The Pagan's Cup

by Fergus Hume

  CHAPTER XX

  MRS GABRIEL'S SECRET

  Mrs Jeal was not pleased. She was a woman who liked to make mischief,and preferred to leave sorrow rather than joy behind her. In her timeshe had caused a good deal of misery, and she had always rejoiced overit. But now that she had been forced to undo the evil she had committed,her heart ached. Bad as Pratt was, his wife was worse, and if he hadindeed killed her, as he had threatened, he would have been doing aservice to mankind. Mrs Jeal was a noxious snake who should have beenkilled without pity.

  On leaving the Vicarage she went home at once and found the cottageempty, as Pearl had not yet returned. Mrs Jeal brought out the letterand again read it. Then she turned white and shivered; finally she putit into the fire, and watched it burn to black ashes. Afterwards shefilled herself a glass of brandy and drank it neat. Yet she was anabstemious woman as a rule. There must have been something very terriblein that letter to make her take to strong drink. And what was in it noone in Colester ever found out. Having burned it, Mrs Jeal put it out ofher mind as well as she was able. Yet often afterwards she shivered tothink of what would have happened had it been opened in the Vicaragelibrary. "A narrow shave that," muttered Mrs Jeal.

  Shortly, when she had recovered herself in some measure, Pearl dancedinto the room. She was now quite her old happy self. The restoration ofthe cup made her believe that God had forgiven her, and that the Masterbelieved her worthy to be the guardian of the Holy Grail. Raston hadarranged the matter in order to save her from further misery. Early onSunday morning he had taken the cup across the moor and had placed it onthe turf altar, knowing that there Pearl, as was her custom, would comeand seek it. He had not anticipated such a dramatic scene as had takenplace in the chapel. Pearl believed in her own weak mind that the Masterhad brought the cup down again from Heaven. She was therefore glad andmerry, and her singing and dancing annoyed Mrs Jeal.

  "Keep quiet, you minx!" she cried savagely, "or I'll have you shut up.Where have you been after making an exhibition of yourself?"

  "I have been looking at the cup," said Pearl, gaily. "It is on thealtar. I am pleased the Master has given it again into my charge. He hasforgiven me, and some day I shall be with Him in Paradise."

  It was in Mrs Jeal's wicked mind to tell the truth to the girl. But sheknew that Pearl would not accept the explanation. Besides, strange as itmay seem, even Mrs Jeal had some compunction in making the girlmiserable. The woman was evil to the core, but she must have had somegood in her. Therefore she held her tongue on the subject of the cup.

  "Where were you so early this morning?" she asked. "I found your bedempty at six o'clock."

  "I went to the altar to find the cup brought down by the dear Master,"replied Pearl, "and I was watching Sir Frank Hale and his sister goingaway. They drove with two horses and many boxes. I did not--"

  Mrs Jeal jumped up and seized Pearl's arm. "What do you mean?" sheasked. "Has Sir Frank Hale gone?"

  "And his sister," said Pearl, twisting away with a frightened face."They have left Colester and gone away--away, oh, far away! Oh! Oh! whatare--"

  "Hold your tongue," said Mrs Jeal, thrusting her into a chair, "and sityou there till I come back." She hurriedly put on her bonnet and shawl."If you stir I'll kill you," and she hurried out of the house.

  Pearl's news was true. There was no one in the Hale's house save an oldwoman who was to act as caretaker. She explained that Sir Frank and hissister had left early that morning, and by this time were on their wayto London, whence they departed in a few days for the Continent.

  "Did they leave no message for me?" asked Mrs Jeal, her face growingblack as she clenched her hand.

  "No; why should they?" asked the crone, contemptuously. "What have finefolks like them to do with a woman like you?"

  "I'll slap your face if you talk to me like that," raged Mrs Jeal, herworst nature coming uppermost.

  "I have influence with your master. I can have you turned away."

  "No, you can't," replied the other hag. "Why I heard Sir Frank say howglad he was to get away without seeing you. He called you a witch. He!He!"

  "He did, did he?" muttered Mrs Jeal, furiously. "Now just you--" Shewas going on to threaten the caretaker when she found the door banged inher face and heard the mocking laughter of the old woman behind it.

  Treated thus scornfully, Mrs Jeal stamped and raged like one possessed."Not a penny," she muttered, "and he promised--ugh, the miser--thebeast! I'll be even with him. There's the money for the cup. I canfollow. I can--but I want more. Now that I have given up my secret"--herface grew dark as she thought of the burnt letter--"I shall be poor.Ha!" She stopped, and biting her finger looked towards the castle. "Ican make her pay. This evening, then. It will be worth more than thecup. One secret is of no use. But I have another--another."

  She shook her fist at the house of Sir Frank, said something about himthat was not exactly a blessing, then returned home with her mind madeup. She wished to leave Colester, which was now too hot for her. AsSybil would look after Pearl, there would be no difficulty in thatquarter. She had saved money, and with what she had got from pawning thecup she was fairly well off for her station in life. But Mrs Jeal wasgreedy and wanted more. Mrs Gabriel was to be the milch cow this time.Thus it came about that Mrs Gabriel was informed that evening that MrsJeal wished to see her at once on important business.

  The underlying insolence of the message annoyed Mrs Gabriel, who alwaysprided herself on keeping the lower orders in what she called theirproper place, which was under her heel. And Mrs Gabriel was in no moodto be merciful to insolence. Some kind friend had informed her of thediscovery of Leo's true position. She was savagely angry. On account ofPratt she had hated the young man, and later on, when he came to defyher, she had disliked him on his own account. That he should have atitle, and that he should marry Sybil Tempest! These things were allgall and bitterness to the haughty woman. She wanted Leo to be herslave, to punish him for Pratt's misdemeanours. But her slave hadescaped, and she could do nothing save sit in the empty room, eating outher heart in the bitterness of impotent anger. She could do nothing. Leowas gone; Pratt was gone, and she was left a lonely woman. She had noteven the comfort of feeling that she could revenge herself.

  Feeling in this mood, she was not unwilling to see Mrs Jeal. Here, atleast, was someone on whom she could vent her rage. With an imperiousgesture she ordered the woman to be admitted, and received her with astormy brow. Mrs Jeal smiled. She knew that she had the upper hand, andwas not to be intimidated by stormy looks. Waiting till the servant haddeparted and the door was closed, she introduced herself.

  "I have to speak to you on important business, my lady," she said, withassumed meekness, and addressing Mrs Gabriel by a title to which shelaid no claim. This was done to accentuate the later part of theinterview. Mrs Jeal was quite as well prepared as was Mrs Gabriel tomake herself disagreeable. She also was out of tune.

  "What business can a woman like you have with me?" demanded Mrs Gabriel,with scorn, and put up a _lorgnette_ to freeze Mrs Jeal with a look.

  But Mrs Jeal had borne the looks of even greater ladies than MrsGabriel. "It is strange, is it not, my lady?" she sniggered; "but I havesomething to talk about which will interest your ladyship very much."

  "Indeed!" Mrs Gabriel looked more scornful than ever. "And I believe youhave to do with this precious discovery?"

  "I have, my lady. Mr Haverleigh is now Lord Morven. I proved his rightto the title. You see, my lady, I was a nurse at Kilspindie Castle, andI stole his lordship when a child."

  "How dare you speak to me like this?" cried Mrs Gabriel. "Do you notknow that I can have you arrested for such an admission?"

  "Oh, no; you cannot, my lady," retorted Mrs Jeal, coolly; "only LordKilspindie can do that, and he has let me go free."

  "Then you leave this place," said Mrs Gabriel, haughtily. "I'll have noone in Colester likely to corrupt the morals of the people."

  "Ah, you have great power here, my lady--great power
," mocked Mrs Jeal.

  Mrs Gabriel's blood grew cold as she saw the look in the woman's eye. "Idon't understand you. Leave the room and the place," she said.

  "All in good time, my lady," replied Mrs Jeal, calmly, and took a seat.As this was more than Mrs Gabriel could bear, she rose.

  "You infamous creature!" she cried furiously. "Out of my house, or I'llhave you thrown out by my servants."

  "_My_ house, _my_ servants, _my_ estates!" sneered Mrs Jeal, keeping aneye on her victim. "Are you sure you can talk like that, my lady?"

  "I repeat I don't understand you," stammered Mrs Gabriel, sitting down.She was beginning to be afraid. Mrs Jeal would not dare to speak sounless she possessed some information dangerous to the lady of thecastle.

  "I shall leave the parish to-morrow," went on Mrs Jeal, coolly. "I haveno wish to remain. Miss Tempest will take charge of Pearl, and--"

  "What have I to do with all this?" said Mrs Gabriel, sitting up.

  "This much: I want your ladyship to give me a thousand pounds."

  "Ah! I thought so. Your mission here is one of blackmail?"

  Mrs Jeal shrugged her plump shoulders. "Some people would call it that,"she said, dropping the courtesy title; "and as you have paid blackmailto Pratt all these years, I don't see why you should not give me athousand pounds to get rid of me."

  "Pratt!" Mrs Gabriel could hardly speak. "What do you know?--"

  "I know that Pratt was married to you in Switzerland when you were MissHaverleigh, and that you afterwards married Mr Gabriel. The property wasleft by Mr Gabriel to--'_my wife_.' Those were the words used in thewill. And you, Miss Haverleigh, were never Mr Gabriel's wife."

  "It is not true," muttered Mrs Gabriel, her lips quivering.

  "It is true; you know it is!" said the other woman. "A word from Pratt,and you would have been turned out of possession here. He held histongue so long as you took the child and brought him up. I have held mytongue also, because I was afraid of Pratt. But now he has told mysecret about Lord Morven, I want money on my own account, so as to getaway from him across the seas."

  Mrs Gabriel drummed on the table. She saw that this woman was too muchfor her. "What you say is perfectly true," she said. "I met Pratt inSwitzerland when I was a young girl. We were married in Geneva, and Iafterwards found out what a brute he was. We parted. Afterwards I heardthat he was dead, and regarded myself as free to marry Gabriel."

  "Oh, that was one of Pratt's jokes," said Mrs Jeal, easily. "He wasalways a merry sort of brute. But, you see, I can turn you out."

  "Not without Pratt's aid," said Mrs Gabriel, fiercely. "I won't give upthe property to go to the Crown! I love power, and I intend to keep whatI have. Pratt made me take that child, and lie about him. He made meintroduce him to Colester society, and for years he has taken money fromme. After doing all this, do you think I'll give it up? No; I'll fight!"

  Mrs Jeal laughed unpleasantly. "I can put a weapon into your hand tofight with," she said; "that is, if you give me a thousand pounds."

  "What do you mean" panted Mrs Gabriel, throwing herself forward andseizing Mrs Jeal by the shoulders. "Can you?--will you?--"

  "If you give me a thousand pounds," replied the other woman, quiteunmoved, and looking up with her wicked eyes into Mrs Gabriel's agitatedface.

  "What do you know? Quick--tell me!" Mrs Gabriel shook her.

  "Don't shake me," said Mrs Jeal, tartly, twisting herself free. "If youwant to know my secret, I'll tell it to you--I am Pratt's lawful wife."

  Mrs Gabriel put her hand to her forehead, and reeled to the end of theroom. "Wife--wife!" she muttered. "Then I am not--"

  "You are _not_ his wife," finished Mrs Jeal, coolly. "You never were hiswife, seeing he was married to me before he met you. You are MrsGabriel, the widow of John Gabriel, and the possessor of this property."

  "Can you--can you prove this?" asked the other woman, gasping.

  "I'll give you my marriage certificate for a thousand pounds," said MrsJeal. "I don't want it. I've had enough of Pratt. Then you can see thechurch where we were married, and search the register. Oh, it's allright."

  "Give me the certificate," Mrs Gabriel stretched out her hand eagerly.

  "Not without the thousand pounds," said Mrs Jeal, resolutely.

  "I'll give you a cheque," said Mrs Gabriel, hurrying to a writing-desk.

  Mrs Jeal shook her head. "Won't do!" she remarked. "I've had to do withladies before. You might stop that cheque when I had given you what youwanted. No. Come to the bank; give me the money in notes, and I'll placethe certificate in your hands."

  "We can't go to the bank to-night," said Mrs Gabriel, frowning.

  "Oh! I can wait till to-morrow," replied Mrs Jeal, coolly.

  Mrs Gabriel lost her temper and stamped her foot. "Give me thatcertificate, or I'll have you arrested."

  "Oh! So you want me to tell my story in court, my lady."

  "You dare to!"

  "Then give me the thousand pounds." Mrs Jeal was beginning to lose hertemper. "Here's a coil about a trifle," she said angrily; "instead ofasking you for blackmail, as I could have done, I offer to give youfreedom. And you won't pay for it."

  "I will. Here's a cheque. Come with me to the bank at Portfrontto-morrow, and you can cash it in my presence. The certificate--"

  "Will be given to you when the notes are in my hand. You can take me toPortfront with my boxes, as I then can catch the afternoon steamer toLondon. I have given up my cottage, and sold my furniture, and packed mythings. To-morrow I'll take Pearl to Miss Tempest, and then we can driveto the bank."

  "You insolent woman!" raged Mrs Gabriel, but she was obliged to yield.For once in her life she had met a person of her own sex who had as bada temper as herself. The two women had a royal battle, but in the endvictory declared itself on the side of Mrs Jeal, and she departed intriumph.

  The next morning Sybil was informed that Mrs Jeal and Pearl were waitingto see her. Guessing the woman's errand, Miss Tempest descended. MrsJeal, perfectly respectful, dropped a curtsey.

  "I've brought you Pearl, my lady," she said.

  "I am not 'my lady,'" said Sybil, coldly.

  "You soon will be," smirked Mrs Jeal, "Lady Morven. Well, I don't grudgeit to you. You're not so bad as some. Here's Pearl."

  Sybil took the hand of the poor creature, who was shedding tears at thethought of losing Mrs Jeal. "Don't cry, Pearl, you will be quite happywith me. Remember you have to look after the cup." Whereat Pearl clappedher hands and was joyful again.

  "I shan't want you any more," said Pearl to Mrs Jeal; "the Master hasgiven me the cup to look after, and you are too wicked to come nearme."

  Mrs Jeal winced, and looked down. "Here's gratitude," she sighed. "I'veloved but one thing in my life, and it turns against me. Well, Pearl, Ihope you will be happy. Good-bye." She paused, and then went on. "And,my lady, I would like to tell you the reason I told that lie about LordMorven having pawned the cup. It was Sir Frank Hale made me do it."

  "Sir Frank!" echoed Sybil in amazement. "Why should he?"

  "It was partly your fault, miss," said Mrs Jeal, coolly; "he loved you,and he loved his sister. If Lord Morven had married Miss Edith, and youhad married Sir Frank, all would have been well. But on that night Ibrought back the cup he saw me, and got the truth out of me. There heused me for his own ends, so as to get the blame laid on Mr Haverleigh."

  "How wicked of him!" said Sybil, angrily.

  Mrs Jeal laughed. "It was his way, my lady. But he has gone away, andwill not trouble you again. Neither shall I. Good-bye, my lady. Pearl?"

  But Pearl turned away like a cross child. Mrs Jeal had to go without afarewell kiss, and her wicked nature felt the slight. However, shecontrolled her emotion, and went off to Portfront with Mrs Gabriel.There the cheque was cashed, and Mrs Jeal became possessed of a thousandpounds in Bank of England notes--she would take no other.

  "And there's the certificate," she said to Mrs Gabriel.

  "Thank God!" cried that lady, seizing it
, "now I'm free of that man. Ifhe comes to Colester again I'll put him in gaol. And you, hussey, I'llhave you ducked."

  "I said you would talk like that," jeered Mrs Jeal. "A lucky thing Ihave the notes. Good-day, Miss Haverleigh!" And with this last insultingspeech, which she knew was untrue, Mrs Jeal went away. What became ofher no one ever heard. But creatures like Mrs Jeal always fall on theirfeet like cats, perhaps because they have so much of the cat nature inthem. Mrs Gabriel, rejoicing in her freedom, returned to Colester, andbecame more domineering than ever. Whether Pratt guessed that his wifewould tell her the truth, it is impossible to say. But he never camenear Mrs Gabriel again, nor did he write to her. If he had, she wouldhave set to work to trace him out and have him arrested. With thecertificate of marriage it was easy for Mrs Gabriel to prove that shehad been deceived by a villain, and she would have had no hesitation inmaking the affair public. Pratt knew this, and knew her savage nature.He therefore kept away, and Mrs Gabriel, unrestrained by any fear,became more of a tyrant than ever.

  She refused to come to Leo's wedding, or even to see him, intimating toSybil, who called upon her to entreat her to be reconciled to the newLord Morven, that she hated both of them. Mrs Gabriel went away toLondon for six months, and amused herself by hunting for Pratt. In themeantime, Lord Morven and Sybil were married. Also Raston was united tohis Peggy on the same day--Mrs Bathurst bore up heroically. Only sheregretted that she had not known of Leo's true parentage. He might havemarried Peggy. "She would grace a title," said Mrs Bathurst.

  "And now," said Lord Kilspindie, when the wedding was at an end, "wewill go to our own place and take the cup with us."

  So it came about that the Pagan Cup, which was the luck of the Grants,was replaced in Kilspindie Castle. There was a brave home-coming for thelong-lost son and his bride. And there Lord and Lady Morven livedbeloved by all. It was a happy ending to Leo's troubles.

  After a time Mr Tempest found that he could not live without hisdaughter, so he took up his residence in Kilspindie Castle as a kind ofchaplain. Pearl was already established at the castle, and constitutedherself the guardian of the cup, which in her mad fancy she still calledthe Holy Grail. No one tried to undeceive her. But there is no danger ofthe cup being lost again while Pearl looks after it. And that is a goodthing for the Grants, since their luck is wound up in its possession."And who would doubt the truth of the tradition!" said Kilspindie,"seeing that three times the legend has come true."

  Raston succeeded Mr Tempest as vicar of Colester, as Mrs Gabriel ratherapproved of him. Thus it was that Mrs Bathurst came to think herselfentitled to interfere in parish affairs as the mother-in-law of thevicar. She and Mrs Gabriel fought bitterly, and still fight over theaffairs of the kingdom. Raston and Peggy take no notice. They areperfectly happy.

  Pratt wrote one letter to Lord Morven telling him that he was going tolead a new and decent life in South America, and asking the young mannot to think too badly of him. As he gave no address, Leo could notanswer the letter, so he burnt it and said nothing about it save to hisfather. "There was some good in Pratt," said Lord Morven.

  "Well, yes," assented Kilspindie; "he was a thief, a liar, and a roguein grain. Nevertheless, I believe he had a sincere affection for you, mydear boy. He certainly did a kind act when he restored to me my son andmy cup--"

  "And a daughter," said Sybil, who entered at the moment.

  "Who is the light of my eyes," said Morven, kissing her. "We are happynow, father. After the storm comes the calm."

  "Therefore, remember to give thanks," said Mr Tempest, pointing to thecup. "I think we can make use of the line on that goblet," and he readout in English the inscription, "'To the great God who maketh the heartjoyful.' The God of Israel," said Mr Tempest, solemnly. "Amen, andAmen."

  THE END.