London Shadows (#1 Penderry's Bizarre)

Chapter Fifteen

                  

"You may recall the photograph of Jim and I in Skelmorie, with the mermaid." Mr Westman led Sophie back to the sofa. "The person behind the camera was Miss Sinclair. Back then, we were employed as part of a team for your uncle's magazine. But we were more than just colleagues, we were all friends.

"Your brother, it has to be said, had a habit of falling in and out of love on a regular basis. But with Miss Sinclair he went too far. Two years ago he asked her to marry him."

Sophie blinked. "He proposed? But I didn't know of their engagement."

"It was a secret. A reckless, spur of the moment idea. Only Blinks and I were aware of the planned elopement."

"You sound like you disapproved."

"Of course I did. I advised him to wait and marry her properly, but he wouldn't listen. He insisted I be a witness at the ceremony so I travelled with them to Gretna Green. Miss Sinclair and I arrived at the chapel on time, but your brother never turned up. He'd run away, abandoning her at the altar. At first, I hoped he'd decided to take my advice, but when confronted, he said their engagement was over. I felt it my duty to defend Miss Sinclair, since your brother had treated her quite badly. He was unreasonably angry with me for taking her side, and since that day he's refused to speak to me."

Sophie quietly digested the unpleasant truth. "How could he treat his friends so heartlessly?"

"He wouldn't tell me his reasons. To this day I haven't the faintest idea."

"Perhaps he wasn't ready to marry." Sophie sighed with frustration. "Oh, I wish he had confided in you instead of quarrelling."

After a moment of silence, Mr Westman stood up, dragging Sophie from her thoughts. "I'm sorry you had to hear of this."

"No." She shook her head. "It is better this way. We shouldn't delay our visit to Miss Sinclair."

Westman nodded. "I'll send for the carriage."

***

Miss Millicent Sinclair had a feeling, as she often did. She sensed that her afternoon of leisure would be interrupted by a face from the past.

So it came as little surprise to her when the butler announced that Mr Alfred Westman, had arrived with his valet and a young woman.

"Show them to the drawing room, I shall greet them presently."

Millicent didn't rush to finish her chocolate drink. Eventually, she rose from her seat and walked down the hallway, forecasting as she went. She already had an inkling why Westman had come. He had brought James Penderry's sister with him, for James was at the heart of their call.

Millicent entered the drawing room and didn't bother to disguise a sigh when her first prediction was confirmed.

Westman greeted her with a curt bow of his head. "Miss Sinclair. May I introduce Miss Sophie Penderry?"

Little astonished her these days. It came with the territory of being attuned to the world of spirit. Thoughts and information would pop into her head, sometimes at the most inconvenient times. Oh, what she wouldn't give for a few genuine surprises in life.

"Freddie, it's good to see you again," she replied and scrutinized his two companions. Only one was worthy of addressing. "Miss Penderry. I'm happy to meet you. Please sit down."

Her callers took their seats.

"Not you," she told Westman's scruffy servant.

Mr Blinks froze in a sort of squatting position, his backside just inches from touching her velvet upholstery. She could hardly believe Westman still kept him in his employ after all these years.