Free The Haunting of Maddy Clare by Simone St. James Page B

are acquainted with the Barrys.”
    Mr. Gellis, who had been settling down with his notebook in avid anticipation, paused in surprise. “I beg your pardon?”
    “The Barrys,” Mrs. Clare replied. “You had a conversation with Evangeline Barry yesterday morning. It seems you have known her some time?” She smoothed her skirt absently, not seeming to need an answer. “I myself know them only slightly. They’ve never made much effort, I have to say, though of course they could have, as my husband was the magistrate. They’re known to be rather standoffish. I’ve heard that he’s no better than he should be, for all that they have money.” She looked up at Mr. Gellis again. “It goes to show that money, especially new money, simply does not equal class.”
    We were all quiet after this extraordinary speech. I could not read Mr. Gellis’ expression to see what he made of it. Who had seen the conversation yesterday morning, and gossiped around town about it? The innkeeper, or his family, perhaps? I turned tolook at Mr. Ryder in his corner. His eyebrows were slightly elevated and he tilted his head. He was evidently seeing something in Mr. Gellis’ face that I was not able to see.
    I turned back. Mrs. Clare looked only at Mr. Gellis, as if she had decided there was no one else in the room. She had recognized Mr. Gellis as of her own class of gentry, based on his acquaintance with the richest couple in town, and the concept seemed almost a relief to her; though, of course, she had had to make certain he understood that her own status was based on quality, and not on something as vulgar as money. Mr. Ryder and I, possessing neither, were not worthy of notice.
    “Ah, well,” said Mr. Gellis. “My acquaintance with Mrs. Barry is from years ago, I’m afraid, and I know her husband not at all.”
    “They’re not seen much, as I said. The house was empty for years until he inherited it, and they only lived there a few years after they married. They went to London and came back after the Armistice. The women here have tried to feel some sympathy for her, not having any children, but she hasn’t been very receptive. As for him, money is about all the good anyone can say for him. No one even knows what his father did.”
    Mr. Gellis rubbed his temple, bemused and perhaps a little embarrassed. “Well,” he said.
    But, having had her say on this topic, Mrs. Clare had turned to me. “You,” she said, her eyes piercing me. “You did not come to me yesterday. I told you to come to me after you’d been to the barn.”
    I reddened. “I apologize. I hardly knew where I was going. I was rather agitated.”
    Mrs. Clare nodded in a sort of resignation, and the Barrys were forgotten. “So she did show herself, then. We suspected so. We could hear things. What, exactly, did she do?”
    “There were several aspects of the manifestation.” Mr. Gellis took over, back on his favorite topic. I was actually grateful, as I wasn’t sure I could go through all of it again. “Sounds. An attempt, we think, to speak. She interfered with our recording equipment.”
    “Maddy can be mischievous,” Mrs. Clare said.
    “So it seems. But I am particularly interested in one aspect. Has Maddy ever created a sort of hallucination before?”
    Mrs. Clare looked at him. “I beg your pardon?”
    “She seems to have created a nearly perfect illusion in Miss Piper’s mind that the barn was on fire. Miss Piper was convinced of it, and accordingly terrified. Has she ever done anything like that before?”
    Mrs. Clare’s gaze turned to me, and she thought for a long moment. “How extraordinary,” she said. “No. No, she has never done it to me, or to Mrs. Macready as far as I am aware. How did she do such a thing to you?”
    “Perhaps Miss Piper is somewhat sensitive,” Mr. Gellis offered. Of course. I had a soft shell.
    But Mrs. Clare was frowning. “I am more concerned with the illusion itself,” she said. “It’s strange. Does it mean