CHAPTER LVI
MARION COMES BACK
The police had more or less taken possession of Ravenspur. They wereeverywhere asking questions that Tchigorsky took upon himself to answer.
As he had expected, the note carried by Vera and deposited in thefarmhouse garden had been found on one of the bodies. The inspector ofpolice was an intelligent man, and he fell in with everything thatTchigorsky suggested.
"Of course you can't read this book," said the Russian as he handed overthe fateful diary for safe custody, "but there are one or two Orientalscholars in London who will bear out my testimony. Have you any doubt?"
"Personally not the least," the inspector replied. "You say it isimpossible for that woman to get away?"
"Absolutely impossible. She is safe for days."
"Then in that case there is no need to arrest her. That will have tocome after the inquest on these men, which we shall hold to-morrow. Andwhat a sensation the case will make! If I had read this thing in a bookI should have laughed at it. And now we must have a thorough search forthose electrical appliances."
It was long past dinner-time before the police investigations werefinished. Aided by Tchigorsky a vast amount of mechanical appliances wasfound, including the apparatus that was to do so much harm to theRavenspurs, and which had ended in wrecking the schemes of theirarch-enemy.
"Inquest at ten to-morrow, sir," the inspector remarked to Ravenspur."I am very sorry, but we shall not trouble you more than we can help."
Ravenspur shook his head sadly. He was not particularly versed in theways of the law, but he could see a long case ahead; and he wasbeginning to worry about Marion. It was nearly ten o'clock now and thegirl had not returned.
It would be a sad home-coming for the girl, but they would all do whatthey could for her. Everybody appeared to be duly sympathetic exceptRalph, who said nothing. Tchigorsky seemed to have obliterated himselfentirely.
Geoffrey had retired to the billiard-room, where Vera followed him. Theystarted a game, but their nerves were in no condition to finish it. Cueswere flung down and the lovers stood before the fireplace.
"What are you thinking about?" Geoffrey asked.
Vera looked up dreamingly. She touched Geoffrey's cheek caressingly. Shelooked like one who is happy and yet at the same time ashamed of her ownhappiness.
"Of many things, pleasant and otherwise," she said. "I am still utterlyin the dark myself, but those who know tell me that the shadow haslifted forever. That in itself is so great a joy that I dare not let mymind dwell upon it as yet. To think that we may part and meet again, tothink---- But I dare not let my mind dwell upon that. But what has Mrs.May to do with it?"
Vera was not behind the scenes as yet. Still, within a few hours thething must come out. What the family regarded as a nurse had beenprocured for the invalid, a nurse who really was a female warder indisguise, and Ravenspur had sternly given strict orders that nobody wasto go near that room. He vouchsafed no reason why; he gave the order andit was obeyed.
Then Geoffrey told Vera everything. He went through the whole story fromthe very beginning. Vera listened as one in a dream. Such wickedness wasbeyond her comprehension. Awful as the cloud was that had long hungover the house of Ravenspur, Vera had not imagined it to be lined withsuch depravity as this.
"And so that inhuman wretch is Marion's mother?" said Vera. "The childof a creature who deliberately murdered a husband and tried to destroyhis family so that she could get everything into her hands! No wonderthat Marion has been a changed creature since this Mrs. May has beenabout! How I pity her anguish and condition of mind! But had Marion asister?"
"Not that I ever heard of. Why?"
"I was thinking of that other girl, the girl so like Marion that youwere talking about just now. What has become of her?"
Geoffrey shook his head. He had forgotten that most mysteriouspersonage. It was more than likely, he explained, that Tchigorsky wouldknow. Not that it much mattered. The two were silent for some littletime, then a peal of laughter from the drawing-room caused them tosmile.
"My mother," said Vera. "I have not heard her laugh like that for years.Does it not seem funny to realize that before long we shall be laughingand chatting and moving with the world once more, Geoff? I should liketo leave Ravenspur and have a long, long holiday on the Continent."
Geoffrey stooped and kissed her.
"So you shall, sweet," he said. "We can be married now. And when we comeback to Ravenspur it will be the dear old home I recollect in mychildhood's days. Vera, you and I shall be the happiest couple in theworld."
They went back to the drawing room again. Here the elders wereconversing quietly yet happily. There was an air of cheerful gaiety uponthem that the house had not know for many a long day.
Gordon Ravenspur was impressing upon his father the necessity of lookingmore sharply after the shooting. The head of the family had before himsome plans of new farm buildings.
It was marvelous what a change the last few hours had wrought. And theauthor of all the sorrow and anguish was upstairs guarded by eyes thatnever tired.
"How bright and cheerful you look," Vera said. "It only wants one thingto make the picture complete. You can guess, dear grandfather."
"Marion," Ravenspur said. "Marion, of course."
"She will come back," Ralph murmured. "Marion will return. We know nowthat no harm could come to the girl. I should not wonder if she were noton her way home this very moment."
Half an hour passed, an hour elapsed, and yet no Marion. They were allgetting uneasy but Ralph, who sat doggedly in his chair. Then there wasa commotion outside, the door opened, and Marion came in.
She looked pale and uneasy. She glanced from one to the other withfrightened eyes. It was easy to see that she was greatly moved and,moreover, was not sure as to the warmth of her reception. But she mighthave made her mind easy on that score. All rose to welcome her.
"My dear, dear child," Vera cried. "Where have you been?"
Vera fluttered forward and took off Marion's cloak. All seemed to bedelighted. Marion dropped into a chair with quivering smile. Ralph hadfelt his way across to her and stood by the side of her chair.
"I fancied I had made a discovery," she said. "It occurred to meperhaps----. But don't let us talk about myself. Has anything happenedhere?"
"Much," Ralph cried. "Great things. The mystery is solved."
"Solved?" Marion gasped. "You have found the culprit?"
"The culprit is in the house. She is Mrs. May. I prefer to call herPrincess Zara; and yet again I might call her Mrs. Ravenspur, wife ofthe late Jasper Ravenspur. Marion, we have found your mother."
Marion said nothing. Her head had fallen forward and she sat swaying inher chair. There was a hard yet pleading look in her eyes. Ralph bentdown and drew her none too tenderly to her feet.
"The she-wolf is yonder, the cub is here," he cried. "Are you going tospeak or shall I tell the story? Speak, or let me do so." Ravenspursprang forward angrily.
"What are you doing?" he cried. "To lay hand on that angel----"
"Ay," said Ralph, "an angel truly, but a fallen one--Lucifer in thedust."