Mrs. Lovel was becoming reconciled to her tower chamber. Ghostly as it
appeared, no ghosts had visited her there; on the contrary, she had
slept soundly; and as the days wore on and she found the quiet, simple
life at Avonsyde soothing to her perturbed nerves and restoring vigor to
her somewhat feeble frame, she came to the conclusion that the tower was
a particularly healthy place to sleep in, and that some of the
superabundant vigor which characterized Miss Griselda must be owing to
the splendid air which night after night she inhaled in her lofty
chamber.
As soon as ever this idea took possession of Mrs. Lovel's mind, she
would not have changed her ancient tower bedroom for the most modern and
luxurious which Avonsyde could offer.
A thought--a pleasing thought--came ever and anon to the poor lady as she
watched her boy's peaceful face when he lay asleep on his little white
bed.
"Suppose the healthy air of the tower makes Philip strong?"
Philip had been for some months at Avonsyde, and no one yet had found
out that he possessed any special delicacy. At first the pallor of his
little face had been commented on; but people soon got accustomed to
this, and the boy was so merry, so good-humored, so brave, that those
who watched him would have found it difficult to associate any special
weakness with such lithe and agile movements, with so gay a spirit, with
so merry and ringing a laugh. Miss Griselda had begun by declaring, both
in her sister's presence and also in that of Philip's mother, that no
decisive step could be taken until a doctor had thoroughly examined the
boy; but of late she had ceased to speak of any doctor, and had nodded
her head in an approving manner when Phil had sung out to her from the
tops of the tallest trees, or had galloped panting and laughing to her
side on his rough forest pony. Miss Katharine said many times to her
sister:
"Surely we need make no delay. There seems no doubt that the boy can
absolutely trace his succession from Rupert Lovel. Why should we waste
money, Griselda, in inserting that advertisement any more in the
newspapers when we have found our heir?"
Miss Lovel, however, was not to be unduly hurried in so momentous a
matter.
"We cannot be too careful, Katharine. Yes, we will insert the
advertisement once or twice again. It was only yesterday I heard from
Mr. Baring that some fresh claimants are writing to him through their
lawyers. There is no hurry whatever, and we cannot be too careful."
Perhaps Miss Katharine took it rather too much as a matter of course
that Phil could trace his descent, without flaw, from the Rupert Lovel
who had quarreled with his father long ago. She was so accustomed to
hearing Mrs. Lovel say, "I have got all the proofs; I can trace the
descent without a single break for you at any time," that she began to
believe she had gone through the genealogical tree, and had seen with
her own eyes that the child was the lineal descendant of the elder
branch of her house.
Miss Griselda was far sharper than her sister. Miss Griselda knew
perfectly that Phil's descent was not yet proved, but, unlike most old
ladies in her position, she disliked genealogy. She said openly that it
puzzled her, and on one occasion when Mrs. Lovel, in her half-timid,
half-fretful voice, said, "Shall I bring you the proofs of Phil's
descent now? Are you at leisure to look into the matter to-day?" Miss
Griselda replied somewhat sharply:
"I hate genealogical trees. Katharine can understand them, but I can't.
I don't suppose, Mrs. Lovel, you would be so utterly devoid of all sense
as to bring the boy here and to establish yourself in our house without
having incontestable proofs that he is what you represent him to be. I
take it for granted that Phil is a direct descendant of Rupert Lovel,
but I shall certainly not make him our heir until more competent eyes
than mine examine your proofs. At present I am more interested in
watching Phil's health, for if he was fifty times descended from our
ancestor and was weakly he should not inherit Avonsyde. When I have
quite made up my mind that your boy is strong I will ask Mr. Baring, our
business man, to come to Avonsyde and go into the proofs; then, all
being satisfactory, the boy shall be announced as our heir, and we will
of course undertake his maintenance and education from that moment."
Mrs. Lovel breathed a slight sigh of relief.
"Having proclaimed Phil as your heir, nothing would induce you to revoke
your decision afterward?" she asked nervously.
"Certainly not. What a strange speech to make! The boy being strong,
being the right age, and being an undoubted descendant of our house,
what more could we want? Rest assured, Mrs. Lovel, that when your boy is
proclaimed heir of Avonsyde, were fifty other claimants to come forward
we should not even listen to their plea."
A faint pink, born of intense gratification, colored Mrs. Level's pale
cheeks.
"I should like to be bold enough to ask you another question," she said.
Miss Griselda smiled in a freezing manner.
"Ask me what you please," she answered. "You must forgive my saying that
I have already observed how singularly restless and uncomfortable you
are. I think I can guess what is the matter. You are intensely curious
about us and our money. Oh, no, I am not at all offended. Pray ask what
you want to know."
Mrs. Lovel, though a timid, was a rather obtuse person, and she was not
crushed by Miss Griselda's withering sarcasm. Clearing her throat and
pausing slightly before bringing out her words, she continued:
"I have wondered--I could not help wondering--what you would do with your
property if no heir turned up."
This speech, which was as audacious as it was unexpected, caused Miss
Lovel to raise her finely marked eyebrows with some scorn.
"Your question is indiscreet," she said; "but, as it happens, I do not
mind answering it. Did no true heir appear for Avonsyde during our
lifetime the place would be inherited by our nieces, Rachel and Kitty
Lovel; but they would only have a life-interest in the property, and
would be solemnly bound over to continue our search for the missing
heir."
"Rachel and Kitty will, then, be disappointed when Phil is announced as
your representative," said Mrs. Lovel, rising with sudden alacrity to
her feet. "Thank you so much for your valuable information, Miss Lovel.
You may be quite certain that I shall regard what you have been good
enough to confide to me as absolutely confidential."
"I have told you nothing that everybody doesn't know," answered Miss
Griselda. "I never reveal secrets, and least of all to those who are not
related to us. Talk to any one you please about what I have said to you.
As to my brother's children, I am thankful to say they have not yet
attained an age when the absence or the presence of money is of the
slightest moment to them. One word more, Mrs. Lovel, before we change
our conversation. I have noticed without your telling me that you are
extremely poor."
Mrs. Lovel interrupted with a great sigh.
"Oh!" she said, throwing up her hands and speaking with marked emphasis,
"I have known the sore pangs of poverty--of course, it has been genteel
poverty. I could never forget Phil's birth nor what I owed to my poor
dear husband's position, and of course I made a great effort to descend
to nothing menial; but, yes, I have been poor."
"You need not excite yourself about the past. When Phil's identity is
established and his position assured, it is the intention of my sister
and myself to settle upon you for your life an income of £500 a year.
Pray don't thank me; we do it for our own sakes, as of course Phil's
mother has a certain position to keep up. We should recommend you to
settle somewhere near your boy. What did you say? No, no; that cannot
be. When everything is settled we must request you to remove to your own
home."
For Mrs. Lovel had interrupted with the almost incoherent words:
"Am I not to live at Avonsyde always?"