"We're going to need another place setting." Donatella casually announced as Ezra helped the woman into the empty chair on the other end of the table.

"Yes, Madam." Wesley placed the half-empty wine bottle on the sideboard and rushed out of the room.

"Ooh, we finally have enough for a gathering!" Eliza clapped her hands together. Looking at their hostess, however, she quickly contained her excitement.

"First things first, my dear." Donatella turned toward the Countess. "Let's give this poor woman a chance to catch her breath." She looked at the newcomer before addressing her. "Welcome to my home. May I ask your name?"

The woman bit her lip as her eyes darted between the strangers in the room. Josie noted she looked like she was wearing a nightdress and she kept one hand on her abdomen.

"Mrs. Thomas Blackburn," Sam answered instead. "Or Margie, if you'd like." The brothers had retreated to the back of the room, keeping out of focus.

Morrigan stood and walked to the woman. "How are you feeling, Margie?" The Irish beauty reached for Mrs. Blackburn's face, but she pulled away from the comforting touch, reacting like a cornered animal.

"It's all right. Take your time." Donatella's voice was calm and soothing. "We're here to help you."

"What . . ." Margie tried to form the words, but nothing more could leave her mouth. She nervously tugged at the nightgown at her midsection, her hands shaking with fear.

Morrigan returned to her chair, and it took Josie a moment to realize what was happening. Recalling her own arrival at the manor, the girl knew Margie was full of questions. Like her, she just wasn't ready to hear the answers.

Trying another way, Margie finally managed to speak, her voice dripping with sadness. "I was in my home one moment and then wandering the moors the next."

"We found her on our regular sweep—" Ezra added, but Josie's Great Aunt wasn't interested. Ignoring the young man, she continued to address Margie.

"And we'll make sure that you find your way back, if that's what you'd like," Donatella repeated the same message she'd told Josie the night before. "Thank you, Wesley."

The butler had brought another plate and silverware for the guest. When he lifted the lid, however, it didn't contain the expected main course, but pudding.

Josie loved pudding, but Mother only made it on special occasions. The girl looked longingly at the woman's plate and then onto her own. Instead of finding the remnants of her steak and vegetables, she was staring at her own dessert.

Josie sighed. She needed to be more vigilant of the manor's surprises. This one was definitely pleasant, but the odds were not in her favor. Deliberately making her lost, unexpectedly transporting her through space, and even attempting to drown her were things she didn't want to repeat.

Picking up her spoon, the girl started on dessert. As she cut into it, the soft, brown cake revealed a warm, chocolate filling. In between bites, Josie glanced at the newcomer who still wasn't eating. Instead, the woman held her hands in front of her, slowly turning them around. It was as though she saw something on them that wasn't really there, or perhaps looking for something that was there before, but had since disappeared.

"Join us, gentlemen." Ignoring the guest's odd actions, Donatella addressed the brothers who were still quietly standing in the shadows.

"If it's acceptable, we'd like to confer with Mr. Hyde." Sam stepped forward.

Before Donatella could refuse, the former physician stood. "Of course. Let us retreat to the parlor. If you'll excuse me, ladies." He bowed his head before ushering the Mollicks out of the room.

"Men and their secrets." Eliza's laugh was more bitter than happy.

Lowering her gaze to the seemingly untouched plate – was the portion getting smaller at all? – Josie tried to wrap her head around the altered situation.

She was no longer the only guest – the only outsider – in the manor. In fact, Mrs. Blackburn's arrival seemingly took everyone by surprise. Perhaps together they could make more sense out of things and even find a way to get home.

A sudden coughing from the table's end made Josie look up again.

Margie's body shook as she gasped for air. Her eyes widened and filled with terror, as her face became an increasingly dark shade of red.

Josie looked at the woman's plate, expecting that an errant crumb had made her choke. The pudding, however, was untouched. The three other women around them weren't nearly as concerned, all casually finishing the last of their desserts before Donatella rose from her chair.

"This poor dear doesn't need us like most. It looks like you'll get your wish after all, Eliza."

The Countess flashed a large smile in return.

"Bring our guest along," Donatella turned to Morrigan, who finally rushed to the still coughing woman's side.    

"Try to relax, Margie." Morrigan put a reassuring hand on the woman's twitching shoulder. "There you are. You can control this. You can make it stop."

Josie wasn't sure how willing a fit of coughing to cease could work, but within seconds, Margie was breathing normally. Scooping her up under her arms, the Irish redhead helped the newcomer stand.

Donatella and the Countess were already waiting at the concealed door. Before stepping inside, Josie's Great Aunt called over her shoulder. "Come along, my darling. We'll need our five."

After wiping the chocolate off her lips, the girl put her napkin down and followed the four women into the secret passageway. Instead of the stone walled, enclosed, spiral staircase like on prior occasions, however, this time the way up consisted of a sweeping stairway with wooden balusters.

The surrounding walls were just an arm's length away, but they weren't solid. Rather, they were bookshelves filled with thousands – maybe tens of thousands – of colorful tomes in every height and width.

Mesmerized by the sight and smell – the familiar aroma of paper filled the space – Josie hoped she'd stumble onto this particular passageway again later. She could no doubt find many books to keep her busy, if she was forced to continue her stay.

They went much further than before – surely this was the manor's topmost floor – and by the time she reached the open door at the top, the others were already well within the large room. Josie was just in time to see Donatella pull together a black velvet curtain separating the windowless space from an adjacent one. The bright light momentarily filtering from the other room revealed the outline of a large birdcage and within it, a shiny, black raven.

"Take your places." Visible thanks to the one weak candle flickering in her hand, Donatella motioned toward a circular table surrounded by five wooden chairs.

Being the furthest away, Josie got the last remaining seat. Taking the empty space between her Great Aunt and the Countess, Josie found herself directly across from the sickly Mrs. Blackburn.

The woman was once again pale and devoid of any emotion. In fact, she appeared to have fallen into some type of catatonic state, staring into the space ahead, but not looking into anything particular.

Josie swallowed hard. No one had explained what to expect, but the girl was now too scared to even try to ask. Instead, she remained quiet and watched Donatella make her preparations.

She began by lighting several more candles in the middle of the table.

It was only then Josie noticed that the wooden top was filled with markings. As her eyes adjusted to the flickering light, the girl saw the letters of the alphabet etched into the perimeter.  The twelve signs of the zodiac – Mother had recently picked up an interest in the occult – formed a smaller, inner circle.

Donatella took small items from her pocket and placed them in front of her. Josie recognized some of the talismans from the morning before; the crystals and statues were previously displayed on the parlor's mantle. From under the table, the woman also pulled out a rattle, a bell, an accordion, and two slate boards. Placing them in the center one-by-one, she murmured an unintelligible incantation until she was finished.

Dramatically raising her arms above her head and then pulling her hands together in front of her bosom, she finally spoke again.

"All right, everyone. I think we're ready to begin." She paused and looked at each of the women directly in the eye. "It's time for us to communicate with the other side."