“Do you see the light, Antonia?” Aurelia called upstairs.
There was no answer, but Aurelia was sure Antonia was paying attention.
“They’re starting to appear now, so we’ll bring them up as soon as we can. Let’s start with Cuff,” Aurelia said, turning to Julia as the mists began spilling over the edge of the table. “Maybe he can think of something else we might try to convince your mum?”
“Good idea,” Julia agreed.
The characters took shape and, in spite of the trouble they’d been dealing with all day, Aurelia and Julia greeted them with smiles.
“Good evening! Hello!” Aurelia said as the characters shifted into their distinct shapes.
“Hi,” Julia said with a small wave.
“Very delighted to see you both again,” Cuff said.
“Yes, how good of you to include me in your gathering,” Miss Clack joined in. “Oh dear,” she added, stepping closer to Aurelia. “I do hate to be indelicate, but you look quite careworn this evening.”
Aurelia raised an eyebrow, knowing Miss Clack was only too pleased to be indelicate.
“Fortunately, I was able to bring several of my tracts with me,” she said, patting the small bag on her arm. “I am sure one of them might be just the thing to lift your spirits. They address a range of topics that are certain to be of interest to you and your guests here. Let’s see, I have one on modesty,” she said with a nod to Julia as she began riffling through her bag.
“Aurelia! I heard something—a woman’s voice, I think?” Antonia called from the other side of the door upstairs.
“Yes! That’s Miss Clack!” Aurelia called back as everyone looked up at the door. She turned to Cuff.
“My sister, Julia’s mum, arrived today. Julia told her about all of you, and now… Well, she—Antonia—would like some sort of proof that you’re all”—Aurelia was about to say ‘real’ but decided instead on—“actually here.”
“How did your mother take it?” Cuff asked Julia.
“She doesn’t believe us,” Julia said, shaking her head. “She thinks we’re making it up or that something’s wrong with us.”
“It’s been a bit of a day,” Aurelia acknowledged. “Am I right in thinking she won’t be able to come into the shop to meet you?”
“You could attempt it, but I do not think it will be possible. Unless you plan to transfer your ownership of the shop to her?”
“No, I wasn’t planning on it.”
“I hear a man’s voice now!” Antonia shouted.
Everyone looked up at the door again.
“How very uncivilized!” Mrs. Jamieson said, drawing herself up as she stared at the door. “Show yourself, young lady, and stop this impertinent shouting!”
“A woman is raising her voice—I can hear it!” Antonia yelled down.
Mrs. Jamieson looked slightly embarrassed to have been caught shouting her disapproval of shouting.
“I know Oliver hasn’t been able to come into the shop to see all of you, but I thought maybe my sister could—since her daughter can?”
“While I suspect that any female descendant of Cristobel’s has thepotentialto see us, I know that only the shop owner or future shop owner has everactuallyseen us. Therefore, I am afraid, should your sister appear in the shop, her presence is just as likely to dispel us as your husband’s—because, while she is a female descendant, she is not the shop owner,” explained Sergeant Cuff.
“Then she ought to leave us to our conversation,” Mrs. Jamieson announced with a shake of her parasol toward the mezzanine. “Do you know, it is rather pleasing to know there is a certain exclusivity to this shop. It does change one’s perspective somewhat.” She twirled her parasol as a coy smile played across her face.
“If Antonia can’t come into the shop, we wondered if you might be willing to come upstairs with us,” Aurelia asked Cuff. “Maybe you could say a few words to find out if she can hear you?”
In spite of directing her request to Cuff, Mrs. Jamieson was quick to take offense.
“I am not about to engage in some parlor game. No, those of us who are cultivated and have some respect for propriety will remain here.”
