Read Online Whispers Beyond the Veil by Jessica Estevao - Free Book Online Page B

you have something to hide.”
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    S he’s the spitting image of her mother,” Orazelia said.
    â€œPeople always say things like that about long-lost relatives,” Lucinda said.
    â€œShe looks more like Delphinia than you do me,” Orazelia said.
    â€œThat’s because I favor Father’s side.” A noticeable hush descended on the room as all three paused their clanking and scraping of cutlery on china. Yancey rushed to fill the silence and distract his mother from painful memories and his sister from her gaffe.
    â€œShe made an impression everywhere today. The scene at the train station caused quite a stir.”
    â€œIs it true that she bashed a pickpocket over the head with her parasol?” Lucinda completely abandoned any pretense of interest in her meal and leaned so far forward the lace on her bodice loomed perilously close to her soup plate.
    â€œLucinda, I’m sure that isn’t true in the least. People do so love to exaggerate.” Orazelia’s tone was stern but she laid her own fork down and gave her son her full attention.
    â€œI’m afraid the witnesses all concurred with what Lucy has heard.” Yancey paused to enjoy a sip of soup. No sense wasting a perfectly good meal just because his family had more appetite for gossip than for food.
    â€œSee, Mother. I told you.” Lucinda stretched even farther forward, and this time managed to wet her ruffles with the tomato bisque. She was so engrossed she didn’t seem to notice. “Did you catch the thief?”
    â€œNo, but I’ve given word to the men to be on the lookout for someone skulking about with a parasol-shaped dent in the side of his head. We should have him before long, I expect.”
    â€œSuch high spirits. So unorthodox. It will do Honoria a world of good to have her visit. I hope she intends to stay for a while,” Orazelia said.
    â€œI wonder what people will say about her arriving so unexpectedly. There’s sure to be a great deal of talk.” Lucinda waved her hands about wildly. Even in the low light of the candles Yancey could see the high color on her cheeks.
    â€œThere’s always talk surrounding the Belden women. At least this time Honoria will enjoy the subject,” Orazelia said.
    â€œI wonder if she’s here to help Honoria with the business,” Lucy said. “Perhaps she received a message from the beyond, letting her know her aunt needed her.”
    â€œI certainly hope she shows more sense than to claim a thing like that. The last thing we need is someone else bringing that séance nonsense in your lives again.” Yancey felt his hand clench around his spoon. He fixed his eyes on his mother. “You’ve barely recovered from the last go-round with it.” Something in his sister’s manner gave him pause. He wasn’t at all happy with the way she was chewing on her lower lip. As a child that always had meant she was hiding something. “You do remember you promised not to hire any of the practitioners at the hotel, don’t you?”
    â€œI have no plans to do so, despite my feelings on the subject.” Orazelia sniffed and reached for a dinner roll.
    â€œIt’s for your own good, Mother. If you’d kept on the way you were going you would have shelled out every penny you had and still not heard an answer which satisfied you.”
    Yancey loathed this particular conversation. When Honoriaannounced her plans to renovate the Belden and create a haven for gullible souls with money to burn he worried Orazelia would not be able not resist the temptation to participate in all her friend had to offer. The dire state of his mother’s finances was not his only worry on the subject. Orazelia’s nerves had been shattered by the emotional highs and lows each new encounter with a self-proclaimed medium had wrought. If he’d had his way every last one of those