Long before I had begun to expect them, the family returned from morning service. I heard the outer door open, and Frank, after ascertaining that I was not in the parlor, hastened up stairs. I smiled as I held out my hand to him, and said, "I did not expect you so soon."
He did not return the smile, but pressed my hand against his heart, and said with emotion, "Oh, _Cora_! CORA!!"
At that moment the bell rang for dinner, and Frank putting my hand in his arm led me below. Oh! how my heart bounded at this simple act of tenderness! I felt strong to endure whatever insults Fidelia might offer. "If I only have my husband"s love," I said to myself, "I defy you to injure me."
When we were seated at dinner, Joseph said, "what have you been doing, Cousin Cora? I never before saw you look so happy." All eyes were turned toward me, and I caught one glance of love from my dear Frank which certainly did not diminish my color.
Fidelia noticed it, and looked at Frank as if she thought herself personally aggrieved, while the next moment she cast a glance of defiance at her husband in reply to the scornful sneer with which he regarded her. The Doctor persisted in being silent, and kept his eyes fixed on his plate, notwithstanding all his cousin"s attempts to engage him in conversation, while Joseph bit his lips to keep from laughing to see her for once so completely foiled.
The moment dinner was over, Frank turned to leave the room, after giving me an imploring glance to accompany him; but not before his cousin had stepped forward and laying her hand on his arm detained him while she said something I could not hear.
"Impossible!" he replied aloud, "I am otherwise engaged;" and he led me from the room. A malignant scowl darkened her face; but I think Frank did not see it. We entered our room, but had hardly closed the door when some one knocked. With a gesture of impatience he opened it, when to my surprise Mr. Schuyler stood in the pa.s.sage pale and trembling from suppressed excitement.
"Can I speak one word with you, Doctor?"
"Certainly, walk in."
"Perhaps you will think me strange; but you will excuse my asking you if you love my wife?"
Frank started forward with the simple word, "Sir," in a tone which implied that he considered the question an insult.
"Yet," continued Mr. Schuyler, "My wife affirms that such is the case; and that during the last few days you have repeatedly told her so."
I had fallen back in my chair when Frank"s looks arrested my attention.
There was not a particle of color in his face or lips, and for a moment there was a terrible struggle to control his anger; but at length he said, in a low, firm voice, "She has deceived you. I have never loved her. From a boy I have loathed her character. G.o.d forgive me," he added in a hoa.r.s.e voice, "but I can hardly hear her name with patience. She has even endeavored to"--with a quick glance of sorrow at me, he checked himself, and then exclaimed, turning to the window to conceal his feelings, "Oh, why did I believe her?"
"Enough," said Mr. Schuyler, whose countenance had gradually a.s.sumed a fixedness of expression dreadful to witness, "I see you are aware of the intrinsic beauty, and loveliness of the character of the woman I have the honor to call my wife." These words were said in a tone of bitter irony which it is impossible to describe; but he immediately added, lowering his voice, "Dr. Lenox, I have foolishly distrusted your honor.
I ask your forgiveness."
Frank wrung his hand as he said, "Mr. Schuyler, from my very soul I pity you."
"I rather think, sir, you"ll have a call for your pity in another direction," pointing compa.s.sionately toward me; "mine eyes have not been so blinded by my own misery, that I have not seen how your wife suffered."
Frank shook with emotion as he hastily bolted the door, and took a seat near me. I had covered my face with my hands, and was trying to force myself to be calm.
"Cora," said he, in a voice which trembled in spite of himself, "won"t you look at me? Oh, Cora, you used to love me!"
"Dear, _dear_ Frank," I said, throwing my arms around his neck, "I love you now. I have always loved you."
He pressed me silently to his heart. "Cora," he asked, turning my face where he could look into my eyes, "tell me truly, do you not love Joseph Morgan?"
O, what a world of light that one question let into my soul! I sprang joyfully to my feet, and looking him fully in the face, "My dear husband," I answered, "as I love, honor and fear my Maker, I have not, and never have had one thought or feeling toward him unfaithful to you as my wedded companion, nor has he ever given me reason to suspect that he felt toward me otherwise than as he would feel toward a dear sister, or cousin. Oh, Frank! how could I, when I loved you so dearly?" I could endure it no longer, but burst into tears.
"Then, may G.o.d forgive me," murmured he with a convulsive sob. "But I can never forgive myself."
It was a long time before I was composed enough to hear him explain; and he had hardly entered upon the subject, when he was seized with giddiness, and in attempting to reach the table for some water, was obliged to catch hold of the bed post to save himself from falling. I forgot everything else in my anxiety for him. I knew that he had been dangerously ill with attacks of this kind in former years, and after a.s.sisting him to reach the bed, I ran below for Aunt Morgan. She and Joseph immediately went to him. When they approached the bed the Doctor held out his hand to Joseph, while with the other he pressed his throbbing brow. "Cousin," he said humbly, "I have wronged you, greatly wronged you."
"In what?" asked Joseph in surprise.
"I have been led to believe that you and Cora loved each other; loved as you ought not. Can you forgive me?"
The hoa.r.s.e voice, and suppressed breathing showed cousin, that this was no time for a joke, and he answered gravely, "truly and fully."
"Thank you," replied the Doctor in a whisper.
"Frank," I said, as his paleness every moment increased, "I shall send for a physician, or can you prescribe for yourself?" He requested Joseph to go across the street to the druggists and procure some medicine which he named. He then said to aunt, "I used to have these turns long ago, but have not for a year or two."
When cousin returned with the phial I administered the medicine according to his direction, when he told aunt, if it would not be giving too much trouble, he should like some strong mustard draughts for his feet.
After half an hour, a fire had been made in the room, and the poultices had begun to take effect. He felt his pulse, and asked me to administer another dose of the medicine. Seeing that I looked very much troubled, he said gently, "try, my love, to compose your feelings. It is true I am very sick; but I tell you the truth when I say, there is probably no danger, provided I keep perfectly free from excitement, and the medicine operates favorably. I know exactly what to do."
I was turning away to hide my tears when he drew me down to him and whispered, "say once more, dear Cora, that you forgive me!" It was almost more than I could bear; but I choked back my sobs, and a.s.sured him again and again of my love and entire forgiveness.
I had been moving quietly about the room preparing for the night, when aunt came in, and said she or Joseph would watch with Frank. But I told her nothing should induce me to leave him. This was said in a whisper, but Frank heard it, and said, "let her stay. I am already relieved, and shall need nothing. I shall rest far better if she is by my side."
Aunt put her hand on his head. "Doctor, you are very ill, I shall send for a physician immediately. Your head is burning up, and fairly throbs with violence."
Frank"s face lit up almost into a smile, as he said, "It is easy to bear that; the pain is all gone here," putting his hand to his heart.
"Dear husband," said I, "don"t think of that now; only remember that I am your own Cora, and try to go to sleep." Dear aunt had to take off her gla.s.ses and wipe them twice before she could see; and she would not be contented until she had brought him some hot herb tea, which he consented to take, as it might hasten the operation of the medicine.
CHAPTER XVI.
"O, women, men"s subduers!
Nature"s extremes, no mean is to be had, Excellent good or infinitely bad." DAVENPORT.
"O, jealousy! thou merciless destroyer, More cruel than the grave! what ravages Does thy wild war make in the n.o.blest bosoms!" MALLET.
_Sat.u.r.day, October 24th._
By half past eleven on the evening of this attack, Frank was so much relieved, that I felt it safe to go to bed, and slept sweetly for the first time for more than a week. The next morning he p.r.o.nounced the difficulty entirely removed, but confessed that the powerful medicine, he had taken, made him very weak. I carried him some breakfast to the bed, after which I took my work and sat by his side. I would not allow him to talk, and was only too happy in the thought that all the coldness and reserve which had caused each of us so much unhappiness had pa.s.sed, and now only appeared like a troubled dream. My heart was buoyant with hope and happiness, and as I ever and anon looked up from my work and met the eye of my husband fixed upon me with its former look of love, I felt that my Heavenly Father had answered my prayers, and restored unto me the heart, I feared, was estranged from me forever.
Aunt came up and sat down on the foot of the bed. After Frank had a.s.sured her that all the danger had pa.s.sed, and that, with the exception of being weak, he was as well as ever, she began to say something of Fidelia. I had taken my breakfast late, and had not seen her since we parted at the dinner table yesterday. Now I thought I recognized her step in the entry, and looked with dread at the door. Aunt perceived my agitation and asked me what was the matter.
"I can"t see Fidelia," I almost screamed, as I heard the latch move.
Aunt stepped to the door and locked it, while Frank said, "There is more in this than I thought. There must have been some underhand work here."
He stopped suddenly at a quick look from aunt.
"You will probably not see her again," she said gravely, "she has returned home."
"Would to G.o.d, she had never left it!" murmured Frank.
"When did she go?" I asked joyfully.