“But maybe I can help you,” said Marie,” if you’d let me.

Marie looked at the wall. It seemed that the wallpaper was fading a little. Was that damp patch there before?

“I am beyond help,” said Lady Arlington sadly. “Beyond redemption maybe…”

Marie looked confused again. The carpet seemed thinner than before.

“Redemption for what, are the troubles not caused by your husband?” said Marie, looking straight at Lady Arlington. “Mon Dieu, what’s happening to you?”

Lady Arlington appeared to be becoming transparent in front of Marie’s eyes. There was a sound on the edge of hearing too, a whirring and clacking.

“Ah,” said Lady Arlington. “I suspected he’d underestimated your husband, but even I’m impressed at this. It seems we shan’t be having much more time together.”

“He has solved it?” said Marie. “But I have not solved my puzzle. I don’t know who you are.”

“I’m Lady Arlington,” said the other woman, looking more insubstantial by the minute. Her voice seemed deeper, too, although it was hard to tell over the machine noise in Marie’s ear.

“There is no Lady Arlington,” said Marie. “Lord Arlington did not marry.”

“Oh… you clever girl,” said Lady Arlington, her voice an octave lower. “Have you been playing with me all this time? I must admit I hadn’t guessed acting as a talent of yours.”

“And so?” said Marie, fully composed and arching an eyebrow.

“Well after all this time knowing you both second hand, I thought it would be nice to meet face to face,” said the woman who now sounded entirely like a man standing in a factory. “I mean after Manchester, London, Paris.”

Marie went white.

“Ah, now that I think is a genuine reaction,” said the barely visible voice. “It’s been so nice to meet you at last, and I do hope to see you again.”

All that was visible was a sardonic, crooked smile until that too faded, taking with it the clank and whirr of machinery.

“Here you are!” said Sir John walking in. “My word, what a decrepit room, worse even than the kitchen. Are you alright? You look white as a sheet.”

“Mon cher,” said Marie, “the imaginary Lady Arlington… was the Spinner.”

It was Sir John’s turn to go a little white.

“Are you sure?” he said, “I mean we’ve all been rather under the influence. Maybe it was just a figment of your imagination.”

“No,” said Marie, “it makes sense. She was trying to knock me off balance, ask questions about me and make me want to leave England.”

“Good Lord…” said Sir John and sat in a chair. “Has this whole thing been a ruse to get us here? Is this a trap?”

“She said someone had underestimated you and that she was impressed,” said Marie. “I don’t think it was a trap, I think it was a test, maybe.”

“Did we pass?” said Sir John.

“I think so,” said Marie. “At least we solved two of the three mysteries.”

“Indeed,” said Sir John. “What say we go back down, and I can tell you about the first. Then maybe we can solve the third.”