The Shadow in the North Page #2

with the native ability

of the fairer sex.

Then I am pleased to be in a

position to enlighten you, Mr Harkness.

There are many reasons

why Lloyd's may choose

not to pay out on an insurance claim.

Failure to keep up with the premiums,

the wrong cover, an act of God.

And fraud, presumably?

On very rare occasions.

Is that what you suspect

in the case of Anglo-Baltic.

We are not in the business

of divulging reasons to third parties.

Anglo-Baltic's collapse

has left my client destitute.

She deserves an answer.

The Ingrid Lind disappeared

in calm seas without a trace.

It had been seen hours previously

by a passing merchant vessel

and there were no signs of distress.

In our opinion, too many questions

remained unanswered

for Anglo Baltic's

claim to be honoured.

So there were suspicious circumstances?

I really must ask you to refrain

from putting words in my mouth,

Miss Lockhart.

I am making no such allegations.

You may not be, Mr Harkness, but I am.

Dear friends, welcome to the Streatham

And District Spiritualist League.

First I must introduce you

to our hostess,

the well-known medium Mrs Nellie Budd,

whose messages from the other side

so consoled us on our last visit.

We also have honoured

guests amongst us tonight.

Dr Herbert Semple, and his associate,

of the Royal Institution

are here to perform important research.

Thank you, Mrs Jamieson Wilcox.

For some time now

I have been studying the trance state

in relation to the electrical

conductivity of the skin.

This box is an advanced version

of the electro-dermagraph.

These wires are connected to the ankle

and the resistance

is shown on the dial here.

Mrs Budd, may we connect you up?

You can connect me to

your apparatus any time, dear.

Very artistic fingers, Mr Semple.

Fancy that! It doesn't even tingle.

It's a very...

mild current.

Join hands,

please, ladies and gentlemen.

Ella!

Ella, my dear.

Charles!

Charles, is that you?

Though the veil hath parted us,

let not our love grow cold.

Oh, never.

Tell Perkins in the shop

to mind his cheese

and be more careful with the napkins.

Mind the cheese and napkins, yes.

Ella, the blessed light

is shining and I must depart.

Farewell, beloved.

One spark and the ship is gone.

Such a pretty ship and everyone dead.

Bells... Bells...

The Bellmann...

Keep it in the shadows.

There's a shadow in the north.

A sword in the forest.

Blood on the snow.

He's still there.

All in a glass coffin.

The regulator.

300, 400...

The North Star.

A mist full of fire.

Steam packed with death,

packed in pipes.

Death, death, everywhere!

A physical manifestation.

Keep still, everyone.

The spirits will not harm us.

A wonderful result, beyond

all expectation. Unparalleled reading.

Mrs Budd, this is a turning point

in the history of psychicical research.

Miss Lockhart.

My name is Windlesham.

I represent Mr Axel Bellmann.

He's aware that you've been

making unfriendly enquiries about him.

He sent me to convey his displeasure

in person

in order to spare you

the pain of a legal threat.

That is very considerate of him.

Provided these allegations

cease immediately,

he's willing to overlook

the inconvenience caused.

I suspect Mr Bellmann is responsible

for the collapse of Anglo-Baltic.

If so, he owes a financial

and moral debt to my client.

Perhaps you've not fully understood.

I understand your employer is frightened

and now he's trying to frighten me.

Well, I don't respond to bullying,

you may tell him that.

You may also wish to tell him

that before your visit today, I wasn't

entirely sure he'd done anything wrong.

But now I'm quite certain of it.

Does MacKinnon really believe

that someone would try to kill him

at Lady Harvard's charity performance?

He's petrified. Says he needs

someone to keep an eye out for him.

I thought we weren't

in the protection racket.

Anyway, why do I have to do it?

Because I'd stick out like a pork chop

in a fishmonger's window,

and provided no one

looks too closely, governor,

you could just about pass for quality.

Excuse me, who is that over there?

Lord Wytham and his

daughter Lady Mary, sir.

Yes!

Thank you, thank you.

For my next illusion

I require a gold watch.

Is there any gentleman who

would be kind enough to loan me one?

Just come in, at the door.

Thank you.

Here is a gentleman with faith.

Will his watch be

returned to him intact?

We shall see.

The world of wonders is not

always a benevolent place, alas.

Not always a benevolent place, alas.

I beg pardon.

...Suddenly indisposed.

Interesting entertainment, I must say.

We must make our excuses and leave.

We have an early start.

Lord Wytham.

Good evening, Mr Bellmann.

Ladies, we have some

business to discuss.

Would you care to

join me in the library?

I shan't be a moment.

You have had three

weeks to consider my offer.

I will have your answer now.

You are 390,000 in debt.

Your credit is exhausted.

Bankruptcy would mean every

kind of disgrace and yet you hesitate.

My daughter is still very young.

Old enough to be married,

and in return for her hand

I will give you 400,000.

I also offer you a seat on the board

of my company, North Star Castings.

Not for any business ability you may

possess, as plainly you have none,

but because your government

connections might prove useful to me.

In principle,

I agree to your proposal but, um...

as to the exact terms,

I will have to consult my lawyer.

You mean you want

to make a little more money

and think your lawyer will be

better able to get it than yourself?

Well, then, how much more do you want?

Let us agree the figure now, like men.

Well, um...

I'll have to think of the estate,

um, the house in Cavendish Square, um...

Shall we say another 250,000.

Very well.

We agree.

Your daughter is worth 650,000.

I would scarcely put it so bluntly.

Put it however you wish, I will pay you

50,000 immediately upon our betrothal.

A further 350,000 on

the morning of the wedding.

And what of the balance?

Oh, the rest will be paid

the morning after,

subject to my satisfaction

with Lady Mary's... condition.

Do you mean to imply that

my daughter is no longer innocent?

I make no implications,

I merely state my position.

This is too much to bear.

And yet I think you will

presently bear it very well.

Axel Bellmann,

are you sure that was his name?

We've been investigating the same man.

I thought he was guilty of fraud,

but murder?

This is exactly what Nellie Budd said?

Jim wrote down every word, verbatim.

If all this is true,

I think I know who Bellmann killed.

Axel Bellmann left Sweden 1865.

Jailed in Mexico in 1868.

Turns up in Russia with his partner,

an engineer named Arne Nordenfels...

Project to do with the railways.

He goes missing without a trace, 1872.

It's him, I'm certain of it.

Bellmann's company

goes bankrupt in Russia,

and the next year he turns up in London

with apparently limitless funds.

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