She saw the stars in the water and thought she was going to them; and perhaps, on the Great Day, that thought, that imagination may plead for her.
It was a mad love, a cruel, mad love.
Some instinct came to Lord Chandos when he read that letter that all was not well. He started at once for Rashleigh.
The morning sun was high in the heavens when he reached there. Going at once to the mill-stream, he had seen the body of the woman he loved floating there, her long hair tangled in the water-lilies, a smile such as comes from perfect peace on her face.
He did the wisest thing he could have done--he brought Farmer Noel to the spot, and told him the story, while she lay with her face raised to the morning skies--the story of a mad love.
Farmer Noel uttered no reproaches.
"I never thought she would live a happy life or die a happy death," he said--"it was written so in her face."
They two kept the secret. In a small place like Rashleigh such an occurrence is a nine days" wonder; every one believed that the hapless lady had fallen into the stream as she was pa.s.sing to the woods.
Although the farmer grieved sorely after her, he never told any one that she was his niece, and no one recognized her.
There was a verdict of found drowned, and every one thought the farmer very generous because he undertook the funeral expenses.
How Lord Chandos grieved, no words could tell--it was as though the light of his life had disappeared; he never spoke of his sorrow, but it made him old in his youth and killed the best part of his life in him.
No one, even ever so faintly, connected the inquest at Rashleigh with the disappearance of Madame Vanira. The world went mad at first with anger and disappointment, then a rumor was spread that madame had gone to America, and had married a millionaire there.
The world recovered its good temper and laughed; then another grand singer appeared on the scene, and Leone was forgotten. The only person to whom Lord Chandos ever told the truth was the Countess of Lanswell, and it shocked her so greatly that she gave up all society for a few days, and then, as the world had done before her, forgot it.
Lord Chandos never forgot; the world was never the same to him. His wife"s words came true; he was kindness itself to her, and she was very happy. She never even heard of Madame Vanira"s untimely end, nor did she ever know who Madame Vanira was. She always respected her, because she had kept her word, and had gone out of her husband"s way. As time pa.s.sed on she, too--forgot.
Lord Chandos never forgot.
Fair daughters and stalwart sons grew around him; he was kind, cheerful, even gay, but in the depths of his heart he mourned over her. To please him Lady Chandos gave to one of her daughters the name of Leone, and it was pitiful to hear the pathos with which he used the name.
Of all his children he loves Leone best. In his dreams he sees the golden gates of heaven, and the other Leone watching for him there.
While she sleeps in peace by the mill-stream, and as the water runs by, it sings:
"A mad love--a mad love."
But "the mill will never grind again with the waters that are past."
THE END.