McCormick shot him a dark look. “In that case, we’ll never find a bloody thing.”
Eamon had to laugh at his cynicism, but he secretly agreed. It hurt that McCormick was right, but Eamon was unfortunately used to living with pain.
Cara accompanied Jo downstairs when she took her leave. The two had visited with the dowager, who was very fond of Jo, and then Leo, happy for the respite from his studies. Caro relented at Leo’s downcast face and told him he could rejoin Mr. Stone after he read three more pages.
Mr. McCormick must have gone, because Caro did not see him in the gallery when she and Jo descended past it. Jo, Caro noted, craned to peer into every corner as they went by.
Eamon stood in the gallery alone, studying a book that lay open on the long table before him. He gave them both a polite nod, and Caro hurried Jo along.
“Goodbye, dearest.” Jo kissed Caro’s cheek after Singleton had opened the front door and signaled for Jo’s coachman to approach. “I promise that Papa and I will rally ’round and keep Rudyard from the door.”
“You are too good to me.” Caro returned the kiss, pressing her friend’s hands.
Jo skimmed across the three feet of pavement between front door and coach, to be assisted into her carriage by two footmen, one who’d placed a stool on the ground for her to step on.
The footmen shut Jo inside, gathered up the footstool, and nimbly sprang to their posts on the coach. Caro waved as the carriage clattered away.
“Tell Mrs. Mulligan a light supper will do for tonight,” Caro told Singleton as he shut the door. Her emotions had been spent today, and she believed she could eat no more than a thin soup. Mrs. Mulligan always sent up something tasty, however, so that resolve might change.
“Yes, Your Grace.” Singleton hesitated. “Shall I have her prepare something for Mr. Stone? He often works on his notes until well after dark.”
Caro had been aware that Eamon lingered in the gallery until late—she’d heard the front door shut and watched out of her window as he’d walked away around Grosvenor Square, heading for Oxford Street in the dark.
Singleton must approve of Eamon if he was offering to bring him a repast.
“If he requires it,” Caro said. “Thank you, Singleton.”
Singleton gave her his butler’s nod and departed for his demesne.
A squeal of laughter above her made Caro hurry to the staircase.
She looked up to see her son, seated on the wide banister high above, sliding swiftly down toward the gallery. Eamon leapt lightly down the steps next to him, hands outstretched to steady him. Leo spied Caro below and waved wildly at her.
He teetered, lost his balance, and pitched forward.
Chapter 17
Caro shrieked and dashed up the staircase. Before her heart could burst from her chest, Eamon was there, catching Leo in his strong arms.
Leo laughed with delight and hugged Eamon before Eamon set him gently on the carpeted step.
“Mama!” Leo raced to Caro, seizing her hand and dragging her to Eamon. “Look what Mr. Stone taught me.”
“I saw.” Caro tried to put a stern note into her words. In spite of her jolt of panic, though, Leo’s joy was wonderful to hear. “Mr. Stone should not have. It is too dangerous, do you not think?”
She directed the last words at Eamon, accompanied by a glare.
“He caught me,” Leo said without worry. “I knew I wouldn’t fall. Want to see me do it again?”
Leo prepared to charge to the next floor, but Caro held him back. “Maybe later, love. Why don’t you go down to the kitchen and ask Mrs. Mulligan for some bread and jam? It will be some time before supper.”
Leo gave a little hop of delight. “Mrs. Mulligan always gives me heaps of jam,” he informed Eamon. “With scones, too. All I want. She says I need them because I’m growing so fast.”
“Indeed, you are.” Caro noted every month that her boy was a bit taller and a bit stronger. It gave her pride but also a little wistfulness.
“Go on, then,” Eamon said. “Scones and jam are not to be missed.”
Leo turned impulsively to Eamon, gave him a brief hug around his knees, then scampered past Caro and down to the ground floor. The backstairs door banged, Leo’s hurried footsteps sounding on the wooden stairs below it.
