CHAPTER XII
THE NEW PAGE
Things went very smoothly at Gore Hall after Durham had established Lucyas its mistress during the absence of Bernard. The girl herself firmlybelieved that her cousin was dead and assumed deep mourning. She hadbeen fond of Bernard in a sisterly way, and felt his loss deeply. It washer outspoken affection that provoked a quarrel between her and Julius,and which led to the breaking of their engagement. Lucy had a hightemper, which had been kept in subjection during the life of Sir Simon.But now that she tasted the sweets of power she was not disposed toallow Julius to treat her as he chose.
Mrs. Gilroy came back from her visit to the lawyer in rather a dejectedframe of mind. She saw that she had gone too far and had given Durham aninkling as to the possibility of Michael having masqueraded as Bernard.The housekeeper had thought her position unassailable, knowing that shehad married Walter Gore; and although there was a flaw in thecircumstances upon which she built her claim, yet she trusted to her owncleverness to conceal this from the too-clever lawyer. But, apart fromthis, the fact that he suspected someone of passing himself off asBernard startled her, and opened an abyss at her feet. On leaving theoffice she judged it best to lower her crest for the moment and to waitpatiently to see what would transpire. Mrs. Gilroy was a well-educatedwoman and very astute, therefore she hoped to gain her ends by craft ifnot by force. So far she had failed, but she did not intend to abandonher claim for one failure.
As it was, she came back to the Hall and behaved herself much betterthan she had ever done before. She was respectful to Lucy, and did notdisplay her impatience of commands that she had hitherto done. No onecould have been meeker, and although Miss Randolph did not like or trustthe woman, she had no fault to find with her in any way.
Lucy suffered severely from the shock of Sir Simon's tragic death, andfrom the supposed death of Sir Bernard. In fact, the matter so preyed onher nerves that she became prostrate, and Dr. Payne had to be called in.He was a handsome and popular young doctor who had practiced inHurseton. As this was the first time he had been called to the Hall, hewas naturally very pleased, and was very attentive.
"A complete rest is what you need," he said to Miss Randolph. "I thinkyou should keep to your bed as much as possible, and I will give you atonic. Naturally you suffer from the terrible circumstances of SirSimon's death." He thought a moment and then continued, "A cheerfulcompanion would do you good. Shall I ask Miss Malleson to come over."
"Is she cheerful?" asked Lucy languidly. "I fear not, doctor. She wasengaged to my cousin, and his death has made her sad."
"Probably, but she bears up wonderfully. But that she is in mourning onewould hardly guess she had sustained such a loss. Was she very muchattached to Mr. Gore?"
"Yes. I never saw a more attached couple. Did you ever meet him?"
"Once at Miss Plantagenet's. You know I am great friends with the oldlady. I often visit her, not professionally, for she is as healthy as atrout in a pond."
"Is Alice--Miss Malleson also well?"
"In very good health, and appears resigned to her loss."
"I should have thought she would have felt it more," said Lucy,perplexed. "Alice has such a tender heart."
Dr. Payne was doubtful. So far as he saw, Miss Malleson was remarkablycheerful under her sorrow. "She is philosophic, Miss Randolph, and thatis wise. I think, however, if you would have her over to see you, itwould do both her and yourself good."
"I shall write a note to her to-day," said Lucy. "I am very fond of her,and we get on very well together. Poor Alice. I wish Bernard had lived,so that he could have married her."
"From what I read in the papers it is just as well Mr. Gore did notlive," said Payne, rising to take his leave. "If he was guilty--"
"Ah!" said Lucy, raising herself with animation from the sofa upon whichshe was lying. "If he was guilty. There it is, doctor. I do not believehe was. Bernard had a high temper, but he could not always control it,and was a kind-hearted boy. He is innocent I am sure."
"How are you sure, my dear Lucy?" asked a third voice, and she looked upto see Julius standing in the doorway. He came forward. "Forgive me if Iheard a few words of your conversation. But I have just come in. Dr.Payne, I hope I see you well."
"Quite well," said the doctor, who did not like Beryl, thinking him, inschoolboy phrase, "a sneak." "I am just going, Mr. Beryl."
"Are you ill, Lucy?" asked Beryl, with affection.
"I have an attack of nerves," she replied pettishly. "Poor Bernard'sdeath has shaken me."
"It is just as well he did die, though."
"I have been saying that," said Payne; "but I must take my leave. I willcome and see you again, Miss Randolph, and remember what I told you.Rest and cheerful company--Miss Malleson's for choice."
He departed smiling, and they heard him gallop off. When the sound ofthe horse's hoofs died away, Julius, who was looking out of the window,turned abruptly to Lucy. "Why do you think Bernard is innocent?" heasked.
"Because, if he is guilty, his action gives the lie to his whole life,Julius," she replied, raising herself on her elbow. "I can't believe hekilled my uncle."
"Sir Simon is not your uncle," said Beryl, jealously. "You are only adistant relative."
"Perhaps my marriage with you may make me a nearer one."
"If we ever do marry," said Julius, gloomily.
"So far as I am concerned I should like to break the engagement, Julius.We were never suited to one another."
Beryl's vanity was hurt. "Why did you accept me then?"
"What else could I do? It was Sir Simon's wish that we should marry,and, owing to my circumstances, I had no choice in the matter. Duringhis life I was merely a puppet. But you do not care for me."
"I do. I swear I do."
"Although you swore for an hour, I should never believe you. There isonly one thing in this world you love, Julius, and that is money. Youtold Sir Simon about Bernard being in love with Alice, that the poor boymight be disinherited."
Beryl did not deny the charge. "I believe you are in love with Bernardyourself," he said.
"No. Bernard and I are like brother and sister. But he is dead, so youneed not cast stones at his memory."
"Are you sure he is dead?" asked Beryl, warming his hands.
Lucy sat up on the sofa and pushed the loose hair back from herforehead. "Why do you say that?" she asked sharply.
Julius stared at the fire. "I can't understand Durham's attitude," hesaid evasively. "He must know that Bernard is dead, seeing that the coatand hat were found on the banks of the river. No man could have lived inthe cold and the fog. Yet if Durham was sure he would not hold theestate against Bernard's coming."
"Mr. Durham requires proof of the death," rejoined Lucy, sharply; "anduntil then, he is bound to administer the estate according to the will.As Bernard's body has not been found, there is always a chance that hemay have escaped."
"I sincerely trust not."
"Ah! You always hated Bernard."
"On the contrary, I speak for his good. What's the use of his coming tolife when he must suffer for his crime?"
"I don't believe he committed it," said Lucy, doggedly.
"You have no grounds for saying that," said Julius, pale with rage.
"I don't need grounds," retorted the genuine woman. "Bernard always wasas kind-hearted as you were--and are, the reverse."
"I am not hard-hearted," snapped Beryl. "I always do good--"
"When it is to your own benefit."
"Not always. For instance, I am down here to get a small boy a post withMiss Plantagenet as a page."
"That is very good of you," said Lucy, scornfully.
"Ah, you see I can do a kind action. This boy is a grandson of LordConniston's housekeeper, Mrs. Moon."
"At Cove Castle," said Lucy, with some color in her face. "I know."
"Do you know Lord Conniston?" asked Julius suspiciously.
"I h
ave met him once. He seems to be a most delightful fellow."
"What a delightful speech for a lady," said Beryl. "Conniston is ascamp. I heard he enlisted in the Lancers."
"It shows how brave he is. Every man worth calling a man should go tothe front."
"Perhaps you would like me to go," sneered Julius.
"You would never have the pluck," said Lucy, quickly. "All your ends inlife are gained by cunning, not by bravery."
"Lucy, if you talk to me like that--" began Beryl, and then restrainedhimself with an effort. "It is no use our quarrelling. Let me show youthat I am not so careless of others or so hard-hearted as I seem to be.Miss Plantagenet wants a page. I found this lad in London sellingmatches. He was a messenger boy at a tobacconist called Taberley, andLord Conniston got him turned out of the situation."
"I don't believe that."
"It is true. The boy told me himself. He will tell you if you like tosee him."
"I don't want to see him. Lord Conniston is too kind a man to behave inthat way. He was fond of Bernard."
"And that makes him perfect in your eyes," said Beryl, looking savage."See here, Lucy, Conniston has left the army--so you see he is not sobrave as you think."
"He left so as to seek after Bernard," said Lucy, quickly. "Mr. Durhamtold me so."
"To seek after Bernard," said Julius, slowly, "and I believe Bernard maybe alive after all."
"In which case you would give him up to the police."
"No," said Julius with an emotion which did him credit, "I should neverbetray him. Lucy, if you can find out from Lord Conniston or Durham thatBernard is alive, let me know and I'll see what I can do to help him."
"How can you help him when you believe him guilty?"
"I might help him to escape. I don't want to see him hanged."
"He won't be hanged if Lord Conniston and Mr. Durham can save him."
"Ah!" Julius started to his feet. "Then he is alive."
"I can't say. I have no reason to think he is. But I am hoping againsthope," said Lucy, rising. "I merely state what was said. Mr. Durham andLord Conniston both told Alice that Bernard was innocent."
"They will find it difficult to prove that," sneered Beryl, with a whiteface. "I believe the fellow is alive after all. If he is I'll make it mybusiness to find out where he is."
"And then?" asked Lucy, starting up and facing Beryl.
"Then it depends upon Bernard himself."
"Ah! You would make him pay money to save himself."
"I have a right to a portion of the estate."
"You have not," said Miss Randolph, clenching her fists and all herlanguor gone. "Bernard is the owner of Gore Hall and of all theproperty, and of the title also. If he is alive, as I sincerely hope,his name will be cleared."
"And then you will throw me over and try to become Lady Gore."
"I throw you over now," said Lucy, losing her temper and coloring hotly."How dare you speak to me like this, Julius! I will no longer be boundto you. I never loved you, but I have always tried to see the best sideof you. But you have no good side. You are a mean, cowardly serpent, andif Bernard is alive I shall do my best to defend him from your snares."
"But Lucy--"
"Don't speak to me, and don't dare to call me again by that name. I giveyou back your ring--here it is!" She wrenched it from her finger. "Nowleave the house, Mr. Beryl. I am mistress here."
Julius looked at the ring which she had thrown at his feet, and laughed."You take a high tone," he said sneeringly. "But remember that ifBernard is dead the money goes to charities--"
"So much the better. You do not get it."
"Nor you either. You will have to turn out of this luxurious home andlive on the pittance Sir Simon left you."
"Would I be better off if I married you?"
"I think you would. I have not much money now, but I will have some--agreat deal some day."
"By blackmailing Bernard," said Lucy, indignantly.
Julius picked up the ring and slipped it into his waistcoat pocketcalmly. "We don't know that Bernard is alive. But the fact of Connistonleaving the army and from Durham's attitude I shrewdly suspect he is,and in hiding. I shall find out where he is, and then it depends uponhim whether he is hanged or prefers to live abroad on a portion of hismoney."
"The lesser portion. I know the price of your silence," said Lucy,vehemently. "You will want the Hall and a large income."
"All I can get," rejoined Beryl, quietly. "And you have refused to sharemy fortune with me."
"Yes. I will have nothing to do with you. And remember that if I catchyou plotting I will tell Mr. Durham."
"You can tell him the whole of this conversation," snarled Beryl. "I amnot afraid of Durham. If Bernard is alive, he'll have to pay up or behanged."
"He is innocent."
Julius shrugged his shoulders and walked to the door. There he paused toutter a final insulting speech. "I don't know whether you intend tomarry Bernard or Lord Conniston," he said, "but I wish, which ever itis, joy of a spitfire."
"And an honest woman," said Miss Randolph, wrathfully, for the referenceto Conniston touched her nearly; "but you go too fast. You can't yetprove that Bernard lives."
"I go to do so," sneered Julius, and bowed himself ironically out of theroom, leaving Lucy furious both with him and with herself.
She was angry with herself because she felt that in speaking ofConniston she had colored. And as a matter of fact she greatly admiredthe young lord, even though they had only met once, for Conniston wasone of those irresistible men who appeal to women. Lucy thought--but itmatters little what she thought. All she knew was that her engagement toJulius, which had always weighed on her conscience, was at an end. "I amfree now--free," she said, stretching her hands. "Oh, what an escape Ihave had from that wicked man. He has shown his hand too plainly. I willput Mr. Durham on his guard, and"--here she blushed--"and LordConniston."
Julius, walking towards the Bower, was also angry with himself. As Lucythought, he had shown his hand too clearly. "It would have been better,"he considered, "to have held my tongue. I should have done so had shenot goaded me into speech. She will tell Durham and that interferingConniston and put them on their guard. Well"--he laughed and looked atthe small boy trotting beside him--"I am equal to both."
The boy was a handsome, innocent-looking little fellow, ratherundersized. With his clear skin, his fair hair and wide blue eyes helooked like the conventional picture of a cherub. No one would havesuspected that such a childish creature was a born criminal. But hismind had not yet had time to work on his face, and the mask of hischildhood--for he was only thirteen--concealed his evil naturesuccessfully. In a few years, when his passions worked their way throughthe mask, his face, now so smooth and innocent, would be wrinkled andsinful. His mind would have marked plainly its signet on the smoothsurface. But at present he looked charmingly innocent, although healready knew much more about life than was good for him. Julius, inorder that the lad might make an impression on Miss Plantagenet, haddressed him in a new suit, and pleased with himself--for much of the boyremained in this precocious criminal--young Jerry trotted along smiling.
"Jerry," said Beryl, looking down, "mind you are nice to the old lady."
Jerry tossed his fair curls and looked roguish. "Oh, that's all right,Mr. Beryl. All old ladies take to me. They think I'm a kind of HolyBill, and I let them think so. It pays."
"Jerry, you are a young scamp of the worst."
The boy chuckled as though he had received a compliment. "I like doingthings," he explained frankly; "it's fun. When I was with oldgrandmother at the castle I hated doing nothing. If it hadn't been forVictoria--the girl I told you about--I should have left long before. I'mgoing to marry her."
"You know nothing about such things," corrected the respectable Mr.Beryl, severely.
"I know a jolly sight more than you think," said the urchin under hisbreath and producing a cigarette.
Julius took it from him. "Miss Plantagenet must not
think you smoke,Jerry. She is most respectable."
"And dull," said Jerry, putting his hands in his pockets. "Lord! what abore stopping with her will be. But I can nip over and see Victoria whenI like."
"And keep an eye on Lord Conniston as I told you."
"I'm fly," said Master Moon, and began whistling.
Julius looked at him with satisfaction. He intended that the boy shouldremain in the neighborhood so as to keep watch on Conniston--whom sincehe left the army so unexpectedly he suspected--on Durham, and on AliceMalleson. For this last reason he was introducing him into the house. IfBernard were alive--as Julius began to suspect--he would come to one ofthese three people, and then Jerry would at once become aware of thefact. Then it would remain with Bernard whether to be hanged or tosurrender a large portion of the property which Beryl thought rightfullybelonged to him. How he came to this conclusion it is difficult to say.
Miss Berengaria was as usual in the garden looking after the well-beingof some white chrysanthemums. She raised her head when she saw hervisitors, and a look of annoyance crossed her face when she saw Mr.Beryl. Notwithstanding Durham's advice, she found it difficult to keepher natural dislike of the young man in abeyance, and but for the sakeof Alice she would have refused to let him enter the Bower. As it was,and with great diplomacy--so great that it deceived even the astuteBeryl--she asked him to come into the house. Luckily Alice was out ofthe way, having gone to pay a visit. But she was expected backmomentarily, and Miss Berengaria wished to get rid of Julius before thegirl returned. She might be able to conceal her real feelings, but Alicebeing so young and impulsive might show her dislike too plainly and putBeryl on his guard.
"Who is this you have here?" asked Miss Plantagenet, putting on herspectacles and surveying Jerry with admiration. "What a pretty lad!"
"He is a lad I wish you to help," said Beryl, blandly. "Last time wemet, Miss Plantagenet, you mentioned that you wanted a page."
"Not exactly a page," said the old dame, rubbing her nose, a sure signshe was perplexed. "Merely a boy to see after the fowls, and to waitabout the house when necessary."
"I love fowls," said Jerry sweetly, and looking as innocent as a babe,"and dogs and things like that."
"You seem a nice lad. Who is he, Mr. Beryl?"
"A poor boy who sold matches in London."
"But I didn't always," piped Jerry, shifting from one leg to the otherin feigned embarrassment, and playing his part perfectly. "I lived withgrandmother at Cove Castle."
"That's Lord Conniston's place," said Miss Berengaria, more perplexedthan ever. "What were you doing there?"
"I lived with grandmother. My name is Jerry Moon."
"Oh! And how did you come to be selling matches?"
"His lordship got me a situation at a tobacconist's," said thechild-like Moon, "and then he got me turned off."
"Why? That is not like Lord Conniston."
"You had better not ask the reason," interposed Julius; "it is not toLord Conniston's credit."
"But I must know the reason," said the old dame, sharply, "if you wantme to take the lad into my service."
Jerry in answer to a look of Beryl's began to weep ostentatiously.
"I saw his lordship dressed as a soldier," he snuffled, "and I told Mr.Beryl. His lordship was so angry that he got me turned off, saying I wasungrateful."
"You should always hold your tongue," said Miss Berengaria, angrily."You had no right to tell what Lord Conniston wished kept secret. It wasonly a freak on his part. He left the army at my request."
"At your request?" said Julius, looking at her directly.
Forearmed as she was, Miss Berengaria, with the consciousness ofBernard's secret, flushed through her withered skin. However, she didnot lower her eyes but turned the conversation defiantly. "Let us keepto the matter in hand. Do you want to enter my service?"
"Yes, sweet lady."
"Don't talk like that, child. Call me ma'am."
"Yes, ma'am," said Jerry, submissively. "Mr. Beryl--such a kindgentleman, ma'am--said you would help me."
"I will so long as you are honest."
Jerry thrust his tongue in his cheek, but Julius answered, "I can vouchfor his honesty," he said. "But he talks too much."
"He must hold his tongue here," said the old dame, severely, and shakingher trowel at the boy. "Where are his clothes?"
"I have none but what's on," cried Jerry. "The kind gentleman got themfor me, ma'am."
"You are a better Christian than I thought," said Miss Berengaria,looking at Beryl. "Well, you can stay here, boy. Go to the kitchen andtell the servants to give you something to eat."
Jerry grinned, and ducked towards the door. "Good-bye, Jerry," saidBeryl, kindly. "Don't forget me."
"If I do may I be--oh no, kind lady--I mean, ma'am--I won't swear. Inever did, having been to Sunday school. Yes, ma'am, I'm going," andJerry in answer to an imperative wave of his new mistress's handdisappeared. Miss Berengaria turned to Beryl.
"He certainly has a long tongue," she said severely. "I must see that hedoesn't swear or smoke or indulge in any of those wicked things. I hopehe will do your recommendation credit, Mr. Beryl."
"I hope he will," said Julius, and felt a strong inclination to thrusthis tongue in his cheek also. Then he took his leave and the old ladywatched him go.
"What is this for?" she asked herself, and went inside to write a reportto Durham.