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Silas Hogwood was supposed to be in prison. Hulda knew, because she had been the one to put him there.
Mr.Fernsby is right. It’s probably just someone with similar features. She squeezed the pole tighter.Why would he be free, let alone across the Atlantic and in Portsmouth? Be reasonable, Hulda.
But it had looked so much like him.So muchlike him. And Hulda didn’t think of him too often, not anymore. Surely it wasn’t a mere projection of her mind.
She was grateful for Mr.Fernsby’s interference, even if he had only escorted her to the tram. There was still a slight tremor in her fingers.
It was a good thing she was visiting BIKER. Myra would know what to do.
Hulda could not seem to keep her stride at a reasonable pace. She hastened from the tram, she speed-walked down the Boston streets, and she speed-walked to the back of the Bright Bay Hotel and up the stairs to BIKER’s offices.
Miss Steverus looked up from her reception desk as Hulda blustered in. “Mrs.Larkin! What a surprise!” She glanced down at some notes. “I don’t have you written down for today. Everything all right?”
“Just fine, thank you.” She patted her hair, hoping it wasn’t too much of a mess. “Is Myra in?” She started for the office.
Miss Steverus flipped through some notes. “I don’t see any appointments—”
Hulda gripped the knob and opened the door.
Myra, sitting at her desk, startled, hand flying to her breast. “Hulda! My goodness, you startled me!” She paused. “Whatever is the matter?”
Hulda shut the door behind her and dropped her bag on the nearest chair. “A few things to discuss. To start, Whimbrel House is possessed by a wizard, and—”
“Possession! I’m not surprised.” Myra tapped a pencil to her lip. “And how is the owner liking it? Mr....” She pulled out a ledger.
“Fernsby. He seems to be taking to the house and our administrations well, but he’s not fond of ghosts.” Her thoughts were spinning, and she desperately tried to organize them. Sucked in a deep breath through her nose to steady herself.One thing at a time, Hulda. “He wants the spirit exorcised.”Stop fidgeting.
Myra’s face fell. “Does he? He won’t be convinced otherwise?”
Hulda rolled her lips together, considering, bossing her thoughts into a single row so she could process one at a time. “He... may be convinced yet. I think he’s becoming fond of the place; he turned down an interested buyer, for the time being.”
Myra looked a little stiff. “I see.”
“But I’m doing the necessary research, regardless of the outcome.”
“As you should.”
Hulda nodded. “On that errand, I did want to see if BIKER had any information on Whimbrel House not included in the initial file.”
Her employer’s lips pulled into a frown. She stood and paced to the window. “I’m afraid not—that was everything I could easily pull when the news came in. But I could have Sadie check the library downstairs, just to be sure.”
“I don’t mind checking it myself. I would like to return to the island tonight.”
Myra waved her permission. “Is that all? You could have sent a note, Hulda.” A slight smile curled her lips. “Always so thorough. That’s what makes you invaluable.”
Hulda bit back a smile of her own. “A few other matters.” Another deep breath. “That is, we’ve only hired a single staff member, thus far—”
“How is Miss Taylor faring?”
“Quite well. She’s a good find.”
Myra rubbed her chin. “Indeed. She has quite the story, if you ever care to ask her.”
“I will have to do that.”
“I might as well tell you while I’m thinking of it—that request you sent in for a cook? She already hired out and is on her way to Connecticut.”
“Of course she is.” Hulda removed her glasses and rubbed the bridge of her nose. “I’ll ask Miss Steverus for some other leads.” She reached for her bag handle to occupy her hands, then recalled she’d discarded it. “While I’ll see through the exorcism, Mr.Fernsby has also requested that I stay on longer. He is unaccustomed to staff and believes my leaving would be jarring. If there is nothing in BIKER’s queue, an extension would be relatively harmless.”
