“You’re very good at lying.” Stanton tapped at the side of his rather prominent nose, a twinkle of mischievousness in his eyes. Any traces of illness were erased in an instant.
“A lie is something that is outright untrue. Having never seen the original, I can’t say for sure how authentic it is. Thus, I can only assume you’re equally, if not more talented, than the artist.” Langdon didn’t have a knack for art, but he liked the picture and the serenity it afforded the eye.
The butler entered with the sherry and poured Langdon a glass.
“Very well stated,” Stanton said the second the butler left the room. He twirled the ruby liquid before sipping the sherry. “I understand you’re heading to the country for an extended stay.”
“Yes, Sanderson keep is almost finished with the renovations and I have a few last-minute details to see to before I take up residence.” The small talk added to Langdon’s unease. He’d never had a problem carrying on a conversation with Stanton, yet he was finding it hard to keep his impatience down. He wanted answers to the ever-growing series of questions. The most immediate being the fact that Zander met with Stanton the same day Langdon had received the summons from Stanton. Perhaps it was a coincidence, or the meeting triggered a need for a one-on-one interview. Regardless, seeing Zander’s name in the book disturbed him.
“Farnsworth informs me you will be residing at Waverly Park at the invitation of his brother.”
“He has kindly allowed me to stay for a few nights while I get my affairs in order.” From the sharpness in Stanton’s gaze, he guessed the truth about his association with Elizabeth. He narrowed his eyes and suppressed a spark of irritation.
“You have been in Mrs. Adare’s pocket of late. Is your estate your only interest in the country?”
“My private affairs are my own.” Stanton was playing a game with him, and he didn’t like it. “Is this why you wished to see me? Because I assure you, I am no longer the naïve fool you rescued in Barcelona.” Heat coursed up his neck. His foolish actions regarding Maria would forever be an embarrassment. If not for Stanton’s quick wits, Langdon might still be languishing in his cell.
“Wishing to rescue someone from a terrible fate is commendable, not something to be ashamed of.” “But I digress. I was merely asking for my own curiosity.”
His words soothed Langdon at bit, but he was still on guard. With Elizabeth, he had the urge to protect her from the world and any perceived ridicule. “She has become a good friend to me and my sisters.”
“Your family is very important to you. I understand, but you must understand the restrictions I am under.” With a shake of his head, Stanton shifted on his feet, his face paling. “The truth is, I don’t recall if I sent a note around. Pray forgive me. I have had little time to rest of late. The entire world seems up in arms and I am getting bombarded from all sides.”
“I can well imagine.” His duties to his family and estate were burdensome for Langdon and if it weren’t for meeting Mrs. Adare, he would have left this world behind. In another lifetime, he would have given a fortune to be in the thick of the fray. His investigation with Elizabeth had been a smattering of intrigue with a minor threat of danger to his person. He wished to keep it that way.
Stanton rolled the stem of his glass between his palms and straightened his shoulders. “You didn’t come here to hear about my troubles, because if you continue to investigate this accusation toward Randell, you will have more than enough of your own.”
The words were spoken in a clipped tone that raised Langdon’s hackles. “I am a guardian.”
A smile breached Stanton’s stern exterior. Glass in hand, he went to the sideboard and poured more sherry into his goblet. “Yes, you are. You took an oath to God and country and although I have explained this to the prime minister, he is adamant that you quit what you’re doing. Therefore, I am obligated to tell you to quit this investigation right now.”
“If you live by the oath, the path to take will not be the hard one. There is more here than a mere smuggler’s ring of locals trying to get a few bottles of duty-free brandy. Randell’s solicitor Pike was murdered last night.” Henderson had called on him late the previous evening to impart the news. “If he is innocent, he has nothing to fear. I will be discreet, but I will not back down.”
Instead of appearing displeased, Stanton’s smile widened, and he put his hands in the air in supplication. “I said I was obligated to tell you. What you choose to take from this conversation is on you. I can’t stop you, but I will not defend you either. In this endeavor, you are on your own.”
“Understood.” Langdon set his goblet down and pulled out his pocket watch to check the time. No matter how dire the warning, he would see this to fruition. He had no other choice. If he stopped the investigation, it didn’t mean Elizabeth would stop hers. If something happened to her, he could never forgive himself.
Chapter Twenty-Two
The Coburn carriage turned into the weed-choked drive of Waverley Park, the setting sun shadowing the countryside. Thanks to her uncle’s insistence she take his coach and four home, Elizabeth’s journey from London was much more comfortable than her travel to the Capitol, but her mind was no less troubled. Throughout the trip, she had to fight the mad urge to lean out and tell the coachman to turn around and go back to London. She wanted to go back to her uncle’s house. She wanted to go back to Langdon.
There was too much at stake at Waverley Park for her to give into her weaker emotions, however, so she resisted with every fiber of her being.
Forehead pressed against the glass, she watched as the carriage pulled into the long drive of Waverley Park. The once pristine lawns on either side were overgrown, and the ruts in the hard-packed drive caused the vehicle to sway back and forth. She heard the coachman curse and then felt him slowing the horses down to a walk. Despite their slower pace, she was forced to grab onto the strap to keep from being knocked off her seat.
