by Fergus Hume
CHAPTER X.
A DIFFICULT POSITION.
Lord Garvington was not a creditable member of the aristocracy, sincehis vices greatly exceeded his virtues. With a weak nature, and thetastes of a sybarite, he required a great deal of money to render himhappy. Like the immortal Becky Sharp, he could have been fairly honestif possessed of a large income; but not having it he stopped short ofnothing save actual criminality in order to indulge his luxurioustastes to the full. Candidly speaking, he had already overstepped themark when he altered the figures of a check his brother-in-law had givenhim, and, had not Pine been so generous, he would have undoubtedlyoccupied an extremely unpleasant position. However, thanks to Agnes, theaffair had been hushed up, and with characteristic promptitude,Garvington had conveniently forgotten how nearly he had escaped the irongrip of Justice. In fact, so entirely did it slip his memory that--onthe plea of Pine's newly discovered origin--he did not desire the bodyto be placed in the family vault. But the widow wished to pay this honorto her husband's remains, and finally got her own way in the matter, forthe simple reason that now she was the owner of Pine's millionsGarvington did not wish to offend her. But, as such a mean creaturewould, he made capital out of the concession.
"Since I do this for you, Agnes," he said bluntly, when the question wasbeing decided, "you must do something for me."
"What do you wish me to do?"
"Ah--hum--hey--ho!" gurgled Garvington, thinking cunningly that it wastoo early yet to exploit her. "We can talk about it when the will hasbeen read, and we know exactly how we stand. Besides your grief issacred to me, my dear. Shut yourself up and cry."
Agnes had a sense of humor, and the blatant hypocrisy of the speech madeher laugh outright in spite of the genuine regret she felt for herhusband's tragic death. Garvington was quite shocked. "Do you forgetthat the body is yet in the house?" he asked with heavy solemnity.
"I don't forget anything," retorted Agnes, becoming scornfully serious."Not even that you count on me to settle your wretched financialdifficulties out of poor Hubert's money."
"Of course you will, my dear. You are a Lambert."
"Undoubtedly; but I am not necessarily a fool."
"Oh, I can't stop and hear you call yourself such a name," saidGarvington, ostentatiously dense to her true meaning. "It is hysteriathat speaks, and not my dear sister. Very natural when you are sogrieved. We are all mortal."
"You are certainly silly in addition," replied the widow, who knew howuseless it was to argue with the man. "Go away and don't worry me. Whenpoor Hubert is buried, and the will is read, I shall announce myintentions."
"Intentions! Intentions!" muttered the corpulent little lord, taking ahasty departure out of diplomacy. "Surely, Agnes won't be such a fool asto let the family estates go."
It never struck him that Pine might have so worded the will that theinheritance he counted upon might not come to the widow, unless shechose to fulfil a certain condition. But then he never guessed thejealousy with which the hot-blooded gypsy had regarded the earlyengagement of Agnes and Lambert. If he had done so, he assuredly wouldnot have invited the young man down to the funeral. But he did so, andtalked about doing so, with a frequent mention that the body was to restin the sacred vault of the Lamberts so that every one should applaud hisgenerous humility.
"Poor Pine was only a gypsy," said Garvington, on all and everyoccasion. "But I esteemed him as a good and honest man. He shall haveevery honor shown to his memory. Noel and I, as representatives of hiswife, my dear sister, shall follow him to the Lambert vault, and there,with my ancestors, the body of this honorable, though humble, man shallrest until the Day of Judgment."
A cynic in London laughed when the speech was reported to him. "IfGarvington is buried in the same vault," he said contemptuously, "hewill ask Pine for money, as soon as they rise to attend the GreatAssizes!" which bitter remark showed that the little man could notinduce people to believe him so disinterested as he should have likedthem to consider him.
However, in pursuance of this artful policy, he certainly gave the deadman, what the landlady of the village inn called, "a dressy funeral."All that could be done in the way of pomp and ceremony was done, and theprocession which followed Ishmael Hearne to the grave was anextraordinarily long one. The villagers came because, like all the lowerorders, they loved the excitement of an interment; the gypsies from thecamp followed, since the deceased was of their blood; and many people infinancial and social circles came down from London for the obviousreason that Pine was a well-known figure in the City and the West End,and also a member of Parliament. As for Lambert, he put in anappearance, in response to his cousin's invitation, unwillingly enough,but in order to convince Agnes that he had every desire to obey hercommands. People could scarcely think that Pine had been jealous of theearly engagement to Agnes, when her former lover attended the funeral ofa successful rival.
Of course, the house party at The Manor had broken up immediately afterthe inquest. It would have disintegrated before only that InspectorDarby insisted that every one should remain for examination inconnection with the late tragical occurrence. But in spite ofquestioning and cross-questioning, nothing had been learned likely toshow who had murdered the millionaire. There was a great deal of talkafter the body had been placed in the Lambert vault, and there was moretalk in the newspapers when an account was given of the funeral. Butneither by word of mouth, nor in print, was any suggestion made likelyto afford the slightest clue to the name or the whereabouts of theassassin. Having regard to Pine's romantic career, it was thought bysome that the act was one of revenge by a gypsy jealous that the manshould attain to such affluence, while others hinted that the motivefor the crime was to be found in connection with the millionaire'scareer as a Gentile. Gradually, as all conjecture proved futile, thegossip died away, and other events usurped the interest of the public.Pine, who was really Hearne, had been murdered and buried; his assassinwould never be discovered, since the trail was too well hidden; and LadyAgnes inherited at least two millions on which she would probably marryher cousin and so restore the tarnished splendors of the Lambert family.In this way the situation was summed up by the gossips, and then theybegan to talk of something else. The tragedy was only a nine minutes'wonder after all.
The gossips both in town and country were certainly right in assumingthat the widow inherited the vast property of her deceased husband. Butwhat they did not know was that a condition attached to such inheritanceirritated Agnes and caused Garvington unfeigned alarm. Pine'ssolicitor--he was called Jarwin and came from a stuffy little office inChancery Lane--called Garvington aside, when the mourners returned fromthe funeral, and asked that the reading of the will might be confined toa few people whom he named.
"There is a condition laid down by the testator which need not be madepublic," said Mr. Jarwin blandly. "A proposition which, if possible,must be kept out of print."
Garvington, with a sudden recollection of his iniquity in connectionwith the falsified check, did not dare to ask questions, but hastilysummoned the people named by the lawyer. As these were the widow, LadyGarvington, himself, and his cousin Noel, the little man had no fear ofwhat might be forthcoming, since with relatives there could be no riskof betrayal. All the same, he waited for the reading of the will withsome perturbation, for the suggested secrecy hinted at some posthumousrevenge on the part of the dead man. And, hardened as he was, Garvingtondid not wish his wife and Lambert to become acquainted with hisdelinquency. He was, of course, unaware that the latter knew about itthrough Agnes, and knew also how it had been used to coerce her--for thepressure amounted to coercion--into a loveless marriage.
The quintette assembled in a small room near the library, and when thedoor and window were closed there was no chance that any one wouldoverhear the conference. Lambert was rather puzzled to know why he hadbeen requested to be present, as he had no idea that Pine would mentionhim in the will. However, he had not long to wait before he learned thereason, for the document produced by Mr.
Jarwin was singularly short andconcise. Pine had never been a great speaker, and carried his reticenceinto his testamentary disposition. Five minutes was sufficient for thereading of the will, and those present learned that all real andpersonal property had been left unreservedly to Agnes Pine, the widow ofthe testator, on condition that she did _not_ marry Noel TamsworthLeighton Lambert. If she did so, the money was to pass to a certainperson, whose name was mentioned in a sealed envelope held by Mr.Jarwin. This was only to be opened when Agnes Pine formally relinquishedher claim to the estate by marrying Noel Lambert. Seeing that the willdisposed of two millions sterling, it was a remarkably abrupt document,and the reading of it took the hearers' breath away.
Garvington, relieved from the fears of his guilty conscience, was thefirst to recover his power of speech. He looked at the lean, dry lawyer,and demanded fiercely if no legacy had been left to him. "Surely Pinedid not forget me?" he lamented, with more temper than sorrow.
"You have heard the will," said Mr. Jarwin, folding up the single sheetof legal paper on which the testament was inscribed.
"There are no legacies."
"None at all."
"Hasn't Pine remembered Silver?"
"He has remembered nothing and no one save Lady Agnes." Jarwin bowed tothe silent widow, who could not trust herself to speak, so angered wasshe by the cruel way in which her husband had shown his jealousy.
"It's all very dreadful and very disagreeable," said Lady Garvington inher weak and inconsequent way. "I'm sure I was always nice to Hubert andhe might have left me a few shillings to get clothes. Everything goes incooks and food and--"
"Hold your tongue, Jane," struck in her husband crossly. "You're alwaysthinking of frocks and frills. But I agree with you this will isdreadful. I am not going to sit under such a beastly sell you know," headded, turning to Jarwin. "I shall contest the will."
The lawyer coughed dryly and smiled. "As you are not mentioned in thetestament, Lord Garvington, I fail to see what you can do."
"Hum! hum! hum!" Garvington was rather disconcerted. "But Agnes canfight it."
"Why should I?" questioned the widow, who was very pale and very quiet.
"Why should you?" blustered her brother. "It prevents your marryingagain."
"Pardon me, it does not," corrected Mr. Jarwin, with another dry cough."Lady Agnes can marry any one she chooses to, save--" His eyes rested onthe calm and watchful face of Lambert.
The young man colored, and glancing at Agnes, was about to speak. But onsecond thoughts he checked himself, as he did not wish to add to theembarrassment of the scene. It was the widow who replied. "Did SirHubert tell you why he made such a provision?" she asked, striving topreserve her calmness, which was difficult under the circumstances.
"Why, no," said Jarwin, nursing his chin reflectively. "Sir Hubert wasalways of a reticent disposition. He simply instructed me to draw up thewill you have heard, and gave me no explanation. Everything is in order,and I am at your service, madam, whenever you choose to send for me."
"But suppose I marry Mr. Lambert--"
"Agnes, you won't be such a fool!" shouted her brother, growing soscarlet that he seemed to be on the point of an apoplectic fit.
She turned on him with a look, which reduced him to silence, butcarefully avoided the eyes of the cousin. "Suppose I marry Mr. Lambert?"she asked again.
"In that case you will lose the money," replied Jarwin, slightly wearyof so obvious an answer having to be made. "You have heard the will."
"Who gets the money then?"
This was another ridiculous question, as Jarwin, and not without reason,considered.
"Would you like me to read the will again?" he asked sarcastically.
"No. I am aware of what it contains."
"In that case, you must know, madam, that the money goes to a certainperson whose name is mentioned in a sealed envelope, now in my officesafe."
"Who is the person?" demanded Garvington, with a gleam of hope that Pinemight have made him the legatee.
"I do not know, my lord. Sir Hubert Pine wrote down the name andaddress, sealed the envelope, and gave it into my charge. It can only beopened when the ceremony of marriage takes place between--" he bowedagain to Lady Agnes and this time also to Lambert.
"Pine must have been insane," said Garvington, fuming. "He disguiseshimself as a gypsy, and comes to burgle my house, and makes a silly willwhich ought to be upset."
"Sir Hubert never struck me as insane," retorted Jarwin, putting thedisputed will into his black leather bag. "A man who can make twomillion pounds in so short a space of time can scarcely be calledcrazy."
"But this masquerading as a gypsy and a burglar," urged Garvingtonirritably.
"He was actually a gypsy, remember, my lord, and it was natural that heshould wish occasionally to get back to the life he loved. As to hisbeing a burglar, I venture to disagree with you. He had some reason tovisit this house at the hour and in the manner he did, and doubtless ifhe had lived he would have explained. But whatever might have been hismotive, Lord Garvington, I am certain it was not connected withrobbery."
"Well," snapped the fat little man candidly, "if I had known that Pinewas such a blighter as to leave me nothing, I'm hanged if I'd haveallowed him to be buried in such decent company."
"Freddy, Freddy, the poor man is dead. Let him rest," said LadyGarvington, who looked more limp and untidy than ever.
"I wish he was resting somewhere else than in my vault. A damnedgypsy!"
"And my husband," said Lady Agnes sharply. "Don't forget that,Garvington."
"I wish I could forget it. Much use he has been to us."
"_You_ have no cause to complain," said his sister with a meaningglance, and Garvington suddenly subsided.
"Won't you say something, Noel?" asked Lady Garvington dismally.
"I don't see what there is to say," he rejoined, not lifting his eyesfrom the ground.
"There you are wrong," remarked Agnes with a sudden flush. "There is avery great deal to say, but this is not the place to say it. Mr.Jarwin," she rose to her feet, looking a queenly figure in her longblack robes, "you can return to town and later will receive myinstructions."
The lawyer looked hard at her marble face, wondering whether she wouldchoose the lover or the money. It was a hard choice, and a verydifficult position. He could not read in her eyes what she intended todo, so mutely bowed and took a ceremonious departure, paying a silenttribute to the widow's strength of mind. "Poor thing; poor thing,"thought the solicitor, "I believe she loves her cousin. It is hard thatshe can only marry him at the cost of becoming a pauper. A difficultposition for her, indeed. H'm! she'll hold on to the money, of course;no woman would be such a fool as to pay two millions sterling for ahusband."
In relation to nine women out of ten, this view would have been areasonable one to take, but Agnes happened to be the tenth, who had thesingular taste--madness some would have called it--to prefer love tohard cash. Still, she made no hasty decision, seeing that the issuesinvolved in her renunciation were so great. Garvington, showing acharacteristic want of tact, began to argue the question almost themoment Jarwin drove away from The Manor, but his sister promptlydeclined to enter into any discussion.
"You and Jane can go away," said she, cutting him short. "I wish to havea private conversation with Noel."
"For heaven's sake don't give up the money," whispered Garvington in anagonized tone when at the door.
"I sold myself once to help the family," she replied in the same lowvoice; "but I am not so sure that I am ready to do so twice."
"Quite right, dear," said Lady Garvington, patting the widow's hand. "Itis better to have love than money. Besides, it only means that Freddywill have to give up eating rich dinners which don't agree with him."
"Come away, you fool!" cried Freddy, exasperated, and, seizing her arm,he drew her out of the room, growling like a sick bear.
Agnes closed the door, and returned to look at Lambert, who stillcontinued to stare at the c
arpet with folded arms. "Well?" she demandedsharply.
"Well?" he replied in the same tone, and without raising his eyes.
"Is that all you have to say, Noel?"
"I don't see what else I can say. Pine evidently guessed that we lovedone another, although heaven knows that our affection has been innocentenough, and has taken this way to part us forever."
"Will it part us forever?"
"I think so. As an honorable man, and one who loves you dearly, I can'texpect you to give up two millions for the sake of love in a cottagewith me. It is asking too much."
"Not when a woman loves a man as I love you."
This time Lambert did look up, and his eyes flashed with surprise anddelight. "Agnes, you don't mean to say that you would--"
She cut him short by sitting down beside him and taking his hand. "Iwould rather live on a crust with you in the Abbot's Wood Cottage thanin Park Lane a lonely woman with ample wealth."
"You needn't remain lonely long," said Lambert moodily. "Pine's willdoes not forbid you to marry any one else."
"Do I deserve that answer, Noel, after what I have just said?"
"No, dear, no." He pressed her hand warmly. "But you must make someallowance for my feelings. It is right that a man should sacrifice allfor a woman, but that a woman should give up everything for a man seemswrong."
"Many women do, if they love truly as I do."
"But, Agnes, think what people will say about me."
"That will be your share of the sacrifice," she replied promptly. "If Ido this, you must do that. There is no difficulty when the matter islooked on in that light. But there is a graver question to be answered."
Lambert looked at her in a questioning manner and read the answer in hereyes. "You mean about the property of the family?"
"Yes." Agnes heaved a sigh and shook her head. "I wish I had been born avillage girl rather than the daughter of a great house. Rank has itsobligations, Noel. I recognized that before, and therefore marriedHubert. He was a good, kind man, and, save that I lost you, I had noreason to regret becoming his wife. But I did not think that he wouldhave put such an insult on me."
"Insult, dear?" Lambert flushed hotly.
"What else can you call this forbidding me to marry you? The will iscertain to be filed at Somerset House, and the contents will be madeknown to the public in the usual way, through the newspapers. Then whatwill people say, Noel? Why, that I became Hubert's wife in order to gethis money, since, knowing that he was consumptive, I hoped he would soondie, and that as a rich widow I could console myself with you. They willchuckle to see how my scheme has been overturned by the will."
"But you made no such scheme."
"Of course not. Still, everyone will credit me with having done so.As a woman, who has been insulted, and by a man who has no reason tomistrust me, I feel inclined to renounce the money and marry you, ifonly to show how I despise the millions. But as a Lambert I must thinkagain of the family as I thought before. The only question is, whetherit is wise to place duty above love for the second time, considering themisery we have endured, and the small thanks we have received for ourself-denial?"
"Surely Garvington's estates are free by now?"
"No; they are not. Hubert, as I told you when we spoke in the cottage,paid off many mortgages, but retained possession of them. He did notcharge Garvington any interest, and let him have the income of themortgaged land. No one could have behaved better than Hubert did, untilmy brother's demands became so outrageous that it was impossible to goon lending and giving him money. Hubert did not trust him so far as togive back the mortgages, so these will form a portion of his estate. Asthat belongs to me, I can settle everything with ease, and placeGarvington in an entirely satisfactory condition. But I do that at thecost of losing you, dear. Should the estates pass to this unknownperson, the mortgages would be foreclosed, and our family would beruined."
"Are things as bad as that?"
"Every bit as bad. Hubert told me plainly how matters stood. Forgenerations the heads of the family have been squandering money. Freddyis just as bad as the rest, and, moreover, has no head for figures. Hedoes not know the value of money, never having been in want of it. Butif everything was sold up--and it must be if I marry you and lose themillions--he will be left without an acre of land and only three hundreda year."
"Oh, the devil!" Lambert jumped up and began to walk up and down theroom with a startled air. "That would finish the Lambert family with avengeance, Agnes. What do you wish me to do?" he asked, after a pause.
"Wait," she said quietly.
"Wait? For what--the Deluge?"
"It won't come while I hold the money. I have a good business head, andHubert taught me how to deal with financial matters. I could not givehim love, but I did give him every attention, and I believe that I wasable to help him in some ways. I shall utilize my experience to see thefamily lawyer and go into matters thoroughly. Then we shall know forcertain if things are as bad as Hubert made out. If they are, I mustsacrifice you and myself for the sake of our name; if they are not--"
"Well?" asked Lambert, seeing how she hesitated. Agnes crossed the roomand placed her arms round his neck with a lovely color tinting her wancheeks. "Dear," she whispered, "I shall marry you. In doing so I am notdisloyal to Hubert's memory, since I have always loved you, and heaccepted me as his wife on the understanding that I could not give himmy heart. And now that he has insulted me," she drew back, and her eyesflashed, "I feel free to become your wife."
"I see," Lambert nodded. "We must wait?"
"We must wait. Duty comes before love. But I trust that the sacrificewill not be necessary. Good-bye, dear," and she kissed him.
"Good-bye," repeated Lambert, returning the kiss. Then they parted.
