The Duke of Hereward and Lady Belgrade were once more left alone together.
Again their eyes met in anxious scrutiny.
"What do you think now, Duke?" inquired her ladyship.
"I think the disappearance of the d.u.c.h.ess is connected with the visit of that strange woman. She may have been an unfortunate beggar, who, with some story of extreme distress, so worked upon Salome"s sympathies as to draw her away from home, to see for herself, and give relief to the sufferers. Or--I shudder to think of it--she may have been a thief, or the companion of thieves, and with just such a story, decoyed the d.u.c.h.ess out for purposes of plunder. This does not certainly seem to be a probable theory of the disappearance, but it does really seem the only possible one," concluded the duke, in a grave voice.
And though he spoke calmly, his soul was shaken with a terrible anxiety that every moment now increased.
"But is it at all likely that Salome, even with all her excessive benevolence, could have been induced to leave her home at such a time as this, even at the most distressing call of charity? Would she not have given money and sent a servant?" inquired Lady Belgrade.
"Under normal conditions she would have done as you say. But remember, dear madam, that Salome is not in a normal condition. Remember that it is but three months since she suffered an almost fatal nervous shock in the discovery of her father"s murdered body on her own wedding morning.
Remember that it is scarcely six weeks since her recovery from the nearly fatal brain fever that followed--if indeed she has ever fully recovered.
_I_ do not believe that she has, or that she will until I shall have taken her abroad, when total change of scene, with time and distance, may restore her," sighed the duke.
"I thought she was looking very well for the last few weeks," said Lady Belgrade.
"Yes, until within the last few days, in which she seems to have suffered a relapse, easily accounted for, I think, by the a.s.sociation of ideas. The near approach of her wedding day brought vividly back to her mind the tragic events of her first appointed wedding morning, and caused the illness that has been noticed by all our friends this day. The excitement of the occasion has augmented this illness. Salome has been suffering very much all day. Every one noticed it, although, with the self-possession of a gentlewoman, she went calmly through the ceremonies at the church, and through the breakfast here. But I think she must have broken down in her room, and while in that state of nervous prostration she must have become an easy dupe to that beggar, or thief, whichever her strange visitor may have been," said the duke; and while he spoke so calmly on such an anxious and exciting subject, he, too, under circ.u.mstances of extreme trial and suspense, exhibited the self-possession and self-control which is the birthright of the true gentleman no less than of the true gentlewoman.
"It may be as you think. It would be no use to question the servants further. They know no more than we do. We can do nothing more now but wait, with what patience we may, for the return of that eccentric girl,"
said Lady Belgrade, with a deep sigh, as she settled herself down in her chair.
Another hour pa.s.sed--an hour of enforced inactivity, yet of unspeakable anxiety. Three hours had now elapsed since the mysterious disappearance of the bride; and yet no news of her came.
"She does not return! This grows insupportable!" exclaimed Lady Belgrade, at length, losing all patience, and starting up from her chair.
"She _may_ be detained by the sick bed, or the death bed, of some sufferer who has sent for her," replied the duke, huskily, trying to hope against hope.
"As if she would so absent herself on her wedding day, on the eve of her wedding tour!" exclaimed the lady, beginning to walk the floor in a thoroughly exasperated state of mind.
"Of course she would not, in her normal mental condition; but, as I said before--"
"Oh, yes, I know what you said before. You insinuated that Salome may be insane from the latent effects of her recent brain fever, developed by the excitement of the last few days. And, Heaven knows, you may be right!
It looks like it! Mysteriously gone off on her wedding day, in the interim between the wedding breakfast and the wedding tour! Gone off alone, no one knows where, without having left an explanation or a message for any one. What can have taken her out? Where can she be? Why don"t she return? And night coming on fast. If she does not return within half an hour, you will miss the next train also, Duke," exclaimed Lady Belgrade, pausing in her restless walk, and throwing herself heavily into her chair again.
"Perhaps," said the Duke, in great perplexity, "we had better have the lady"s maid up again, and question her more strictly in regard to the strange visitor"s name and address; for I feel certain that the disappearance of the d.u.c.h.ess is immediately connected with the visit of that woman. If we can, by judicious questions, so stimulate the memory of the girl as to obtain accurate information about the name and residence, we can send and make inquiries."
For all answer, Lady Belgrade arose and rung the bell for about the twentieth time that afternoon.
And Margaret Watson was again called to the drawing-room and questioned.
"Indeed, if you please, my lady, I am very sorry. I would give anything in the world if I could only remember exactly what the old person"s name was, and where she lived. But indeed, my lady, what with being very much engaged with waiting on her grace, and packing up the last little things for the journey, and getting together the dressing-bags and such like, and having of my mind on them and not on the woman, and no ways expecting anything like this to happen, I wasn"t that interested in the visitor to tax my memory with her affairs. But I know her name was a common one, like Smith or Jones, and I _think_ it was Jones. And I know she said she lived on Westminster Road or Blackfriars Road, or some other road leading over a bridge, which I remember because it made me think about the river. But I couldn"t tell which," said the girl in answer to the cross-questioning.
"And is that all you can tell us?" inquired Lady Belgrade.
"I beg pardon, my lady, but that is all I can remember," meekly replied the girl.
"Then you might as well remember nothing. You can go!" said Lady Belgrade, in deep displeasure.
The girl retired, a little crestfallen.
"Is there any other fool you would like to have called up and cross-examined, Duke?" sarcastically inquired the lady.
The duke made a gesture of negation. And the lady relapsed into painful silence.
And now another weary, weary hour crept by without bringing news of the lost one.
The watchers seemed to "possess their souls" in patience, if not "in peace." There was really nothing to be done but to wait. There was no place where inquiries could be made. At this time of the year nearly all the fashionable world of London was out of town. Nor at any time had Salome any intimate acquaintances to whom she would have gone. Nor would it have been expedient just yet to apply to the detective police for help to search abroad for one who might of herself return home at any moment.
The Duke of Hereward and Lady Belgrade could only wait it in terrible anxiety, though with outward calmness, for what the night might bring forth.
But in what a monotonous and insensible manner all household routine continues, "in well regulated families," through the most revolutionary sort of domestic troubles.
The first dinner bell had rung; but neither of the anxious watchers had even heard it.
The groom of the chambers came in and lighted the gas in the drawing-rooms, and retired in silence.
Still the watchers sat waiting in a state of intense, repressed excitement.
The second dinner bell rang. And almost immediately the butler appeared at the door, and announced, with his formula:
"My lady is served," and then:
"Will your grace join me at dinner?" courteously inquired Lady Belgrade, thinking at the same time of the unparalleled circ.u.mstance of the bridegroom dining without his bride upon his wedding day--"Will your grace join me at dinner?" she repeated, perceiving that he had not heard, or at least had not answered her question.
"I beg pardon. Pray, excuse me, your ladyship. I am really not equal--"
"I see! I see! Nor am I equal to going through what, at best, would be a mere form," said her ladyship. Then turning toward the waiting butler, she said--"Remove the service, Sillery. We shall not dine to-day."
The man bowed and withdrew.
And the two watchers, whose anxiety was fast growing into insupportable anguish, waited still, for still, as yet, they could do nothing else but wait and control themselves.
"Your grace has missed the last train," said Lady Belgrade, at length, as the little cuckoo clock on the mantel shelf struck ten.
"Yes the night express leaves London Bridge station for Dover at ten-thirty, and it is a full hour"s drive from Kensington," replied the duke.
And both secretly thanked fortune that the wedding guests had all departed before the bride"s mysterious absence from the house at such a time had become known; and they knew not but that "the happy pair had left by the tidal train for Dover, _en route_ for their continental tour,"--as per wedding programme. And both silently hoped that the household servants would not talk.
The time crept wearily on. The clock struck eleven.
"I cannot endure this frightful suspense one moment longer! I never heard of such a case in all the days of my life! A bride to vanish away on her bridal day! Duke of Hereward you are her husband! WHAT IS TO BE DONE?" exclaimed Lady Belgrade, starting up from her seat and giving full sway to all the repressed excitement of the last few hours.
"My dear lady," said the duke, controlling his own emotions by a strong effort of will, and speaking with a calmness he did not feel--"My dear lady, the first thing you should do, should be to command yourself.
Listen to me, dear Lady Belgrade. I have waited here in constrained quietness, hoping for our Salome"s return from moment to moment, and fearing to expose her to gossip by any indiscreet haste in seeking her abroad. But I can wait no longer. I must commence the search abroad at once. I shall go immediately to a skillful detective, whom I know from reputation, and put the case in his hands. What seems to us so alarming and incomprehensible, may be to a man of his experience simple and clear enough. We are too near the fact to see it truly in its proper light.
This man I understand to be faithful and discreet, one who may be intrusted with the investigation of the most delicate affairs. I will employ him immediately, in the confidence that no publicity will be given to this mystery. In the meanwhile, my dear Lady Belgrade, I counsel you to call the household servants all together. Do not inform them of the nature of my errand out, but caution them to silence and discretion as to the absence of their lady. You will allow me to confide this trust to you?"
"a.s.suredly, Duke! And let me tell you that these servants are all so idolatrously devoted to their mistress, that they would never breathe, or suffer to be breathed in their presence, one syllable that could, in the remotest degree, reflect upon her dignity," said the lady.