The Dear Departed by Anne Roebuck - Book Tour + Giveaway
The Dear Departed
by Anne Roebuck
Genre:
Historical Paranormal Romance
Historical Paranormal Romance
The widows of Victorian era San Francisco are dying of decidedly
unnatural causes, and to expose the culprit Virginia Paley must
partner with the darkly mysterious Jonathan Bradshaw, entering a
world of occult rituals and unexplainable phenomena—and magical love.
unnatural causes, and to expose the culprit Virginia Paley must
partner with the darkly mysterious Jonathan Bradshaw, entering a
world of occult rituals and unexplainable phenomena—and magical love.
BEYOND THE VEIL
Young widow Virginia Paley has no interest in attending the séances at The
Society for Eternal Love, but the women of the society are dying
mysteriously in their sleep, leaving their fortunes to Professor
Arthur Chadwick, its charismatic medium. As her aunt might very well
become the next victim, Virginia will do whatever she must to ensure
that doesn’t happen. She will even join forces with the darkly
mysterious Jonathan Bradshaw.
Society for Eternal Love, but the women of the society are dying
mysteriously in their sleep, leaving their fortunes to Professor
Arthur Chadwick, its charismatic medium. As her aunt might very well
become the next victim, Virginia will do whatever she must to ensure
that doesn’t happen. She will even join forces with the darkly
mysterious Jonathan Bradshaw.
From the moment he spies her, Jonathan is smitten. But romance is
impossible. Mrs. Paley is a respectable woman, and he himself is
outside of society, an orphan, an ex-thief and a true wizard, able to
hypnotize with a word and even separate his spirit from his body. No,
he must instead remain focused on his goal, avenging his mentor’s
death. But, facing a foe with power over demonic forces and
Virginia’s very life in the balance, love might indeed be the only
salvation.
impossible. Mrs. Paley is a respectable woman, and he himself is
outside of society, an orphan, an ex-thief and a true wizard, able to
hypnotize with a word and even separate his spirit from his body. No,
he must instead remain focused on his goal, avenging his mentor’s
death. But, facing a foe with power over demonic forces and
Virginia’s very life in the balance, love might indeed be the only
salvation.
Chapter 1
San Francisco
1897
The gaslight on the wall burned low,
leaving only the spectral glow of the astral lamps to illuminate the séance
room. Virginia Paley felt her stomach knotting up in both fear and anticipation
as the wind rattled the shutters, sounding just like someone—or something—was
trying to get in. In the center of the circular oak table, a single red lamp
glowed like an all-seeing eye.
Virginia
shuddered. Why, oh why, had she allowed her aunt to talk her into this madness?
Six
other people sat with her around the table‑—all women save for one lone man who
occupied the chair on her left. She studied him for a moment out of the corner
of her eye. Just her luck that the only man attending this absurd spectacle was
not only handsome but was seated so close to her that she could hear him
breathe. As though he sensed her watching him, he suddenly turned to her with a
mysterious smile curling his full mouth.
His
eyes met hers and Virginia caught her breath. A prickle of apprehension and
excitement shot through her insides. The darkness shrouded his face, but his
eyes reflected the ruby light within their azure depths, making him appear
otherworldly—and disturbingly familiar. He looked like he had stepped out of a
dream—her dream.
Was
she gazing into the eyes of her secret fantasy lover?
No. She forced herself to turn away. Stop this right now. This was insane. The
lover who haunted her midnight fantasies was not a real man. He was only a
phantasm that appeared out of nowhere to invade the dreams of a lonely widow.
Nothing more.
This
man sitting next to her at the séance table was not her fantasy lover, she told herself firmly. She didn’t even
know him. Her reaction to him was just one more ridiculous aspect of this silly
séance. She abruptly released her hold on the man’s hand, grateful that the
darkness prevented him from seeing the flush that burned her cheeks.
She
simply mustn’t allow herself to be sucked into the insanity of this place.
Frowning
in annoyance, she turned to her aunt sitting on her right. “Really, Aunt
Marian.” She kept her voice low. “This whole business is getting absurd. Come.
Let’s go home.”
“And
miss a message from my beloved Henry?” Behind her pince nez, Marian’s blue eyes
widened in alarm. She clutched the lace collar of her high-necked black gown
with her gloved hand. “I wouldn’t dream of doing that.”
“Mrs.
Salonius got a message from her late
husband, too,” Virginia persisted. “And look what happened to her.”
“Now,
now, dear.” Marian smiled and gave Virginia’s hand an affectionate pat. “It was
just Rachel’s time to depart this life, that’s all. And isn’t it wonderful that
she had her adored Hiram waiting for her in the Summerland of Spirit?”
Virginia
shuddered at her aunt’s blissful expression. This wasn’t like Aunt Marian at
all. And where on earth did the disturbingly vacant look in her eyes come from?
Despite her aunt’s beatific smile, Virginia felt in the pit of her stomach that
something was very, very wrong.
A
man of about sixty years of age, dressed in a frock coat, snow-white waistcoat
and white bow tie, strode into the room and took his place behind the enormous
armchair at the table. Silver-haired and distinguished-looking, he carried
himself with the aloof kindliness usually reserved for a college professor or a
tent revivalist.
“Good
evening, ladies and gentlemen.” He swept the room with his gaze. “I am
Professor Arthur Chadwick. It gives me great pleasure to introduce two
newcomers to our circle. This is Mr. Jonathan Bradshaw.” He indicated the man
sitting beside Virginia, who nodded slightly in acknowledgement. “And Mrs.
Virginia Paley. A warm welcome to you, both.”
Virginia
started as Chadwick's ebony eyes met hers for an uncomfortably long moment. Virginia
shivered with sudden dread. They were piercing eyes. Calculating eyes. Cold
eyes.
Eyes
that threatened to penetrate the secret hidden in her soul—a secret she had no
intention of revealing to a living soul. Or any other kind of soul for that
matter.
Chadwick
finally took his penetrating gaze elsewhere, much to Virginia’s relief. “In
tonight’s demonstration, you will experience many manifestations of spirit
power. The purpose is to convince even the most skeptical person that spirits
do, indeed, exist beyond this earthy plane.” He paused for emphasis. “Which
means that the spirits of our departed loved ones exist as well and are eager
to reveal themselves to us, if we will but heed them.”
He
allowed the murmurs and whispers of approval to buzz around the table. Of the
four other women in the room, Virginia was the only one not shrouded head to
toe in black taffeta.
“You
see, this is why I continue to come here,” Marian whispered in Virginia’s ear. “It
comforts me so much to know that my beloved Henry awaits me on the Other Side. And
when you receive a message from your dear George, you will be comforted, too.”
From my first poem at age 10 and my first short story at age 12, I can’t
help writing about my two favorite things – magic and love. An
unrepentant nerd, I started out in biomedical research but ended up
writing software manuals instead. I spent many years as a member of
science fiction and historical reenactment groups and I have been at
various times a Renaissance scholar, a druidess, a pirate wench, a
saloon floozy, a belly dancer and a chain-mail wearing warrior
maiden.
help writing about my two favorite things – magic and love. An
unrepentant nerd, I started out in biomedical research but ended up
writing software manuals instead. I spent many years as a member of
science fiction and historical reenactment groups and I have been at
various times a Renaissance scholar, a druidess, a pirate wench, a
saloon floozy, a belly dancer and a chain-mail wearing warrior
maiden.
Still, my first love is writing stories. It doesn’t matter whether the
story is set in the middle ages, Victorian times, the present day or
far in the future. If it has both love and magic in it, I will write
about it. I write not only romance but young adult historical fantasy
under the name of Ann Finnin.
story is set in the middle ages, Victorian times, the present day or
far in the future. If it has both love and magic in it, I will write
about it. I write not only romance but young adult historical fantasy
under the name of Ann Finnin.
I'm a native of Southern California, and I live in the hills above Los
Angeles with my husband of forty years, Dave (a man who gave me an
electric typewriter as a wedding present) and a dog of Indeterminate
Breed named Rufus.
Angeles with my husband of forty years, Dave (a man who gave me an
electric typewriter as a wedding present) and a dog of Indeterminate
Breed named Rufus.
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