Page 29 of The Right to Remain Single

Surprised, Thomasina glanced at James.

“I don’t think an exorcism worries Max,” James said. “Others must have tried to get rid of him by that method over the centuries, don’t you think? And none have succeeded.”

“We’ll do it this time.” Sam sent a pointed glance at the monk. Brother Antoine, whose mouth was full, nodded unconvincingly.

James shook his head. “Max is pagan. More than likely he’s indifferent to a Christian rite.”

“Bollocks.” Furbelow scowled at Brother Antoine. “Well? Stop stuffing yourself and say something useful.”

Hastily, the monk swallowed. “No one is indifferent to Almighty God,” he intoned.

“Voilà!” Sam said, as if he were a conjurer and the monk his creation. “He’s just a stupid ghost. I said we’ll get rid of him, and we will.”

* * *

Several hours later, as Thomasina curled up chastely in bed and James lay on the sofa across the room, they finally had a chance to talk.

Which was a good thing, because it helped take her mind off other possibilities.

“You saw that too, didn’t you?” she asked softly, thinking that if they were closer to one another, they could speak even more quietly with no fear of being overheard.

“Mmph?” Was he already dozing?

She would just have to speak louder. So what if someone heard them? Papa wouldn’t, for he was a little hard of hearing and snored loudly besides, and no one else mattered. She was a wanton Warren woman hoping to claim her heritage. “Max threw the spear at Sam.”

“Yes—and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with his aim.” James rolled onto his side and was silent once again.

“I believe you’re right, that an exorcism won’t affect Max—whether it’s because he’s pagan or because he’s not an evil spirit doesn’t really matter. The result is the same.”

“Mm-hmm.”

How could he just go to sleep? Even if he didn’t wish to take her in his arms for some long, heated kisses, surely he must be worried about other matters. “I think Sam also knows it will have no effect on Max—and yet he insists that it will. Why?”

Silence from the sofa.

“The exorcism must be an excuse for him to be here. We have to find out what the real reason is.”

No response.

She huffed with frustration. “Why don’t you say something?”

“I will, if I have anything to contribute.” He rolled onto his back again and yawned. “I was hoping to sleep on the problem.”

Fine, but I can’t sleep. “Poor Brother Antoine. He just does what Sam tells him. It’s as if Sam is the puppet master, pulling the strings. He does everything except deliver Antoine’s lines.”

“That’s it!” James sat up. “You’re brilliant, Tommie!”

How sweet that he used her nickname. “I am?”

“That’s where I’ve seen him before—at Sadler’s Wells. He’s an actor!”

She raised herself on one elbow. “Sam hired an actor to play a monk?”

“Yes…so why is he really here?”

“Precisely what I was asking.”

“He didn’t argue against postponing the exorcism until after Christmas. Why? Because although Antoine can’t exorcise anything, Furbelow needs him as an excuse to stay here a few more days?”