The House of Secrets

‘Sarah’s 26 and Zeke is 34, but Sarah’s an old soul. I think they are good for each other. There’s no need for you to watch her every move, darling. Let’s try to make her feel at home. We must get her a key—’

‘Matthew, don’t try to placate me. We need to finish our conversation. As I told you last night, I’m concerned that you would turn away paying patients, when we are so low on funds. There are patients ready to check in to this hospital and pay us to be here. In order to make the hospital pay for itself, we need to have patients in the beds.’

‘But I don’t have the time to give to them, not now. Can you not see that?’

‘Because you’re off on these séances with Minna? Matthew, darling, please. I love you, but I am so worried. You’ve become obsessed with Alysse, and for some strange reason you think that Sarah Bennett is connected to her. Don’t you realize how absurd you sound? Alysse is dead. This obsession of yours is not healthy.’

I heard the sound of a chair moving on the wood floor. In my mind’s eye, I saw Dr Geisler moving around the desk to sit next to his wife.

‘I can’t explain what I saw at the trial, darling. And as crazy as it sounds, Alysse was there. I know it.’

‘Have you seen her, Matthew? Have you seen her with Sarah?’

‘Well, no, not really. I just—’

‘I can’t talk to you about this, Matthew. Not now. We need to take the patients. These are soldiers with psychiatric injuries, soldiers who need peace and quiet. They need our help, now. The hospital needs the income. We can charge them, and I can get Dr Severton to see to their care. Don’t you see, you need to work, darling? You can pursue this new interest of yours at the weekends.’ Bethany couldn’t keep the desperation out of her voice.

‘Dr Severton could see to the patients. That’s a splendid idea. You know, Bethany, you do have a remarkable business sense. Whatever you think, darling. I trust you implicitly. I know this hospital means the world to you. That’s why you’re the business manager.’

‘Thank you,’ she said. ‘I’ll see to it right away. How’s Sarah doing? Will she be able to do the job?’

‘She is doing very well,’ he said.

‘Matthew, you realize if the newspapers discover you’ve hired Sarah, they will stake this place out. We’ll get no peace. The sanctuary we offer our patients will be compromised.’

They murmured and for a moment I couldn’t hear what was said between them.

‘What’s bothering you, darling? Something tells me that your worries have nothing to do with Sarah or my interest in the occult.’

‘It’s Minna,’ she said. ‘I’m worried about her. I know that she believes she has a newfound psychic ability, and I realize how interesting that is to you. She thinks that Gregory is alive and has come to get his revenge. She needs more help than we can provide. I know how much you care for her, but I think we are doing her a disservice by allowing her to stay here. This house can only remind her of the past. You don’t believe that Minna is truly a medium, do you? Darling, you are risking your career.’

‘You’re shivering,’ he said.

‘Close the window, please. It’s freezing in here.’

He closed the window. And that was that. I couldn’t hear them any longer.

Try as I might, I couldn’t focus on the stack of notes that needed to be sorted. Rather than sit at my desk, I stood by the door that led into Dr Geisler’s office with my ear pressed against it. I could have left, gone upstairs, packed my things, and slipped out the front door with no one any the wiser. But I had no place to go and no money to get there. I listened until I heard Bethany leave. When the door shut behind her, I slipped into Dr Geisler’s office. He uncapped his pen and started to make some notes on one of the yellow pads that were scattered all around the office.

‘Excuse me,’ I said.

‘Finished?’ Dr Geisler put his pen down.

‘No.’

‘Are you able to read my handwriting?’

‘Yes.’

He studied me and something in my expression must have led him to ask, ‘Is everything okay?’

I pointed at one of the guest chairs that faced his desk. ‘May I?’

‘Please.’ He studied me. ‘Sarah, whatever is the matter?’

‘I can hear everything that is said in this office when the windows are open,’ I said. ‘Since I’m one of those people who needs fresh air, I had my window open this morning.’

‘I’m so sorry.’ Dr Geisler would not make a good poker player. Regret, followed by the flush of embarrassment, washed over his face.

‘Who is Alysse?’

The seconds passed, marked by the ticking of the brass ship’s clock that rested on the shelf behind the desk. He closed his eyes and used his forefinger to massage the furrow that had formed between his brows.

‘Forgive me for being blunt, but I heard everything you and Bethany said. I know no one named Alysse, and I would like you to explain yourself. You said she’s attached herself to me. What does that mean?’

‘Alysse is the sister I lost in the influenza epidemic. She didn’t want to die.’

‘Does anyone?’

‘I’ve seen her. Not like a ghost, white and shimmery like the gothic fiction that my wife loves. I’ve felt her essence, seen glimpses out of the corner of my eye. She’s come to me in dreams, and just when I see her, just when I think I can speak to her, I wake up. I think she is trying to communicate with me.

‘I know you are the key. Sarah, what happened last October? There were no fingerprints found on the gun, and based on Jack Bennett’s shoulder wound, the weapon couldn’t have been fired by you.’

A shiver ran down my spine. I grabbed the arms of my chair, bracing myself as the room started to spin.

‘Take a deep breath,’ Dr Geisler said in a soft voice.

I did as he instructed. The dizziness passed.

‘Sarah, I’m familiar with your case file. I’ve spoken to Dr Upton about your testimony at Jack Bennett’s trial. I’m well aware of your position and the things that you witnessed, the things that the jury didn’t hear. I also have spoken to Zeke, and he told me what he saw. Would you like me to tell you what I think?’

I must have nodded, for he continued to speak.

‘I think your biological mother, Grace Kensington, came to you in spirit form, with the sole mission of protecting you from Jack Bennett. I’m willing to bet that you haven’t seen her again. Have you?’

I shook my head, ignoring the implication of his words, not trusting him enough to confide in him about the weeping noises that had plagued me for weeks.

‘So she fulfilled her quest and crossed over. That’s not so unusual. Spirits are with us all the time. We’re separated by something that no one understands.’ He opened his desk drawer, took out an old picture, and slid it across the desk to me. The picture showed a young woman dressed in a floor-length evening dress. The tilt of her head gave her an air of self-assurance. Her smile radiated warmth. I turned the photo over. On the back, someone had scrawled Alysse, June 1917.

‘Why do you think she’s here?’ I asked.

‘Because I’ve heard her weeping.’ Dr Geisler watched me. ‘You’ve heard it too?’

‘Yes,’ I said. ‘It started after the foreman read the “not guilty” verdict.’

‘She was at your trial, as God is my witness. I felt her presence hovering around you, and I make no claim to any special ability in that regard. I’m afraid she wants me to do something for her, and she wants to use you as the conduit. I know it’s a lot to take in, but all I’m asking is that you listen for her. If she comes to you, please tell me. I give you my solemn word that I will not send you to an asylum. I won’t breathe a word of what you say to anyone. I will treat our communication as sacrosanct. I know you experience things.

‘Zeke knows there’s no way you could have shot Jack Bennett. He’s worried about you. In fact, he approached me about your psychic ability. He thinks you may be a medium. I know that you took a terrible fall off the second-storey landing at Bennett House. Did you know an incident like that can trigger latent psychic abilities?’