the hand of ethelberta-第97章

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there　who　cannot　give　a　good　account　of　himself　to　be　brought　before
me　to…morrow　morning。　　I　am　living　at　the　cottage　at　present。
That's　all　I　have　to　say　to　you。'　　And；　turning　round　to　Ethelberta：
'Now；　dearest；　we　will　walk　a　little　further　if　you　are　able。　　I
have　provided　that　your　friends　shall　be　taken　care　of。'　　He　tried
to　pull　her　hand　towards　him；　gently；　like　a　cat　opening　a　door。

They　walked　a　little　onward；　and　Lord　Mountclere　spoke　again；　with
imperturbable　good…humour：

'I　will　tell　you　a　story；　to　pass　the　time　away。　　I　have　learnt　the
art　from　youyour　mantle　has　fallen　upon　me；　and　all　your
inspiration　with　it。　　Listen；　dearest。　　I　saw　a　young　man　come　to
the　house　to…day。　　Afterwards　I　saw　him　cross　a　passage　in　your
company。　　You　entered　the　ball…room　with　him。　　That　room　is　a
treacherous　place。　　It　is　panelled　with　wood；　and　between　the　panels
and　the　walls　are　passages　for　the　servants；　opening　from　the　room
by　doors　hidden　in　the　woodwork。　　Lady　Mountclere　knew　of　one　of
these；　and　made　use　of　it　to　let　out　her　conspirator；　Lord
Mountclere　knew　of　another；　and　made　use　of　it　to　let　in　himself。
His　sight　is　not　good；　but　his　ears　are　unimpaired。　　A　meeting　was
arranged　to　take　place　at　the　west　gate　at　half…past　seven；　unless　a
note　handed　from　the　balcony　mentioned　another　time　and　place。　　He
heard　it　allhee…hee！

'When　Lady　Mountclere's　confederate　came　for　the　note；　I　was　in
waiting　above；　and　handed　one　down　a　few　minutes　before　the　hour
struck；　confirming　the　time；　but　changing　the　place。　　When　Lady
Mountclere　handed　down　her　note；　just　as　the　clock　was　striking；　her
confederate　had　gone；　and　I　was　standing　beneath　the　balcony　to
receive　it。　　She　dropped　it　into　her　husband's　handsho…ho…ho…ho！

'Lord　Mountclere　ordered　a　brougham　to　be　at　the　west　lodge；　as
fixed　by　Lady　Mountclere's　note。　　Probably　Lady　Mountclere's　friend
ordered　a　brougham　to　be　at　the　north　gate；　as　fixed　by　my　note；
written　in　imitation　of　Lady　Mountclere's　hand。　　Lady　Mountclere
came　to　the　spot　she　had　mentioned；　and　like　a　good　wife　rushed　into
the　arms　of　her　husbandhoo…hoo…hoo…hoo…hoo！'

As　if　by　an　ungovernable　impulse；　Ethelberta　broke　into　laughter
alsolaughter　which　had　a　wild　unnatural　sound；　it　was　hysterical。
She　sank　down　upon　the　leaves；　and　there　continued　the　fearful　laugh
just　as　before。

Lord　Mountclere　became　greatly　frightened。　　The　spot　they　had
reached　was　a　green　space　within　a　girdle　of　hollies；　and　in　front
of　them　rose　an　ornamental　cottage。　　This　was　the　building　which
Ethelberta　had　visited　earlier　in　the　day：　　it　was　the　Petit　Trianon
of　Enckworth　Court。

The　viscount　left　her　side　and　hurried　forward。　　The　door　of　the
building　was　opened　by　a　woman。

'Have　you　prepared　for　us；　as　I　directed？'

'Yes；　my　lord；　tea　and　coffee　are　both　ready。'

'Never　mind　that　now。　　Lady　Mountclere　is　ill；　come　and　assist　her
indoors。　　Tell　the　other　woman　to　bring　wine　and　water　at　once。'

He　returned　to　Ethelberta。　　She　was　better；　and　was　sitting　calmly
on　the　bank。　　She　rose　without　assistance。

'You　may　retire；'　he　said　to　the　woman　who　had　followed　him；　and　she
turned　round。　　When　Ethelberta　saw　the　building；　she　drew　back
quickly。

'Where　is　the　other　Lady　Mountclere？'　she　inquired。

'Gone！'

'She　shall　never　returnnever？'

'Never。　　It　was　not　intended　that　she　should。'

'That　sounds　well。　　Lord　Mountclere；　we　may　as　well　compromise
matters。'

'I　think　so　too。　　It　becomes　a　lady　to　make　a　virtue　of　a
necessity。'

'It　was　stratagem　against　stratagem。　　Mine　was　ingenious；　yours　was
masterly！　　Accept　my　acknowledgment。　　We　will　enter　upon　an　armed
neutrality。'

'No。　　Let　me　be　your　adorer　and　slave　again；　as　ever。　　Your　beauty；
dearest；　covers　everything！　　You　are　my　mistress　and　queen！　　But
here　we　are　at　the　door。　　Tea　is　prepared　for　us　here。　　I　have　a
liking　for　life　in　this　cottage　mode；　and　live　here　on　occasion。
Women；　attend　to　Lady　Mountclere。'

The　woman　who　had　seen　Ethelberta　in　the　morning　was　alarmed　at
recognizing　her；　having　since　been　informed　officially　of　the
marriage：　　she　murmured　entreaties　for　pardon。　　They　assisted　the
viscountess　to　a　chair；　the　door　was　closed；　and　the　wind　blew　past
as　if　nobody　had　ever　stood　there　to　interrupt　its　flight。



Full　of　misgivings；　Christopher　continued　to　wait　at　the　north　gate。
Half…past　seven　had　long　since　been　past；　and　no　Ethelberta　had
appeared。　　He　did　not　for　the　moment　suppose　the　delay　to　be　hers；
and　this　gave　him　patience；　having　taken　up　the　position；　he　was
induced　by　fidelity　to　abide　by　the　consequences。　　It　would　be　only
a　journey　of　two　hours　to　reach　Anglebury　Station；　he　would　ride
outside　with　the　driver；　put　her　into　the　train；　and　bid　her　adieu
for　ever。　　She　had　cried　for　help；　and　he　had　heard　her　cry。

At　last　through　the　trees　came　the　sound　of　the　Court　clock　striking
eight；　and　then；　for　the　first　time；　a　doubt　arose　in　his　mind
whether　she　could　have　mistaken　the　gate。　　She　had　distinctly　told
Sol　the　west　lodge；　her　note　had　expressed　the　north　lodge。　　Could
she　by　any　accident　have　written　one　thing　while　meaning　another？
He　entered　the　carriage；　and　drove　round　to　the　west　gate。　　All　was
as　silent　there　as　at　the　other；　the　meeting　between　Ethelberta　and
Lord　Mountclere　being　then　long　past；　and　he　drove　back　again。

He　left　the　carriage；　and　entered　the　park　on　foot；　approaching　the
house　slowly。　　All　was　silent；　the　windows　were　dark；　moping　sounds
came　from　the　trees　and　sky；　as　from　Sorrow　whispering　to　Night。　　By
this　time　he　felt　assured　that　the　scheme　had　miscarried。　　While　he
stood　here　a　carriage　without　lights　came　up　the　drive；　it　turned　in
towards　the　stable…yard　without　going　to　the　door。　　The　carriage　had
plainly　been　empty。

Returning　across　the　grass　by　the　way　he　had　come；　he　was　startled
by　the　voices　of　two　men　from　the　road　hard　by。

'Have　ye　zeed　anybody？'

'Not　a　soul。'

'Shall　we　go　across　again？'

'What's　the　good？　let's　home　to　supper。'

'My　lord　must　have　heard　somebody；　or　'a　wouldn't　have　said　it。'

'Perhaps　he's　nervous　now　he's　living　in　the　cottage　again。　　I
thought　that　fancy　was　over。　　Well；　I'm　glad　'tis　a　young　wife　he's
brought　us。　　She'll　have　her　routs　and　her　rackets　as　well　as　the
high…born　ones；　you'll　see；　as　soon　as　she　gets　used　to　the　place。'

'She　must　be　a　queer　Christian　to　pick　up　with　him。'

'Well；　if　she've　charity　'tis　enough　for　we　poor　men；　her　faith　and
hope　may　be　as　please　God。　　Now　I　be　for　on…along　homeward。'

As　soon　as　they　had　gone　Christopher　moved　from　his　hiding；　and；
avoiding　the　gravel…walk；　returned　to　his　coachman；　telling　him　to
drive　at　once　to　Anglebury。

Julian　was　so　impatient　of　the　futility　of　his　adventure　that　he
wished　to　annihilate　its　existence。　　On　reaching　Anglebury　he
determined　to　get　on　at　once　to　Melchester；　that　the　event　of　the
night　might　be　summarily　ended；　to　be　still　in　the　neighbourhood　was
to　be　still　engaged　in　it。　　He　reached　home　before　midnight。

Walking　into　their　house　in　a　quiet　street；　as　dissatisfied　with
himself　as　a　man　well　could　be　who　still　retained　health　and　an
occupation；　he　found　Faith　sitting　up　as　usual。　　His　news　was
simple：　　the　marriage　had　taken　place　before　he　could　get　there；　and
he　had　seen　nothing　of　either　ceremony　or　viscountess。　　The
remainder　he　reserved　for　a　more　convenient　season。

Edith　looked　anxiously　at　him　as　he　ate　supper；　smiling　now　and
then。

'Well；　I　am　tired　of　this　life；'　said　Christopher。

'So　am　I；'　said　Faith。　　'Ah；　if　we　were　only　rich！'

'Ah；　yes。'

'Or　if　we　were　not　rich；'　she　said；　turning　her　eyes　to　the　fire。
'If　we　were　only　slightly　provided　for；　it　would　be　better　than
nothing。　　How　much　would　you　be　content　with；　Kit？'

'As　much　as　I　could　get。'

'Would　you　be　content　with　a　thousand　a　year　for　both　of　us？'

'I　daresay　I　should；'　he　murmured；　breaking　his　bread。

'Or　five　hundred　for　both？'

'Or　five　hundred。'

'Or　even　three　hundred？'

'Bother　three　hundred。　　Less　than　double　the　sum　would　not　satisfy
me。　　We　may　as　well　imagine　much　as　little。'

Faith's　countenance　had　fallen。　　'O　Kit