There was further discussion on the subject, until late afternoon, when Harlan and the duke left with a tentative plan in place. At least Harlan could rest easier knowing that they had trusted his word and that the future of English royalty would be protected, the threat lurking in the shadows taken seriously.
After Wellington dropped him off at his residence, Harlan walked in the front door, prepared to speak with Hugh. But he stopped when he noticed the square, white missive sitting on a table. With Hugh nowhere in sight for the moment, Harlan’s heart began to pound when he walked over and picked up the letter with Matthew’s handwriting emblazoned on the front.
Tearing it open, he read the brief message.
Miss L has been restored to her relation. I daresay it did not seem a joyous reunion. I told her that you would come for her. I hope I was not mistaken because I feel very confident that she will need your intervention posthaste.
M
Harlan crumpled the note in his fist without truly realizing he was doing so. His thoughts were not pleasant when he considered anyone being unkind to Leah. But then, he supposed he might fall into that category with his reprehensible actions. He’d believed he was doing the best for her, but now he wondered if he hadn’t just made another terrible, unforgivable mistake.
Chapter 14
By the time Sunday morning had arrived, Leah had perfected the art of stoicism. It hadn’t taken her long to ascertain that her sister-in-law had already been broken by her overbearing husband, proven by the few times she had joined Agnes on her daily afternoon walk. Most of the time the conversations were stilted, with Agnes keeping her gaze downcast. There had been a couple days during the course of the past week they had been unable to enjoy the fresh air due to the rain. In that course. They had retreated to the sunroom where Agnes had worked on her needlepoint while Leah had attempted to read. However, with only a small selection of “approved” books recommended by her brother, she had given up the pretense and resorted to some light embroidery instead.
Mealtime was just as stale, with Henry carrying much of the conversation. Most of it was an attempt to inflate his own importance by boasting about the wonderful things he’d done in his position as the vicar. If he did address his wife or Leah, it was generally mixed with some sort of censure about how Agnes had failed to produce any fruit from their union, and how Leah was practically a spinster and how it would behoove her restless demeanor to wed.
Each day became more difficult for Leah to rise and face the gloomy days ahead. She wasn’t looking forward to the Sunday service where Leah had feared Henry’s sermons would be just as lengthy and full of lecture as his dinner conversation. Unfortunately, she had been correct.
Throughout the morning, she was subjected to the role of a woman according to Biblical standards, which she was quite sure was fabricated by her dear brother. Nevertheless, she held her tongue until the service had gratefully ended.
“Leah, I should like for you to meet a special inclusion to my flock.”
If she hadn’t been so annoyed by the fact that he kept referring to them all as “sheep,” she might have been curious about the fact that he’d called her by her first name, indicating that they had a stronger bond than they actually did. They continued to speak in formal tones at home, and yet, when he chose to relax those rules, it wasn’t to be questioned.
Leah turned to meet the gentleman he’d indicated. Immediately, a chill went down her spine when the man smiled at her. For unlike how she’d responded to Harlan, this man made her instantly wary. With coal black hair and piercing eyes of the same domineering shade, he inspected her as if she was a curiosity that he would like to explore at length.
“Might I present Mr. Francis Bernard? He is my brother-in-law. This is Miss Leah Lindquist, my younger sister, also recently arrived from France.”
“A pleasure, Miss Lindquist,” Mr. Bernard said in a tone that was likely meant to be silky but reminded her of a slithering snake sliding over her skin. “From what part of France do you hail?”
“Paris,” she offered reluctantly, and didn’t bother to elaborate.
“Lovely city. I daresay I miss the art most of all.”
As if Leah had asked, Henry smiled and said proudly, “Mr. Bernard is joining us from Paris as well. He is staying in Birmingham at the moment, but I have been encouraging him to stay with us during his visit to England. When I mentioned you had arrived he was most interested to meet you.”
Leah smiled tightly. She prayed that he kept his rooms in Birmingham, because she wasn’t entirely sure she wanted to have this man under the same roof she slept. He made her uneasy…
Suddenly, she remembered what Harlan had said about an assassin coming from France. The suspect had arrived the same night that Harlan had been shot. Surely it was just a coincidence, but…
“How long have you been in England, Mr. Bernard?” she asked nonchalantly.
His eyes immediately flicked to her and she could feel the ice coming from his very soul. “Not very long. Why do you ask?”
She shrugged. “Merely curious. I have not been here long either.”
He seemed to ease somewhat when she explained her claim, but now Leah was curious as to why he appeared so suspicious over what she assumed to be a general curiosity. “As two fellow travelers from France, perhaps we might spend some time together so that our loss does not weigh so heavily upon us.”
His smile was oily, and she had to fight the urge to gag.
“I’m sure she would love that!” Henry declared enthusiastically. “I daresay that is a capital idea.”
Leah did not echo her brother’s sentiments, but she did wonder if she hadn’t just stumbled upon someone worthy of interest. “Will you be returning to Paris soon?” she prodded.
He narrowed his eyes slightly. “I fear there is some business that I must conclude first.” He offered her a bow, and then sent a nod to Henry before he turned and walked away.
Leah watched him go and decided that, before she wrote to Matthew with her concerns, she would try to engage Agnes to see what she could learn about her brother, Francis.
