Kitty and Ada- Short Stories.

8. Robert

The beginning of 1901 had been quite the strangest of times. In January I had suffered a dreadful fever and mere weeks after that I had almost been killed by a murderous politician. I was grateful then that for the next few weeks after my horrifying ordeal it was relatively calm and pleasant. Ada had not received a single message. I had taken the opportunity to write more. And we waited patiently for the arrival of Alec and Cynthia's baby which was due any time.

Though Ada had not heard any voices from the dearly departed in a while, she was still fixated on contacting Robert and devoted two hours a day to using the Ouija board to rouse the spirit world. I didn't know what she was doing wrong but the spirits didn't seem to respond to her which was odd considering in the past year how many of them had invaded her brain like a swarm of buzzing bees. It seemed that whenever she wanted to contact someone, they didn't listen, and whenever she wished they'd leave her alone, they deliberately let themselves in.

In some ways I was glad Ada had a break from the voices but in other ways I must admit I strangely missed the excitement a new message brought- the who's and why's- the researching, the stories, the feeling of achievement when it was finally delivered. I still needed a purpose, that was apparent and no matter how much I did to keep me busy, I realised the feeling no doubt would never change.

...

As the bracing winter continued to tighten its hold upon us, Nellie and I bundled under warm coats as we took a walk in the early morning air. It was icy and misty and sleet fell upon us from above but there was also a freshness that seemed to clear all my senses and make me ready for anything. It was true the cold months often held some deep sadness over me, but when I walked outside and felt the wind on my cheeks- it lifted my spirits immensely. I enjoyed being around the bustle of the town where people were busy buying food and travelling to work and selling all kinds of wonderful merchandise.

I liked to accompany Nellie whenever she ran an errand as it made me feel connected to all kinds of strangers. Alec would think me strange but, on our walks, I would say good-day to people I ordinarily may not have and I visited parts of town that Nellie was used to but I had never seen before. She always suggested I shouldn't be visiting her part of the world but I disagreed. If Ada's ghosts came from all over then how were we to help them if I had no clue how anyone else lived or how to approach them?

We had just exited the post office when we heard a commotion around us and a crowd gathering around a news-stand where a paper-boy was handing out the newspapers. Everyone was stood together in a huddle, mumbling and muttering, shouting and stammering and sharing information to the next passer-by as they glanced at the headline.

"What's going on?" I asked a red-faced middle-aged man as he stared at the front of a newspaper with his mouth open like a goldfish.

It took him several moments to compose himself. "It's her majesty the Queen, she's dead."

"Dead?" I was quite shocked, I shall admit it. I knew the Queen had been an elderly lady but somehow the Royal Family seemed immortal and I never imagined that one day she would succumb to death the way we normal people did. Nellie reached for her handkerchief and began wiping away her now flowing tears.

"Oh, it's so terrible, Miss."

"I agree. I wonder if Ada knows." I fetched a newspaper and we walked home so quickly that I hardly noticed the sleet, splattering of rain, and the cold chill upon us. If Mrs. Jessop was at home then she may have told Ada the news but if not, she was quite oblivious to the life-changing news.

When we found Ada in the sitting room, she looked pale and disorientated with eyes half-closed and red. Nellie being her forthright self hadn't noticed and walked up to Ada in the middle of her dazed state. "Mrs. Eltree, her majesty is dead! She's gone and popped off, just like that."