CHAPTER XLIV
ENID SPEAKS
"I am going to tell you the story of the great sorrow that has darkenedall our lives, but I shall have to go a long way back to do it," Enidsaid. "I go back to the troublous day of Charles, as far back as thedisastrous fight at Naseby. Of course I am speaking more from a Royalistpoint of view, for the Littimers were always followers of the Court.
"Mind you, there is doubtless a deal that is legendary about what I amgoing to tell you. But the ring given to my ancestor Rupert Littimer byPrince Rupert himself is an actuality.
"Naseby was over, and, so the legend goes, Prince Rupert found himselfdesperately situated and in dire peril of capture by Cromwell'stroops, under one Colonel Carfax, a near neighbour of Rupert Littimer;indeed, the Carfax estates still run parallel with the property roundLittimer Castle.
"Now, Carfax was hated by all those who were attached to the fortunes ofthe King. Seeing that he was of aristocratic birth, it was held that hehad violated his caste and creed by taking sides with the Roundheads.History has told us that he was right, and that the Cavaliers,picturesque as they were, were fighting a dubious cause. But I need notgo into that. Carfax was a hard, stern man who spared nobody, and manywere the stories told of his cruelty.
"He and Rupert Littimer were especially at daggers drawn. I believe thatboth of them had been in love with the same woman or something of thatkind. And the fact that she did not marry either made little differenceto the bitterness between them.
"Well, Carfax was pressing close on Rupert, so close, indeed, that unlesssome strategy were adopted the brilliant cavalry leader was in direperil. It was there that my ancestor, Rupert Littimer, came forward withhis scheme. He offered to disguise himself and go into the camp of Carfaxand take him prisoner. The idea was to steal into the tent of Carfax and,by threatening him with his life, compel him to issue certain orders, theresult of which would be that Prince Rupert could get away.
"'You will never come back again, friend,' the Prince said.
"Rupert Littimer said he was prepared to run all risk of that. 'And if Ido die you shall tell my wife, sir,' he said. 'And when the child isborn, tell him that his father died as he should have done for his Kingand for his country.'"
"'Oh, there is a child coming?' Rupert asked.
"Littimer replied that for aught he knew he was a father already. Andthen he went his way into the camp of the foe with his curls cut shortand in the guise of a countryman who comes with valuable information.And, what is more, he schemed his way into Carfax's tent, and at thepoint of a dagger compelled him to write a certain order which myancestor's servant, who accompanied him, saw carried into effect, and sothe passage for Prince Rupert was made free."
"The ruse would have succeeded all round but for some little accidentthat I need not go into now. Rupert Littimer was laid by the heels, hisdisguise was torn off, and he stood face to face with his hereditary foe.He was told that he had but an hour to live."
"'If you have any favour to ask, say it,' Carfax said.
"'I have no favour to ask, properly so-called,' Littimer replied; 'but Iam loth to die without knowing whether or not I have left anybody tosucceed me--anybody who will avenge the crime upon you and yours in theyears to come. Let me go as far as Henson Grange, and I pledge you myword I will return in the morning!'
"But Carfax laughed the suggestion to scorn. The Court party were allliars and perjurers, and their word was not to be taken.
"'It is as I say,' Rupert Littimer repeated. 'My wife lies ill at HensonGrange and in sore trouble about me. And I should like to see my childbefore I die.'
"'Then you shall have the chance,' Carfax sneered. 'I will keep you aclose prisoner here for two days, and if at the end of that time nothinghappens, you die. If, on the other hand, a child is born to you, then youshall go from here a free man.'
"And so the compact was made. Unfortunately or fortunately, as the casemay be, the story got abroad, and some indiscreet person carried the newsto Dame Littimer. Ill as she was, she insisted upon getting up and goingover to Carfax's camp at once. She had barely reached there before--well,long ere Rupert Littimer's probation was over, he was the father of anoble boy. They say that the Roundheads made a cradle for the child outof a leather breastplate, and carried it in triumph round the camp. Andthey held the furious Carfax to his word, and the story spread and spreaduntil it came to the ears of Prince Rupert.
"Then he went to see Dame Littimer, and from his own hand he drew whatis known in our family as Prince Rupert's ring. He placed it on DameLittimer's hand, there to remain for a year and a day, and when theyear was up it was to be put aside for the bride of the heir of thehouse for ever, to be worn by her till a year and a day had elapsedafter her first child was born. And that has been done for all time, myaunt, Lady Littimer, being the last to wear it. After Frank was born itwas put carefully away for his bride. But the great tragedy came, anduntil lately we fancied that the ring was lost to us for ever. Thereis, in a few words, the story of Prince Rupert's ring. So far it isquite common property."
Enid ceased to speak for a time. But it was evident that she hadmore to say.
"An interesting story," David said. "And a pretty one to put into a book,especially as it is quite true. But you have lost the ring, you say?"
"I fancied so till to-night," Enid replied. "Indeed, I hardly knew whatto think. Sometimes I imagined that Reginald Henson had it, at othertimes I imagined that it was utterly gone. But the mere fact that Hensonpossesses a copy practically convinces me that he has the original. As Isaid before, a true copy could not have been made from mere instructions.And if I could only get the original our troubles are all over."
"But I don't see how the ring has anything to do with--"
"With the family dishonour. No, I am coming to that. We arrive at thetime, seven years ago, when my aunt and Lord Littimer and Frank were allliving happily at Littimer Castle. I told you just now that the Carfaxestates adjoin the Littimer property. The family is still extant andpowerful, but the feud between the two houses has never ceased. Ofcourse, people don't carry on a vendetta these peaceful days, but thefamilies have not visited for centuries.
"There was a daughter Claire, whom Frank Littimer got to know by somemeans or other. But for the silly family feud nobody would have noticedor cared, and there would have been an end to the matter, because Frankhas always loved my sister Chris, and we all knew that he would marry hersome of these days.
"Lord Littimer was furiously angry when he heard that Frank and Clairehad got on speaking terms. He imperiously forbade any furtherintercourse, and General Carfax did the same. The consequence was thatthese two foolish young people elected to fancy themselves greatlyaggrieved, and so a kind of Romeo and Juliet, Montague and Capulet,business sprang up. There were secret meetings, meetings entirelyinnocent, I believe, and a correspondence which became romantic andpassionate on Claire Carfax's side. The girl had fallen passionately inlove with Frank, whilst he regarded the thing as a mere pastime. He didnot know then, indeed nobody seemed to know till afterwards, that therewas insanity in the poor girl's family, though Hatherly Bell's friend,Dr. Heritage, who then had a practice near Littimer, warned us as well ashe could. Nobody dreamt how far the thing had gone.
"Then those letters of Claire's fell into Lord Littimer's hands. He foundthem and locked them up in his safe. Frank, furious at being treated likea boy, swore to break open the safe and get his letters back. He did so.And in the same safe, and in the same drawer, was Prince Rupert's ring.When Lord Littimer missed the letters he missed the ring also and a largesum of money in notes that he had just received from his tenants. Frankhad stolen the ring and the money, or so it seemed. I shall not soonforget that day.
"After taking the letters Frank had gone straight to Moreton Wells, andit looked for a little time as if he had fled. Within an hour of thediscovery of his loss Lord Littimer met Claire Carfax on the cliffs. Shewas wearing Prince Rupert's ring. Frank had sent it to her, she said.Any
body but a man in a furious passion would have seen that the girl wasnot responsible for her actions. Littimer told her the true circumstancesof the case. She laughed at him in a queer, vacant way and fled throughthe woods. She went down to the beach, where she took a boat and rowedherself out into the bay. A mile or more from the shore she jumped intothe water, and from that day to this nothing further has been seen ofpoor Claire Carfax."
"Or the ring, either?" David asked.
"Or the ring either. The same night Lady Littimer started after her boy.Littimer was going to have Frank prosecuted. Lady Littimer fled toLongdean Grange, where Frank joined her. Then my uncle turned up, andthere was a scene. It is said that Lord Littimer struck his wife, butFrank says that she fell against his gesticulating fist. Anyway, it wasthe same as a blow, and Lady Littimer dropped on the floor, dragging atable down with her, flowers and china and all. You have seen that tablein Longdean Granges. Since then it has never been touched, the place hasnever been swept or dusted or garnished. You have seen my aunt, and youknow what the shock has done for her--the shock and the steadypersecutions of Reginald Henson."
"Who seems to be at the bottom of the whole trouble," said David. "But doyou think that was the real ring on the poor girl's finger?"
"I don't. I fancy Henson had a copy made for emergencies. It was he whosent the copy to Claire, and it was the copy that Littimer saw on herhand. You see, directly Frank broke open that safe, Henson, who was atthe castle at the time, saw his opportunity--he could easily scheme someway of making use of it. If that plot against Frank had failed he wouldhave invented another. And the unexpected suicide of Claire Carfax playedinto his hands. Henson has that ring somewhere, and it will be our taskto find it."
"And when we have done so?"
"Give it to Lord Littimer and tell him where we found it. And then weshall be rid of one of the most pestilential rascals the world has everseen. When you get back to Brighton I want you to tell this story toHatherly Bell."
"I will," David replied. "What a weird, fascinating story it is! And thesooner I am back the better I shall be pleased. I wonder if our man isawake yet. If you will excuse me, I will go up and see. Ah!"
There was the sound of somebody moving overhead.