They buried Humphrey Stephen on the morning of the 11th, and if any of the
widow's own friends attended the funeral they forbore to obtrude
themselves during the ceremony or at the breakfast which followed it.
While the guests drank sherry and ate cold chickens in the dining-room,
Mrs. Stephen carried her grief off to her own apartment and left Roger to
do the honours. She descended only when the throng had taken leave.
The room, indeed, when she entered, was empty but for three persons.
Roger and the family attorney--Mr. Jose, of Helleston--stood by one of the
windows in friendly converse, somewhat impatiently eyeing a single belated
guest who was helping himself to more sherry.
"What the devil is _he_ doing here?" asked Mr. Jose, who knew the man.
He turned and bowed as the young widow entered. "I was on the point,
madam," said he, "of sending up to request your presence. With your
leave, I think it is time to read the deceased's will." He pulled out his
watch and glanced again, with meaning, towards the stranger.
He had lifted his voice purposely, and the stranger came forward at once
with the half of a pasty in one hand and his glass of sherry in the other.
"Certainly," agreed the stranger, with his mouth full of pasty. He nodded
familiarly to Mr. Jose, drained his glass, set it down, and wiped his damp
fingers on the lappels of his coat. His habits were not pretty, and his
manners scarcely ingratiating. The foxy look in his eyes would have
spoilt a pleasanter face, and his person left an impression that it had,
at some time in the past and to save the expense of washing, been coated
with oil and then profusely dusted over with snuff. "Shall we begin?" he
asked, drawing a parcel of papers from his breast-pocket.
Roger Stephen glared at him, somewhat as a bull-dog might eye a
shrew-mouse. "Who is this?" he demanded.
"This is Mr. Alfonso Trudgian, my lawyer from Penzance," explained the
widow, and felt her voice shaking.
"Then he's not wanted."
"But excuse me, Mr. Stephen, this lady's interests--," began Mr.
Trudgian.
"If my father's will makes any provision for her I can attend to it
without your interference." Roger glanced at Mr. Jose.
"I think," said that very respectable lawyer, "there can be no harm in
suffering Mr. Trudgian to remain, as an act of courtesy to Mrs. Stephen.
We need not detain him long. The will I have here was drawn by me on the
instruction of my late respected client, and was signed by him and
witnessed on the 17th of March, one thousand seven hundred and
twenty-five. It is his last and (I believe) his only one; for, like many
another man otherwise sensible, the deceased had what I may call an
unreasoning dislike--"
"What date?" put in Mr. Alfonso Trudgian pertly.
"I beg your pardon?--the 17th of March, one thousand seven hundred and
twenty-five."
"Then I'm sorry to interrupt ye, Jose, but since Mr. Roger wants me gone,
I have here a will executed by Mr. Stephen on February the 14th last--
St. Valentine's day. And it reads like a valentine, too. 'To my dear and
lawful wife, Elizabeth Stephen, I devise and bequeath all my estate and
effects, be they real or personal, to be hers absolutely. And this I do
in consideration of her faithful and constant care of me.
--Signed, Humphrey Stephen. Witnesses, William Shapcott'--that's my
clerk--'and Alfonso Trudgian.' That's short enough, I hope, and sweet."
Mr. Jose reached out a shaking hand for the document, but Roger was before
him. At one stride he had reached Mr. Trudgian and gripped him by the
collar, while his other hand closed on the paper.
The attorney shrank back, squealing like a rabbit. "Let me go! 'Tis only
a copy. Let me go, I say!"
"You dirty cur!" Roger's broad palm crumpled up the paper, and with a
swift backward movement tossed it at Mrs. Stephen's feet. "Out of the
way, Jose; he asks me to let him go, and I will." He lifted the wretched
man, and, flinging him on the window-seat, pinned him there for a moment
with his knee while he groped for the latch and thrust open the broad
lattice.
A moment later, as she stood and shook, Mrs. Stephen saw her legal adviser
swung up by his collar and the seat of his breeches and hurled, still
squealing, out upon the flagstones of the courtlage; saw him tumble
sprawling, pick himself up, and flee for the gate without even waiting to
pick up his wig or turning to shake his fist. Nay, without one backward
look, but weakly clutching at his coat, which had been split up the back
and dangled in halves from his neck, he broke for the open country and ran.
"Thank you," said she, as Roger swung round upon her in turn. Her lips
were smiling, but she scarcely recognised her own voice. "Am--am I to
follow by the same way?"
Roger did not smile, but took her by the wrist.
"Gently, Mr. Stephen--gently, I implore you!" interposed Mr. Jose.
Roger did not seem to hear, and the woman made no resistance. He led her
through the hall, across the threshold of Steens, and up the courtlage
path. At the gate, as he pushed it wide for her, his grip on her wrist
relaxed, and, releasing her, he stood aside.
She paused for one instant, and gently inclined her head.
"Stepson, you are a very foolish man," said she. "Good-day to you!"
She passed out. Roger closed the gate grimly, slipped forward its bolt,
and walked back to the house.
But the woman without, as he turned his back, stepped aside quickly, found
the wall, and, hidden by it, leaned a hand against the stonework and bowed
her head.
A moment later, and before Roger had reached the front door, her hand
slipped and she fell forward among the nettles in a swoon.