Doctor Who_ Foreign Devils - Andrew Cartmel [14]
'Yes, the occult,' murmured Carnacki. There were appreciative murmurs from the guests. Spiritualism was going through one of its periodic spasms of popularity among the British upper class and was considered a legitimate pastime or amusement, if not a subject for serious enquiry.
Carnacki cleared his throat and spoke up. 'I have brought along the subject of one of my investigations, unearthed several years ago at an archaeological dig in Cornwall. It is of course the "Cornish spirit lance", a medieval jousting weapon, which was the focus of certain horrifying poltergeist phenomena, to be described in my illustrated talk "The Affair of the Spectral Lance".'
There was polite applause from the dinner guests and Carnacki relaxed a little.
Beside him sat Celandine Gilbert. She was holding his hand under the table and could feel his palm sweat at the embarrassment of being singled out, the centre of attention. But the centre of attention moved swiftly on as Pemberton looked at Celandine and said, 'Following Mr Carnacki's no doubt fascinating disquisition we will be entertained by his lovely companion, Miss Gilbert.'
Celandine bowed her head politely as Pemberton went on to describe her career as a medium, at fulsome length. Carnacki leaned close to her and whispered, 'I wish he'd shut up and let us get on with dinner.'
At length their host did just this and, after the meal, a prolonged affair consisting of five courses of which the lobster mayonnaise was an early and unmatched highlight, Carnacki was just about to be led off to the smoking room with the other male guests when a small man
in a disreputable jacket came up to him.
'Mr Carnacki,' he said, his eyes gleaming, 'I'm the Doctor. I just wanted to say what a pleasure it is to make your acquaintance at last. I'm a great admirer of yours. You are an extremely brave and resourceful young man dealing with things beyond the capability of most of your contemporaries even to imagine.' 'Why thank you, but –'
'I have followed with fascination the details of your investigations in such matters as the House Among the Laurels, the Whistling Room and the haunting of the Jarvee.'
Carnacki stared at the man in mystification. 'I'm afraid I haven't encountered any such cases as you've just described.'
The man smiled, unperturbed, and chuckled to himself. 'No indeed.
Not yet.'
'Not yet?'
'Good luck when you do,' said the man, and he patted Carnacki on the shoulder before turning and moving away. Carnacki tried to follow him but the press of the crowd was moving towards the smoking room and he found himself carried along, helpless.
Chapter Four
'It's barbaric,' said Zoe. 'This really is the most primitive culture.' She adjusted the white apron she wore over her black maid's dress and shot an irritated glance at the Doctor. They were standing in a small niche under one of the numerous staircases, safe from observation by unfriendly eyes – the Doctor was a putative guest and guests were not supposed to fraternise too closely with the domestic staff.
'Barbaric in what way, exactly?' asked the Doctor. He seemed genuinely, if rather abstractedly, interested.
'Well for a start after dinner the two sexes separate with the women going off to the drawing room, which at first I thought involved some kind of art classes. You know, sketching or something. But in fact all it seems to entail is a lot of silly prattling and gossip.'
'And no doubt the weaving of subtle feminine stratagems,' said the Doctor. 'As in a coven or seraglio.'
'Meanwhile the men sit around in the smoking room, arguing over what the finest specimens are in the humidor and the correct method of lighting a cigar so they can smoke it