The Song of the Siren Read Free Page A

intently. No, there was no ulterior motive in the remark. No suggestions.
    No probing. One thing about my little sister, she was completely innocent. She was only ten years old in any case.
    I pondered. Should I try to give her some explanation? No, it was best to leave things as they were. We went out of the house together.
    ”How did you get here?” I asked.
    “I walked.”
    I mounted my horse. “Then you can walk back,” I said.
    It was two days later and a Saturday. I was in the garden of the Dower House when a man appeared on horseback. He dismounted and bowed to me.
    “Am I mistaken or is this the Dower House Eversleigh and does Captain Leigh Main live here?”
    “You are right. He is not here at the moment but will be back very soon, I believe.
    Do come in. I’ll show you where you can tether your horse.”
    “Thank you. You must be his daughter.”
    “His stepdaughter.”
    “I’m Gervaise Langdon. We were in the army together.”
    “General Langdon!” I cried. “I have heard him mention your name. General Sir Gervaise Langdon. Is that right?”
    “I see you are well informed.”
    I took him to the post by the mounting block and as I was directing him towards the house my mother appeared.
    “This is General Sir Gervaise Langdon, mother,” I said.
    Priscilla cried: “Oh, please come in. My husband should be here very soon.”
    “I was passing through the district,” explained Sir Gervaise, “and I remembered my old friend lived here so I thought I would pay him a visit.”
    “He will be delighted. He has talked of you a great deal, hasn’t he, Carlotta? This is my daughter Carlotta.”
    Sir Gervaise bowed again to me. “It is a great pleasure,” he said.
    My mother led the way into the hall.
    “I was about to call at the big house,” said Sir Gervaise, “and one of the grooms there told me that you were now at the Dower House.”
    “Oh, yes,” said my mother. “My parents are at the Court.”
    “Lord Eversleigh too, I believe. Where is Edwin now?”
    “He’s abroad on service,” said my mother.
    “Ah, yes. I had hoped to see him too.”
    ‘You know my husband has retired from the army, of course.”
    “Yes, indeed I do. Eversleigh stays on.”
    ”Yes, but I think his wife would like him to do what Leigh has done.”
    “A pity,” said the General. “We need men like them.”
    “I always think that their families need them too.”
    “Ah, the wives’ complaint!” said the General with a smile.
    Priscilla took him into the drawing room and sent for wine and cakes.
    Damaris appeared and was introduced.
    “You have two charming daughters,” said the General.
    He talked to us about his travels abroad and how delighted he was to be in England, and while this was going on Leigh arrived. He was delighted to see the General and after a while my mother said she was sure they had a great deal to say to each other and she hoped the General was in no hurry and would stay awhile.
    He replied that he was going to visit his old friend Ned Netherby and planned to stay the night at an inn about four miles on and then go to Netherby the following day.
    “But you cannot do that,” cried my mother. “You must stay here for the night. We wouldn’t hear of your going to stay at an inn, would we Leigh?”
    Leigh said that the General must stay and the latter needed little persuasion.
    “Then that is settled,” said my mother. “You will excuse me and I will see that they get your room ready. Carlotta, Damaris, come along and help.”
    We went out with her.
    “I could see that the General wished to talk to your father,” she said. “They will have memories to share. I know they served together at one time.”
    I went to my room and Damaris went to help my mother. I was mildly excited as I always was by visitors; and there was something about the General which made me feel that this was not an idle call. There was something purposeful about him. He was an attractive man. He must have been