"Perfectly well."
"What does he think about it all?"
"I find a difficulty. If Lady Alice Redcliffe will define her question----"
"I mean--well, I should have asked you first, whether he ever talked to you about the affairs of that family--the Deverell family--I mean as they were affected by the loss of a deed. I don"t understand these things well; but it involved the loss, they say, of an estate; and then there was the great misfortune of my life."
M. Varbarriere here made a low and reverential bow of sympathy; he knew she meant the death of her son.
"Upon this latter melancholy subject he entirely sympathises with you.
His grief of course has long abated, but his indignation survives."
"And well it may, sir. And what does he say of the paper that disappeared?"
"He thinks, madam, that it was stolen."
"Ha! So do I."
The confidential and secret nature of their talk had drawn their heads together, and lowered their voices.
"He thinks it was abstracted by one of the Marlowe family."
"Which of them? Go on, sir."
"Well, by old Sir Harry Marlowe, the father of Sir Jekyl."
"It certainly _was_ he; it could have been no other; it was stolen, that is, I don"t suppose by his hand; I don"t know, perhaps it was; he was capable of a great deal; _I_ say nothing, Monsieur Varbarriere."
Perhaps that gentleman thought she had said a good deal; but he was as grave on this matter as she.
"You seem, madam, very positive. May I be permitted to inquire whether you think there exists proof of the fact?"
"I don"t speak from proof, sir."
Lady Alice sat straighter, and looked full in his face for a moment, and said--
"I am talking to you, Monsieur Varbarriere, in a very confidential way.
I have not for ever so many years met a human being who cared, or indeed knew anything of my poor boy as his friend. I have at length met you, and I open my mind, my conjectures, my suspicions; but, you will understand, in the strictest confidence."
"I have so understood all you have said, and in the same spirit I have spoken and mean to speak, madam, if you permit me, to you. I do feel an interest in that Deverell family, of whom I have heard so much. There was a servant, a rather superior order of person, who lived as housekeeper--a Mrs. Gwynn--to whom I would gladly have spoken, had chance thrown her in my way, and from whom it was hoped something important might be elicited."
"She is my housekeeper now," said Lady Alice.
"Oh! and--"
"I think she"s a sensible person; a respectable person, I believe, in her rank of life, although they chose to talk scandal about her; as what young woman who lived in the same house with that vile old man, Sir Harry Marlowe, could escape scandal? But, poor thing! there was no evidence that ever I could learn; nothing but lies and envy: and she has been a very faithful servant to the family."
"And is now in your employment, madam?"
"My housekeeper at Wardlock," responded Lady Alice.
"Residing there now?" inquired M. Varbarriere.
Lady Alice nodded a.s.sent.
I know not by what subtle evidences, hard to define, seldom if ever remembered, we sometimes come to a knowledge, by what seems an intuition, of other people"s intentions. M. Varbarriere was as silent as Lady Alice was; his heavy bronzed features were still, and he looking down on one of those exquisite wreaths of flowers that made the pattern of the carpet; his brown, fattish hands were folded in his lap. He was an image of an indolent reverie.
Perhaps there was something special and sinister in the composure of those large features. Lady Alice"s eye rested on his face, and instantly a fear smote her. She would have liked to shake him by the arm, and cry, "In G.o.d"s name, do you mean us any harm?" But it is not permitted even to old ladies such as she to explode in adjuration, and shake up old gentlemen whose countenances may happen to strike them unpleasantly.
As people like to dispel an omen, old Lady Alice wished to disturb the unpleasant pose and shadows of those features. So she spoke to him, and he looked up like his accustomed self.
"You mentioned Mr. Herbert Strangways just now, Monsieur. I forget what relation you said he is to the young gentleman who accompanies you, Mr.
Guy Strangways."
"Uncle, madam."
"And, pray, does he perceive--did he ever mention a most astonishing likeness in that young person to my poor son?"
"He has observed a likeness, madam, but never seemed to think it by any means so striking as you describe it. Your being so much moved by it has surprised me."
Here Lady Alice"s old eyes wandered toward the spot where Guy Strangways stood, resting them but a moment; every time she looked so at him, this melancholy likeness struck her with a new force. She sighed and shuddered, and removed her eyes. On looking again at M. Varbarriere, she saw the same slightly truculent shadow over his features, as again he looked drowsily upon the carpet.
She had spent nearly a quarter of a century in impressing her limited audience with the idea that if there were thunderbolts in heaven they ought to fall upon Sir Jekyl Marlowe. Yet, now that she saw in that face something like an evil dream, a promise of judgment coming, a feeling of compunction and fear agitated her.
She looked over his stooping shoulders and saw pretty Beatrix leaning on the back of her father"s chair, the young lady pleading gaily for some concession, Sir Jekyl laughing her off.
"How pretty she looks to-night--poor Trixie!" said Lady Alice, unconsciously.
M. Varbarriere raised his head, and looked, directed by her gaze, toward father and daughter. But his countenance did not brighten. On the contrary, it grew rather darker, and he looked another way, as if the sight offended him.
"Pretty creature she is--pretty Beatrix!" exclaimed the old lady, looking sadly and fondly across at her.
No response was vouchsafed by M. Varbarriere.
"Don"t you think so? Don"t you think my granddaughter very lovely?"
Thus directly appealed to, M. Varbarriere conceded the point, but not with effusion.
"Yes, Mademoiselle is charming--she is very charming--but I am not a critic. I have come to that time of life, Lady Alice, at which our admiration of mere youth, with its smooth soft skin and fresh tints, supersedes our appreciation of beauty."
In making this unsatisfactory compliment, he threw but one careless glance at Beatrix.
"That girl, you know, is heiress of all this--nothing but the t.i.tle goes to Dives, and the small estate of Grimalston," said Lady Alice. "Of course I love my grandchild, but it always seems to me wrong to strip a t.i.tle of its support, and send down the estates by a different line."
"Miss Beatrix Marlowe has a great deal too much for her own happiness.
It is a disproportioned fortune, and in a young lady so sensible will awake suspicions of all her suitors. "You are at my feet, sir," she will think, "but is your worship inspired by love or by avarice?" She is in the situation of that prince who turned all he touched into gold; while it feeds the love of money, it starves nature."
"I don"t think it has troubled her head much as yet. If she had no dot whatever, she could not be less conscious," said the old lady.