The rest of the evidence was not very important. Chris Walker told how he had brought Tung-yu to the ball and handed in a slip of advertis.e.m.e.nt, and then Rupert was recalled to tell what he knew. Tidman related his interview with Tung-yu, and described how both had seen Rupert place the tie in the overcoat pocket. Then it appeared that the whole of the case turned on the fact that the scarf had been removed from the pocket. No one knew. Miss Pewsey said that Rupert took it: but her evidence was so obviously prejudiced that the jury would not believe all she said.
Lotty Dean who was at the ball, declared that she saw Miss Wharf cross the terrace about eleven and go towards the floral arch on the other side of which were the steps. She was quite alone, and seemed tranquil, "she was fanning herself at the moment," said the witness.
"Ah!" said the Coroner, "then she had the fan at that time."
"It was gone when we found the body," put in Miss Pewsey, and was rebuked for speaking out of order.
The interest of the case turned on the evidence of Dalham, the attendant in the cloak-room. He was a dissipated-looking man, and gave his evidence very unwillingly. Owing to his having left the cloak-room at Burgh"s request, Rupert, as he threatened to do, had reported him to the manager and Mr. Dalham had been dismissed. This loss of his situation did not make him any the sweeter towards Ainsleigh, but all the same, he could not state on his oath, that the young man had returned to take the tie again from the pocket. Nor had the Chinaman, or Major Tidman returned. Dalham knew the Major well, and as he phrased it, "would have spotted him at once," while the gay dress of Tung-yu would have been equally conspicuous had he attempted to meddle with a coat which did not belong to him.
"You did not leave the room again?" asked the Coroner.
"I only left it once," said Dalham. "Because Mr. Burgh and Mr. Ainsleigh wanted to fight."
"We"ve heard about that, and it has nothing to do with the case," said the coroner. "But you were in the room the rest of the evening?"
"I"ve said so a dozen times sir," growled the badgered man. "Lots of people came for their things and some late arrivals left theirs but I was at my post all the time, except that once, when I left Mr. Burgh with Mr. Ainsleigh. I never saw Major Tidman nor Mr. Ainsleigh nor the Chinaman touch the cloak."
The coroner called Burgh and asked him if he was alone in the room at any time. Clarence frankly admitted that he was. "But as I never saw Ainsleigh place the tie in the coat and never knew that he possessed such a tie, I don"t see how you can accuse me." Much more evidence was given, but it all led to no result. Finally the jury, having heard much more of the Chinese story than Rodgers approved of, brought in a verdict against Tung-yu. Hwei, they could say nothing about, as he had not been present. But Tung-yu wanted the fan and the fan had disappeared, while Tung-yu was also absent. "Wilful murder against Tung-yu," was the verdict, and on hearing the evidence, and on reading all that had been said in the papers, the general public agreed with the verdict. Under the circ.u.mstances no other could have been given. Only one person dissented.
"It was that Ainsleigh who killed dearest Sophia," said Miss Pewsey.
CHAPTER XIII
THE WILL
The funeral of Miss Wharf was attended by many people. Of course all her friends came with the usual wreaths of flowers, but owing to the tragic circ.u.mstances of her death, many strangers were present. She was buried in the family vault with much ceremony, and then the mourners departed talking of the crime. It was the general opinion that Tung-yu,--who had not yet been heard of,--was responsible for the death, and that he had sailed away in the Stormy Petrel. Rodgers having returned to Town after the inquest was making inquiries about the yacht. When he discovered her, he hoped to learn particulars as to the flight of Tung-yu.
These many days Rupert had not seen Olivia, although he had called at Ivy Lodge. But Miss Pewsey, who took charge of everything in her usual meddlesome way, would not allow him to be admitted. Olivia did not even know of his visit. She remained in her room, and mourned the death of her aunt. Miss Wharf had certainly been a good friend to her, but she could not be said to have been a kindly aunt. All the same Olivia"s conscience p.r.i.c.ked her, for having secretly married Rupert. As she now thought, she should have told her aunt. But the marriage was decided upon in a hurry, and when the girl had been more than usually piqued by the insulting speeches of Miss Wharf. However, the old woman was dead, and Olivia, little as she loved her, wept for her tragic end.
Miss Rayner, during her mourning, read the evidence given at the inquest, and wondered why she had not been called as a witness, if only to prove that she had given the scarf to Rupert. She thought it extraordinary that Tung-yu should have used the tie to strangle Miss Wharf, and could not think how it came into his possession. After some thought she concluded, that he had taken the scarf from Rupert"s pocket, so as to implicate him in the crime, and had bribed Dalham the attendant, who certainly was not above being bribed, to say nothing about the matter. If this were the case, Dalham would probably blackmail Tung-yu for the rest of his life, as he was just the kind of rascal to make money in shady ways. Then it occurred to Olivia that as Tung-yu had sailed for China, presumably in the yacht, Dalham would not be able to make a milch cow of him. However, whether Tung-yu was guilty or not, she cared little. Rupert was safe, in spite of the evidence of the scarf, and so long as he escaped being arrested, the girl felt perfectly happy.
After the funeral Olivia came downstairs again, and found Miss Pewsey looking after things as usual. The little old maid was most polite, and it seemed as though she was now anxious to make much of Olivia, thinking she would inherit the money. Miss Pewsey had not a shilling to bless herself with, and for years had lived on the bounty of Miss Wharf. Now that Olivia was to be the mistress of Ivy Lodge, Miss Pewsey appeared desirous of making herself pleasant, so that she might remain. Olivia saw through her newly born politeness, and, although she disliked the woman, was not averse to her remaining for a time at least.
"I should be glad for you to remain altogether," explained Olivia when matters came to be discussed, "but of course now that my aunt is gone I may marry Mr. Ainsleigh."
"Oh he"ll marry you quick enough for your money," snapped Miss Pewsey, "not but what he"s a handsome young fellow, but--"
"Don"t run down Rupert," interrupted Olivia flushing, "I love him. You have never been just to him."
Miss Pewsey coughed. "I don"t think he is a very good young man."
"I hate good young men," said Olivia. "Mr. Chris Walker is one of those who never cost his mother a single pang. Why my aunt should wish me to marry such a milksop, I can"t understand."
"Well then, why not marry Clarence?" asked the old maid, "he is not a milksop and has cost his mother--poor soul many a pang. And he loves you dearly, Olivia. I should think you would be able to live very nicely on five hundred a year and with this house rent free."
"If I come into possession of the property that is."
"Oh, I am sure you will," said Miss Pewsey effusively. "To whom should dear Sophia leave the money, if not to you, her nearest relative."
"She might have left it to you, for she loved you, while she only tolerated me."
Miss Pewsey threw up her mittened hands with a cry of dismay. "Oh my dear there"s no chance of my being so lucky. Sophia was very close about money matters--"
"Surely not with you, Miss Pewsey. She always consulted you in everything. You had great influence over her."
"If so, I made no use of it for my own benefit," said Miss Pewsey with great dignity. "Sophia never consulted me about her wills. I know she made several, and dictated the last just a week before her death. While she was confined to her room with that cold you know, Olivia. I suppose," Miss Pewsey t.i.ttered, "I suppose she wanted to be amused."
"I shouldn"t think making one"s will was amusing," said Olivia dryly, "however, the lawyer will be here this afternoon to read the will, and we shall know if I inherit."
"I am sure you will get the money. And dear, you won"t forget your poor Lavinia," purred Miss Pewsey. "Let me remain here with you, until you marry Mr. Ainsleigh, or until I marry Theophilus."
"Are you really going to marry Dr. Forge?" asked Miss Rayner, looking with secret amazement at the withered face and shrunken form of Miss Pewsey and wondering what the doctor could see in her to make her his wife.
"I really am," said Miss Pewsey emphatically and with a shrewd look in her eyes. "And I see that you think it is ridiculous at my age to marry.
Also, I am not handsome I know. All the same, Theophilus is willing to make me Mrs. Forge, and I dare say I"ll grace the position well enough.
It isn"t love," added Miss Pewsey, "at our age dear that would be too absurd. We are simply entering into a partnership. He has money and I have brains."
"Dr. Forge has brains also."
"Not so much brain power as I have. I am not lovely I know dear, but I am clever," and Miss Pewsey drew herself up proudly. "Why poor dear Sophia would never have died worth so much money but for me. Ah, if she had only given me that fan when I asked her, she would not have been killed and I should have got five thousand pounds and more from Tung-yu for her. But she would keep the fan," Miss Pewsey squeezed out a tear, "and so met with her doom. That nasty Chinaman." Miss Pewsey shook a small fist. "I wish he could hang."
Olivia looked at her. "I heard that you disagreed with the verdict Miss Pewsey."
"Meaning that I said Mr. Ainsleigh was guilty," snapped the old maid, "well I did, dear, but I have changed my mind."
Miss Rayner did not believe this, for Miss Pewsey looked very malignant as she spoke. Her change of opinion was made, merely to adapt herself to circ.u.mstances and to retain a home until such time as her marriage with Forge, would enable her to dispense with Miss Rayner"s help. However, Olivia did not argue the point. She wished to keep on good terms with the old maid, until Rupert declared the secret marriage. Then she could go to the Abbey, and leave Miss Pewsey behind with all other disagreeable things.
With Pastor, the solicitor of the deceased lady, came Clarence Burgh and Dr. Forge. Lady Jabe, more manly than ever, appeared with Chris Walker, who had taken a holiday on purpose to hear the will read, and Lady Jabe explained this to Miss Pewsey in a whisper. "I know that poor Sophia wished Chris to marry Olivia," she said, "so I thought the will might state that the money would be left to her on such a condition. I therefore made Chris ask for a holiday, so that he might hear of his good fortune."
"Let us hope it will come," aid Miss Pewsey, dryly, "but fortune or no fortune, Olivia will stick to young Ainsleigh."
"He is a nice young man, but poor."
"Chris is poor also. Yet you want him to marry Olivia."
"I think Chris has a better character than young Ainsleigh, who looks as though he has a will of his own. Now Chris has none. I have broken it, and Olivia as Mrs. Walker, can order him about like a slave. I hope Sophia has made the will as I wished."
"You"ll hear in a minute. For my part," added Miss Pewsey in her spiteful way, "I hope Sophia has left the money to Olivia, on condition that she marries Clarence, and keeps him at home."
"And keeps him on the income," corrected Lady Jabe, who did not at all approve of this speech. "No man should live on his wife."
"You propose that Chris should do so."
"Indeed no. He earns quite a good salary at the office, and I could live with the young couple to prevent waste."