The Heart of a Woman
Page 9
CHAPTER IX
WHICH TELLS OF THE INEVITABLE RESULT
And now a month and more had gone by, and the whole aspect of theworld and of life was changed for Luke. Not for Louisa, because she,woman-like, had her life in love and love alone. Love was unchanged,or if changed at all it was ennobled, revivified, purified by the haloof sorrow and of abnegation which glorified it with its radiance.
For Luke the world had indeed changed. With the advent of Philip deMountford that spring afternoon into the old house in GrosvenorSquare, life for the other nephew--for Luke, once the dearlyloved--became altogether different.
That one moment of softness, when Lord Radclyffe--a bent and brokenold man--went from the library up the stairs to his own room,determined to be alone, and gently removed Luke's affectionate handfrom his own bowed shoulders, that one moment of softness was the lastthat passed between uncle--almost father--and nephew. After that,coldness and cynicism; the same as the old man had meted out to everyone around him--save Luke--for years past. Now there was no exception.Coldness and cynicism to all; and to the intruder, the new comer, toPhilip de Mountford, an unvarying courtesy and constant deference thatat times verged on impassive submission.
And the change, I must own, did not come gradually. Have I not saidthat only a month had gone by, and Arthur's son, from the land ofvolcanoes and earthquakes, had already conquered all that he had cometo seek? He who had been labelled an impostor and a blackmailertook--after that one interview--his place in the old man's mind, ifnot in his heart. Heaven only knows--for no one else was present atthat first interview--what arguments he held, what appeals he made. Hecame like a thief, bribing his way into his uncle's presence, andstayed like a dearly loved son, a master in the house.
And Luke was shut out once and for all from Lord Radclyffe's mind andheart. Can you conceive that such selfless affection as the older manbore to the younger can live for a quarter of a century and die in onehour? Yet so it seemed. Luke was shut out from that innermost recessin Uncle Rad's heart which he had occupied, undisputed, from childhoodupward. Now he only took his place amongst the others; with Jim andEdie and Frank, children of the younger brother, of no consequence inthe house of the reigning peer.
Luke with characteristic pride--characteristic indolence, mayhap,where his own interests were at stake--would not fight for hisrightful position--his by right of ages, twenty years of affection, offidelity, and comradeship.
The day following the first momentous interview, Lord Radclyffe spentin lawyers' company--Mr. Davies in Finsbury Court, then Mr. Dobson inBedford Row. The latter argued and counselled. Though papers might beto all appearances correct and quite in order, there was no hurry tocome to a decision. But Lord Radclyffe--with that same dictatorialobstinacy with which he had originally branded the claimant as animpostor and a blackmailer--now clung to his reversed opinion.Convinced--beyond doubt, apparently--that Philip de Mountford was hisbrother Arthur's son, he insisted on acknowledging him openly as hisheir, and on showering on him all those luxuries and privileges whichLuke had enjoyed for so many years.
Indignant and mentally sore, Jim and Edie protested with all theviolence of youth, violence which proved as useless as it wasill-considered. Luke said nothing, for he foresaw that the end wasinevitable. He set about making a home for his younger brothers andsister to be ready for them as soon as the cataclysm came, when Philipde Mountford, usurping every right, would turn his cousins out of theold home.
Frank, absent at Santiago--a young attache out at his first post--hadbeen told very little as yet. Luke had tried to break the news to himin a guarded letter, which received but the following brief andoptimistic answer:
"Why, old man! what's the matter with you? worrying over such rubbish?Take my advice and go to Carlsbad. Your liver must be out of order."
But the catastrophe came, nevertheless; sooner even than was expected.Edie's language grew very unguarded in Philip's presence, and Jim--"inthe Blues"--did not watch over his own manners when the new cousin wasin the house.
One evening when Luke was absent--as was very often the case now--andthe family gathering consisted of Lord Radclyffe--sullen and morose;Philip, pleasantly condescending; and Jim and Edie, snubbed andwrathful, a difference in political opinion between the young peopleset a spark to the smouldering ashes.
Philip--still pleasantly condescending--did not say much that evening,though he had been called a cad and an upstart, and told to go back tohis nigger relations; but the next morning Jim and Edie received acurt admonition from Lord Radclyffe, during which they were told thatif such a disgraceful exhibition of impertinence occurred again, theywould have to go and pitch their tent elsewhere.
They brought their grievance to Luke; told him all that they hadtreasured up in their rebellious young hearts against the usurper, andmuch that they had hitherto kept from the elder brother, who already,God knows! had a sufficient load of disappointment to bear.
What could Luke do but promise that Jim and Edie should in future havea house of their own, wherein neither usurper nor upstarts would haveaccess, and where they could nurse their wrath in peace and unsnubbed.
For the first time since many, many days Luke was alone with his unclein the library. Philip was out, and Lord Radclyffe was taken unawares.
What Luke would never have dreamed of doing for himself he did for hisbrothers and sister; he made appeal to his uncle's sense of right, ofjustice, and of mercy.
"Uncle Rad," he said, "you have told us all so often that this shouldbe a home for us all. It doesn't matter about me, but the others--Jimand Edie--they haven't offended you, have they?"
Lord Radclyffe was fretful and irritable. When Luke first came in, ithad almost seemed as if he would order him to go. Such an old man helooked--sour and morose--his clothes hung more loosely than before onan obviously attenuated frame. He seemed careworn and worried, andLuke's heart, which could not tear itself away from the memories ofpast kindness, ached to see the change.
"Would you," he asked insistently, "would you rather we went away,Uncle Rad?"
The old man shifted about uneasily in his chair. He would not meetLuke's eyes any more than he would take his hand just now.
"Jim and Edie," he said curtly, "are very ill-mannered, and Philipfeels----"
He passed his tongue over his lips which were parched and dry. Alook--it was a mere flash--almost of appeal passed from his eyes toLuke.
"Then," said Luke simply, "it is this--this Philip whom Jim and Ediehave offended? Not you, Uncle Rad?"
"Philip is your uncle Arthur's son," rejoined Lord Radclyffe, speakinglike a fretful child in a thin voice that cracked now and again. "Hewill be the head of the family presently----"
"Not," interposed Luke earnestly, "before many years are past, I trustand pray for all our sakes, Uncle Rad----"
"The sooner," continued the old man, not heeding the interruption,"those young jackanapes learn to respect him, the better it will befor them."
"Jim and Edie have been a little spoiled by your kindness, sir. Theyare finding the lesson a little hard to learn. Perhaps they had bettergo and study elsewhere."
Lord Radclyffe made no reply. Silence was full of potent meaning; ofsubmission to another's more dominant personality, of indifference toeverything save to peace and quiet.
Suppressing a sigh of bitter disappointment, Luke rose to go.
"Then," he said, "the sooner I make all arrangements the better.There's only the agreement for the flat to sign and we can move innext week."
"Where's the flat?" queried the old man hesitatingly.
"In Exhibition Road, Kensington, close to the park. Edie loves thepark, and it won't be far from barracks for Jim."
"But you've no furniture. How will you furnish a flat? Don't go yet,"continued Lord Radclyffe seeing that Luke was preparing to take hisleave. "Philip won't be here till tea time."
"I am afraid, sir, that I don't care to steal a few minutes of yourcompany, just when Philip is absent. I would rathe
r not see you at allthan see you on sufferance."
"You are very obstinate and tiresome--and you make it so difficult forme. I want to hear about the furniture--and how you are going tomanage."
"Lou is helping Edie to get what is wanted," replied Luke, smilingdespite the heavy weight of disappointment in his heart. It waspitiable to see the old man's obvious feeling of relief in the absenceof the man who was exercising such boundless influence over him.
"But have you money, Luke?" he asked.
"Not overmuch, sir, but enough."
"The fifteen thousand pounds your father left you?"
"Yes. And that's about all."
"And the fifteen thousand pounds from your uncle Arthur?"
"I don't know about that, sir. I think that should go back to UncleArthur's son."
"Nonsense, nonsense!" retorted Lord Radclyffe querulously. "I'vetalked to Dobson about that. Your uncle Arthur left that money toyou--and not to his son. He had his own reasons for doing this. Dobsonthinks so too."
"It is very kind of Mr. Dobson to trouble about my affairs but----"
"The money was left to you," persisted the old man, "and to Jim andEdie and Frank."
"They will do whatever they like with their share, but I could nottouch a penny of Uncle Arthur's money."
"What will you do?"
"I don't know yet, uncle. I have only had a month in which to think ofso much--and there was the new flat to see to."
Lord Radclyffe rose and shuffled toward Luke. He dropped his voice,lest the library walls had ears.
"I'll not forget you, Luke--presently--when I am gone--and that won'tbe long--I'll provide for you--my will----"
"Don't, Uncle Rad, for God's sake," and the cry was wrung from a heartoverburdened with pity and with shame.
And without waiting to take more affectionate leave, Luke hurried fromthe room.