Underbelly (48 page)

“
I haven’t communicated with him directly, just with some of his victims.”

“
Laura didn’t mention me?”

“
No,” Grey lied. “You two know each other then?”

Jemima nodded. “Poor Laura. The church is after her at the moment. Did you know that?”

Grey nodded. “I wish they’d leave her alone. She’s no threat.”

“
No, but she was once, you see. Do you know all of her past?”

“
Not everything. I know that she’s changed for the better.”

“
That’s true. I found her very nice when I met her, quite different to what’s written of her. I should congratulate her on finally getting rid of that awful Nazi sympathizer...”

“
She’s been a very good friend to us,” Grey said firmly and he changed the subject. “Were you in attendance at my show, Mrs Horgensboard?”

“
Not on this occasion. I saw you a few weeks ago. I was reasonably impressed.”

“
Don’t damn the poor boy with faint praise. Performers need their egos bolstered,” Jemima said, jokingly telling her off.

“
I prefer a more intimate setting. This used to be quite de rigueur – the best spiritualists were invited to all of the best homes once,” Mrs Horgensboard said excitedly.

Grey nodded and said, “I’m happy to continue that tradition. I have performed at people’s homes a fair bit when I started out – this would be the grandest,” he said truthfully, surveying the surroundings.

“
You’re doing fairly well yourself, staying at The Overton,” Jemima said.

“
Yep. The ultimate goal is a house like this for my family. My childhood home was very humble, but it was a house, and that’s important to me...”

“
I know, I hate this new fad of cramming too much into a small area, vertical expansion. Families need room to breathe,” Jemima said agreeably, proving far more likeable to him than Laura had portrayed her.

“
New York is a city that creates its own rules,” Mrs Horgensboard said.

Grey realised that he had not told Jemima where he was staying and he certainly never let this slip at his shows and he said, “Your abilities reveal my lodgings, I guess?”

“
That’s correct. There’s not many of us out there, James, so others do stand out.”

Grey was satisfied with this explanation and said, “So have you had other mediums around here?”

“
Two. You’re the first male,” Mrs Horgensboard said playfully.

Grey chuckled and said, “I don’t imagine this’ll be that different to the ladies’ performances before me.”

“
Ignore her. Once you get past a certain age you feel you can say anything and Louisa passed that long ago,” Jemima said.

“
As did you, Jemima,” Mrs Horgensboard quickly pointed out. “We’ve had some fun with the frauds, haven’t we?” Jemima said to her friend.

“
Sometimes the con men can be more compelling than the genuine article,” Grey said affably, adding, “I’ve seen a fraud myself and I was fooled initially. My better half saw through him immediately.”

“
Not immediately,” Germaine said quietly.

“
It was,” Grey said to his audience. “As a showman he has me beat hands down. I don’t jump through hoops or employ smoke and mirror effects. I don’t need to ‘cause this is real. That means that I sometimes have bum shows, damp squibs that make me want the ground to swallow me up – the frauds make contact every time, which is reason enough to be dubious...”

“
We’ve seen you, James, we know how you perform. We can offer pointers if you wish, though I understand you artistes can be sensitive souls so we can skip the critique if you prefer. It is mostly positive,” Jemima said.

Grey looked to Germaine and chuckled in exaggerated exasperation. “What do you think?” he asked her.

“
He’s good as he is,” Germaine said.

“
Absolutely. That’s our appraisal too – that’s why we requested this private audience with the showman, and that’s what you are, James.”

“
Thank you. It’s early days, Jemima. I’m not a feature player yet. I’ve achieved more than I thought I would these past few months – I wouldn’t want the pace to quicken further. I started off performing to small groups like this in workmates homes and it’s grown at a rapid...”

“
And how did you find that?” Jemima enquired.

“
Hit and miss.”

“
According to you, you’re not very good,” Aelita said coolly. While Grey, Jemima and Mrs Horgensboard laughed at her front, Germaine did not and looked at her in disbelief at her insult. Aelita returned her stare and Germaine couldn’t match those cold eyes and looked back to her husband.

“
My granddaughter has never been one to mince her words,” Jemima said.

“
I’ve noticed that,” Mrs Horgensboard said.

“
We understand you’re modest, James. You’ve forewarned us that you may not even be able to contact my family pets. I appreciate the attempt. Shall we begin? This is your domain, so we’re in your hands, I’ll let you lead,” Jemima said.

“
If she sticks to that I’ll hand you the keys to my home,” Mrs Horgensboard chuckled.

“
Can you believe the low regard I’m held in?” Jemima said, mugging to the Greys. “Is this Heaven or Hell for you, James, being surrounded by so many women? That can be a medium’s lot. Ladies are more attuned to the other.”

“
That depends on the women. By that I mean how pleasant they are, nothing untoward...Germaine knows what I mean, I’ll move on before I get myself into trouble. This isn’t a séance. You don’t have to close your eyes or hold hands, unless you want to of course. All levity aside, this probably will get emotional for you. As the conduit I have to stay detached up to a point – I do have empathy for you but I had to come to terms with the spirit world long ago so don’t mistake my composure for callousness. Feel free to leave the room whenever you wish, or to take a break as required. I’d like a cigarette break after two hours – I’ll take a walk, I won’t loiter on your doorstep.”

“
She’s had far shadier men than you loitering down there,” Jemima bantered.

“
If that were the case I would be boasting about it,” Mrs Horgensboard replied.

“
I’ll still take a walk nonetheless, to preserve your good reputation,” Grey said, which induced a peal of laughter from Jemima. “One thing I know that you are renowned for, Jemima, is your close relationship with your family. What brings you to New York?”

“
The war has restricted my travelling for too long and I do have family to visit while I am over here. Aelita deserved a holiday too. Her parents still lived in Russia when Hitler attacked – their home was Stalingrad.”

Jemima’s words conveyed the gravity of the situation, Grey well aware of how dire conditions were said to have been in that city in wartime and he looked at Aelita sympathetically. “That must have been very hard for you.”

“
I’ll bet you were top of your class,” Aelita said sarcastically as he stated the obvious. “Yes, it was difficult,” she said, a huge understatement.

Grey took no offence at her manner, mindful of what she had endured, and he said earnestly, “It’s hard not to sound trite, but I am sorry for what you must have gone through.”

“
Why sorry? What was your input?” Aelita said, challenging him, examining his words too closely and picking up meanings that weren’t intended.

“
It wasn’t my front. I had no involvement in that theatre of war, or in the Pacific campaign, but I’m still sad at what happened there. The wounds are still raw for a lot of people, I understand that.”

“
Aelita went through a lot,” Jemima said, trying to justify her attitude. “We came to your fantastic show hoping that you might have been able to contact Henry or Eva, Aelita’s mother, or even my Charles. Obviously there was just an overabundance of spirits during the show, whereas now hopefully you can make contact. You’ll be rewarded.”

“
I’ll do it for free, if I can.”

“
That’s good because there’s more. Henry and Eva Harding are the priorities because they are poor Aelita’s parents and she never got to say goodbye. Then Charles Harding, my husband, and Wilbur Mackintosh, David Mackintosh, Norman Harding and Wilson Gavin, grandsons I lost in the Great War and this foul war you’ve all endured. Don’t do anything now, we’ll eat first, relax.”

After their meal Mrs Horgensboard invited Grey to enjoy her smoking room while the ladies adjourned to the sitting room. As the smoking room seemed to be a cordoned off, ‘men only’ room (which seemed bizarre as Grey got the impression that Mr Horgensboard had long departed, one way or the other and there seemed to be no other men around making this a wasted room), Grey chose to forgo the opportunity as he could not leave Germaine alone with them. She was floundering, seeming to be very tense, and Grey broke the seating plan in the sitting room by insisting Germaine sat by him where he held her hand.

“
She helps me concentrate,” he explained. He tried to make contact immediately, feeling considerable pressure to succeed. He was only able to locate one name from the list, Wilson Gavin, who perished at Dunkirk. Aelita was visibly disappointed, only very loosely related to him and having never met him, but it was enough to please Jemima who was emotional at the brief reunion, talking to Grey like he was her ‘grandson’ (as she always put it, easier than adding all of the greats). She apologised for not protecting him while he apologised for not upholding the fine military triumphs that the family was renowned for, their mutual appreciation society coming to a premature end when the spirit departed, finding peace.

“
No wonder Laura likes you,” Jemima said when they were finished, wiping her eyes with a tissue. “You are useful.”

Germaine picked up on the undercurrent in her words and knew she was right to be distrustful of her amenable facade.

“
Not useful enough,” Grey said, looking at Aelita’s dejected face.

“
Don’t worry, that was just the first batch. There’s still my brothers, my nephews and their children,” Jemima said as she reamed off 12 more names. Of this list Grey had more success, able to talk to 7 of the 12, as Jemima leisurely bade them goodbye and the night drew in. Due to Germaine’s condition she kept having to use the toilet and with Grey’s work done Mrs Horgensboard left the room to use the telephone to call him a cab whilst Jemima went to her room to fetch him a small token of her appreciation, leaving Grey alone with the ice queen, Aelita. He was uncomfortable and made a lame attempt at conversation about the meal and she talked across him with contempt.

“
I suppose you think your power makes you something special,” Aelita said confrontationally.

“
My many detractors keep my ego in check. I gather you won’t be joining my fan club?”

“
What real use is your power? You can’t bring anybody back.”

“
It’s closure. You saw the mothers of soldiers last night during the show. They normally speak to me backstage too and they say it helps. Perhaps if I try some more with your parents I may convert you yet.”

“
Jemima wants this false reunion. I don’t. If you can make me hear them that would be different. I don’t want your slant. I thought I wanted this and now I know different.”

“
I quote verbatim.”

“
What?”

“
Whatever they say I repeat, word for word. It’s not for all, Miss Harding. I respect your stance and won’t force spirits upon you.”

“
You retreat quickly,” Aelita said, eyeballing him.

“
Not quickly enough to dodge a few scratches.” Grey wanted to ask who’d rattled her cage yet refrained. He’d been brought up never to quarrel with ladies and he also knew he’d never win such verbal battles anyway. Instead he said, “New York’s probably as alien to me as you, considering...”