SIR PEREGRINE MAKES A SECOND PROMISE.
We left Lady Mason very grateful at the end of the last chapter for
the promise made to her by Sir Peregrine with reference to her son;
but there was still a weight on Lady Mason's mind. They say that the
pith of a lady's letter is in the postscript, and it may be that that
which remained for Lady Mason to say, was after all the matter as to
which she was most anxious for assistance. "As you are here," she
said to the baronet, "would you let me mention another subject?"
"Surely," said he, again putting down his hat and riding-stick.
Sir Peregrine was not given to close observation of those around him,
or he might have seen by the heightened colour of the lady's face,
and by the slight nervous hesitation with which she began to speak,
that she was much in earnest as to this other matter. And had he been
clever in his powers of observation he might have seen also that she
was anxious to hide this feeling. "You remember the circumstances of
that terrible lawsuit?" she said, at last.
"What; as to Sir Joseph's will? Yes; I remember them well."
"I know that I shall never forget all the kindness that you showed
me," said she. "I don't know how I should have lived through it
without you and dear Mrs. Orme."
"But what about it now?"
"I fear I am going to have further trouble."
"Do you mean that the man at Groby Park is going to try the case
again? It is not possible after such a lapse of time. I am no lawyer,
but I do not think that he can do it."
"I do not know--I do not know what he intends, or whether he intends
anything; but I am sure of this,--that he will give me trouble if he
can. But I will tell you the whole story, Sir Peregrine. It is not
much, and perhaps after all may not be worth attention. You know the
attorney in Hamworth who married Miriam Usbech?"
"What, Samuel Dockwrath? Oh, yes; I know him well enough; and to tell
the truth I do not think very well of him. Is he not a tenant of
yours?"
"Not at present." And then Lady Mason explained the manner in which
the two fields had been taken out of the lawyer's hands by her son's
order.
"Ah! he was wrong there," said the baronet. "When a man has held land
so long it should not be taken away from him except under pressing
circumstances; that is if he pays his rent."
"Mr. Dockwrath did pay his rent, certainly; and now, I fear, he is
determined to do all he can to injure us."
"But what injury can Mr. Dockwrath do you?"
"I do not know, but he has gone down to Yorkshire,--to Mr. Mason's
place; I know that; and he was searching through some papers of old
Mr. Usbech's before he went. Indeed, I may say that I know as a
fact that he has gone to Mr. Mason with the hope that these law
proceedings may be brought on again."
"You know it as a fact?"
"I think I may say so."
"But, dear Lady Mason, may I ask you how you know this as a fact?"
"His wife was with me yesterday," she said, with some feeling of
shame as she disclosed the source from whence she had obtained her
information.
"And did she tell the tale against her own husband?"
"Not as meaning to say anything against him, Sir Peregrine; you
must not think so badly of her as that; nor must you think that I
would willingly obtain information in such a manner. But you must
understand that I have always been her friend; and when she found
that Mr. Dockwrath had left home on a matter in which I am so nearly
concerned, I cannot but think it natural that she should let me
know."
To this Sir Peregrine made no direct answer. He could not quite say
that he thought it was natural, nor could he give any expressed
approval of any such intercourse between Lady Mason and the
attorney's wife. He thought it would be better that Mr. Dockwrath
should be allowed to do his worst, if he had any intention of doing
evil, and that Lady Mason should pass it by without condescending to
notice the circumstance. But he made allowances for her weakness, and
did not give utterance to his disapproval in words.
"I know you think that I have done wrong," she then said, appealing
to him; and there was a tone of sorrow in her voice which went to his
heart.
"No, not wrong; I cannot say that you have done wrong. It may be a
question whether you have done wisely."
"Ah! if you only condemn my folly, I will not despair. It is probable
I may not have done wisely, seeing that I had not you to direct me.
But what shall I do now? Oh, Sir Peregrine, say that you will not
desert me if all this trouble is coming on me again!"
"No, I will not desert you, Lady Mason; you may be sure of that."
"Dearest friend!"
"But I would advise you to take no notice whatever of Mr. Dockwrath
and his proceedings. I regard him as a person entirely beneath your
notice, and if I were you I should not move at all in this matter
unless I received some legal summons which made it necessary for me
to do so. I have not the honour of any personal acquaintance with Mr.
Mason of Groby Park." It was in this way that Sir Peregrine always
designated his friend's stepson--"but if I understand the motives by
which he may probably be actuated in this or in any other matter,
I do not think it likely that he will expend money on so very
unpromising a case."
"He would do anything for vengeance."
"I doubt if he would throw away his money even for that, unless he
were very sure of his prey. And in this matter, what can he possibly
do? He has the decision of the jury against him, and at the time he
was afraid to carry the case up to a court of appeal."
"But, Sir Peregrine, it is impossible to know what documents he may
have obtained since that."
"What documents can do you any harm;--unless, indeed, there should
turn out to be a will subsequent to that under which your son
inherits the property?"
"Oh, no; there was no subsequent will."
"Of course there was not; and therefore you need not frighten
yourself. It is just possible that some attempt may be made now that
your son is of age, but I regard even that as improbable."
"And you would not advise me then to say anything to Mr. Furnival?"
"No; certainly not--unless you receive some legal notice which may
make it necessary for you to consult a lawyer. Do nothing; and if
Mrs. Dockwrath comes to you again, tell her that you are not disposed
to take any notice of her information. Mrs. Dockwrath is, I am sure,
a very good sort of woman. Indeed I have always heard so. But, if
I were you, I don't think that I should feel inclined to have much
conversation with her about my private affairs. What you tell her you
tell also to her husband." And then the baronet, having thus spoken
words of wisdom, sat silent in his arm-chair; and Lady Mason, still
looking into his face, remained silent also for a few minutes.
"I am so glad I asked you to come," she then said.
"I am delighted, if I have been of any service to you."
"Of any service! oh, Sir Peregrine, you cannot understand what it is
to live alone as I do,--for of course I cannot trouble Lucius with
these matters; nor can a man, gifted as you are, comprehend how a
woman can tremble at the very idea that those law proceedings may
possibly be repeated."
Sir Peregrine could not but remember as he looked at her that during
all those law proceedings, when an attack was made, not only on her
income but on her honesty, she had never seemed to tremble. She had
always been constant to herself, even when things appeared to be
going against her. But years passing over her head since that time
had perhaps told upon her courage.
"But I will fear nothing now, as you have promised that you will
still be my friend."
"You may be very sure of that, Lady Mason. I believe that I may
fairly boast that I do not easily abandon those whom I have once
regarded with esteem and affection; among whom Lady Mason will, I am
sure, allow me to say that she is reckoned as by no means the least."
And then taking her hand, the old gentleman bowed over it and kissed
it.
"My dearest, dearest friend!" said she; and lifting Sir Peregrine's
beautifully white hand to her lips she also kissed that. It will be
remembered that the gentleman was over seventy, and that this pretty
scene could therefore be enacted without impropriety on either side.
Sir Peregrine then went, and as he passed out of the door Lady
Mason smiled on him very sweetly. It is quite true that he was over
seventy; but nevertheless the smile of a pretty woman still had
charms for him, more especially if there was a tear in her eye the
while;--for Sir Peregrine Orme had a soft heart.
As soon as the door was closed behind him Lady Mason seated herself
in her accustomed chair, and all trace of the smile vanished from her
face. She was alone now, and could allow her countenance to be a true
index of her mind. If such was the case her heart surely was very
sad. She sat there perfectly still for nearly an hour, and during the
whole of that time there was the same look of agony on her brow. Once
or twice she rubbed her hands across her forehead, brushing back her
hair, and showing, had there been any one by to see it, that there
was many a gray lock there mixed with the brown hairs. Had there been
any one by, she would, it may be surmised, have been more careful.
There was no smile in her face now, neither was there any tear in her
eye. The one and the other emblem were equally alien to her present
mood. But there was sorrow at her heart, and deep thought in her
mind. She knew that her enemies were conspiring against her,--against
her and against her son; and what steps might she best take in order
that she might baffle them?
[Illustration: There was sorrow in her heart,
and deep thought in her mind.]
"I have got that woman on the hip now." Those were the words which
Mr. Dockwrath had uttered into his wife's ears, after two days spent
in searching through her father's papers. The poor woman had once
thought of burning all those papers--in old days before she had
become Mrs. Dockwrath. Her friend, Lady Mason, had counselled her
to do so, pointing out to her that they were troublesome, and could
by no possibility lead to profit; but she had consulted her lover,
and he had counselled her to burn nothing. "Would that she had been
guided by her friend!" she now said to herself with regard to that
old trunk, and perhaps occasionally with regard to some other things.
"I have got that woman on the hip at last!" and there had been a
gleam of satisfaction in Samuel's eye as he uttered the words which
had convinced his wife that it was not an idle threat. She knew
nothing of what the box had contained; and now, even if it had not
been kept safe from her under Samuel's private key, the contents
which were of interest had of course gone. "I have business in the
north, and shall be away for about a week," Mr. Dockwrath had said to
her on the following morning.
"Oh, very well; then I'll put up your things," she had answered in
her usual mild, sad, whining, household voice. Her voice at home was
always sad and whining, for she was overworked, and had too many
cares, and her lord was a tyrant to her rather than a husband.
"Yes, I must see Mr. Mason immediately. And look here, Miriam, I
positively insist that you do not go to Orley Farm, or hold any
intercourse whatever with Lady Mason. D'ye hear?"
Mrs. Dockwrath said that she did hear, and promised obedience. Mr.
Dockwrath probably guessed that the moment his back was turned all
would be told at the farm, and probably also had no real objection to
her doing so. Had he in truth wished to keep his proceedings secret
from Lady Mason he would not have divulged them to his wife. And then
Mr. Dockwrath did start for the north, bearing certain documents with
him; and soon after his departure Mrs. Dockwrath did pay a visit to
Orley Farm.
Lady Mason sat there perfectly still for about an hour thinking what
she would do. She had asked Sir Peregrine, and had the advantage of
his advice; but that did not weigh much with her. What she wanted
from Sir Peregrine was countenance and absolute assistance in the
day of trouble,--not advice. She had desired to renew his interest
in her favour, and to receive from him his assurance that he would
not desert her; and that she had obtained. It was of course also
necessary that she should consult him; but in turning over within her
own mind this and that line of conduct, she did not, consciously,
attach any weight to Sir Peregrine's opinion. The great question for
her to decide was this;--should she put herself and her case into the
hands of her friend Mr. Furnival now at once, or should she wait till
she had received some certain symptom of hostile proceedings? If she
did see Mr. Furnival, what could she tell him? Only this, that Mr.
Dockwrath had found some document among the papers of old Mr. Usbech,
and had gone off with the same to Groby Park in Yorkshire. What that
document might be she was as ignorant as the attorney's wife.
When the hour was ended she had made up her mind that she would do
nothing more in the matter, at any rate on that day.