CHAPTER VIII
LADY UPTON
Dr. Stuart-Smith to Mr. Peter Thompkins, Geralton Castle, Newhaven.
"DEAR LORD WILMERSLEY:
"Lady Wilmersley showed signs of returning consciousness at half-past five yesterday afternoon. I was at once sent for, but when I arrived she had fallen asleep. She woke again at nine o'clock and this time asked where she was. She spoke indistinctly and did not seem to comprehend what the nurse said to her. When I reached the patient, I found her sitting up in bed. Her pulse was irregular; her temperature, subnormal. I am glad to be able to assure you that Lady Wilmersley is at present perfectly rational. She is, however, suffering from hysterical amnesia complicated by aphasia, but I trust this is only a temporary affection. At first she hesitated over the simplest words, but before I left she could talk with tolerable fluency.
"I asked Lady Wilmersley whether she wished to see you. She has not only forgotten that she has a husband but has no very clear idea as to what a husband is. In fact, she appears to have preserved no precise impression of anything. She did not even remember her own name. When I told it to her, she said it sounded familiar, only that she did not associate it with herself. Of you personally she has no recollection, although I described you as accurately as I could. However, as your name is the only thing she even dimly recalls, I hope that when you see her, you will be able to help her bridge the gulf which separates her from the past.
"She seemed distressed at her condition, so I told her that she had been ill and that it was not uncommon for convalescents to suffer temporarily from loss of memory. When I left her, she was perfectly calm.
"She slept well last night, and this morning she has no difficulty in expressing herself, but I do not allow her to talk much as she is still weak.
"I quite understand the delicacy of your position and sympathise with you most deeply. Although I am anxious to try what effect your presence will have on Lady Wilmersley, the experiment can be safely postponed till to-morrow afternoon.
"I trust the inquest will clear up the mystery which surrounds the late Lord Wilmersley's death.
"Believe me, "Sincerely yours, "A. STUART-SMITH."
Cyril stared at the letter aghast. If the girl herself had forgotten heridentity, how could he hope to find out the truth? He did not even dareto instigate a secret inquiry--certainly not till the Geralton mysteryhad been cleared up. And she believed herself to be his wife! It was tooawful!
Cyril passed a sleepless night and the next morning found him stillundecided as to what course to pursue. It was, therefore, a pale faceand a preoccupied mien that he presented to the inspection of thecounty, which had assembled in force to attend his cousin's funeral.Never in the memory of man had such an exciting event taken place andthe great hall in which the catafalque had been erected was throngedwith men of all ages and conditions.
In the state drawing-room Cyril stood and received the condolences andfaced the curiosity of the county magnates.
The ordeal was almost over, when the door was again thrown open and thebutler announced, "Lady Upton."
Leaning heavily on a gold-headed cane Lady Upton advanced majesticallyinto the room.
A sudden hush succeeded her entrance; every eye was riveted upon her.She seemed, however, superbly indifferent to the curiosity she aroused,and one felt, somehow, that she was not only indifferent butcontemptuous.
She was a tall woman, taller, although she stooped a little, than mostof the men present. Notwithstanding her great age, she gave theimpression of extraordinary vigour. Her face was long and narrow, with astern, hawk-like nose, a straight, uncompromising mouth, and aprotruding chin. Her scanty, white hair was drawn tightly back from herhigh forehead; a deep furrow separated her bushy, grey eyebrows and gavean added fierceness to her small, steel-coloured eyes. An antiquatedbonnet perched perilously on the back of her head; her dress was quiteobviously shabby; and yet no one could for a moment have mistaken herfor anything but a truly great lady.
Disregarding Cyril's outstretched hand, she deliberately raised herlorgnette and looked at him for a moment in silence.
"Well! You are a Crichton at any rate," she said at last. Having givenvent to this ambiguous remark, she waved her glasses, as if to sweepaway the rest of the company, and continued: "I wish to speak to youalone."
Her voice was deep and harsh and she made no effort to lower it.
"So this was Anita Wilmersley's grandmother. What an old tartar!"thought Cyril.
"It is almost time for the funeral to start," he said aloud and he triedto convey by his manner that he, at any rate, had no intention ofallowing her to ride rough-shod over him.
"I know," she snapped, "so hurry, please. These gentlemen will excuseus."
"Certainly." "Of course." "We will wait in the hall." Cyril heard themmurmur and, such was the force of the old lady's personality, thatyouths and grey beards jostled each other in their anxiety to get out ofthe room as quickly as possible.
"Get me a chair," commanded Lady Upton. "No, not that one. I want to sitdown, not lie down."
With her stick she indicated a high, straight-backed chair, which hadbeen relegated to a corner.
Having seated herself, she took a pair of spectacles out of her reticuleand proceeded to wipe them in a most leisurely manner.
Cyril fidgeted impatiently.
Finally, her task completed to her own satisfaction, she adjusted herglasses and crossed her hands over the top of her cane.
"No news of my granddaughter, I suppose," she demanded.
"None, I am sorry to say."
"Anita is a fool, but I am certain--absolutely certain, mind you--thatshe did not kill that precious husband of hers, though I don't doubt herichly deserved it."
"I am surprised that you of all people should speak of my cousin in thattone," said Cyril and he looked at her meaningly.
"Of course, you believe what every one believes, that I forced Ann intothat marriage. Stuff and nonsense! I merely pointed out to her that shecould not do better than take him. She had not a penny to her name andafter my death would have been left totally unprovided for. I have onlymy dower, as you know."
"But, how could you have allowed a girl whose mind was affected tomarry?"
"Fiddlesticks! You don't believe that nonsense, do you? Newspapertwaddle, that is all that amounts to."
"I beg your pardon, Arthur himself gave out that her condition was suchthat she was unable to see any one."
"Impossible! He wrote to me quite frequently and never hinted at such athing."
"Nevertheless I assure you that is the case."
"Then he is a greater blackguard than I took him to be----"
"But did you not know that he kept her practically a prisoner here?"
"Certainly not!"
"And she never complained to you of his treatment of her?"
"I once got a hysterical letter from her begging me to let her come backto me, but as the only reason she gave for wishing to leave her husbandwas that he was personally distasteful to her, I wrote back that as shehad made her bed, she must lie on it."
"And even after that appeal you never made an attempt to see Anita andfind out for yourself how Arthur was treating her?"
"I am not accustomed to being cross-questioned, Lord Wilmersley. I amaccountable to no one but my God for what I have done or failed to do. Inever liked Anita. She takes after her father, whom my daughter marriedwithout my consent. When she was left an orphan, I took charge of herand did my duty by her; but I never pretended that I was not glad whenshe married and, as she did so of her own free-will, I cannot see thather future life was any concern of mine."
Cyril could hardly restrain his indignation. This proud, hard, selfishold woman had evidently never ceased to visit her resentment of herdaughter's marriage on the child of that marriage. He could
easilypicture the loveless and miserable existence poor Anita must have led.Was it surprising that she should have taken the first chance that wasoffered her of escaping from her grandmother's thraldom? She hadprobably been too ignorant to realise what sort of a man ArthurWilmersley really was and too innocent to know what she was pledgingherself to.
"I have come here to-day," continued Lady Upton, "because I consideredit seemly that my granddaughter's only relative should put in anappearance at the funeral and also because I wanted you to tell meexactly what grounds the police have for suspecting Anita."
Cyril related as succinctly as possible everything which had so far cometo light. He, however, carefully omitted to mention his meeting with thegirl on the train. As the latter could not be Anita Wilmersley, he feltthat he was not called upon to inform Lady Upton of this episode.
"Well!" exclaimed Lady Upton, when he had finished. "All I can say is,that Anita is quite incapable of firing a pistol at any one, even if itwere thrust into her hand. You may not believe me, but that is becauseyou don't know her. I do. She hasn't the spirit of a mouse. UnlessArthur had frightened her out of her wits, she would never have screwedup courage to leave him, and it would be just like her to crawl away inthe night instead of walking out of the front door like a sensibleperson. Bah! I have no patience with such a spineless creature! You men,however, consider it an engaging feminine attribute for a woman to haveneither character nor sense!" Lady Upton snorted contemptuously andglared at Cyril as if she held him personally responsible for the badtaste of his sex.
As he made no answer to her tirade, she continued after a moment morecalmly.
"It seems to me highly improbable that Anita has been murdered; so Iwant you to engage a decent private detective who will work only for us.We must find her before the police do so. I take it for granted that youwill help me in this matter and that you are anxious--although,naturally, not as anxious as I am--to prevent your cousin's widow frombeing arrested."
"A woman who has been treated by her husband as Arthur seems to havetreated Anita, is entitled to every consideration that her husband'sfamily can offer her," replied Cyril. "I am already employing adetective and if he finds Anita I will communicate with you at once."
"Good! Now remember that my granddaughter is perfectly sane; on theother hand, I think it advisable to keep this fact a secret for thepresent. Circumstantial evidence is so strongly against her that we mayhave to resort to the plea of insanity to save her neck. That girl hasbeen a thorn in my flesh since the day she was born; but she shall notbe hanged, if I can help it," said Lady Upton, shutting her mouth withan audible click.
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