"Her grief and despair over your supposed death," continued the young earl, "was too deep for expression, and she said that life seemed hardly worth the living. She told me that she dared not become my wife, feeling thus; that her heart was dead, her dream of life was over, and she would not wrong me by giving me the ashes of her love in return for the devotion I offered her."
Lord Cameron paused a moment here, as if the memory of that never-to-be-forgotten interview was too much for him; but presently he controlled himself, and went on:
"I take upon myself all the blame for what followed," he said, "for I still urged her to give herself to me. I knew she was not happy here--that she was still weak from her illness and weary of travel, and longed for rest and quiet. I told her I would be content if she would but allow me to throw around her the protection of my name and love, and let me take her, just as she was, into my heart and home. Her answer was, "I dare not, and yet----" That simple qualification made my heart bound, for I accepted it as a sign of yielding.
""And yet you want to--you will?" I said, a.s.suming that that was what she meant, and as I clasped her hand to seal the compact, I saw that she had fainted. Later her sister came to me and said that it was all right--that Violet had said she would marry me. Of course I was elated, for I believed that I should win her in time--that eventually she must yield to my love and devotion, when her wounded heart should have a chance to heal, and I was satisfied to take her thus, even though she had frankly said she could never love me as a wife should love her husband. Still, as time pa.s.sed, I began to fear that she regretted her promise, and during an interview with her, on the evening previous to the day set for our marriage, I was deeply pained and troubled by her manner and a certain wretchedness which she could not conceal. But I reasoned that when the wedding was once over, and we were quietly settled in our home, she would gradually grow content."
Wallace had listened thus far with absorbing interest. At times when Lord Cameron spoke of Violet"s faithfulness to and love for him, of her despairing grief over his supposed death, and her reluctance to become the wife of another, his face would light up for an instant or grow tender with love, as his emotions moved him; but gradually, as the narrator drew near the end of his tale, he grew nervous and restless, the tense lines of pain settled again about his mouth, his eyes grew dark and moody in expression, while the spasmodic twitching of his nerves could be plainly seen by every one in the room.
""When once the wedding was over,"" he interposed hoa.r.s.ely, at this point of the story; "that was--a month ago--to-day----"
"Yes, that was the date set for the ceremony," Vane Cameron responded, with a sinking heart, as he bent a pitying look upon the young and terribly stricken husband.
Bitter as his own grief and disappointment had been when he lost Violet, they now seemed to dwindle into nothing in comparison with Wallace"s greater suffering and the terrible tidings which he yet had to reveal to him. His heart sank with a sickening dread; no duty had ever seemed so hard before.
"I--I read a notice of it in a Cincinnati paper, and I started for England at once----" Wallace began excitedly.
"You started at once!" said Lord Cameron, surprised. "It was announced a month previous."
"I know--I know; but I did not get the paper for some time after," was the agitated reply. "At the time Violet left for Europe I was called to New York to consult with an architect about going into partnership with him and accepting an important contract. The partnership was consummated, the contract accepted, and I have been in New York ever since. This was why I did not get the news earlier--it was a mere chance that I got it at all. The paper stated that you were to start immediately for your residence on the Isle of Wight, consequently I went directly there, thus losing much more time. But--oh, I cannot stop for all these details now," the young man cried, with a ghastly face, the perspiration standing in great beads upon his brow, while he was terribly excited. "Of course Violet is not your wife, even though ten thousand ceremonies were performed over you. She is mine--mine! Oh, Heaven! am I going mad? Where is she? Tell me--tell me! Why are you still here? Why did you not go to the Isle of Wight? Why do you not speak? Why do you keep me in such suspense?"
It was dreadful to look upon him, and no pen could portray the anguish that was written upon his countenance, that vibrated in his hoa.r.s.e, quivering tones.
"We--did not go because--that marriage ceremony never took place," said Lord Cameron, gravely, but inwardly quaking over what he must tell him next.
Wallace sprang to his feet, a thrilling cry of joy bursting from him.
"Never took place!" he repeated, panting for breath. "Thank Heaven!
Violet, my love! you are still my own! Oh, say it again--say those blessed words again!"
"Be calm, I beseech you, Mr. Richardson," said Lord Cameron, pitifully, while convulsive sobs broke from Lady Isabel; "do not allow yourself to become so unnerved and you shall learn all. I told you, if you remember, that Violet--nay, do not frown when I speak of her thus," the n.o.ble young man gently interposed, as Wallace"s brow grew dark, to hear that loved named drop so familiarly from his lips, "for had I known the truth, I would have scorned to wrong either of you by even a confession of my love. But I told you that she appeared strangely during my last interview with her. I offered her a caress--I tell you this," he interposed, a crimson flush mounting to his brow, "that you may have all the comfort possible in knowing how wholly her heart belonged to you--and she shrank from me in pain, if not with absolute loathing.
Later on, during the same evening, my mother saw her for a few minutes, and she made some remarks which seemed very strange at the time, but which were readily comprehended later; for the next morning when her sister went to her room, to help her prepare for her bridal, she was not there. She had gone--left the house and the place, and no one knew whither."
A cry of mingled thankfulness and anxiety broke from Wallace at this, and his sorely tried nerves, so long strung to their utmost tension, gave way, and sob after sob burst from his overcharged heart as he sank weakly back in his chair.
It was a pitiful sight to see that brave, strong young man weep thus over the discovery of the faithfulness of his loved one.
It was almost more than Lord Cameron could bear and retain his composure, while Lady Cameron wept unrestrainedly.
Wilhelm Mencke and his wife sat stolidly by viewing this affecting sight, one racked with feelings of mingled anger, guilt, and remorse, the other uneasily considering the chances of trouble for himself regarding the disposition of Violet"s fortune.
But Wallace soon mastered his emotion; he was not one to remain long inactive when there was anything to be done.
"My faithful, true-hearted little wife!" he murmured, as he dashed aside his tears, new hope and courage already glowing on his face, "her love and instinct were stronger than the force of circ.u.mstances. But,"
starting again to his feet, "I must find her; I must follow her to the ends of the earth, if need be, and when I do find her, as I surely shall,"--with a stern glance at Mr. and Mrs. Mencke--"nothing save death shall ever separate us again."
A chill ran over every listener at these confident words, and an ominous silence fell over the shrinking group.
"Have you any idea whither she went? Has any one tried to follow her?"
Wallace asked, turning to Lord Cameron, and wondering why he should look so ghastly; why Lady Cameron"s sobs should have burst forth again with renewed violence.
"Every possible effort was made to find her; day after day we have searched for her," began his lordship, falteringly.
"And you have learned nothing--gained no clew?" impatiently demanded the anxious young husband.
"Nothing--until the day before yesterday."
"Ah! then you have news at last!" cried Wallace, eagerly. "Tell me!--tell me!--what have you learned?"
"Heaven help me! how can I tell you?" exclaimed Lord Cameron, in an agonized tone. Then with a great effort for self-control, he solemnly added: "Mr. Richardson, be brave--Violet is dead!--drowned! we found her two days ago. She doubtless missed her footing during her flight in the night, and fell into the sea."
But these last words fell upon unheeding ears, for when Lord Cameron said that she was "dead"--"drowned"--Wallace had cast one horrified, despairing look around upon those white, hopeless faces, and then, without a word or cry, as if smitten by some mighty unseen power, he fell forward on his face and lay like a log upon the floor, at Vane Cameron"s feet.
CHAPTER XVII.
LORD CAMERON AND WALLACE BECOME FIRM FRIENDS.
"Help me!" Vane Cameron commanded of Mr. Mencke, as he stooped to a.s.sist the fallen man, his n.o.ble face full of pity and compa.s.sion for him.
They lifted Wallace and laid him upon a lounge, where Vane, after loosening his necktie and collar, strove to revive him by sprinkling his face plentifully with cold water and chafing his hands vigorously.
But Wallace showed no signs of recovering; he lay motionless, breathless--like a man dead, and at last, becoming alarmed, Lord Cameron sent a servant for the nearest physician.
Upon his arrival, and after an examination of Wallace"s condition, he p.r.o.nounced it to be an attack of coma produced by hemorrhage in the brain, caused by excessive excitement and long continued anxiety of mind.
"It is a serious attack," he said, gravely, "but the poor fellow is young and has a splendid physique; if he can hold out long enough--until the clot is absorbed--he may recover. Is he a relative of milord?"
"No, I never saw him until this evening," Vane answered, "but I want everything possible done to save his life, and I will be responsible."
The energetic little French doctor needed no better incentive than this, for the wealth and generosity of the young English earl had been common talk in the town ever since his arrival, and he threw himself into the work of effecting Wallace"s recovery with all his heart. Every luxury that Vane could think of or the doctor suggest, was supplied for his benefit and comfort.
Mr. and Mrs. Mencke took a hasty leave the day following the disclosures related in the foregoing chapter.
Their treachery and unnatural harshness toward Violet had been unmasked, and Lady Cameron and her son did not take any pains to conceal their condemnation of such atrocious conduct; consequently Violet"s sister and her husband were anxious to escape from Mentone as quickly as possible.
"You must go home also, mother," Vane said to Lady Isabel, after their departure, "it will not do for you to remain longer in this enervating climate."
"And what of you, my son?" the fond mother questioned, anxiously.
"I shall stay with him until he recovers, or at least until he is able to be moved farther north," the young man quietly responded.
"Vane----"
"Do not oppose me, mother, please," he interrupted, "he is a stranger in a strange country, with not a friend to minister to his need or comfort; and, if I am not mistaken, he has only a scant supply of money."