The Angel of Darkness - Caleb Carr [300]
“Why, don’t you know?” she answered, surprised. “Surely if you know the Muhlenbeks, you know that Libby was their son’s tutor—before she went to New York, that is. But perhaps you met them after she’d already left?”
“Yes,” Miss Howard said, quickly and nervously. “Just recently, in fact. And we didn’t meet your daughter until she’d arrived in the city—you see, that’s where we’re all from.”
“Oh, is that so?” Mrs. Franklin answered. “Well, if you’re from New York, then you certainly know more about my daughter than I do. You see, I’ve had only one letter from her since she moved there, and that was so long ago—it’s been years since I’ve heard anything at all. But then, as I say, Elspeth was always that way—I doubt she even realizes she hasn’t written! So very careless, that girl, always daydreaming about something …”
For a moment Mrs. Franklin’s mind seemed to wander in that way we’d already witnessed; but when it did so this time around, I began to see that what I’d taken for addle-headedness was really just a way of avoiding subjects what she wouldn’t or couldn’t discuss, maybe because they were too painful, or maybe because they would’ve revealed things about her what she didn’t want known, especially to strangers. Such being the case, I expected the Doctor to start pressing harder for information: he wasn’t one to let people get away from the point. I was doubly surprised, then, when he just stood up, studied Mrs. Franklin’s eyes as they stared into the distance, and finally said, “Yes. I suspect you are right, Mrs. Franklin. Thank you so much for the refreshment—we shall continue to look for your daughter in New York.”
Snapping out of her seeming daze quickly and looking very relieved, Mrs. Franklin also stood up. “I am sorry I can’t be of more help to you all, truly I am. And if you do run across Elspeth, you might just tell her that her family’s curious to know what she’s up to.” With that she started to walk us toward the screen door.
“Doctor,” Miss Howard said, looking concerned, “I’m not sure that we’ve—”
“Oh, I think Mrs. Franklin’s told us all she can,” the Doctor answered pleasantly. “And it will prove extremely helpful, I’m sure.” As he said these last words, he gave Miss Howard a very meaningful look; and she, taking it on faith that what he said was true, just shrugged and moved to the screen door. As for me, I had no idea what they were talking about; but then, I hadn’t really expected to. I hadn’t even been sure I’d be let into the house, and once I was there, I figured I’d have to wait ’til the ride home for explanations.
As we passed back out onto the lawn from the porch, Mrs. Franklin held up a finger. “Do you know, Doctor—you might try the theaters. I always had an idea that Elspeth would end up on the stage—I can’t imagine why, but I always did! Well, good-bye, now! It was so pleasant to talk with you all!”
Miss Howard and I tried not to look even more confused as we said good-bye to Mrs. Franklin, who called to her little dog and then vanished into the small house.
“I’ll see you to your rig,” Eli Franklin said, himself looking pretty relieved that we were departing. “And I thank you for not mentioning the matter of Libby’s being in trouble to my mother. You see how she is, and—”
“Yes, Mr. Franklin.” The Doctor’s voice had suddenly lost the soft, polite tone he’d used with the man’s mother. “We do indeed, as you say, ‘see how your mother is.’ Perhaps more than you know. And I’m afraid I shall require a service for concealing our true purpose from her.”
The words and the way the Doctor said them struck new nervousness, maybe even fear, into Eli Franklin. “Service?” he mumbled. “What do you—”
“The barnyard, Mr. Franklin,” the Doctor answered. “We should like to inspect the barnyard.