Free Whispers Beyond the Veil by Jessica Estevao

charlatans would be rotting in a cell until they were nothing but spirits themselves.
    â€œWell, whatever Miss Proulx’s reasons are for appearing out of the blue, I’m delighted that she’s here. I’ve always felt sorry for Honoria, rattling around in that hotel with nobody but paying guests and the Dragon.”
    â€œYou know I dislike it when you call Mrs. Doyle names,” Orazelia said. “She may be fiercely protective of Honoria but that doesn’t make her a dragon.”
    â€œWe all know how important allies are in time of trouble, Lucy,” Yancey said. “If I had to guess, I’d say Miss Proulx is exactly what Honoria needs to put the past behind her.”
    â€œWhat makes you the authority on this particular young lady?” Lucinda asked.
    â€œI’m no authority. I only walked her from the police station to the Hotel Belden. It was my duty to see that she was entertained on our way.”
    â€œI can’t see that it was your duty to take her there at all. If she had been a grubby fifteen-year-old boy you would have left him to make his own way,” Lucy said.
    â€œBut she was not grubby, nor was she a boy. Your brother has done his best to make her feel welcomed. Tomorrow, Lucinda, we must do the same.”
    â€œWhat a good idea. Honoria hustled her out of there so quickly I didn’t even have a chance to say hello.”
    â€œWe shall pay a call tomorrow afternoon. Even if she is not in we will leave our cards and an invitation to something or other. We could arrange a dinner party.” Orazelia clasped her hands together excitedly and winked at Yancey in a way that left the palms of his hands clammy. If there was one thing he didn’t like about his mother it was her insistent matchmaking. But at least she appeared to have forgotten to be angry at him.
    â€œIf you two will excuse me, I’m heading back out to keep my eye on the area around the station. Apparently there are pickpockets about.” With that he kissed both his mother and sister on the tops of their heads and left them to their plans.

C HAPTER S IX

    H onoria caught my eye at the end of the meal and beckoned me to her with the flash of a heavily ringed finger. As the other diners filed out of the room in a buzz of conversation I made my way to her table.
    â€œMy dear, if you are not too tired there’s someone who insists on meeting you this evening.” A flicker of concern crossed Honoria’s face and I thought of my conversation with Millie.
    â€œMrs. Doyle, perhaps?” I asked, hoping I wasn’t going to get Millie into any trouble.
    â€œMillie’s been helping put you in the picture, I see. She is a bright girl.” Honoria exhaled forcibly, her impressive bustline deflating with the effort. “Mrs. Doyle won’t go to bed tonight unless she gets her own eyes on you, and I need her at her best tomorrow with so many guests set to arrive in the morning.”
    â€œI’d be delighted to meet her.” I said. “Would now be a good time?” I would have expected to be overwhelmed with exhaustion after such a long journey but instead I felt alert and curious.
    â€œAre you sure it won’t be too much for you? How is your head feeling?”
    â€œIt’s only a little sore.” I reached up and gently pressed my fingers against the lump that had formed right below the spot where Millie had affixed the hair comb.
    â€œMrs. Doyle is the nurse here at the Belden along with all her other areas of expertise. If she wasn’t so proud of the table she provides she would have canceled dinner and taken a tray up to your room and forced you to lie there while she spooned broth down your throat.”
    â€œBut why is she so interested in me?”
    â€œLet’s just say she’s devoted to the family.” Honoria patted her hair and then tucked her arm in mine. “We’ll find her in the kitchen.”
    Honoria