"Ashcroft: August 5th.
"Dear Lady, Carleton,--My eldest son has returned from abroad. He asks
your permission for a short interview, either with yourself or with Sir
Philip Carleton, concerning the circumstances under which he left
England.
"I remain sincerely yours,--
"George Cunningham."
Lady Carleton handed the note to her husband, to whom she had already
related Florence's story.
"You will see him?" said Sir Philip. "Ask the gentleman to walk in."
It was a very uncomfortable moment both for Lady Carleton and for Alwyn
Cunningham, who had been boy and girl together, and now hardly knew how
to meet; but Sir Philip carried it off by ordinary greetings as to the
son of a neighbour, whose acquaintance he was ready to make, and Alwyn
hardly waited a moment before he entered on the matter in hand.
He took out the jewel that he had shown to Edgar in the wood and laid it
on the table.
"I can at least return to you this piece of your family property, Lady
Carleton," he said.
"My mother's jewel, the ruby bird!" faltered Lady Carleton, hardly
knowing what this implied.
"And," said Alwyn, "I will ask Sir Philip Carleton to be good enough to
read these papers."
These contained the confession of Lennox, already alluded to by Harry
Whittaker to his aunt, and the attestations of it, of which he had shown
copies to the Warrens.
"That Lennox stole the jewels, and returned one of them on his death-bed
to me, Whittaker has told some of his relations," said Alwyn, "but the
main fact of the matter has only been confided to my father, as you will
see that it would not do to make it public. This Is the substance of
what he told me as nearly as possible in his own words:
"`I put the jewels for safety in a hollow tree near the entrance to
Ravenshurst. I thought they were safer there than in my keeping. I
kept one back to take it up to London, and see if I could dispose of it,
but before I could do so the alarm was given. I was afraid to come back
without a reason, and I went off with my new master, leaving the jewels
in the tree, and thinking they'd either be found (I have never been in
England since), or I should get a chance of coming back for them. But I
put it off and I put it off. I took service with Mr Alwyn Cunningham
because I thought I could find out how things had gone; and I hope he
will go home and find the jewels.'"
"This is a most extraordinary story," said Sir Philip.
"It is," said Alwyn. "Of course it rests finally on the unsupported
words of myself and Whittaker, who alone heard it. These other papers
and letters may show what worth is attached to our words in our own
neighbourhood, but that is all."
"Then do you mean to say," ejaculated Sir Philip, "that these missing
jewels are--are in an old tree trunk in Ashcroft Wood?"
"Well," said Alwyn, "all I can say is that Lennox said that he put them
in one."
"Good heavens!" exclaimed Sir Philip.
"But, of course," Alwyn continued, "some one _may_ have lighted on them
during these eight years and carried them off, to say nothing of the
difficulty of finding them. For he had done it, he said, in the dark,
and though he could have found the tree himself, he could not tell me
anything about it, except that it was near Ravenshurst. You see he was
dying fast, and spoke with great difficulty."
"Do you remember the man, Lily?" asked Sir Philip.
"I think I remember something about a servant who went to America. Oh,
Philip, you will have every place searched--you will help Mr
Cunningham? If the jewels could be found! But I don't mind so much
after all about that if no one is accused falsely."
"As to that," said Sir Philip, "I know Mr Dallas, of Boston, and the
Bishop of. I knew them when I was once in the States, the year before I
married. What they say here is quite sufficient to establish the worth
of Mr Alwyn Cunningham's testimony and the character of his foreman,
who is more concerned in the matter. You will allow me to call on you,
Mr Cunningham, and to express my pleasure at your return."
"Thank you," said Alwyn, a little stiffly, for the situation sorely
tried his pride. "I am much obliged to you," he added, after a moment.
"And, Alwyn," said Lady Carleton, with tears in her eyes, "can you ever
forgive me for my silly trick, and for being too frightened to tell of
it at once? Oh, I have never--never forgiven myself."
"I don't think it is easy for any of us to forgive ourselves, Lady
Carleton," said Alwyn, "for that night's work. But your share was a
very small one."
"The fact is," said Sir Philip, "the thing was never properly
investigated. Mr Fletcher was afraid that the silly trick would come
to my ears--too soon. I needn't say--since you know my wife--that I at
once heard of it from her. The chance was lost. But what is to be done
now? You yourself believe this story?"
"Oh yes," said Alwyn, "I do. There was no object in deceiving me. No;
I am sure Lennox had not sold the jewels, and made up the story of the
old tree."
"We cannot let it get about that the wood is full of diamonds," said Sir
Philip.
"No," returned Alwyn with a laugh; "neither Whittaker nor myself could
resist a little bird's-nesting, but it was, of course, unwise. That was
partly why I wished to make myself known first to my brother. I did not
know then that part of our misfortunes."
"Ah! poor fellow," said Sir Philip, "he is sadly helpless. But your
return will be a capital thing for him. His life must be rather
solitary."
"Yes, I fear so," said Alwyn. "I will go back to him now, with many
thanks for a most kind reception."
"Lily," said Sir Philip, when their guest was gone, "I believe young
Cunningham told the truth and the whole truth, to-day. But I didn't."
"What in the world do you mean, Philip?"
"Why, only yesterday I got a letter from old Dallas, giving a wonderful
account of him and his high character out there, but wanting naturally
to know how Mr Cunningham's eldest son came to be there at all. I was
wondering what I could say, for it was very evident that he had a reason
for asking--there's a lady in question, I imagine--when to-day he turns
up."
"Oh, Philip, we _must_ find the jewels!"
"We must; but it passes me to know how to set about it."