He confessed that poor Arthur Morton had a bad set about him--indeed, his father"s tastes had involved him in the kind of thing, and Lady Adela had been almost a child when married to him by relations who were much to blame. Captain Alder had belonged to the set, but had always seemed too good for them, and as if thrown among them from a.s.sociation. There was no doubt that he and Bertha were much in love, but there was sure to be strong opposition from her father, and even her brother had shown symptoms of thinking his friend had no business to aspire to his sister"s hand. Moreover, it appeared afterwards that the Captain was heavily in debt to Arthur Morton. It was under these circ.u.mstances that the accident occurred. Bertha had mistrusted the horse"s eye and ear, and implored her brother not to venture on driving it, and had been bantered good-humouredly on her unusual fears. At the first shock, the untamed girl had spoken bitter words, making Captain Alder accountable for the accident. What they were, neither Mr. Hailes nor any one else exactly knew, but they had cut deep.
When, on poor Arthur"s recovery of consciousness, there was an endeavour to find Captain Alder, he had left the army; and though somewhat later the full amount of the debt was paid, it was conveyed in a manner that made the sender not easily traceable, and as it came just when Arthur was again past communication, and sinking fast, no great effort was made to seek one who was better forgotten.
It had not then been known how Bertha"s life would be wrecked by that sense of injustice and cruelty--nor what a hold the love of that man had taken on her; but like Lady Adela, Mr. Hailes averred that she had never been the same since that minute of stormy grief and accusation; and that he believed that, whatever might come of it, the being able to confess her wrongs, and to know the fate of her lover, was the only thing that could restore the balance of her spirits or heal the sore.
From his own former employer, Mr. Burford, Frank procured that other link which floated in his memory when Lady Adela spoke. The name had come into Mr. Burford"s office because he had been engaged on the part of one of his clients in purchasing an estate of the Alder family, at a time which corresponded with Arthur Morton"s death, and the payment of the debt. There was a second instalment of the price which had to be paid to a Quebec bank.
This was all that could be learnt; but it confirmed Lord Northmoor"s impression that it would be right to see him, and as far as explanation could go, to repair the injustice which had stung him so deeply. A letter could not do what an interview could, and Herbert"s plans were quite sufficient cause for a journey to Winnipeg.
Of course it was a wrench to leave his wife and newly-recovered son; but he had made up his mind that it was right, both as an act of justice to an injured man, inc.u.mbent upon him as head of the family, and likewise as needful in his capacity of guardian to Herbert, while the possibility of bringing healing to Bertha also urged him.
However, Frank said little of all this, only quite simply, as if he were going to ride to the petty sessions at Colbeam, mentioned that he thought it right to go out to Canada to see about his nephew.
And as soon as he had brought the party home, and seen his boy once more in his own nursery, he set forth, leaving Mary to talk and wonder with Lady Adela over the possible consequences.
CHAPTER XLII HUMBLE PIE
Bertha had just arrived from her tour, having rushed home on the tidings of a quarrel between the doctors and the lady nurses of her pet hospital; and she had immediately dashed down to Northmoor to secure her cousin as one of the supporters. She sat by Lady Adela"s fire, very much disconcerted at hearing that he was not come home yet, though expected every day.
"What should he have gone off to Canada for? He might have been contented to stay at home, after having lost all this time by his illness. Oh, yes, I know that sounds ungrateful, when it was all in the cause of my little Cea. I shall be thankful to him all my life, but all the same, he ought to be at home when he is wanted, and I wonder he liked to fly off just when he had got his dear little boy back again."
"He did not like it, but thought it his duty."
"Duty--what, to Herbert? Certainly the boy has come out very well in this matter, considering that the finding Mite was to his own detriment; but probably he has found his vocation as a colonist. Still Northmoor might have let him find that for himself."
"Do you know where the home he found is, Bertha?"
"Somewhere about Lake Winnipeg, isn"t it?"
"Yes; and the name is Northmoor."
"Named by Herbert, eh? Or didn"t John Tulse go out? Did he name the place in loyalty to us?"
"Not John Tulse, but one who told Herbert that his happiest days were spent here."
"Adela, you mean something. Don"t tantalise me. Is it Fred Alder? And was he kind to the boy for old sake"s sake, because he bore the old name?
Did he think he was your Mike?"
Bertha was leaning forward now, devouring Adela with her eyes.
"He was much puzzled to understand who Herbert was, but he gave him great help. The man could hardly have been made to speak if he had not brought him to his bearings. Herbert has been living with him and his brother-in-law ever since, and is going to remain as a farming-pupil."
"Married of course to a nasal Yankee?"
"No."
There was a pause. Bertha drew herself back in her chair, Adela busied herself with the tea-cups. Presently came the question--
"Did Northmoor know?"
"Yes, he did."
"And was that the reason of his going out?"
"Herbert was one motive, but I do not think he would have gone if there had not been another reason."
"You did not ask him?" she said hotly.
"Certainly not."
"I don"t want any one to interfere," said Bertha, in a suddenly changed mood, "especially not such a stick as that. He might have let it alone."
"And if you heard that Captain Alder was--"
"A repentant prodigal, eh? A sober-minded, sponsible, easy-going, steady money-making Canadian," interrupted Bertha vehemently, "such as approved himself to his Lordship"s jog-trot mind. Well, what then?"
"Oh, Birdie, perverse child as ever."
"And so you actually despatched my Lord to eat humble pie in my name.
You might have waited to see what I thought of the process."
Bertha jumped up, as if to go and take off her hat, but just at that moment some figures crossed the twilight window, and in another second Adela had sprung into the hall, meeting Mary and Frank, whom she beckoned into the dining-room.
Bertha had followed as far as the room door, when, in the porch, she beheld a tall large form, and bearded countenance. One moment more and those two were shut into the drawing-room.
Mary, Frank, and Adela stood together over the dining-room fire, all smiles and welcome.
"Doesn"t he look well?" was Mary"s cry, as she displayed her husband.
"Better than ever. Nothing like bracing air. Oh! I am glad you brought _him_" indicating the other room, "down at once; she might have had a naughty fit, and tormented herself and everybody."
"You think it will be all right?" said Frank anxiously. "It was a venture, but when he heard that she was at the Dower House, there was no holding him. He thinks she has as much to forgive as he has."
"You wrote something of that--though the actual misery and accident were no fault of his, poor fellow, and yet--yet all that self-acted and re-acted on one another, and did each other harm," said Adela.
"Yes," said Frank; "harm that he only fully understood gradually, after he had burst away from it all in the shock, and was living a very different life with his little sister, and afterwards with her husband, a thoroughly good man."
"To whom you have trusted your nephew?"
"Entirely. Herbert is very happy there, much more so than ever before, useful and able to follow his natural bent."
"I am very glad he will do well there."
A sudden interruption here came on them in the shape of Amice, who had not been guarded against. She flew into the room in a fright, exclaiming--