This programme was faithfully carried out, and not even the depressions and the bumps in the court damped Celia's enthusiasm. "It adds to the fun," she said, when Charles failed to reach a ball that bounced unaccountably to the right.
When they came off the court after a couple of hours play they were pleasantly weary, and, as Margaret said, were beginning to get to know the peculiarities of the ground. It was just as Charles had announced his intention of spending a lazy evening that Celia remembered to break a piece of news to them all which put an end to such dreams.
"I forgot to tell you," she said guiltily, "that I've given Bowers leave off, and I said they could have the car. They're going to the cinema in Manfield, and I said it would be all right if they just put a cold supper on the table - and - and we'd clear it away, and wash up."
"Did you indeed?" said Charles instantly. "Now isn't that a pity? Because I've just remembered that I shall have to go out directly after supper, so I shan't be able to…"
"Liar," said Celia, without heat.
"Besides," Margaret put in, "you can't go and desert us. We've promised Aunt Lilian we'll try out her planchette."
Celia's face clouded. "Margaret, if we talk hard about something else, don't you think she might forget about it?"
"No," said Margaret, considering this. "It would only be a case of putting off the evil hour. I think we'd better do it once, just to please her, and then when nothing happens she'll probably get bored with it."
"But supposing something did happen?" Celia pointed out.
"Well, it 'ud be rather interesting, I think," Margaret said coolly.
Celia was so far from agreeing with her that she did her best to keep Mrs. Bosanquet's mind off the subject all through supper. But it was to no avail. When the meal had been cleared away, and the family had repaired to the library, Mrs. Bosanquet produced her board, and said: "Well, my dears, shall we have our sitting?"
"I wish you wouldn't talk as though we were a collection of fowls," Charles complained. "Provided I am supplied with a comfortable chair I don't mind lending what I feel sure will be powerful assistance."
Celia looked at him suspiciously. "If that means that you're going to fool about…'
"Hush!" said her husband reprovingly. "For all you know I may be a strong medium. In fact I shouldn't be surprised if I went into a trance. Time will be as nothing to me. All the secrets of the future will be revealed to me."
"Yes, dear, quite possibly you are a natural medium," Mrs. Bosanquet said. "But when people come out of trances they don't remember anything that happened to them while they were in the trance. At least, so I have always understood."
"In that case," said Charles, "I charge you all the instant you see me fall into a trance to ask me what's going to win the 3.20 to-morrow. And see you write down the answer."
"If you go into a trance," said Peter, "that isn't the only thing we'll ask you. There are lots of things about your past I've long wanted to know."
Mrs. Bosanquet was arranging chairs round a small table. "That will do, my dear," she said. "You know it is no use approaching this in a spirit of levity. Now let us all take our places round the table, and then I'll turn the light down."
Celia was already showing a tendency to cling to Charles' hand. "Not right out, Aunt!" she implored.
"No, I will leave just a glimmer. I don't think we need draw the curtains, do you, Margaret? There doesn't seem to be any moon to-night. And it will make the room so stuffy. Now, are you all ready?"
"Wait a moment!" Celia begged. "Charles, you've got to sit by me!"
"Celia, you goose!" Margaret said softly. "You don't really expect anything to happen do you?" She took the seat on her sister's left, and Peter sat down beside her.
Mrs. Bosanquet turned the central lamp out, and lowered the wick of the one that stood on a table by the fireplace, until only a tiny flame showed. Then she groped her way to the empty chair between her nephews and sat down.
"Oh, isn't it dark and horrible?" shuddered Celia.
"You'll get used to it," Margaret said soothingly. "Already I can just see, vaguely. What do we have to do, Aunt Lilian?"
Mrs. Bosanquet, happy in having induced them to take part in the seance, at once assumed the role of preceptress. "First, you must be quite comfortable in your chairs," she said.
"That knocks me out," Charles interrupted. "No one could be comfortable in a chair like this. There are already three knobs pressing into my spine."
By the time he had solemnly tested three other chairs, and decided in favour of a Queen Anne upholstered chair with slim wooden arms, even Celia had begun to giggle.
With unimpaired patience Mrs. Bosanquet started again. "Now, are you all settled?"
"Yes," Margaret said, before Charles had time to speak. "Go on, Aunt, what next?"
"We all lay just the tips of our fingers on the board, taking care not to press or lean on it."
"Here, who's going to hold my arms up?" demanded Charles, having tried the effect of obeying these instructions.
"No one, my dear. You just sit with them extended. Now you must all of you try to make your minds a blank…'
"That oughtn't to be difficult for some of us," said Peter.
"True," agreed Charles, "but to think this was the one occasion when Flinders would have been really useful, and we weren't warned in time to call him in!"
"Shut up, Chas!" Margaret said severely. "All right, Aunt. Anything else?"
"No, dear. Only when the board begins to move you must on no account push it, or in any way seek to influence it. Think of something else, and just keep your hands perfectly steady. Have you all got your fingers on the board? Then we will be quite quiet now, and wait."
Dead silence fell. In the dim light they could just perceive one another, but Celia could not keep her eyes from peering fearfully into the darkness beyond. After perhaps three minutes, Charles said suddenly: "What happens if I sneeze?"
"Sh!" said Mrs. Bosanquet.
Another silence fell. This time it was Peter who broke it. "I say, are you sure this is right?" he asked. "Isn't it only one person who manipulates a planchette? Or am I thinking of a Ouija board?"
"Sh!" said Mrs. Bosanquet again.
Time crept by. Margaret's arms began to feel rather numb, and still the board did nothing but tremble slightly with the involuntary muscular twitches of all their hands. She became aware of a sound, and listening intently, identified it as somewhat stertorous breathing. She tried to see the faces of her companions, and at that moment Mrs. Bosanquet herself spoke: "My dears!" she said impressively, "I do believe Charles was right, and he's gone into a trance. His hands are no longer on the board, and he is breathing just like a medium did whom I once visited. Charles! Can you hear me?"
A slight, but unmistakable snore answered her. "Kick him, Celia!" said Peter. "The blighter's gone to sleep."
Celia promptly shook her husband, who grunted, yawned, and sat up. "Charles, you're not to go to sleep! It's too bad of you!" she scolded.
"Asleep?" said Charles. "Did I seem to you to be asleep?"
"You did," said Peter grimly. "Snoring like a pig."
"Nonsense," Charles replied. "And I warned you what might happen! You've gone and roused me out of what might have proved to be a valuable trance."
Mrs. Bosanquet said worriedly: "We shall never get any results like this!"
"It's all right, Aunt Lilian," Celia reassured her. "I'll see he stays awake."
"Well, I do trust there will be no more interruptions," Mrs. Bosanquet sighed.
Under her breath Celia said: "It isn't fair to tease her, Chas. Do behave decently!"
Thus adjured Charles again placed his hands on the board, and they sat in another hopeful silence.