"By the way, Jerry, how did you find out about him?" asked Durham.
"I saw him arrive," said Jerry, ingenuously. "I was in the garden when he came. I wouldn"t have written, sir, if I had known that my dear missus wanted it kept dark. But Mr. Beryl was so anxious about Sir Bernard that I thought he would be glad to know he was alive."
"How did you know this gentleman was Sir Bernard?"
"I heard James the coachman describe him, and then I knew."
"All the same, Jerry," said Julius, benevolently, "if Miss Berengaria wished the fact of Sir Bernard"s being here kept quiet, you should not have disclosed it even to me."
"But I wished to set your mind at rest," murmured Jerry, looking up with dove-like eyes. "I owe you so much, sir."
Julius smiled and patting his head, walked on to the drawing-room. It was a very pretty comedy, but Durham was not to be taken in. He knew well enough that the boy was a mere tool and a dangerous one. As a matter of fact, he did not know until later how dangerous the lad really could be.
Miss Berengaria and Alice were in the drawing-room, and both smiled a welcome when the two men entered. Alice darted a look of terror and repulsion at Beryl, but as he was shaking hands with the old lady he did not see it, else he might have suspected. Durham guessed this and touched her hand. She nodded, and when Julius shook hands with her she welcomed him again with a smile, although her very flesh crept when she touched him. As for Miss Berengaria, that indomitable old lady never turned a hair. She smiled and chatted, and was bland to Julius. He might have been her dearest friend from the amount of attention she bestowed on him.
"So poor Bernard is going to make his will," she said briskly. "I hope he has left Alice something."
"Five hundred a year, and the like amount to Mrs. Gilroy."
"Indeed, Mr. Durham; and why to Mrs. Gilroy?"
"Bernard looks upon her as a second mother," said Julius, hastily; "at least he told me so. Of course, I know nothing about her. I hope, however, she will reappear to claim her legacy."
"There may be no chance for anyone to claim legacies for a long time,"
said Miss Berengaria, tartly. "I hope Bernard will not die."
"I hope so also," said Alice, fervently; and she really meant it, even though she was thinking of the young scamp upstairs.
Julius shook his head. "Dr. Payne a.s.sures me he cannot live. I am glad he has decided to make this will."
"Yes, you would be," said Miss Berengaria ironically, and she might have been rash enough to say more, but that Durham intervened.
"I hope none of the servants know that Bernard is here?"
"They all know by this time," said Miss Berengaria, calmly. "We kept the matter from them as long as possible; and with Alice I waited on Bernard myself. But Jerry told the servants as well as Mr. Beryl."
"Will the knowledge go any further?" said the lawyer, keeping up the comedy. "I don"t want Bernard arrested."
"My servants will not speak under pain of dismissal, if that is what you mean," said Miss Plantagenet, sharply. "As to Jerry----"
"He is one of your servants also," said Beryl, softly; "but I have some influence over Jerry, and I will see that he holds his tongue."
"You can take him away altogether," snapped Miss Berengaria. "I don"t approve of having boys with long tongues in my house. Jerry had no right to be hanging round the garden when Bernard arrived, much less to write and tell you that he was here."
"He thought I was anxious."
"I daresay you are," said the old dame, "to see Bernard hanged."
"Indeed, no," replied Julius, earnestly. "I wish him to die in peace."
"Having got all you can out of him," muttered Miss Berengaria, rubbing her nose. "Well," she added sharply, "are we to go upstairs and witness this will?"
"Yes! Mr. Beryl can"t witness as he is the residuary legatee. Nor can Miss Alice, since she is mentioned in the will. But you, Miss Plantagenet, and----"
"And yourself?"
"No. I am the executor."
"Then Maria can witness the will. She is my own maid and can be depended upon. Are you coming, Julius?"
"Thank you, no," said Beryl, with a gentle smile. "I think as I have such a large interest in the will that it is better I should remain away. I shall stay here. And you, Miss Malleson?"
"I shall stop also," said Alice in reply to a look from Durham. "You go up with Mr. Durham, aunt."
"Come along then," said Miss Berengaria, hastening out of the room; "the sooner this is over the better. Ugh! I hate wills. They put me in mind of the family vault, and I can"t last long now."
The lawyer followed, and Miss Berengaria led him up a narrow stair which conducted to the turret-room in which the false Bernard was lying. At the foot of this stair she stopped. "Durham," she said abruptly, "do you mean to let this man execute this false will?"
"Yes. I wish Julius Beryl to commit himself beyond recall."
"What will you do then?"
"I can"t say. One thing at a time. When the will is executed we will watch Beryl"s att.i.tude. Something will happen," added Durham, thinking of the incriminating handkerchief in his possession.
"Yes," said Miss Berengaria, climbing the stairs with a briskness surprising in a woman of her years, "something will happen. This poor foresworn wretch upstairs will die."
"But I thought you said----"
"I know I did. I could help him back to life with careful nursing, and I wish to do so, since I think there is good in the rascal. But Beryl, having had the will made, will--kill him. Yes," added she, nodding, "there will be a repet.i.tion of the crime. I believe Beryl himself killed Simon--the old--no, he is dead. Let us be just."
"What makes you think Julius Beryl killed Sir Simon?"
"Nothing," snapped Miss Berengaria; "he looks like a murderer." Durham smiled to himself as he went up the stairs and wondered at her acuteness in thus. .h.i.tting the nail on the head. When the will was executed Julius certainly might attempt to get rid of the instrument he had used, as he had rid himself of Sir Simon, but in the house of Miss Berengaria this would be a more difficult matter. "And if he tries anything of that sort on," thought Durham, "I"ll have him arrested at once for the first murder. Meantime, let us see how far he will proceed with the plot."
The young man lying in bed was very weak. His face was thin and pale and his scrubby beard was now longer. He looked haggard and anxious, and started up when the door opened. "It is only Mr. Durham and I, Bernard,"
said Miss Berengaria in a soft voice. "We have come about the will."
Michael raised himself on his elbow. "Have you got it?" he asked.
"Yes," said Durham, producing the doc.u.ment. "Miss Plantagenet, will you please call up your maid to witness it?"
While the old lady rang the bell and Michael read the will, the lawyer looked closely at the invalid. He was wonderfully like Bernard, and but that Durham knew that the real Gore was in another place he might have been deceived. Michael was clever enough to feign illness as an excuse for talking little, as he evidently dreaded to say much lest Alice or Durham should question his ident.i.ty. The whole deception was cleverly carried out. Michael even attempted to account for any difference in his signature.
"I feel so weak I can"t write as firmly as I used to," he said, when the maid entered the room. "So you must not be surprised if my signature is unlike my usual one."
"If it is as good as the writing in your letter, I shan"t complain,"
said Durham, wheeling a small table near to the bed.