Part 11 (1/2)

Those words placed the lawyer's position plainly before him. He had no choice but to do as he was bid, or to lose a good client. He did as he was bid, and grimly left the room.

Sir Joseph, with old-fas.h.i.+oned politeness, followed him as far as the hall. Returning to the library to say a few friendly words before finally dismissing the subject of the Will, he found himself seized by the arm, and dragged without ceremony, in Turlington's powerful grasp, to the window.

”Richard!” he exclaimed, ”what does this mean?”

”Look!” cried the other, pointing through the window to a gra.s.sy walk in the grounds, bounded on either side by shrubberies, and situated at a little distance from the house. ”Who is that man?--quick! before we lose sight of him--the man crossing there from one shrubbery to the other?”

Sir Joseph failed to recognize the figure before it disappeared.

Turlington whispered fiercely, close to his ear--”Launcelot Linzie!”

In perfect good faith Sir Joseph declared that the man could not possibly have been Launce. Turlington's frenzy of jealous suspicion was not to be so easily calmed. He asked significantly for Natalie. She was reported to be walking in the grounds. ”I knew it!” he said, with an oath--and hurried out into the grounds to discover the truth for himself.

Some little time elapsed before he came back to the house. He had discovered Natalie--alone. Not a sign of Launce had rewarded his search.

For the hundredth time he had offended Natalie. For the hundredth time he was compelled to appeal to the indulgence of her father and her aunt.

”It won't happen again,” he said, sullenly penitent. ”You will find me quite another man when I have got you all at my house in the country.

Mind!” he burst out, with a furtive look, which expressed his inveterate distrust of Natalie and of every one about her. ”Mind! it's settled that you all come to me in Somersets.h.i.+re, on Monday next.” Sir Joseph answered rather dryly that it was settled. Turlington turned to leave the room--and suddenly came back. ”It's understood,” he went on, addressing Miss Lavinia, ”that the seventh of next month is the date fixed for the marriage. Not a day later!” Miss Lavinia replied, rather dryly on her side, ”Of course, Richard; not a day later.” He muttered, ”All right” and hurriedly left them.

Half an hour afterward Natalie came in, looking a little confused.

”Has he gone?” she asked, whispering to her aunt.

Relieved on this point, she made straight for the library--a room which she rarely entered at that or any other period of the day. Miss Lavinia followed her, curious to know what it meant. Natalie hurried to the window, and waved her handkerchief--evidently making a signal to some one outside. Miss Lavinia instantly joined her, and took her sharply by the hand.

”Is it possible, Natalie?” she asked. ”Has Launcelot Linzie really been here, unknown to your father or to me?”

”Where is the harm if he has?” answered Natalie, with a sudden outbreak of temper. ”Am I never to see my cousin again, because Mr. Turlington happens to be jealous of him?”

She suddenly turned away her head. The rich color flowed over her face and neck. Miss Lavinia, proceeding sternly with the administration of the necessary reproof, was silenced midway by a new change in her niece's variable temper. Natalie burst into tears. Satisfied with this appearance of sincere contrition, the old lady consented to overlook what had happened; and, for this occasion only, to keep her niece's secret. They would all be in Somersets.h.i.+re, she remarked, before any more breaches of discipline could be committed. Richard had fortunately made no discoveries; and the matter might safely be trusted, all things considered, to rest where it was.

Miss Lavinia might possibly have taken a less hopeful view of the circ.u.mstances, if she had known that one of the men-servants at Muswell Hill was in Richard Turlington's pay, and that this servant had seen Launce leave the grounds by the back-garden gate.

NINTH SCENE.

The Drawing-Room.

”Amelia!”

”Say something.”

”Ask him to sit down.”

Thus addressing one another in whispers, the three stepdaughters of Lady Winwood stood bewildered in their own drawing-room, helplessly confronting an object which appeared before them on the threshold of the door.

The date was the 23d of December. The time was between two and three in the afternoon. The occasion was the return of the three sisters from the Committee meeting of the Sacred Concerts' Society. And the object was Richard Turlington.

He stood hat in hand at the door, amazed by his reception. ”I have come up this morning from Somersets.h.i.+re,” he said. ”Haven't you heard? A matter of business at the office has forced me to leave my guests at my house in the country. I return to them to-morrow. When I say my guests, I mean the Graybrookes. Don't you know they are staying with me? Sir Joseph and Miss Lavinia and Natalie?” On the utterance of Natalie's name, the sisters roused themselves. They turned about and regarded each other with looks of dismay. Turlington's patience began to fail him.

”Will you be so good as to tell me what all this means?” he said, a little sharply. ”Miss Lavinia asked me to call here when she heard I was coming to town. I was to take charge of a pattern for a dress, which she said you would give me. You ought to have received a telegram explaining it all, hours since. Has the message not reached you?”