The Red Window

by Fergus Hume

  CHAPTER VIII

  BERNARD'S ENEMIES

  The deceased baronet was buried in the family vault under St. Peter'sChurch, with all the pomp of wealth. Sir Simon had never been popular,and had been known widely as a hard, gripping man. Yet his tragic fate,and a certain pity therefore, had drawn together a large concourse ofpeople. Distant relatives who hoped to be mentioned in the will werepresent clothed in deepest black, although they cared very little forthe dead. Julius, who already regarded himself as in possession of GoreHall, was there with a long face and a satisfied heart. He was glad thathe had inherited the wealth after which he had long hungered, andgladder still that his rival, Bernard, was dead with a stain on hisname. In fancied security he moved along, not knowing what retributionwas in store for him. Even the pitying angels must have laughed at hiscomplacency.

  Durham, as the solicitor and executor of the dead man, was present anddirected operations. Conniston had gone to Cove Castle to see Bernardand hear his story; and Durham smiled as his eyes rested on the smugface of the presumed heir. There was no love lost between the two men,and Julius privately determined that, when in possession of theproperty, he would place the legal business in the hands of anothersolicitor. The young lawyer guessed somewhat of this, and smiledironically as he thought how this spite would be frustrated.

  From far and near people were gathered, for the murder had made a greatstir. Everyone united in condemning Bernard, and not one person in thethrong thought him innocent. Lucy was weeping alone at the Hall, withMrs. Gilroy offering her such cold comfort as she could think of. Forthe girl was truly sorry for her cousin, although she believed him to beguilty. But her theory was that Bernard had been goaded into committingthe rash act by the bitter tongue of his grandfather. It was a matter ofdisagreement between her and Julius that she should so mourn thedownfall and death of Bernard. He reprovingly advised her to keep hertears for Sir Simon, from whose death both were likely to derivebenefit. But Lucy, in spite of Beryl's evil influence, which had ratherwarped her better nature, persisted in weeping for the miserable cousinwho had so suddenly been cut off in the midst of his wickedness. Atleast that--in the face of circumstances--was the view she took of thematter.

  And Alice remained at The Bower, talking over the death with MissPlantagenet. Her joy, when the old lady returned with the good news thatBernard was yet alive, had been painful to witness. She wished to go atonce to Cove Castle, but this Miss Berengaria, by Durham's advice, wouldnot permit. Suspicion might be excited, so it was decided that Connistonhimself should visit his own castle, as that would seem a natural thingfor him to do. The merest suspicion that Bernard was alive and in hidingwould set the bloodhounds of the law on the trail, and Beryl would bethe first to loosen them. Therefore, Alice waited at home with MissBerengaria until the funeral was over. Then they intended to go to theHall to hear the will read. Miss Berengaria had some idea of thepunishment that awaited Julius, and would not have been absent for halfof her income. She detested the young man with all the virulence of herhonest nature. And she insisted on Alice coming also, although the girlwas unwilling. This again was by Durham's advice. He wanted both ladiesto understand exactly how matters stood. It would save him the troubleof an explanation. And then, since he and the two ladies and Connistonwere bent upon proving Bernard's innocence, Durham wanted all who couldbe spared--which did not include Conniston to be present, so as to dauntBernard's enemies. Should Julius lose his temper over the will, it wasprobable that he might say something likely to afford a clue to the trueassassin. And then Mrs. Gilroy was an enemy also, and she might beunguarded in her speech. Durham had a vague idea that both knew morethan they admitted. As to Lucy, it was impossible to say whether she wasfriendly or hostile.

  Sir Simon's body was duly interred, and he left all his wealth behindhim to take up his abode in the dark vault. After the service severalpeople lingered in the graveyard, but the majority, thinking thespectacle was at an end, made haste to go. Julius with Durham returnedin the carriage, and the rest of the relatives followed, flocking likevultures to the feast. While in the carriage Durham thought he would seeif Julius suspected that Bernard had escaped.

  "You have not heard if Gore's body has been found?" he asked.

  "No," said Beryl, raising his pale eyes and looking as sad as any owl."I fear he is dead in his sin."

  "You can't be sure if he did sin, Mr. Beryl."

  "The jury thought so."

  "A jury is not always infallible!"

  "I think the case had a fair hearing, Mr. Durham. So far as I amconcerned I should have been pleased had the verdict been otherwise. Itis not pleasant for me to have a relative accused of such a crime. Butsince he is dead let his evil rest with him. You will not hear me say aword against his memory," added the virtuous Julius.

  "Perhaps it will be as well," replied Durham, dryly. "You never were afriend of Bernard's."

  "All the more praise to me that I should not run him down."

  "Tell me, Beryl, do you really believe he committed the crime?"

  "I answered that indirectly before. Yes, I believe he was guilty."

  "Then it is just as well he is dead."

  "Just as well," asserted Beryl, quickly.

  "You don't think he can have escaped?"

  Julius started. "What makes you think so?" he demanded uneasily.

  "Well, you see, Bernard was a good swimmer, and--"

  "The best swimmer in the world could do nothing against the current ofthe Thames on a foggy night. On a fine day I dare say he might havegained the opposite bank, but in the fog he must have circled round andround until he was exhausted."

  "Yet, his clothes were discovered on the bank," persisted Durham. "Iwonder if I offered a reward, would anything be discovered?"

  "His corpse might," said Beryl, unpleasantly, "but no reward shall beoffered. Better let sleeping dogs lie."

  "But surely, Mr. Beryl, if you inherit the property, you will seek forthe poor fellow's dead body?"

  "No," replied Julius decisively. "I think it is best to leave thingsalone. Bernard committed a vile act, and if his body has been swept outto sea all the better for his memory and the position of the family. Ishall offer no reward."

  Durham, seeing the young man was absolutely certain of his inheritance,and that he was prepared to act in a most niggardly spirit, looked outof the window to hide a smile. "Poor Sir Bernard," he said.

  "Sir Bernard?" questioned the supposed heir, raising his eyebrows.

  "Certainly. On the death of Sir Simon, Bernard took the title!"

  "He hasn't enjoyed it long," said Beryl, with so villainous a sneer thatthe lawyer longed to pitch him out of the carriage, "and seeing he isdead I suppose the title becomes extinct."

  "It does," assented Durham gravely. "Bernard was the only heir in thedirect line."

  Julius shrugged his shoulders. "Well, I'll be quite content with themoney," said he.

  "Here we are," said Durham, as the carriage stopped. "By the way, MissPlantagenet and Miss Malleson have come to hear the will read. I hopeyou don't object."

  "Yes, I do," retorted Beryl, angrily, as he alighted. "They would haveshown better taste had they remained away."

  "But remember Miss Malleson has lost Bernard."

  "All the better for her. She would have had a miserable life with thatfellow."

  Durham suppressed a violent inclination to punch the man's head, but,knowing what punishment awaited him, he walked up the steps with acontemptuous smile. Here was a change indeed from the meek Julius of theold days. This presumed heir was obnoxious and insolent, thinking he wasabsolutely certain of entering into his kingdom. The lawyer was by nomeans a vindictive person, but it afforded him a certain amount ofsatisfaction when he thought of the irony of the situation.

  However, when Julius reached the drawing room, in which those invited tohear the will read were assembled, he adopted a more conciliatorymanner. Several relatives were present
, and Mrs. Gilroy headed theservants at the end of the room. Miss Berengaria sat beside Alice in arecess somewhat screened by the window curtain. But Lucy was nowhere tobe seen. However, when Durham took his seat at a small table and openedhis bag, she entered in deep mourning. Julius went to meet her.

  "Dear Lucy," he said, "we have buried our best friend."

  Lucy made no reply, and, drawing her hand away, walked to where Alicewas seated. She kissed the girl, whom Bernard had loved, in silence; andin silence was the kiss returned. Even Miss Berengaria, voluble as shewas on all occasions, held her peace. She saw that Lucy was sincerelysorry for the loss of her cousin, and from that moment she entertained abetter opinion of her. Alice drew Lucy into a seat beside her, and thetwo girls sat side by side, while Julius, already assuming the airs of amaster, bade the company welcome.

  "I am glad to see you all," he said in an important voice, "and I amsure that our deceased relative in his will has done all that his kindheart inspired him to do. Mr. Durham will now read the will."

  When he sat down some of the relatives smiled at the phrase about a kindheart, for which the late baronet had been in no wise remarkable. Durhamtook no notice of Beryl's little speech, but opened the will and beganto read. Julius listened with a complacent smile, which changed as thereading went on.

  Legacies were left to nearly all the servants who had been with thetestator a long time. Lucy became entitled to three hundred a year, andMrs. Gilroy received one hundred. The sum allotted to her did notsatisfy her, as she frowned when it was mentioned. Beryl's name was notmentioned, but he did not mind as he was waiting for the disposal of theresidue of the estate. But when Durham read out that the estate had beenleft entirely to Bernard Gore, with the exceptions of the above-namedlegacies, he started to his feet.

  "That is not the will!" he exclaimed loudly, and with a ghastly whiteface. "I am the heir."

  "By a former will," interposed Durham, "or, rather, I should say, by awill which Sir Simon afterwards destroyed."

  "He disinherited Bernard!" cried Julius savagely.

  "No! the will--this will--which gives Mr. Gore the money was nevercancelled."

  "A new will was prepared leaving all to me. You read it to me yourselfin your office and in the presence of Sir Simon."

  "Quite so," rejoined the lawyer, smoothly folding up the parchment; "butafter you left, Sir Simon, refusing to execute that will, put it intothe fire."

  "It is a lie!"

  "It is the truth," said Durham, his color rising. "I can bring forwardmy clerks who were to witness the new will, and they will state that itwas never executed. Sir Simon changed his mind. The estate goes to SirBernard Gore, the new baronet, and as the executor of the will, I willtake charge of all monies and of the property until he comes forward toclaim them."

  "But you know he is dead," said Julius, clenching his hand.

  "I know nothing of the sort. He is supposed to be dead, but we must haveproof of the death. A production of his body will be sufficient, Mr.Beryl," added Durham, cynically. "I think on your own account you hadbetter offer that reward I spoke of."

  "You have been playing the fool with me," said Julius, hardly able tospeak for passion.

  "No, I advised you what to do!"

  "One moment," said a precise man who had not been mentioned in the will."If young Gore really is dead--which I for one, hope is not thecase--who inherits the money?"

  "There is a codicil to that effect," said Durham, "which I had intendedto read when interrupted by Mr. Beryl." He re-opened the parchment. "Init Sir Simon leaves the property to charity with the exception of anylegacies. This in the event of Bernard Gore making no will. But theproperty has been left unreservedly to him, and, should he be alive, hehas the power to will it to whomsoever he wishes."

  "And if he is dead the property goes to a charity."

  "Yes! I will read the codicil!" and this Durham did to the dismay of thecompany. Only Miss Berengaria chuckled. She was delighted to see thatBeryl had been punished, and smiled when she thought how correct hadbeen her guess when talking to the lawyer. As for Alice, rememberingthat Bernard was alive and well, she found it hard to contain hersatisfaction that he had been fairly dealt with. Even the thought of thecrime, under the ban of which he lay, faded for the moment from hermind. Julius, with a certain malignancy, brought it back to herrecollection.

  "Even if Bernard is not dead he cannot inherit as a felon," said he.

  "Pardon me," interposed the lawyer. "You have yet to prove his guilt."

  "It was proved at the inquest."

  "A jury at an inquest has not the right to condemn a man," said Durham,sharply. "If Sir Bernard"--Julius winced at the title--"is alive andcomes forward, I shall do my best to prove his innocence."

  "And in any case," said Miss Berengaria in clear tones, "Mr. Beryl doesnot benefit."

  Julius turned on her with fury, and seemed on the point of breaking outinto wrathful speech. But his habitual dissimulation came to his aid,and he suppressed himself. More than that, he attempted to smile.

  "I don't say that I do not feel hurt," he said, with a desperate attemptat cheerfulness. "Sir Simon distinctly named me as his heir, and,moreover, asked Mr. Durham to read the new will in which I was named assuch."

  "Perfectly true," said Durham, coldly. "But Sir Simon changed his mindand burnt the new will. It was never executed, as I say."

  "Sir Simon had every right to do what he liked with his own," said thediplomatic Beryl, while Miss Berengaria, wondering what was in his mind,watched him with her keen eyes. "But, as I say, I am hurt. I quiteunderstood that Sir Simon had disinherited my cousin, but I was preparedto allow him an income had I received the property."

  "Two hundred a year," said the lawyer. "A munificent offer."

  "It was approved by Sir Simon," said Julius, calmly. "However, itappears that Sir Simon rescinded the new will--"

  "It was never executed."

  "Then we will say he never executed it. The money goes to Bernard Gore.So far as I believe he is dead, but I hope Mr. Durham, as the executorof the estate, will offer a reward to prove if he is dead or alive.

  "With regard to the commission of the crime, the jury at the inquestfound Bernard guilty without one dissenting voice. However, I am willingto give my cousin the benefit of the doubt, and should he reappear (andI hope he may) I shall do my best to aid him to prove his innocence. Ihope any words that may have escaped me in the heat caused by adisappointment will be overlooked."

  Whether any of those present believed this statement it is impossible tosay. Everyone looked down and no response was made, save by MissPlantagenet. She rose, and walking across the room, offered her hand tothe disappointed heir. "You are a good young man," she said heartily."And I hope you will come and see me."

  Julius, rather taken aback by this invitation from one whom he had causeto think loved him but little, grasped her hand and thanked her withgreat fervency. Her speech was a relief to him, and he sat down with acalmer face, when the old lady returned to her seat.

  "Why did you do that, aunt?" asked Alice, dismayed.

  "My dear," whispered Miss Berengaria, with a grim smile, "that young manmeans mischief. I am taking Mr. Durham's advice and making friends withhim, that I may thwart his plans."

  This was whispered so softly that Lucy did not overhear. Nor, had itbeen spoken aloud, would she have attended. Durham had come forward andwas speaking earnestly to her.

  "I trust you will stop at the Hall for the present," he said, "untilBernard comes home."

  "Will Bernard ever come home?" asked Lucy, sighing.

  "Let us hope so. I doubt if he is dead, and I will not believe he isuntil his body is laid before me. As to the crime, I do not believe hecommitted it. However, I want you to stay here as the chatelaine of theHall. All things will go on as before."

  "Am I to stay, sir?" asked Mrs. Gilroy, coming forward.

  "Yes! nor will the servants be changed. Of course, any of them who wishto leave can do so. But y
ou--"

  "I will stop on in my old position, if Miss Randolph wishes."

  Lucy nodded. "Yes! let all things remain as they were," she said.

  Mrs. Gilroy made a stiff curtsey and returned to the other servants, whothen filed in an orderly manner out of the room. The relatives also tooktheir leave, amongst them Julius, now smiling. At the door Lucy saidsomething to him about Bernard. He smiled darkly.

  "We have yet to prove that Bernard is alive," he said.

  "Danger!" thought Miss Berengaria. "I'll watch you, young man."