The Sentimental Soldier

by April Kihlstrom

  She nodded, not trusting herself to speak. But he must have read something there that pleased him for he smiled tenderly and touched her lips with his fingertip. Then he kissed her again.

  “Do you not wish me to be?” she asked softly.

  In answer, he lifted her onto the bed and for the next hour they had no thoughts for anyone but each other. He was a gentle and inventive lover.

  Later, as they lay tangled together on the bed, Prudence felt such a closeness and longing for Harry that it frightened her. She traced a pattern on his chest with her fingertip. She drew in her breath and forced herself to speak.

  “I need to tell you that it’s all right that you have to go back to France,” she said. “I understand.”

  He pulled back and tilted up her chin so that she was forced to look at him. “What the devil do you mean by that?” he demanded in patent bewilderment. “Are you so eager to be rid of me, then? Particularly after what we have just shared?”

  “No! Of course not!”

  “Then why?”

  She hesitated. “Because I have thought about you and what matters to you and I understand a little better now, I think, how much you need to do this. I cannot, I shall never like it, but I understand.”

  To her shock, he chuckled. And when she stiffened he soothed her with a gentle touch on her back. He kissed her forehead and said, “I, on the other hand, have come to the conclusion that I ought not to go.”

  That startled her. As much as her statement had startled him. “Why not?”

  He smiled at her. “My brother George pointed out that perhaps it was, at least in part, vanity to believe that I was the only one who could do what needed to be done. It has taken me several days to realize that perhaps he is right. That perhaps I would even be putting the mission in jeopardy by insisting on going myself.”

  “Lord Darton told you not to go?”

  Prudence could not hide her surprise. Harry grinned. “My brother has undergone some changes of late. I think that I like them, but they are rather unexpected, I will allow.”

  Prudence snuggled closer to her husband. Into his chest she said, “Well, whatever the reason, I can only be grateful that he keeps you with me a little longer.”

  Harry raised his eyebrows at that. “A little? Why? Do you intend to leave me? For I tell you that not only do I not mean to return to France but I have been thinking that I could be of more use here at home. Indeed, I have been thinking that between us we can do a great deal of good. We shall set ourselves up in a neat little establishment and give parties. Between us we shall charm everyone—diplomats and soldiers alike.”

  She looked at him doubtfully. “But have we the funds to afford our own establishment?”

  He burst out laughing and kissed her for several delightful moments again. “My poor Prudence, did you think me bereft of funds? Is that why you went to work for Lord Brandon? Because you feared you must support us?”

  Prudence did not dare answer the last part of his question so she focused instead on the first. “I did think you might be short of funds. Until you sold out, at any rate, and collected your prize money,” she answered honestly.

  Harry smiled indulgently. “I have a bit more than that. An aunt who was beforehand with the world left me a tidy sum that will allow us not luxury but comfort. That combined with what I shall receive if I continue to work at the Horse Guards ought to suffice. Never fear, I shan’t make you sing for your supper like a gypsy.”

  Prudence blushed at this reminder of their adventures. She could not, she positively could not meet his eyes! And then he surprised her again.

  “There was one other thing,” he said diffidently.

  “If it is about Lord Brandon, I cannot stop going to help him.”

  She said it with defiance in her voice as well as a tremor of fear. To her surprise he was not angry. He sighed but said, “No, I rather thought you would not. I cannot like it, but neither shall I try to forbid it. In the end I have come to understand that this is somehow important to you. I must trust that someday you will trust me sufficiently to confide to me why.”

  And that, of course, made Prudence feel more guilty than ever. But she had promised Sir Thomas and he had impressed upon her the importance of what they were doing.

  “Someday,” she whispered.

  “Good. But it is another matter entirely that I wish to speak to you about,” he said, and there was that odd note to Harry’s voice again.

  Prudence looked at him and spied mischief in his eyes. “Oh?” she asked warily.

  “Well, I was thinking that perhaps we should have some children. Any children we have, you see, would learn the best of both our skills.”

  Prudence wanted to laugh at his nonsense, but the words, the notion took her breath away. “Children?” she echoed.

  Harry frowned, worried by her response. “Don’t you wish for children?” he asked, the diffidence real this time.

  Her brow cleared and she hugged him all the tighter as she said, fervently, “Yes, Harry, oh yes!”

  There was very little conversation between them after that though neither, it was to be noted, got much sleep that night.

  * * * *

  In a small but respectable hotel in another part of town something entirely different was happening. Frederick Baines was engaged in reading one of his favorite books when he had an unexpected visitor. His valet permitted the heavily veiled woman to enter with some trepidation. But the moment they were alone and the woman removed her veil Baines greeted her with both recognition and warm delight.

  “My dear Lady Marland, how do you do? We had heard about your protector’s death and I wondered when you would make your way to England. Or if you would. Come. Sit by the fire. Tell me everything about your journey.”

  Lady Marland smiled at him and took the seat he indicated. She smoothed her skirts and took her time about answering him. When she did, it was not in the least what he expected.

  “It is about my daughter’s husband, Colonel Harry Langford. He intends to go back to France and I wish you to stop him.”

  Frederick Baines froze. He stared at her. Finally he managed to echo her words. “Stop him?”

  Lady Marland explained. Baines slowly sank into the seat opposite her. When she was done telling him about her daughter’s husband, Baines said carefully, “But you do not even know why he is supposed to go back to France. How can you know whether you ought to stop him? And why come to me?”

  She looked at him then, her eyes wide with innocence. “Why Freddy, I know you can find out anything you choose to find out, do anything you choose to do. My daughter is dreadfully unhappy over this and I thought you would be pleased to help me.”

  He started laughing. He could not help himself. She stared at him a trifle bewildered, a trifle angry. In the frostiest of voices she said, “I am pleased to have been able to amuse you so thoroughly but, sir, I wish you will tell me why you are so amused.”

  Baines sobered, though not entirely. Still, he tried.

  “I, er, have some knowledge of the circumstances you are speaking about,” he said. “The difficulty is that someone needs to go to France and deal with a certain problem there. If Colonel Langford is not to go, who should? Unless you are volunteering?”

  Grace Marland stared at him. Instinctively she shook her head. He merely stared back at her. She rose to her feet and moved a few steps away then turned to look at Frederick Baines. Her face was pale and her voice held uncertainty as she said, “You do not know what you ask of me. I had not thought to go back there. Ever again. I had been looking forward to returning to my home in Philadelphia.”

  Baines regarded her gravely. “Then go home. We shall contrive. Harry shall contrive. He is a clever and courageous young man. I have great hopes that he will succeed in his mission and return unscathed.”

  But Lady Marland shook her head. “No. I cannot do that to my daughter. I have failed her as a mother all these years, I cannot fail her now. Very well, I
shall go back to France in his place. What is it I shall need to do?”

  She half-expected him to grin with triumph. But this was Frederick Baines and all he did was rise to his feet, take her hand, and say, gravely, “I am in awe, as always, of your courage.”

  Lady Marland yanked free her hand and said, crossly, “Fustian! Just tell me when and where and how I go and what lines I am to learn this time.”

  But he shook his head. “Oh, no, my dear. I do believe I shall go with you. We can learn our lines together, on the way.”

  Chapter 25

  Prudence dared let no more time go by. She called upon Sir Thomas early the next morning. He took one look at her face and drew her into his study. This morning he wasted no time on pleasantries. Nor did she.

  “Lord Brandon has made his proposal, sir. He wishes me to arrange an expedition involving every member of the Langford family, including the children. I am to ride separately with Harry.”

  “When?”

  “He suggested next week. I am to tell him the precise day and time and he will, he said, arrange everything else.”

  “Excellent! You’ve done very well. And the letter? How did he respond to the letter?”

  “With glee, I should say. And the moment after he had it, that was when he began to ask if I was happy. Which led to his proposal to make Harry the heir to Lord Darton’s title. I thought it best you know as soon as possible. You told me to agree to whatever he proposed, but surely this is too dangerous?”

  Sir Thomas hesitated. “Perhaps, perhaps not. I believe it is possible to protect the Langfords. In any event, I should need their consent before we proceeded. But for the moment, go and tell Lord Brandon that arrangements are in hand. We can always tell him the plans had to be changed if the Langfords will not agree or I cannot guarantee their safety.”

  Prudence hesitated. He leaned forward and patted her hand. “Trust me, my dear. I will make certain that nothing happens to any of you.”

  Oddly enough, Prudence found that she did trust the man. She could not have said why, but years of moving in diplomatic circles had taught her how to tell when someone was telling the truth and how to judge a man’s character. Sir Thomas Levenger was, she realized, a man she would trust with her life. And with Harry’s.

  She would have left then but as Sir Thomas escorted her to the front door, two more guests arrived. One was a gentleman she had never met but it was evident he and Sir Thomas knew each other well. He had, moreover, a companion she did recognize.

  “Mother?” Prudence said, staring in disbelief. “What are you doing here?”

  Lady Marland seemed equally taken aback.

  “Perhaps we should, er, retire to my study again,” Sir Thomas said hastily.

  All too aware of the servants, they agreed with alacrity. There, in the study, with the door firmly closed, Sir Thomas waved them to seats. He looked at the gentleman. “Freddy?”

  The man lifted one shoulder and shrugged. “Lady Marland has a suggestion. One, I might add, that has my support.”

  “Oh?”

  That one word was sufficient to tell Prudence that Sir Thomas reposed just as much trust in this gentleman as she reposed in him.

  “Lady Marland has suggested that she go back to France in place of Colonel Langford. I have offered to go with her.”

  Instantly Prudence was on her feet. “Mother? You cannot mean to do this!”

  Lady Marland looked up at her daughter, her tranquility undisturbed. “Why not? It is a part of France where I have never been so it is most unlikely that I should be recognized. But I have sufficient connections that I could pass easily where I will. Nor am I encumbered by an injury, as your husband is. Why should I not go in his place?”

  Sir Thomas grinned at her. “Lady Marland, you have all my admiration and respect,” he said.

  “Fustian!” she exclaimed, but it was patent that she was pleased.

  “It does make sense,” the other gentleman said. “I know the system as well as anyone and with Lady Marland to ease our way, we should be able to go and return swiftly.”

  Sir Thomas nodded. “How soon can you leave?” he asked.

  “The day after tomorrow,” Lady Marland replied. “Hugo has already made certain arrangements on our behalf.” At Prudence’s cry of protest, she looked at her and said, with a wry smile, “The sooner Mr. Baines and I go, the sooner we shall return. And now, Sir Thomas, we must take our leave of you. There is much to be done.”

  He nodded. To Prudence he added, “Wait here, my dear. I shall show your mother and Freddy out and that will give you time to compose yourself. In any event, it would be best if you were not all seen leaving together.”

  * * * *

  Lord Brandon seemed most pleased to have Prudence arrive early. Her head was still awhirl with seeing her mother. All thoughts of the other matter she had planned with Sir Thomas went straight out of her mind. But Lord Brandon had not forgotten. He eyed her oddly a number of times and then finally raised the question himself

  “Have you given any thought,” he asked Prudence, “to what we discussed the other day?”

  That recalled her to the whole issue of the Langfords and Lord Brandon’s plans for them. She hesitated. That was natural, wasn’t it? She could feel her color rising and that, too, she hoped would lend verisimilitude to the part she was playing.

  At last she said, with a hint of diffidence in her voice, “I did suggest an outing. They are thinking the matter over and it is no easy task to arrange for everyone to be able to go on the same day. But at least they did not dismiss the notion out of hand.”

  “But?”

  Prudence raised her eyes to meet his and let them fill with doubt. “But I am not entirely certain I should be doing this. They have tried to be kind to me.”

  Lord Brandon came and took her hands, as he had done the last time they spoke. “My dear child! Your sentiments are creditable but perhaps a trifle naive? You say they have tried to be kind to you. If that were true, would they not have succeeded? Oh, I know all too well how that family is! How they look at one with that pitying smile, how they pretend to concern even as they rip one’s character to shreds when speaking to each other. How they are incapable of forgiving mistakes in others but expect complete forgiveness themselves. Oh, yes, I know the Langford family well. And I do not think they are kind to you, I do not think so at all.”

  She looked at him. She had no need to counterfeit confusion as she asked him, “How? How do you know so much about them when I, who live in Lord Darton’s house, cannot see so clearly?”

  He gave a short laugh and half turned away. There was bitterness in Lord Brandon’s voice as he said, “There was a time when I was much involved with the family. Indeed, I had once thought to wed the late Lord Darton’s sister. But he laughed at me. Forbade me the house, for he was her guardian then. Know that family? Oh, yes, I know that family. I have made it my business to do so. To watch them, to try to understand. Trust me, my dear, I shall have no hesitation in helping you rid yourself of the burden of their existence. Trust me and you shall have the position, the money you so dearly wish for. And I shall be rid of a family that has plagued me for far too many years.”

  Prudence touched his sleeve hesitantly. “But you will not harm Harry, will you, sir? He has not hurt you, surely?”

  Lord Brandon could not at once answer. But after a moment he regained his composure and put his hand over hers. He even managed to smile, albeit the smile seemed a trifle perfunctory to her.

  “You need not worry, my dear. I have taken your feelings into account and should not dream of leaving you to manage on your own.”

  A shiver went up Prudence’s spine at these words. They seemed to have an ominous ring to them. But she pretended to believe the reassurance Lord Brandon appeared to give her. She, too, smiled and if her smile was no more real than his, well, they both pretended otherwise. And soon they were back at work on his memoirs.

  * * * *

  The en
tire family gathered at Philip Langford’s town house two days later. Even Lord Darton was given an unaccustomed invitation to join the group, as were all of the wives. Indeed, they seemed to fill the drawing room as the Langford’s looked at one another and at Sir Thomas Levenger and his wife with great curiosity.

  “There is,” Sir Thomas said, “a matter with which I need your help. It has to do with the man who I believe arranged the death of your parents, Lord and Lady Darton.”

  Quite naturally, there was an uproar. Sir Thomas simply waited until the noise diminished, refusing to answer the questions demanded of him until he was ready.

  “I will not tell you his name yet,” Sir Thomas said with creditable calm. “But I believe we have a way to catch him in the act of attempting to kill again. To kill all of you. If you are willing to help I believe we can deal with him once and for all.”

  This time the uproar abated faster, for the Langfords were an intelligent group. “And just what do we need to do?” Philip asked dryly.

  Sir Thomas explained. He explained in great detail what he wished them to do and how he intended to protect them. He talked about anarchists and the men he had hired to follow and observe the contact that went between them and the man behind the killing. But he carefully named no names.

  There were objections, of course. But in the end, all agreed. For the sake of catching the person who murdered Lord and Lady Darton, they would do as Sir Thomas asked.

  “Thank you,” he said gravely. “You do more than help to catch the man who arranged the deaths of your parents. You are helping, I believe, to catch a traitor. If we cannot prove treason we may, at least, prove another crime that will put paid to all his endeavors, including those that betray our country to the French.”

  There was a great deal of speculation as they left and Prudence was hard put not to speak. But she did not dare. For if she did, she might let slip something that Sir Thomas felt essential to keep quiet.

  It was Harry, of course, who noticed her reticence and commented upon it. “Have you no theories?” he asked her in the carriage on the way home.