"Tell me what happened," Celia said when Lucy left.
I did. Everything.
Afterwards, she watched me for a long time over the rim of her teacup. There were no recriminations for leaving in the middle of the night, no lectures, but no gentle or wise words to make me feel better either. I was grateful. I didn't want them. Nothing would make me feel better ever again. I had a hole in my heart the size of England and it was sucking everything out of me, even the tears.
"So that's that then," Celia announced. I wasn't sure if she was referring to the demon being returned or Jacob leaving. I didn't care.
Later that morning George visited. We talked over the events of the night. I left out the part where Jacob had said goodbye.
Celia, however, did not. "The ghost is gone." She smiled at George and handed him a large slice of sponge cake. It was his second. "More tea?"
He held out his cup and returned her smile. While he was studying his cake, no doubt deciding how best to attack the mountain with his fork, my sister winked at me.
With a huff of breath, I got up and left. She could flirt with George on my behalf without me.
That afternoon she knocked on my bedroom door and said we were going to visit Mrs. Wiggam.
"Can't you go alone? I'm very tired." I'd just woken from a nap but I felt like I needed more sleep. I couldn't imagine ever feeling completely awake again. Jacob was gone. What was there to be awake for?
"No. She sent me a note, pleading our help, blaming us for her husband haunting her. Can you believe it! The nerve of the woman when it was her demands for money that made him so angry."
"Let them sort out their own problems," I said and rolled over in bed.
She sat down on the mattress behind my back and placed a hand on my shoulder. "You can't remain in here forever.
He's gone and you're needed."
"I don't care."
She hugged me, her face close to mine. Her hair smelled like lavender. "You have a gift, Emily. With that gift comes the responsibility to use it properly. If the events with the demon have taught me something, it's that. We summoned Mr. Wiggam, admittedly on his wife's behalf, but we now must end her suffering. At least we have to try. I...I'm worried about what he might do to her if we don't intervene."
I sighed and rolled over. Why did she have to be sensible all the time? "Let's go," I muttered.