CHAPTER X.--PROOFS.
Mrs. Lovel was becoming reconciled to her tower chamber. Ghostly as itappeared, no ghosts had visited her there; on the contrary, she hadslept soundly; and as the days wore on and she found the quiet, simplelife at Avonsyde soothing to her perturbed nerves and restoring vigor toher somewhat feeble frame, she came to the conclusion that the tower wasa particularly healthy place to sleep in, and that some of thesuperabundant vigor which characterized Miss Griselda must be owing tothe splendid air which night after night she inhaled in her loftychamber.
As soon as ever this idea took possession of Mrs. Lovel's mind, shewould not have changed her ancient tower bedroom for the most modern andluxurious which Avonsyde could offer.
A thought--a pleasing thought--came ever and anon to the poor lady as shewatched her boy's peaceful face when he lay asleep on his little whitebed.
"Suppose the healthy air of the tower makes Philip strong?"
Philip had been for some months at Avonsyde, and no one yet had foundout that he possessed any special delicacy. At first the pallor of hislittle face had been commented on; but people soon got accustomed tothis, and the boy was so merry, so good-humored, so brave, that thosewho watched him would have found it difficult to associate any specialweakness with such lithe and agile movements, with so gay a spirit, withso merry and ringing a laugh. Miss Griselda had begun by declaring, bothin her sister's presence and also in that of Philip's mother, that nodecisive step could be taken until a doctor had thoroughly examined theboy; but of late she had ceased to speak of any doctor, and had noddedher head in an approving manner when Phil had sung out to her from thetops of the tallest trees, or had galloped panting and laughing to herside on his rough forest pony. Miss Katharine said many times to hersister:
"Surely we need make no delay. There seems no doubt that the boy canabsolutely trace his succession from Rupert Lovel. Why should we wastemoney, Griselda, in inserting that advertisement any more in thenewspapers when we have found our heir?"
Miss Lovel, however, was not to be unduly hurried in so momentous amatter.
"We cannot be too careful, Katharine. Yes, we will insert theadvertisement once or twice again. It was only yesterday I heard fromMr. Baring that some fresh claimants are writing to him through theirlawyers. There is no hurry whatever, and we cannot be too careful."
Perhaps Miss Katharine took it rather too much as a matter of coursethat Phil could trace his descent, without flaw, from the Rupert Lovelwho had quarreled with his father long ago. She was so accustomed tohearing Mrs. Lovel say, "I have got all the proofs; I can trace thedescent without a single break for you at any time," that she began tobelieve she had gone through the genealogical tree, and had seen withher own eyes that the child was the lineal descendant of the elderbranch of her house.
Miss Griselda was far sharper than her sister. Miss Griselda knewperfectly that Phil's descent was not yet proved, but, unlike most oldladies in her position, she disliked genealogy. She said openly that itpuzzled her, and on one occasion when Mrs. Lovel, in her half-timid,half-fretful voice, said, "Shall I bring you the proofs of Phil'sdescent now? Are you at leisure to look into the matter to-day?" MissGriselda replied somewhat sharply:
"I hate genealogical trees. Katharine can understand them, but I can't.I don't suppose, Mrs. Lovel, you would be so utterly devoid of all senseas to bring the boy here and to establish yourself in our house withouthaving incontestable proofs that he is what you represent him to be. Itake it for granted that Phil is a direct descendant of Rupert Lovel,but I shall certainly not make him our heir until more competent eyesthan mine examine your proofs. At present I am more interested inwatching Phil's health, for if he was fifty times descended from ourancestor and was weakly he should not inherit Avonsyde. When I havequite made up my mind that your boy is strong I will ask Mr. Baring, ourbusiness man, to come to Avonsyde and go into the proofs; then, allbeing satisfactory, the boy shall be announced as our heir, and we willof course undertake his maintenance and education from that moment."
Mrs. Lovel breathed a slight sigh of relief.
"Having proclaimed Phil as your heir, nothing would induce you to revokeyour decision afterward?" she asked nervously.
"Certainly not. What a strange speech to make! The boy being strong,being the right age, and being an undoubted descendant of our house,what more could we want? Rest assured, Mrs. Lovel, that when your boy isproclaimed heir of Avonsyde, were fifty other claimants to come forwardwe should not even listen to their plea."
A faint pink, born of intense gratification, colored Mrs. Level's palecheeks.
"I should like to be bold enough to ask you another question," she said.
Miss Griselda smiled in a freezing manner.
"Ask me what you please," she answered. "You must forgive my saying thatI have already observed how singularly restless and uncomfortable youare. I think I can guess what is the matter. You are intensely curiousabout us and our money. Oh, no, I am not at all offended. Pray ask whatyou want to know."
Mrs. Lovel, though a timid, was a rather obtuse person, and she was notcrushed by Miss Griselda's withering sarcasm. Clearing her throat andpausing slightly before bringing out her words, she continued:
"I have wondered--I could not help wondering--what you would do with yourproperty if no heir turned up."
This speech, which was as audacious as it was unexpected, caused MissLovel to raise her finely marked eyebrows with some scorn.
"Your question is indiscreet," she said; "but, as it happens, I do notmind answering it. Did no true heir appear for Avonsyde during ourlifetime the place would be inherited by our nieces, Rachel and KittyLovel; but they would only have a life-interest in the property, andwould be solemnly bound over to continue our search for the missingheir."
"Rachel and Kitty will, then, be disappointed when Phil is announced asyour representative," said Mrs. Lovel, rising with sudden alacrity toher feet. "Thank you so much for your valuable information, Miss Lovel.You may be quite certain that I shall regard what you have been goodenough to confide to me as absolutely confidential."
"I have told you nothing that everybody doesn't know," answered MissGriselda. "I never reveal secrets, and least of all to those who are notrelated to us. Talk to any one you please about what I have said to you.As to my brother's children, I am thankful to say they have not yetattained an age when the absence or the presence of money is of theslightest moment to them. One word more, Mrs. Lovel, before we changeour conversation. I have noticed without your telling me that you areextremely poor."
Mrs. Lovel interrupted with a great sigh.
"Oh!" she said, throwing up her hands and speaking with marked emphasis,"I have known the sore pangs of poverty--of course, it has been genteelpoverty. I could never forget Phil's birth nor what I owed to my poordear husband's position, and of course I made a great effort to descendto nothing menial; but, yes, I have been poor."
"You need not excite yourself about the past. When Phil's identity isestablished and his position assured, it is the intention of my sisterand myself to settle upon you for your life an income of L500 a year.Pray don't thank me; we do it for our own sakes, as of course Phil'smother has a certain position to keep up. We should recommend you tosettle somewhere near your boy. What did you say? No, no; that cannotbe. When everything is settled we must request you to remove to your ownhome."
For Mrs. Lovel had interrupted with the almost incoherent words:
"Am I not to live at Avonsyde always?"