Page 52 of Mesmerized

When the footman returned a few moments later with the smelling salts, Stephen waved the bottle under Babington’s nose. Babington coughed and turned his head away, but his eyes did not open. Stephen slapped his cheeks gently, but that had no effect on him, either.

“Oh, dear, what’s happened to him?” Lady St. Leger murmured tearfully.

“I think a spirit tried to speak through him,” Irina said quietly. “And it seems to have been too much for him.”

“Yes. Yes. A spirit,” Madame Valenskaya agreed quickly, going back to her chair and sitting down.

Stephen sent a servant for the doctor, then had some of the footmen carry Babington up to his room and put him in his bed. The rest of the group trailed after them, standing in an uncertain clump inside his bedroom door. Olivia lit every lamp and candle in his room. Babington’s pallor looked even greater in the increased light.

Stephen glanced at the women. “I will wait for the doctor, and I will let you know what he says.”

Pamela looked greatly relieved at this statement and left the room almost immediately. Madame Valenskaya and her daughter hesitated, but it took little persuading to get them to retire, as well.

“I should stay with our guest,” Lady St. Leger told her son, giving Babington an uneasy glance. “It is my responsibility as the lady of the house.”

Stephen sent Olivia a significant look, and Olivia stepped forward. “But, Lady St. Leger, your son is the head of the house, after all, and I’m sure he is quite capable of remaining with Mr. Babington until the doctor arrives. No doubt poor Mr. Babington would be more comfortable with another man in the room rather than one of us women.” She nodded toward Belinda. “And I think Belinda is in need of her mother right now.”

Lady St. Leger looked at her daughter, who was indeed quite pale and frowning with worry. “Yes, I am sure you are right, my lady,” Lady St. Leger said, unable to completely conceal the relief in her voice. Everyone, it seemed, felt uneasy in the presence of the eerily silent Mr. Babington.

Olivia eased Lady St. Leger and Belinda out the door, turning back once to look at Stephen. He smiled, saying, “Thank you. I will let you know what the doctor says.”

The three women went to Lady St. Leger’s sitting room down the hall. “Where do you suppose the others have gone?” Lady St. Leger asked, casting a vague look around the room.

“No doubt back to their rooms,” Olivia reassured her. “I think all of us could use a little peace and quiet after that.”

“What happened?” Belinda asked, her voice quavering a little. “I’ve never seen anything like that.”

“Nor I,” Olivia replied candidly. “I am not sure what happened. Perhaps the doctor will be able to tell.”

“It was as if he was another person,” Lady St. Leger said. “And that voice—it sounded, well, not human.”

“It was very strange,” Olivia agreed.

“Do you think it was really spirits?” Belinda asked.

“I wouldn’t think so,” Olivia said stoutly. “I think perhaps Mr. Babington—well, I don’t know what happened to him, but I feel sure there must be a rational explanation for it.”

“I cannot imagine what,” Lady St. Leger said honestly. Her face twisted in distress. “If the spirits of the departed sound like that, it must mean that they are dreadfully unhappy. I cannot bear to think of Roddy feeling that way.”

“My dear lady, I am sure he does not,” Olivia cried, her heart going out to the older woman. “I know he would not want you to feel so distressed.”

She cast about for something to take her ladyship’s mind off the frightening events of the evening. “You know, my lady, I did not know your eldest son. Perhaps you could tell me a little about him.”

Olivia soon realized she had hit upon the right topic, for Lady St. Leger immediately brightened and began to describe Roderick to her. Belinda joined in, and they were soon caught up in recounting all the sweet and warm memories they had of the man.

By the time Stephen joined them an hour later, both the St. Leger women were calm and smiling, even laughing, still happily recounting yet another joke that Roderick had played. Stephen’s eyebrows sailed up in surprise and he shot Olivia an appreciative look.

“Well,” he said, stepping into the room, “you look much better, Mother, I’m happy to say.”

“Oh, darling.” Lady St. Leger turned to him. “How is that poor man? Did the doctor come?”

“Yes, he did. He checked Mr. Babington over, and he could find nothing wrong—his heart is beating normally, and his lungs sound clear and fine. But he is unable to wake up. The doctor is not sure what happened. He says it sounds as if the man had some sort of seizure and is now in a coma. He suggested that perhaps Mr. Babington had epilepsy. He asked about his medical history, but of course I knew nothing about it, and when we asked Madame Valenskaya and her daughter, neither did they. They said they had only known him for a year. They have never witnessed such behavior from him, but I suppose he could have managed to hide it from others most of the time.”

“But will he wake up?” Lady St. Leger asked.

“I don’t know. Dr. Hartfield would not say. He said he hoped so, and he said that he will come to check on him. There seems to be nothing to do at the moment except to wait and see that Babington is cared for. I have told the butler to have one of the maids sit with him all the time.”

“Poor man.” Lady St. Leger sighed. “And poor Madame Valenskaya.”