“Unfortunately no, I was able to find the man's study, but he apparently does not keep anything useful there.”
“Possibly because he suspects someone like you will go looking for it,” Eric remarked.
“Very likely. And now I may be up against a more difficult task, as I received information this morning he is preparing for a trip out of town.”
“A trip where?” Eric asked, curious despite his best effort to remain neutral and uninterested in all things connected to espionage work.
“That I'm not sure, my informant only saw his people packing bags and trunks. I admit I had hoped perhaps Miss. Marchand might let some useful bit of information drop during her visit today, which, by the way, thank you for inviting me.”
Eric shrugged. He knew Mallory would assume he arranged the invitation for his benefit, but in actuality he’d been overcome by a sense of nervousness at the thought of being roped into social niceties again so soon after the ball. He wasn't used to having to put up this front anymore, and certainly not in his own home. The presence of his oldest friend and mentor might serve to help keep him in character.
A movement at the door alerted him to the presence of the butler.
“Miss Marchand has arrived, sir,” the man announced. “Miss Sarah has requested your company in the drawing room.”
ELOISE STRAIGHTENED in her seat as the two men entered the room. She'd been enjoying her tea with Sarah; it was perhaps the most relaxing and enjoyable time she could recall in recent months. Life in her uncle's home was solitary and stressful, there were always undercurrents and she was never quite sure what mood he would be in or what he expected of her. But the Langdon home was inviting. Warm and bright, there was something distinctly relaxing about the place that set her at ease. The manor was large, but modest by most standards. Eloise got the feeling when the entire family was in residence it must take on the feel and appearance of a country cottage rather than stately Manor.
Sarah had told her much of the Langdon family, their ties to the sea, the loss of their father to the wars. And the happy circumstance of two of her elder siblings who were recently married. The way Sarah's countenance lit up as she spoke mesmerized Eloise. There was a warmth and happiness in her when she spoke of her siblings, a depth of pride and familial love which Eloise had never known. It enthralled her, and Eloise soon found herself hanging on every word from Sarah as though she were reciting storybook fables.
The entrance of the two gentlemen paused the recital for a moment and both she and Sarah turned from where their heads had been ducked close together to smile a greeting. Sir Thomas responded with a large grin and jovial greeting, as Eloise began to realize was his general disposition. A pleasant and cheerful man, one could hardly avoid taking on those characteristics in his presence. Yet it was their second new companion who caught her attention and held it without fail. She'd tried to stop thinking of Eric Langdon. After their unfortunate dance, her aunt made her displeasure known very vocally and all but forbade her to associate with Mr. Langdon. But happy circumstance attached him to Sarah Langdon who her uncle deemed an appropriate companion. Therefore, although Eloise knew she should take care to not mention Mr. Langdon around her aunt, she found herself in constant hopes of running into him.
Her aunt had used the incident at the dance as an excuse to send a sweetly worded letter to Sir Thomas, thanking him again profusely for his assistance in attending to Eloise following the embarrassing spill onto the dance floor. Eloise didn’t doubt her aunt hoped Mallory would respond with an additional courtesy visit or correspondence which would allow for additional conversation. The woman’s hopes were dashed, however, when Mallory responded with only a short and polite note that no additional thanks were needed. At that point, her uncle hit upon the idea of encouraging a friendship between Eloise and Sarah Langdon.
“Mallory is known to be constantly at the Langdon estate.” Her uncle had mused. “For some unknown reason, he dotes on that dolt. If we cannot put Eloise in front of the man himself, her acquaintance with the Langdon sister may be a close second.” Eloise had ruffled at the idea of being used in such a manner, and for the insinuation that any friendship she struck with Sarah Langdon would be taken up purposely as a ruse only to get to Sir Thomas. Yet she made no complaint. She outwardly agreed with her uncle and aunt, inwardly delighted at the chance to finally have a friend in the form of Sarah Langdon. And in the ensuing visits, she quickly found a true kindred spirit in Sarah and looked forward to every possibility of meeting and spending time together.
Even so, her face heated with the knowledge she was equally enthusiastic, if not more so about the possibility of seeing Eric again.
“And how are you faring, ladies?” Mallory smiled, taking a seat beside Sarah as she poured him a cup of tea.
“Quite well, Sir Thomas,” Eloise responded. “Sarah has been enthralling me with tales of her family. I had no idea growing up with siblings could be such an adventurous feat”.
“Indeed, the siblings within the Langdon family are a particularly temerarious group. I hope you are able to meet the lot of them in time, no circus act will ever hold your imagination enthralled again.”
“Such unkind words,” Sarah smiled. “And yet you have volunteered your status as the seventh Langdon sibling on innumerable occasions.”
“Never unkind, Miss. Sarah, I only wish to make Miss. Marchand fully aware of her potential surroundings before she becomes significantly attached to them. With only you and your brother currently in residence, she has not had the true experience of life at the Langdon estate.”
“Is that not best, Mallory?” Eric joined the conversation so unexpectedly that all eyes turned to him. He colored slightly but continued. “In this vein, Miss. Eloise could be so subtly infected as to make recovery and flight impossible when she finds herself descended upon by the Langdon brood. Is that not how it happened with you?”
“Mallory thought a moment. Indeed, you have the right of it. I'd forgotten. There you see,” he paused directing his attention at Eloise, “if you have any concerns regarding this nefarious connection, Miss. Marchand, I must advise you to cut ties now or you shall never be able to do so in the future.”
Eloise’s eyes widened.
“For goodness’ sake, both of you,” interrupted Sarah. “I won't have you frightening off my dear new friend. Don't listen to a word they say, Eloise, they are horrid miscreants both.”
“As I cannot possibly disagree with that assessment,” Mallory quipped, standing, “might I offer a change in entertainment? Miss. Eloise, has Eric not yet shown you the galleries? Eloise looked between Eric and Mallory.
will him no.
“A great misfortune,” Mallory continued. “One we shall have to rectify this instant.” He moved to her side and offered his hand, leading her out to the hall with Eric and Sarah following.
CHAPTER FIVE
“AND HERE YOU HAVE THE illustrious Earl himself,” Mallory announced with a flourish of his hand as Eloise came to stand beside him in front of one of the gallery pieces. “Daniel Langdon, eldest of this brood, in a portrait commissioned upon the occasion of his advancement to the rank of Captain.”
Eloise gazed up at the likeness, taking in the handsome face and figure of the eldest Langdon brother, looking somehow immensely gallant, strong, and commanding at the same time in his smartly cut uniform with all the braids and decorations of his rank. If the portrait were made to any true likeness, the man would surely be one over whom women would often swoon. His pitch-black hair and crystal blue eyes provided such a contrast as to mesmerize. And if Eric were any indication, the Langdon men were all tall, broad shouldered, and athletic in build, with the musculature made for perfectly draping tailored suits.
In coloring, the man showed very little resemblance to his younger brother, or perhaps Eloise should say Eric showed little likeness to the other male members of his family. Shifting her gaze to a larger portrait just beside that of Daniel, she looked ag
ain at the family, a distinguished, handsome naval officer standing in the foreground beside his wife. The man dominating that portrait claimed all the same distinguishing characteristics as Daniel, the dark hair and light eyes height and build, but so did another boy in the portrait, earlier identified as the second son, James. Indeed, aside from a continuation of certain angles along the jaw and nose marking Eric as distinctly his father’s son, he matched his mother more closely in all the other respects.
“A man of distinction if his portrait serves”, Eloise noted looking to Mallory. “And very like his father it appears.” She nodded toward the family portrait again.
She found that portrait almost as engaging, and certainly far more endearing. It showed a family, exuding a tenderness in connection with one another despite the formality of the posing. A contented countess Langdon gazes softly at her newest child, Sarah depicted as a babe in arms, while her elder five children stand about her and her husband in various degrees of childhood adoration. Each child grasps a parent in some fashion, whether a hand on a skirt or tugging at their father's uniform. The scene depicted a sense of peace and belonging, something Eloise did not believe common in most aristocratic families.
Mallory nodded his agreement, turning uncharacteristically somber. “England lost a great naval hero and an exceptional man in the Earl. The family at large is possibly the most exceptional band of miscreants I think I have ever had the good fortune to know. I am sure you are already wondering how you endured life before the entrance of Miss. Sarah,” he paused to smile at her, “but believe me, life will never be the same once you make the acquaintance of the rest of the brood. There is something distinctly engaging about them.”
“I cannot disagree with you, Sir Thomas, though I have not the depth of association that you do. Even in my brief acquaintance, I have found both Miss. Sarah and Mr. Langdon intensely appealing.”
Mallory observed her a hint of knowing amusement which made her blush as it occurred to her what else her words might implicate concerning Mr. Langdon. She darted her eyes back to the portrait to avoid Sir Thomas as well as the temptation to look over her shoulder to see how close Sarah and Eric might be.
“And what of your family, Miss. Marchand?” Mallory thankfully changed the subject. “I admit to being sadly unacquainted with the name, despite the extended presence of your aunt and uncle in the area.”
“I would not consider that a fault of yours, Sir Thomas,” Eloise responded. “Though my guardians have made a long-term residence of England, they are still quite attached to their homeland and prefer to split their time between the two. If the choice must be made between engagements in London and those in France, they are invariably happier to maintain those in France.”
“In that case, I feel myself somewhat assuaged. And what of your parents?”
Eloise dropped her gaze. “I'm afraid I know little of them aside from the familial connection. They died when I was quite young in a house fire which I am told was quite severe and dramatic.”
“Forgive me, I had no desire to dredge up painful memories.”
“You have not, for I carry no memory of those events. Though I might have been old enough to remember, my mind has kept them from me.””
And have you no other kin aside from your aunt and uncle then?”
Eloise looked up at Mallory, wondering at his continued persistence on the topic after having expressed his desire not to cause her any pain. He gazed at her intently, with some curiosity but without the warmth of interest she would have expected. Somewhat surprised, and unsure how to navigate away from the conversation, she responded with as much caution as possible.
“I have a cousin very dear to me, the son of my aunt and uncle.”
“They have a son?” The sudden burst of interest contained with within the question startled Eloise, causing her to regret the statement and take a step back from Mallory. He must have noted her hesitation, for he instantly relaxed his stance. “Forgive me, it seems beyond even my cognitive faults not to have known your aunt and uncle have a son.”
“They don't mention him in circles here,” Eloise hedged, “he is, of course, a Frenchman and current events make it inadvisable.”
“Ah, I understand. Your cousin is likely fighting with the French forces then?”
Eloise didn't respond but dropped her gaze to the floor.
“You needn't worry of any judgment from me,” Mallory offered, his countenance taking on some of its former joviality with an easy smile. “I shall speak no more of it. Tell me instead, how you plan to spend your holidays.”
Thankful for the change in theme, Eloise took breath and returned her attention to Mallory. “Quietly, For I shall be alone in the house I’m afraid.”
“What?” Mallory paused again sending her a look of concern. “How can that be?”
Eloise shrugged. “My aunt and uncle have elected to go to London earlier than planned, I believe my uncle received some notice of a business matter needing attending to. They shall send for me once their affairs have been settled. They did not think it necessary for me to come along, as they would not have time to see to my entertainment and felt the city otherwise unappealing for me.
“London unappealing?” Mallory chuckled. Your benefactors are true Parisians. But this business of being deserted for the Christmas holiday cannot stand.” He furrowed his brow and pursed his lips, concentrating on the polished wood flooring. After a moment his face lit up with excitement and he clapped his hands together in triumph. “I have just the solution!” he announced, raising his head to check the progress of their friends, then waiving for Eloise to follow him as he hurried toward Eric and Sarah. Eloise wondered if she should be excited or concerned. With this man, either option seemed equally relevant.
“STOP SCOWLING OR WE shall have to set you on the rooftop as a gargoyle.” Sarah signed to her brother.
“Then we shall be a matched set, for your countenance is not much better at the moment.” Eric responded with a raised brow. Their silent conversation allowed them a bit of freedom of expression, knowing Eloise and Thomas wouldn’t overhear them. Eric might be loath to admit how intrinsically aware of Eloise he was, and how irritated he’d become at Mallory whisking her away, but he held no hesitations about observing Sarah’s mirrored response.
They followed behind Sir Thomas and Eloise through the gallery containing portraits of the Langdon family and some of their forebears. Outside, the landscape stretched barren and gray in the winter frost, preventing an outing to the gardens. The indoors remained warm and bright by contrast.
Mallory took great pride in knowing the Langdon history and family stories almost as well as the Langdons themselves and threw himself into regaling Eloise with the tall tales of their exploits, only occasionally darting a glance over his shoulder to gain affirmation on a point from Sarah. Eloise for her part, received very little incentive or opportunity to add to the conversation, so she contented herself with a show of great attentiveness and the occasional nod.
“What is your opinion of Miss. Marchand?” Eric let his hands ask the question of his sister. The occasions in which he was truly happy at the ability to communicate with his family without the use of words were few, but this proved one of them. He would be hard-pressed to find a suitable excuse to bring up Eloise after she had left and did not want her to be privy to the conversation now.
“I find her delightful,” Sarah responded. “She has quite brightened my days and I look forward to her visits.” Eric nodded. “Has she told you much of her family?”
“Only that her parents died when she was very young, and her aunt and uncle took her in. As you may have surmised, she is not overly happy in her circumstances. She did mention a cousin with great fondness, but that too is now a source of upset for her.”
“How so?”
“He is a soldier, and from what I understand he's been taken as a prisoner of war.” Eric lowered his gaze and nodded. As a naval family, they were certainly not un
aware of the hardships of war. They had lost their father to it, and their elder brother James had also recently been a prisoner of war.
Something distracted Sarah, and she looked toward their companions. Eric also looked up and saw Mallory paused in his retelling of the Langdon history and was now moving hurriedly in their direction, Eloise scampering to keep up by his side.
“My friends, Miss. Marchand has just given me the worst news.” He signed, his features taking on a stern countenance. Both he and Sarah looked between the two, concern growing. But Eloise looked somewhat startled and confused, darting her gaze between the Langdons and Sir Thomas.
“Her protectors have gone early to London and shall not call for her until after the holidays.” He made this statement with such aghast conviction that the three of them could only look to each other in confusion.
“Come now, you cannot mean to let this stand? A girl of such sweet disposition, a relative stranger to this country, left alone for the holidays? Can you think of nothing more despairing?” He entreated his friends with theatrical precision.
Eric now realized where this line of dialog was headed and attempted to cut it short. “Mallory—”
“I cannot invite her to my estate as you well know, being a bachelor, however, would it not be an absolute perfect idea to invite the temporarily orphaned girl to stay here with Miss Sarah?” Mallory's eyes gleamed and his features lit up. “As it is, the Langdon estate is woefully lacking in inhabitants this holiday season. I cannot think of a better marriage of two unfortunate sets of circumstances.” He put on a large grin and looked between his companions.
Before Eric had a chance to form an argument and try to retract the enthusiasm of his friend, he saw his sister's features brightened and knew with a sinking feeling he was already too late.
To Love in Silence (Currents of Love Book 3) Page 4
