to grasp the significance of the murder as probable part of a conspiracy to damage Sir Cosmo. In fact, the Inspector and I were much in accord in our conclusions.
The Mystics reported the results of last evening's scrying (which I actually heard most of last night, having been rousted from bed by Miss Whitnell and Mrs Cuthbert going out in the carriage).
The ladies were unable to learn much. They used a ritual to view the occurrences at the printing shop, but could not get clear information. They saw a vague figure swathed in black coming into the press room and being greeted by Mr Jokking. They saw the figure raise a device similar to the etheric pulse gun and fire it at Mr Jokking, who collapsed. The misty figure then seemed to go to the press and operate it, creating the proof and planting it under the body.
They continued viewing until they saw Edward come in and discover the body.
Another attempt showed them a scene from the bakery across the road. The baker looked out the window and saw someone leaving the newspaper office. Not our mysterious figure in black, but rather Sir Cosmo. This is a nasty complication indeed!
Their viewing was interrupted by simultaneous activity at the newspaper offices– none other than that confounded Mrs Earwig. The Mystics report that she was "cleansing" the building, which effectively confused any remaining mystical energies. They tried to block her efforts, but with little success.
It was at this point that they went out in the carriage, hoping that physical proximity to the location would allow them to get a clearer view. They were still not very satisfied with their results.
Fortunately for us, every action by our enemy (or enemies) reveals more about his or her capabilities and therefore identity. Unfortunately, each of this enemy's actions seems to result in the death of a more-or-less innocent person. Since the most likely victims are all rivals or enemies of Sir Cosmo, it is difficult for us to safeguard them.
The apparent characteristics of our enemy include:
1) some magical ability (to cloud the vision seen by the Mystics
and to create the appearance of Sir Cosmo to the baker)
2) ability to operate a printing press
3) knowledge of Sir Cosmo's movements, especially to know on very
short notice when he has no reliable alibi.
Possible enemies already known and means to pin them down:
1) Proctor Xanthus– do Sir Anthony or
Sir Sebastian have any ideas about his current whereabouts?
2) Master Tandu– last seen on fire and running into burning
tunnels. Given Mr Salmalin's abilities to lurk unseen, Master
Tandu could be concealed right in our midst. He would know about
the Etheric Pulse weapon, too.
3) Andrew Earwig– a very angry rival, but given his lack
of business acumen, may not be sufficiently intelligent to carry
out such elaborate plots. Could be used as a pawn, or could be
a target of the real enemy.
4) Assorted dead enemies: Baron Blackhall, Marquis Dearingford,
Jerrold Moriarty, Hans Bopp...Ask Mrs Godwin, the Lord High Warlock,
and anybody else whether these spirits are sufficiently contained
or dispelled.
5) Anyone still bearing a grudge against Sir Cosmo for the deaths
of the Letchworth Disaster– Sir Cosmo has given us a complete
list of those killed and the number and location of bodies left
unidentified. (I was moved to note that after all these years,
he can recite them from memory–what a terrible burden of
guilt!)
Additional avenues of investigation:
1) Who is Sir Charles Fernly's new patient, the woman in mourning?
Was she at the printing shop on Saturday?
2) We must check all the household servants here, if any are new,
if any might have connexions with any of the above-listed enemies,
or if any might have been in anyway subverted to provide information
about Sir Cosmo's movements.
3) Are all of the working etheric pulse weapons in Sir Cosmo's
armoury accounted for? Are they secure, and could any of them
have been taken and used for the murder of Mr Jokking?
Mr Frazer has just set out with Inspector MacGregor to meet with Dr Walpole. Edward is busy with something not too noisy. I wonder if the kitchen has any cold chicken...
(Later)
The hydra's heads continue to inconvenience us. But we do know a little more...
While the Inspector and Mr Frazer were out, I learned a little something about one of Edward's projects.
Lt Wooster came to me with a half-dead salamander, which his tinker dog had brought into the house. I examined it and discovered a set of small metal nodes on its belly. Someone had been doing a very strange experiment. I took it to Sir Cosmo, who was again closeted with Lord Greyminster.
When he saw it, he exclaimed that he thought that all of Edward's experiments had failed. We sent for Edward, and somehow eventually everyone ended up in the study looking at the salamander.
The story was a long one...
Back in September, Edward decided to investigate Sir Charles Fernly's
home and laboratories. In doing so, he met Humphrey Fernly, Sir
Charles's son. This boy, apparently 10 years old, had actually
died of a virulent illness some 28 years ago. Sir Charles had
used a combination of chemicals and electricity to preserve and
revive him, and has continued to keep him semi-alive with continued
electrical treatments. He lives dwells in a tower room, entirely
secret and isolated from the world.
Edward, concerned for this strange and lonely boy, reported his new friend to Sir Cosmo. They did some experiments and determined enough probable facts of the method to convince Sir Charles to see them. They have continued to try to develop a better solution for Humphrey, with grudging acceptance, or perhaps even hostility, from Sir Charles. Edward has continued to sneak in to visit the boy during our visits to Goxhill (which is where he had been the night I caught him sneaking back into the house back in October).
Edward has been fascinated with the process, and received Sir Cosmo's permission to do supervised experiments with reviving newts and salamanders which died in captivity in the Charles Street laboratory. These experiments began while I was away on my honeymoon, and my new quarters in #12 have allowed them to continue without my knowledge. Miss Whitnell knew about them, and apologised for forgetting to tell me about it when I returned...Imagine forgetting such a thing!
Edward has declared positively that none of his salamanders were successfully revived, as this dead-but-squirming one has been. All of those experiments were done in London, none of the subjects were brought here. So how does it come to be here?
A likely answer came to us when Mr Frazer and the Inspector returned from their interview with Dr Walpole.
As they viewed the body of Mr Jokking, the Dr showed them the scorching at wrists and ankles and also scorching where metal objects, such as rivets in the apron, touched the body. The doctor now states that electrical discharge is a possible cause of death, though he is in some perplexity as to whence it could have come.
Inspector MacGregor points out that if word of the electrically stimulated salamanders gets around, it will offer a sensational explanation to Mr Enoch's cause of death, and will point a dreadful finger at Sir Cosmo and all of us.
So, the salamander was planted by someone who knows about the experiments, and who has the ability to install the electrodes and actually revive the poor creature. Our examination of the place where the dog found the salamander was inconclusive, it being a highly-travelled area outside the kitchen door.
It was now tea time, and I was ravenous. The Mystics decided to do one more experiment before they took their tea, so I left them to it. By the time Edward and I had eaten almost all the biscuits, they came down to say that the fibres that Mr Frazer had collected were directing them to some place in Hornsea. Their pendulum experiment seemed to suggest an area near Goxhill Grange, Sir Charles Fernly's establishment.
Time again to pile into the carriages and seek the clues. I was not in the same carriage as the Mrs Cuthbert and Miss Whitnell, but we all changed directions a few times in response to the indications of the fibres. We found our entourage paused on the road outside Thorpe House, home of Andrew Earwig, on the Mere.
This posed some difficulty, as Sir Cosmo would certainly not be welcome at this establishment. Mrs Cuthbert, however, would probably be received favourably by the exuberant Mrs Earwig.
Our solution was to send our two police representatives, the Inspector and Mr Frazer, in to speak with Mr Earwig, who could theoretically answer questions about the Newspaper office, being the owner of the building and an acquaintance of the late Editor.
In addition, Mrs Cuthbert could call on Mrs Earwig, with the pretext of introducing Miss Whitnell. I could travel with that party, having a passing acquaintance with Mrs Earwig.
We asked Mr Frazer to wait with the carriage and George outside. This way, Inspector MacGregor could send the late Mr MacGregor to speak with the late Sgt Frazer, and so send Mr Frazer and George out to get reinforcements from the other carriage a little further down the road, should we need help of the hitting-and-shooting sort. Not to mention help of the berserk-girl-with-whirling-blades sort.
Mrs Earwig was hosting a seance, and was ecstatic to receive Mrs Cuthbert. Most of the company assembled there was Mrs Earwig's family–her daughters and one son-in-law. The only other outsiders were introduced as Alice, Baroness Lichmere, and her daughter, the Hon Miss Evelyn Hood. The dowager Baroness was wearing a black dress which could have been the source of the fibres. I was conversing with her, trying to find out more about her and look more closely at her dress, when a scream sounded from elsewhere in the house.
Mrs Cuthbert and Miss Whitnell went running to investigate, as did Mrs Earwig. I was determined not to let the Baroness out of my view until I had learned more, and I continued to try to chat with her, saying that no doubt one of the maidservants had seen a mouse.
This was far from the case, however. Below us, in one of the valets' workrooms, a scullerymaid had opened a closet only to have the corpse of one of the footmen fall out on her. Even I would probably scream at that.
Inspector MacGregor arrived in the room moments after Mrs Cuthbert and Miss Whitnell. He immediately took charge and examined the body (which Mrs Cuthbert had signalled to him was beyond her help). The footman had only been dead for about half and hour, based on when the others had seen him last. He had bruising on the throat consistent with manual strangulation, and Inspector MacGregor recognised the grip marks from a Thuggee method.
So, perhaps someone wishes to expand the circle of discredit to Sir Cosmo's servants as well. We now know the killer can use this technique.
Upstairs, I continued to speak with the Baroness, until I was satisfied that her dress was a different fabric and that she had no idea about the death of Mr Jokking. I was interrupted by the voice of Sgt Frazer, who had been sent by Mr Frazer to find out whether we needed any help– no doubt he had heard the scream of the maid. I said neutrally, "I wonder if the others need any help downstairs," so as to direct the Sgt without seeming to address the air.
Before much longer I took my leave of the Baroness and walked down the hall in search of the others. I had not gone far when I heard Miss Whitnell's whisper– "Ruth, help." I followed the sound to a door in this upstairs hall. Just then Mrs Cuthbert came up from the other direction, and we opened the door to see Miss Whitnell standing in front of an opened liquor cabinet with a small bottle in her hand. She was petrified with fear. I took the bottle from her and examined it–it was strychnine, but it appeared to have remained unopened for some time. A quick examination of the liquor bottles satisfied me that they had not been tampered with.
Miss Whitnell was explaining in a frantic whisper that she had no idea how she had come to be here. Mrs Cuthbert had come looking for her when she had disappeared from Mrs Cuthbert's mystical sense. I pocketed the strychnine bottle and was following a bit behind the other two as we made a hasty retreat. When I arrived belowstairs, Mr Frazer had joined Inspector MacGregor and was taking notes and examining some traces near a small window.
I whispered that I had evidence in my pocket, but when I felt for it, it was gone. I thought to retrace my steps, but realised that I couldn't remember actually coming down the stairs. I'd been tricked too!
Well, the confusion of the evening worsened from there. It became obvious that someone very powerful in the Mystical line was working to damage us.
It seemed most prudent to depart before that someone harmed anyone else in the Earwig establishment. Inspector MacGregor promised to come ‘round with the constables in the morning.
When we reached the road, we found Mr Salmalin holding Lt Wooster's dog. It had, he said, been possessed by a spirit, and he had struck it and knocked it unconscious. What next?
We eventually went back to the Manor, wrangling over the possible explanations of the night's events.
Monday, January 9, 1871
This morning, Benton rose early, as is his custom, lit the fire in our rooms. He has arranged with the chambermaids to leave us the filled scuttle outside the door, so that he can start the fire early, and then we are not disturbed. This pleases me, as I have never much liked having chambermaids, even ones I know, creeping about, and I seem to like it even less lately.
Benton and Turgenov went out for their customary exercise, and when Benton returned he brought me a small packet. I opened it and found a handful of Sphagnum cymbifolium. I looked at him for an explanation, and he said that the women of the Chuk-chi use sphagnum moss to keep their babies dry, and he thought we could start gathering some now so as to have an adequate supply when it was needed. I blinked a few times. He looked so bashfully pleased with himself that I didn't have the heart to tell him I preferred to use ordinary nappies.
There were some further developments in the case overnight.
Last night, after Benton and I had retired, the Mystics attempted a Seance to communicate with the late Mr Jokking. They had assistance not only from Miss Chigwidgeon, but from Mr O'Flaherty, who has become quite keen on these occult matters since his experience in Konigsberg. Mr O'Flaherty was apparently possessed by a spirit who claimed to be Mr Jokking, who said Sir Cosmo had killed him. Mrs Cuthbert determined that the spirit was not actually Mr Jokking, and attempted to bind it. It escaped, making a flippant remark as it departed.
As Mr O'Flaherty emerged from a trance, he said he had a vision of the Tinker fighter, who had just bested him the day before, being struck down from behind.
In hopes of catching the entity plaguing us, and of preventing harm to the unsuspecting Tinkers, a troop of our partisans took to the road for Hornsea. This included Mr O'Flaherty (who I think really undertook this in hopes of a rematch with "One Punch O'Neill"), Inspector MacGregor, Edward, George, Lt Wooster, Mrs Cuthbert and Emily.
I should note that at the commotion of this departure, I rose to investigate. I stayed awake only long enough to meet the newly arrived Mrs ("Nanny") Chigwidgeon, Miss Chigwidgeon's great-grandmother, whom Miss Chigwidgeon had never met and had not exactly been expecting. She was certainly interesting, a very lively and cheerful lady, but rather more than I could face in my dressing-gown.
At the Tinker encampment, our partisans arrived to find Mr O'Neill embattled with his own cousins. These cousins had the sense to dodge clear of his blows, but it was only a matter of time before he might strike and kill one of them.
Mrs Cuthbert recognised that the Tinker fighter was possessed by some spirit. During the course of this fight, this spirit jumped from person to person, especially among our party, sowing confusion and wreaking havoc.
However, this spirit revealed a great deal about itself. Those who were possessed agreed that the spirit is that of Master Tandu. Mrs Cuthbert states that he is not actually dead, but that his body is somewhere about, and he is leaving it periodically to cause us these problems.
She further states that the spirit which attempted to impersonate Enoch Jokking was also a living spirit, but is a different person.
Fortunately, the Tinkers have a witch among them who was aware of the possessing spirit and was fighting it when our party arrived. She recognised Mrs Cuthbert as an ally. She and her people will perhaps be of help to us, when I think it was Master Tandu's plan to turn them against us. Of course, an alliance with vagabond Tinkers won't do much to improve our standing in the Neighbourhood, but I certainly wouldn't want them for enemies.
And so we have learned that Master Tandu and at least one other living person are sending their spirits out of their bodies in order to make our lives difficult.
Miss Whitnell, who has been endeavouring to study this technique, says that this means their bodies are left somewhat unattended somewhere.
I recall the case of Paolo, who used a plant extract to accomplish this, and I recall that my presence near the uninhabited body prevented the owner from returning to it. This could be useful if we can find the bodies. Mrs Godwin might also be able to send us one of the spheres she used to bind the spirit of Paolo.
Even if we can capture and bind Tandu and his unknown ally, we will still have a difficult time clearing Sir Cosmo in the eyes of the public-- we can hardly convince the general public that the disembodied spirit of a Thuggee Master poisoned Mr Wroth. Still, we must take action to prevent further deaths and harm first.
Ah, I hear Benton approaching with the cold chicken he promised to bring me from the kitchen. Turgenov is already making "poor starving puppy" faces at me.
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